Welcome to Freshman Year of College
Set the Tone for Freshman Year with a Strong Start
You began this summer by stepping off a stage as a high school graduate, and now it’s time to step on campus as a college freshman. Congratulations on all of the hard and worthy work that brought you this far! While finishing high school and getting into college was intense, it was all preparation to ensure that you gained the tools, confidence, and resources to excel in your college career. Now that you’re approaching this next phase of your exciting journey, it’s time to prepare once again.
Hopefully, you’re all ready to move into your new home! Once you set up your dorm room and kiss your family goodbye, you’re going to hit the ground running. Freshman move-in weekend is typically full of activities to introduce you to campus and the other students. Take advantage of all of your scheduled activities, and schedule a few of your own to make sure you’re in the driver’s seat of acclimating to college.
Freshman Orientation: Seize the Opportunities
Freshman orientation is a very well planned agenda of games, activities, and networking to help you meet people and learn about resources available to you on campus. Take heart. There will be a lot of information coming at you very fast. Just try to go with the flow, and don’t worry about memorizing every detail. If you catch the high level overview, you’ll absorb enough to get you started once you have more personal time.
If you have already started meeting other students, whether on social media, in your dorm, or from other events, try to get together when you assemble at the first few activities. Once you begin icebreaker and get-to-know-you activities, you’ll begin meeting other people who catch your interest.
You may have scheduled events in your major department, or there could be an open house. Be sure to attend these get-togethers, since some of them are sure to have free food! But seriously, department events will introduce you to the faculty and the students with whom you’ll share the most classes as you advance through your program. While many college students start out with friends from their dorm, suite, or floor, they often develop closer relationships with others in their major, social clubs, or athletic teams. So if you don’t feel as though you have much in common with your roommate right off the bat, don’t worry. You will get to know many people in your first few days!
Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?
Have you ever heard that Sesame Street song about meeting the people in your neighborhood? Please humor me if this song is well before your time, and I’m just showing my age. At any rate, think of college as your newest neighborhood. You have a lot of people to meet, and you’ll interact with them in different ways over the next few years.
Meet with your academic advisor as early as possible. Talk about goals you can set, learn about add/drop dates, and ask about the process to handle academic concerns. Discuss your plan of study to map out any prominent goals you’re exploring, such as a double major, adding a minor, study abroad, or intensive internships. The earlier you discuss these things with your advisor, the better they can equip you to plan your schedule the right way.
Visit your professors during office hours, and especially take a moment to catch up with any professors you met during your interviews and school tours. If you feel comfortable, invite one or two professors to meet you for coffee if you’d like to learn more about their research initiatives or other pursuits. Keep ethical standards in mind and always meet in an appropriate setting. (Campus dining plans often allow for “guest meals” that can be used to invite your professor to lunch in the dining hall.) Also, remember that while professors tend to make themselves more available to proactive students who show effort, they will not play favorites and give you an unfair advantage in grades. Meeting with your professors is a way to maintain a high level of class engagement while respecting the work they expect from you.
Your Resident Advisor is another person you should get to know. First, upperclassmen who take on these responsibilities are typically responsible students who you can trust for counsel and support. But they are also great tour guides, direction-givers, and ambassadors for how to find your place on campus. If you feel like your RA is someone you can talk to, schedule coffee or lunch with them to make a better connection. But remember that your RA has a job to do, and they must do that without bias to maintain their position. So never take advantage of this relationship and assume you can get a free pass on bending the rules.
Librarians, research or teaching assistants, social group advisors, coaches, club advisors, and career center counselors are other people in your new world that you’ll want to meet as you make your way through your first few weeks of freshman year. But don’t overwhelm yourself! You have plenty of time to make connections. Remember to take time for yourself to rest and recharge on this new journey.
If this new experience is beginning to feel overwhelming, or you feel like you might lose focus, contact me to schedule a strategy session. I’ve helped many students just like you begin their time at college with a plan for success. It doesn’t have to be scary! You have what it takes to thrive in college and beyond.