You finally made it. After a summer of scouring the W&M website, packing up every inch of your room, and practically memorizing the layout of the local Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond- you’re here at W&M– for the SECOND TIME (thank you, Hurricane Irene)! Maybe it was a rocky start to the year, so here are a few pointers make the [re]start of your freshman year as easy as possible!
1. Find your chill spot.
One of the best parts of college is that there are things going on all the time. Literally, every moment of every day. Between classes, clubs, late night Wawa runs, and bonding sessions with your hall mates, it’s almost impossible to find time to yourself. Although it’ll be tempting to spend every waking moment with your new friends and classmates, it’s important to set aside some time to just relax. So find a spot on campus where you can take a few minutes to take a deep breath and think. It can be in the Wren Building, a bench in Colonial Williamsburg, a shady spot in the Sunken Gardens, or down by the dock at Matoaka. Where ever it is, visit it often. You’ll need some down time to stay sane in the craziness of freshman year!
2. Get to know the Goodwill
You’ll learn quickly that college kids LOVE to dress up. We channel our inner six-year-olds and throw on costumes whenever we have the opportunity. The crazier, the better. So when you’re going to a theme party, don’t be shy. Make the trip down Richmond Rd to the Goodwill and look around- chances are you’ll run into a handful of W&M students doing the exact same thing. Ugly Christmas sweaters, tacky tops, t-shirts for every occasion- you name it, the Goodwill has it. The best part is that it won’t empty your wallet. So go crazy!
3. Keep your door open
The freshman hall experience is one that you’ll never find anywhere else. Keeping your door open is the best way to meet your hall mates; chances are people will just pop in and introduce themselves. An open door sends the vibe that you’re friendly and open to meeting new people. These are the people you’ll spend the entire year with, get to know them early!
4. Get into a routine
With so many things going on, it’s easy to feel disorganized. The last thing you want is to fall behind on schoolwork or miss an important meeting for a new club. Getting into a routine is the best way to ensure you don’t get overwhelmed. So make friends with your planner, and learn your way around Google calendar. For example, each night before bed, I enter the following day’s schedule into my planner, complete with color-coded highlighters. If I don’t I’m absolutely lost all day. Now, you don’t have to be quite as obsessive as I am, but it does help to find your own way to organize your week. It’s the best way to guarantee you’ll hit the ground running.
5. Step out of your comfort zone
College is all about a fresh start. Who you were in high school doesn’t matter, no one knows you here! So try a new sport, or join a club where you don’t know a single person. Start a conversation with a stranger in line at the Caf, or take a class that has absolutely nothing to do with your major. Stepping away from your comfort zone might seem intimidating, but you could find a new passion you never knew you had!
6. Shake it off, and move on.
In the first week of school, I had the most embarrassing moment of my entire life. I was biking to the Rec Center one afternoon, just as the guy’s varsity soccer practice was ending. So of course, as a dozen tan, sexy, shirtless soccer players walked off the field, I couldn’t help but stare. Unfortunately, that meant I wasn’t watching where I was going, and ended up running my bike straight into a parked car. I dented the car, fell to the pavement, and scraped my knee. In front of the ENTIRE men’s soccer team. Although I had never been more embarrassed, I got up and biked on! So even if things don’t quite go as planned, don’t worry about it. Things happen, and I know from experience that life goes on.
Starting college is both incredibly exciting and incredibly stressful. These are just a few easy pointers to get you started. But you’ll get the hang of college life before you know it!