Getting To Know You: Finding Your Way On Campus

Whether you’re transferring into a new college, still exploring your old one, or looking into which school is right for you, finding your way around a college campus can be confusing and troubling.

For schools like Arizona State University, Ohio State, or Texas A&M, that problem is a matter of sheer scale. Regardless of which school you’re looking to attend or which school you are currently attending, knowing your campus can be difficult.

I personally have a very good sense of direction and what others have described as an uncanny knack for remembering places.

However, this is not without practice. When I was younger I would always practice figuring out which way cars were coming down the street by listening to the sound of their arrival. I also rode my bike around my neighborhood all the time and loved to find new places everywhere.

When I joined scouts, I enjoyed all the maps and compasses we got to use. From all these things I’ve learned a few great tips to help you learn your campus better.

Growing up, I loved to hop on my bike and take off, much to the annoyance of my mother. Now as a college student, you have the advantage of being master of your time. Make sure to spend some of it exploring. The best way to really learn someplace is to get into its nooks and crannies.

It has been said that to truly learn a place, first you must become lost in it. Turn off your smartphone, set aside some time, and walk or bike everywhere you can. This intimate understanding of the land around you gets you a first-person view of what you’re looking for.

After you’ve gotten lost, it’s time to find yourself again. Look for any sort of map you can get your hands on. I like physical maps because of the physical assurance they give, but also because they let you scribble all over them. You can take a highlighter and mark down your route or circle the buildings you need for classes. It can also let you take notes about things on campus you like. If you find a coffee shop you really liked when you were walking around, mark it down.

Every time you do something cool on campus, or want a memory, having that paper map lets you scribble it down and remember it every time you look at it. To keep things neat on your map, color code the year or semester for each building. That way, when you graduate, you can look back and see your campus life. Most colleges offer maps at their student unions or student life centers.

Now that you’ve got a map, it’s time to break out old skills if you have them and learn new ones if you don’t. The most important thing about a map is to know where you are. Google Maps and other services do this for you. With a paper map, you’ve got to have a point of reference. If you’re using one of those campus billboard maps, chances are it’s going to have an arrow, an X, or a bull’s-eye showing you exactly where you are. That’s called a point of reference.

Having a point of reference is paramount to figuring out where you are and where you are going. Find some landmark: Albritton Bell Tower at Texas A&M, Thompson Library at Ohio State, the Wescott Building at Florida State. These markers should stand out and be fairly easy to see.

From whatever landmark you choose, find where you are in relation to that and you should be able to guess your approximate location. Next you need a heading.

Now you’ve got a bit of info on where you are, but now you need to find where you need to be. Most maps have a key and index of locations on them.

If you need a particular building look for that index. Chances are it will have some cryptic pair of numbers and letters like J-8 or F-1. Look now at the top and side of your map. You will notice corresponding numbers and letters in columns and rows across a grid on the map.

Trace down and across on the map corresponding to the letter/number combination to simply find your building. Before you head off, it is best to have a few waypoints you make sure you hit so you know you’re heading the right way. If you don’t see them, return to your starting point and try again.

Lastly, if you’re still having trouble finding your way around campus, find a friend who knows the campus well. If you can ask them where a building is and they show you, chances are you’ll remember the location better. Plan a coffee date, fly kites, or just explore your campus with them. Ask them to help you find your classrooms a day or two before the term to find everything. Chances are they’d like someone to come too.

If you’re transferring, looking at college for the first time, or trying to just find your sociology classroom, take the time to try the tips I’ve laid out. Get comfortable with the campus and you’ll have a lot better time with your school.