The beginning of your freshmen year of college can be very overwhelming, however, it can also be one of the most exciting times of your life. Your first week of college can be a tad less stressful if you do these 5 simple tasks your first week.
1. Arrive Early
Giving yourself time to settle in, and getting to know your campus is crucial to limit stress for your first day of class. Arriving early gives you the benefit of not only an easier time moving in but also the ability to visit the dining hall, and other buildings, and walk the campus before it gets too crowded. Additionally, moving in days early will allow you and your fellow roommates more time to talk to the other new students on campus and create a friend group… even if it only lasts the first 2 weeks of college.
2. Talk to Anyone and Everyone
The first couple days of college are when people are the most social and willing to make friends. The conversations you have with people will be very repetitive “what is your major?” “Where are you from?” which I agree can be very annoying. However, the more people you meet and introduce yourself to then the more likely you will actually make friends or at least expand your network. You can also post on some of your social media like Facebook groups, your Instagram story, or different group chats to see who has moved in yet. Within the first couple hours, I posted a picture with my suitemates (whom I had just met) on Instagram and captioned it with “If you moved into UNC today swipe up”. Many new freshmen at UNC already followed me because I previously joined group chats and was posted on the UNC class of 2026 Instagram pages looking for a roommate. After a few hours, multiple people swiped up asking to hang out.
This was the picture I posted on my instagram, literally just a random picture of my new forever friends.
3. Attend All Welcoming Events
When you first arrive there are usually a lot of social events, for example at UNC there is a chant learning gathering in our football stadium that at least 200 people attended, and also a ceremony inside our basketball center (The Dean Smith Center). These events gave me the ability to see these stadiums and also get a sneak peek of what game days and school spirit would look like at my university. My dorm also threw other social events such as barbecues or outdoor games like Volleyball. The social events looked a bit intimidating, I probably wouldn’t have gone without my suite mates or roommate but I definitely saw many people going alone. They’re just a way to get out of your comfort zone and talk to new people in one super energetic setting.
4. Explore Your Campus!
I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to just roam around your college campus and go into new buildings every day. It will help you know where your classes are and allow you to see the beauty in your new home. I am about 2 months away from finishing my freshmen year of college and I still haven’t been into all the buildings I want to, such as the planetarium or even all the libraries. That is why this semester I committed myself to go to a new place on my campus every week. My school has a forest theatre, an arboretum, art museums, and so many more that are free and easy to visit. I even went to these places alone because my friends weren’t available. So just roam around! You never know who you’ll see or what you’ll stumble upon, I never would have known that one day a week there was a rap group that performed if I never took that specific route home from work.
5. Set Goals For Your First Year
Coming to UNC I wanted to get a job and join as many clubs as possible. Just because you make goals does not mean you have to stick to them, because I definitely do not recommend joining more than 3 clubs because even that is a lot. You need to know what you want to get out of the semester, whether that be getting an internship, joining a fun club like boxing, or just letting yourself breathe. Hold yourself accountable for what you want to do with your semester. If you have always wanted to join a boxing club then DO IT! Even if all your friends don’t want to do it with you, still DO IT! Just go by yourself because I promise you many other students are also by themselves for the same reason you are.
These are only a couple of examples of how to start your freshmen year off great but I do think these are some of the most important. Begin your year with the energy you want, if you want to be more social then go to the events, if you want to be more studious then set that goal and talk with your advisor. You have control over how your year unfolds and even if you don’t start the year off great you can still use these tips at any part of your experience.
Have a great freshmen year of college! Everyone’s experience is different, remember to give yourself some grace!
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