Many students, like myself, are finishing their college orientation this weekend. To help the rest of this year's and next year's orientation groups, here's some helpful advice I honestly wish somebody would have given me earlier.
1. You will cry on move-in day, and so will everyone else.
Move-in is probably one of the weirdest days you might experience in life. Saying goodbye to the people who raised you knowing you won't see them for a few weeks or even months is a decently intimidating thing. I cried a lot on my move-in. You likely will too, but no worries; the entire class will.
2. Orientation events can be dumb; you should still go.
Orientation leaders are often known for being over the top with their peppiness, and forcing you out of your comfort zone. Some events seem ultra stupid and ridiculous, but they plan orientation week for a reason. Go, be positive about it, and be yourself! You might meet your best friend at the lamest movie night in history.
3. You'll meet hundreds of people, and probably only stick with 6-7 of them.
Odds are good you will cling to a group of 2-3 kids you find common ground with, and casually introduce yourself to a hundred more. You might make friends you won't keep, or not meet your best friend at first, but still. Immerse yourself into the crowd, and approach people you don't know. It's a good thing, trust me.
4. Leave your dorm room door open (when you're in there).
This a great way to meet people on your floor. If somebody walks past your open door and sees you reading a book or studying, they'll be more inclined to pop in and say hi than a closed door with name tags.
5. Be you.
The only way to make sure you make friends with people you like is to be truthful and release your hidden quirks. There are hundreds of people on your campus; your secret passion for pickles and peanut butter will match that of another person.
6. Be open to trying new things.
From clubs to classes to people, you are going to come across so many things you never actually imagined. If it sounds interesting, try it. If you find you dislike it or you don't have the time, opt out.
7. Create a balance between social time and sleep.
Every night of my orientation, there were activities until the early hours of the morning. As somebody who is easily exhausted by social engagement, I usually went to the later events for about 20-30 minutes and then went to bed. Staying up until 3 am every night is not going to lead you to victory.
8. Seniors don't hate you as much as you think they do.
In fact, they probably don't pay much attention to you. The tall football players might get annoyed if you take "too long" to put ketchup on your burger, but other than that most of them won't care. Dress, talk, and act the way you want. They're all way too worried about actual adulthood in 8 months to mock you.
9. Find all of your classes the night before they start.
Especially if you have a large campus, or it's supposed to rain that day. The last thing you want is to be running around nervously at 8 am because you haven't found room 204 in East Hall on the other side of the town.
10. Call your parents when you need to.
This transition is not easy for you or for them. Let them know on occasion that you are still breathing, and give your siblings a shout too.
11. Leave your at-home friends at home for these few days.
Yes, you miss those goods buds of yours, and yes, they are familiar, but spending the entire week on your phone texting your friends from high school is not going to help you meet new people. Slip your phone in your pocket and introduce yourself to the person next to you.
12. Learn from your mistakes.
So you forgot to order a book for statistics and you locked yourself out of your room the second day. So what? Mistakes are the only way you will ever properly learn how things work. Make all the ones you can and learn from them instead of dwelling.
13. Give your roommate a break.
If you find yourself disliking a certain thing your new house mate does or you just cannot tolerate them in general, remind yourself that you are new to each other and college. If you truly cannot get over it, talk to them before you get really mad about the situation. Worst scenario- talk to your RA about a possible change.
14. Quit complaining about the cafeteria food before you begin.
It's not high school, but it's also not a gourmet restaurant. They try their best, and sometimes, you may have something you can't bring yourself to eat. This is what pizza delivery and Easy Mac is for.
15. Don't not eat out of fear of gaining weight.
Most of the time, those who gain "The Freshman 15" are those who went hard in sports all day in high school, and proceeded to drop that lifestyle in college but keep the diet. Simply eat in normal proportions, drink water, and take the steps.
16. Introduce yourself to the guys/girls you're attracted to, but don't be too upset if it doesn't work out.
You have decades of life left- plenty of time to find your person. You'll probably be a little sad if you see the cute guy from your logistics class walking into dinner with another girl after putting in some effort to talk to him, but there are many other fish in the sea.
17. Keep an eye on your friends.
A lot of people do stupid things the first two weeks of college because they're experiencing a new type of freedom. If your best friend is desperate for a frat party, go with her and drag her out if it comes to that.
18. Find personal space when you need it.
As somebody who spent a lot of time alone in my room as a kid, the transition from not having my own space was rough. Find open places on the lawn, a favorite spot in the library, or a quiet and safe off-campus location to read or listen to music if you start to feel overwhelmed.
19. Meet your professors.
College professors are not as scary as one may think, and they really are just humans trying to help you succeed. Go to office hours, be respectful during class, and read the syllabus.
20. Have fun!
Basic, but true. Find your passions, your best friends, and learn a little :)
