#FDOC: A Guide to Surviving Your First Week of College
By Néya Sridhar
Happy first day of classes! This time of the year is usually filled with countless Target trips, driving long distances, saying see you later to loved ones, and moving in. If you are someone who can relate, this article is for you.
You and I have both seen “Back to College” TikToks all over our For You pages. I see dorm decor, meal prepping, or sappy slideshows pop up once August hits the air.
According to the National Center of Education Statistics, the United States has approximately 5,916 post-secondary colleges and universities, roughly making the college student population to be around 18 million students.
For you 18 million, here’s a guide on how to nail your first week of classes.
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Textbooks
Save money where you can, college is expensive! Do not buy your textbooks before class. Even if the syllabus says that the textbook is required, wait until class and see what your professor has to say. Oftentimes, your professor may post digital PDFs of the required readings.
If not, search up your textbook, followed by “Online Free PDF.” I can guarantee it will be out there somewhere.
Buy A Planner
College is very different from high school. You won’t have the same schedule every day, so it’s easy to lose track of time and forget things. Because of this, invest in a planner or use your computer’s calendar app to write down important dates, assignment deadlines, and miscellaneous.
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Make one friend in each of your classes.
When you walk into class, sit next to someone and introduce yourself. At the end of class, get their socials. If you have any questions about assignments, need a study buddy, or just want to hang out, you will be all set!
Join clubs
Finding people who love the things you love and do the things you do is an important experience in life. We all search for people who share our interests. By joining a club that interests you, it opens the door for friendships to form!
However, let me reiterate. College is not like high school. Please do not overdo it and join a large number of clubs. Join maybe 2 or 3 during your involvement fair to get the ball rolling. Keep it small at first and see if you can handle the time commitment.
Leave your dorm/apartment door open.
Your neighbors are going to be around you 24/7, so it’s a good idea to get to know them! Leaving the door open allows people to introduce themselves.
Share your location with your roommates/friends when you go out.
You never know where the night is headed. Share your locations for the night to keep tabs on each other.
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Say yes to everything…reasonable.
If someone knocks on your door and asks if you want to get food, SAY YES! If you get invited to do something cool, do it! College is full of daily adventures. I find that the best adventures are the ones you had no idea you were going to do.
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Go to Office Hours.
Professors take time out of their schedules to help you, use it. Academics are very important, but the most important is to…
Call your family.
Set an alarm, write it down, or use a post-it. Most likely, you don’t live at home anymore and the change in your life is big! Your family knows you better than anyone. It’s nice to talk to people you don’t have to have a social battery for. Having check-ins, both long and short, will be super beneficial.
College is the time to try something new, explore different things, and become a new person! With these tips, hopefully, your first week of classes and year goes smoothly.
