Surviving Your First Month in College
So many new opportunities at college can feel both exciting and overwhelming.
Here are some tips to help you with the overwhelming part.
1. Expect an adjustment period.
Do you remember your first day in Kindergarten?
Probably not.
So, unless you have moved around a lot over the years, it’s hard to remember what it was like to start from scratch. New classmates. New teacher. New rules: like raising your hand before you speak.
It’s happening again. New classmates. New professors. (Reminding yourself not to call them teachers.) New campus. Possibly a new town, a new state, a new place to live.
Even for those of you who are pretty adaptable, the transition to college is A LOT.
The transition will hit different students at different times. The first week is usually jam-packed with activities. For some of you, that makes the first week the hardest to get through. (Hello, my fellow introverts! Keep reading for tips on getting through the first week.)
Some of you will be too busy riding that socialization wave to feel homesick. It will probably hit you a bit later – after things have slowed down.
Either way, expect an adjustment period. Transitions are difficult, and this is a big one. In fact, most first-year students will feel lonely, homesick, or isolated at some point. Even if it seems like you’re the only one who feels like that, you’re not.
No need to panic. You don’t need to start packing up to move back home. This adjustment period is completely normal. And you WILL adjust. Just like you learned to read and write and tie your shoes.
Be patient with yourself.
"Just for the record, darling, not all positive change feels positive in the beginning."
— S. C. Lourie
2. Explore campus.
The more familiar you get with campus, the more it will feel like home. So, get out of your room and have a look around.
Start with the types of places that usually feel comfortable to you: indoors vs. outdoors, quiet vs. noisy, isolated vs. social.
Check out:
the libraries
the campus center
the lounges
botanical gardens
the student activities center
the cafeteria
a spot under a tree
Find the places that you feel like you.
3. Get involved with activities and clubs.
During the first week, most colleges will have some kind of event, showcasing the different clubs and activities. Or, if you want to check out the options beforehand, just look on your college’s website. Search for “clubs,” or “activities,” or “student life,” or “campus life.”
Pick out some things that you might like, and then go check them out. It can feel awkward the first few times you go, but eventually it won’t. So keep going.
It’s a great way to help yourself through the transition. Even if you are “just” a commuter student, it’s important to engage with campus life. Own this new space that you are in.
4. Ask for support when you need it.
So, you made a big deal about being an adult now and being able to do things on your own, but now you’re homesick or you’re struggling with classes.
It’s okay. Really. No one expects you to do this alone.
So, reach out to your family and friends. Let them know if you’re lonely or you’re stressed or you’re failing a class. It is OK to let them know that things aren’t perfect.
And reach out to the staff and faculty. They are there to help you succeed. If you don’t understand something or you need something but don’t know who to ask, just ask any of them. Most of them will at least help point you in the right direction to figure out the answers.
5. At the same time, be confident that you know how to take care of yourself best.
Introverts, listen up.
Orientation Week was designed by extraverts for extraverts. During that first week, there can be a LOT of activities on the schedule.
For some students, that constant activity is energizing.
For other students, it is exhausting. (FYI – that’s a good way to tell that you’re an introvert. It’s just a reference to what tends to energize you.)
If you are someone who needs down time to recover from social time, know that that’s ok. At Orientation, it might seem like “normal” people prefer non-stop activities and ice breakers. And you’ll probably get corralled to the next event by an RA or a Student Ambassador or whomever.
I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…. It definitely seems like a lot of the activities are mandatory. A few of them may be. (Do yourself a favor and scan through the Orientation schedule for words like “mandatory” or “required.”) Most of the activities are basically “optional”. And by “optional,” I mean that no one will know if you go and/or there will not be any repercussions if you don’t go.
Granted, you should go to as much as you can – even if it’s scary. This is part of engaging with your environment, and it’s important. But, give yourself permission to take breaks, too. If you go to one activity and then need to chill out in your room during the next activity, let yourself do that.
Just come back. This is how you can start figuring out how to be involved AND how to take care of yourself. Pace yourself.
