As you get ready to move out of your parent’s house, into an unfamiliar dorm room, start classes and make new friends, you might be feeling slightly nervous. It’s normal. Keep in mind that in a month, you’ll ask yourself…“Why was I so nervous about starting college? This is WAY cooler than living at home!”
In the meantime, if packing up your childhood room, making countless runs to IKEA, and scrutinizing your new roommate on Facebook sounds familiar, then this is the blog post for you. A few thoughts on the transition to college:
Phase I: Packing & Moving into your Dorm
What Not to Bring
No knickknacks – not your trophy from the 11th grade science fair, not your signed poster of Justin Bieber, or your first edition book collection. Bring only what you need. The room, listen closely, will probably be tiny. Don’t clutter it up with useless, if not meaningful, trifles.
Don’t get Ahead of Yourself
Moving in is exciting. If you’re like me, you like containers, organizing, setting up for the first time. It’s easy to get carried away. An excuse to shop? Count me in!
But hold on…there will be a Wallmart or a Kmart, or a Target, or a Marshall’s, or all of the above, near your college campus. Save your $ so you can shop with your new roommate and set the room up together.
Phase II: Freshmen Orientation & Making New Friends
Stay true to yourself
You're going to meet a lot of people, from all over the country, much less the world, and it's going to be overwhelming, riveting, maybe nerve-wracking, but all in all, fun. Many students come to college and experience new freedoms.
Yes. Eat too much. Hang out late. Go to parties. But stay true to yourself! You don't want to be the person with a rap for two-facedness or binge-drinking a week into your college career.
Never Be too Cool for People or Activities
Alongside meeting a ton of new people, you will be invited to take part in all sorts of new activities. Be open to everything - Even if you've never tried it before, even if it's "not for you", even if it's "dorky". This is your time to break out of your high school self.
This also applies to meeting new people. Some of your best friends during orientation may be strangers by graduation. Don't burn any bridges by forming a clique too early on.
Phase III: Course Registration & Academic Choices
Don’t get stuck in your comfort zone
I.e. Don’t take freshman English because you aced the Advanced Placement test in High School and the course will be a walk in the park. Try Economics 101. You might pursue a research fellowship. Sign up for Introductory German. You might want to study abroad and learn a new language. Enroll in Organic Chemistry. You might love working in a lab.
Getting too entrenched in an academic discipline early on may narrow your options when it comes time to finding a major. Use your first semester at college to take risks and expand your academic horizon.
It’s all about the Professor.
What they don’t tell you when it comes time to choosing courses is that the professor matters, above all.
Perusing a course catalog, you might choose your courses based on how they fit in your schedule, or based on subject matter. Those factors are important, but the secret to a fantastic academic experience is the teacher. Before signing up for a course, talk to an upper classmen about his or her favorite teacher. Even if the course doesn’t fascinate you, it will be worth your while to pursue a highly lauded professor
By the end of phase III, you’ll be feeling pretty acclimated to your new environment and ready for Phase IV: The Bloopers. What are Bloopers? Bloopers are the tales of triumph and catastrophe that come from our early college years – inevitable, joyous, unforgettable.
The expression “Learning by Doing” is never more apt than it is freshman year. Stop worrying and just enjoy it.
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