What to Expect in Your First Week of College

By Lorena Roberts on August 31, 2017

In your first week of college, there are a number of different things you should be ready for. Some of them will excite you, and some of them may make you nervous. Regardless of how you’re feeling walking into your first week of college, know that this is a life changing experience. Four years from now, you’re going to be a very different person.

Here are some things to look out for in your first week of college.

1. Recruitment

Everybody and their brother is going to try to get you to join one club or another. There are plenty of things to get involved in on campus. If you go to school in the Bible Belt, you can bet there will be about 100+ campus ministries trying to get you to come to their functions. They’ll hand out flyers and get you to write down your email so they can bug the heck out of you.

If you’re introverted, the best way to get yourself out there is to write your email on every list you can possibly write it on. You’ll start getting emails about events you didn’t even know were happening and you’ll learn to break out of your shell.

If you’re easily distracted by events and you’re a social butterfly, watch out for how many things you sign yourself up for. You could be setting yourself up for failure.

 2. Tough professors

The first week of class is always a bit intimidating because you aren’t sure what kind of professors you’re going to end up with. Sometimes you’ll get professors who are truly there to teach. They’ll be interested in helping you further your education.

Others are there for the summers off and the salary.

Others are there for their own research and they don’t really want to be teaching.

Watch out for professors who are tough. And start kissing some major butt early if you’re worried about your GPA.

3. Parties

During the first week, before classes have gotten tough, it’s a popular idea that parties should be thrown every night. If you’re a party person, then maybe consider going to a few — you’ll have the opportunity to meet some new people and have fun. But be careful. Parties can very easily get out of hand. Know your limits, and know when to call an Uber.

4. Getting homesick

At some point during the first week of classes, you’re going to wish you were home. Whether it’s when your alarm goes off and you don’t want to get out of bed, or when you’re trying to figure out what to eat for dinner, there’s going to come a time when you really miss your own bed and your momma’s cooking.

Homesickness is normal and everyone experiences it at some point. My best advice is to agree to call your parents on Sundays and try to focus on that as a time to catch up. Get involved in things on campus and busy yourself. The faster you make new friends and immerse yourself in your new life, the less likely you are to miss home.

5. Doubting your major

It’s tough to choose a major at 18 years old. It’s tough to know what you want to do with your life. I’m graduating in the next few months and I’ve just recently figured out what I’m interested in. Choosing a major is hard. Sticking with the major you chose the first time is even harder. Realize that it’s okay to change your major and it’s okay to have doubts. You’ll know when you’re really on the wrong path and you need to choose something different.

6. Running late

It happens to everyone. You sleep through your alarm. You miscalculate how long it’ll take you to walk to class. You mix up your Tuesday/Thursday schedule with your Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule. Don’t worry about it. Expect that not everything is going to go perfectly and give yourself extra time. Think of it as “wiggle room” in case you want to stop for some coffee.

7. Getting lost

Even if you go to a small school, I can pretty much guarantee that you’re going to get lost. It happens to everyone during the first week of class. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

One of the easiest ways to avoid getting lost during your first day is to walk through your class schedule beforehand. It’ll be much easier to navigate campus if you know where all of your buildings are beforehand.

8. Your roommate might suck

At some point, your roommate will get on your nerves and you’ll totally hate living with someone. If you’re like me, and you’ve never had to live with someone before, you’ll have to adjust. That’s for sure. Try not to let the stress of your first week ruin your relationship with your roomie. It’s important that you continue to get along for you both to be comfortable and successful.

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