As exciting as it is to start your first year of college, there’s no getting around the fact that it can also be extremely intimidating. Not only do you have to jump through a thousand logistical hoops and get all your paperwork together, but there’s tons of preparation you will need to do to get your personal life in order. If you want to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety so that the transition can go a little smoother, then you’ll need to get a few essential tasks taken care of correctly. Here is how to start freshman year out on the right foot.
Start Moving In Early
There will most likely be a lot of people living in your dorm and on the first day they will all be moving in at once. The best way to make sure that you don’t have to bump into a bunch of people as you carry all your boxes through the elevators and the halls is to get there as early as possible. Ideally, you should get to your college town the day before and find lodging just outside of campus. That way you can start moving in as early as possible in the morning and spend the rest of the day choosing your bed and organizing your things.
Go to Your Orientation
Some people don’t bother going to their orientation because they assume that they will figure everything out eventually and that it will all be very boring. This is a very amateur mistake to make and you definitely don’t want to miss out. It’s important that you know all the rules and the ropes as soon as you start school, and if you don’t, you could definitely get yourself into trouble, which is the opposite of starting on the right foot. Orientation is also a great way to meet new friends and start discovering all your favorite spots on campus.
Put Your Schedule on Your Lock Screen
If you don’t want to get lost or get your schedule confused throughout your first week or two, then you’re going to want to keep your schedule handy. Usually, the easiest way to do this is to take a picture of it with your phone and then set that image as your lock screen.
Get to Know Your Roommate
The earlier you get to know your roommate, the better. In most cases, you will find out who your roommate is long before you move in. This will give you ample opportunity to get to know one another via email and social media beforehand. Plus, you will definitely want to spend time together and start bonding the first few days of school. If you ignore each other from the beginning, you will be setting yourself up for a tough relationship.
Buy Your Books Early
If you’re attending a competitive school like New England College, then the last thing you want to do is show up to your lectures on the first day of school without your books. You should be assigned these books well in advance, but whenever they are assigned, you want to buy them right away. You should even start skimming through them so that you have a good idea of what you’ll be studying throughout the year.