Going away to college you can expect there to be a lot of changes! Especially if you are moving on campus to a university. I, in my ignorance, thought it would be an easy transition. I was wrong. There are a lot of new things to get use to and that you will discover that no one told you. So here are some tips my friends at SBU and other universities have discovered during this 1st semester.
1.) You and your roommate will not necessarily be best friends.
Do not go into the dorm life expecting to love your roommate because this is not always the case. I have met quite a few who went in with this mentality and are about to switch rooms at semester. Even if you know your roommate or are best friends with your roommate you will learn a lot about them. Living with another person in a small room changes people. Hopefully God blesses you with an awesome roommate.
I have been blessed with a roommate that was one of my best friends before I left for college. Luckily, we are still best friends. However just because we are best friends we do not feel like we have to hangout all the time with the same people. Trinity and I are still individuals with different and similar friends. She goes nuts when I forget to pick my stuff up in the room. I go nuts when the window is open and bugs decide to invade. We have a system and if we are upset we work it out. COMMUNICATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT TO DORM LIFE.
2.) Cafe Food
Unlimited food sounds nice, but you are actually going to save money at most colleges if you go with a lesser meal plan. Cafe food can be great but there are days when you will not have time to or may not be hungry for all three meals when they are offered. It's better to go with the 2 meals a day plan and save the extra money for groceries, snacks, and Netflix.
Be nice to the workers. At SBU, students are generally the cafeteria workers and they are trying to get through the day just like you are. A smile or simple thank you is nice for them. And if you are still hungry after your first plate, go get another one. We only get 5 chicken nuggets. This is not enough for a working college student! You payed for a meal plan just like everyone else, if you are still hungry get more food. Just DO IT!
3.) Organization is your Friend
Get a PLANNER! People tell you to use your planner in High School and a lot of people roll their eyes and survive. But if you want to have a less stressful first semester take your syllabus and write down when assignments are due. This way you have a visual of when things are actually due and how much is due when. At first this is super stressful (Holy crap I have to do all of this stuff in two weeks!?) After the first couple of weeks you start to realize that it really is not that bad! (Mid-Terms and Finals are different subjects) Time management is key!
Another thing I've personally felt helpful is to write down your schedule each day, including class times and meals and tape your week up somewhere convenient. This way you see what you have ahead of you for the day and can guesstimate when you will be able to do extra things. Which leads us to our next topic.
4.) Get involved and make friends right away.
"I don't like people." Well too bad you need some social interaction to make it in this world. It's time to get out of your comfy dorm room and make some friends. And as much as you do not want to participate in the "get to know you" games, do it. Chances are you aren't the only one that is not super thrilled to be there. Trust me you will regret not making connections your first few weeks of college. Don't be afraid to talk to people you don't know because they have had to go through the same process of finding friends like you! On the same note, not everyone wants to make friends, so if you feel rejected do not take it personally. God has made you special for a specific reason, some people just do not see that. An easy way to meet people is to find an activity you know you enjoy doing and go do it in a group setting. This may mean joining a recreation team at your gym. Joining the art club or auditioning for a play. Maybe you do not really enjoy doing any of the things offered on campus? Try it out at least once. It will not kill you (most likely).
Another helpful tip with making friends: Smile and say hi to random people you pass on campus. Even if they just kind of look at you weirdly just smile and walk by. Because there is going to be that one person that really needs just a smiling face or a positive pick me up.
5.) Trust God
The most important thing I have found about my first semester of college is that I need to trust God. Romans 8:28 "For we know in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to His purpose." is one of my favorite verses. Multiple times I have questioned whether or not God really told me to come to SBU. When I look back at the story of how got me here... I know it was a God thing. But there are a lot of hard days. Lonely and stressful days. Days I want to give up. Knowing that God is with me and has me at SBU for a reason often keeps me going. Other days it is because I know I am not the only one suffering and God has given me an opportunity to help encourage others in some way. The salvation of others is way more important than my unhappiness. God gives us good days and bad days ultimately for his good. I also know I cannot see the bigger picture, so I might as well give everything over to the one who can!
Starting college at a University for your first semester is not easy but hopefully these tips can help out any students attending a university for the first time!
