From a newcomer to a returner that first week of the semester you really have no idea what you're doing. Professors keep throwing assignments at you, you don't have all of your things set up nicely in your dorm or apartment, and you can't even get an appointment to see your advisor to get some advice and have a venting session as well.
Even if you feel totally chill you end up in some pretty awkward situations during the first school week.
1. Not having a pencil or paper![]()
2. Going to the wrong class
All of those old college buildings and doors look the same and if you're not too careful you end up walking into the wrong class. Even if you don't talk to anyone in class you make the realization those recognizable heads you stare at aren't there and it's time to evacuate.
3. Trying to Ask for Directions
Again, all these old college buildings look exactly the same. Even as a campus returner you get confused walking through unfamiliars sides of it.
4. Accidentally Giving the Wrong Directions
5. Phone Ringing In Class
Coming from summer break you're used to keeping your phone at normal volume all the time, even for reminders. It gets really awkward when you sit in class and hear that embarrassing ringtone that you set for your mom go off.
6. Trying to Figure Out the Right Bus
Every semester the buses and their routes update and it's hard to figure where you're going. Many times you end up doing that awkward look at your phone then look around before getting on the bus as if you're waiting for a sign that this is right or wrong.
7. Noticing You're Going the Wrong Way
Even if no one is looking at you feel like everyone is noticing the swift turnaround you make when you look around and realize you're not in the right place.
8. The Small Class You Raise Your Hand In
You've gotten used to the large auditorium lecture halls where you can almost come and go as you please. What gets really awkward are those classes with less than 20 people. You don't know if you need to raise your hand to go to the bathroom like you would in high school, or if as a twenty-something-year-old you can just go.
9. Introducing Yourself Multiple Times
It's a common thing you do in everyday life, but the number of times you introduce yourself in college makes you second guess everything you say.
10. Discussion Replies
Professors think it eases the tension and facilitates conversation, but in reality, it just makes things slightly awkward for everyone.
11. Trying To Sit With Someone In Class
Walking in with your friend and trying to sit with them in a nice place is hard enough. Things are even worse when you walk in the room to your friend already sitting down and a stranger sitting right next to them. Do you just sadly walk by? Ask someone to move?
12. Trying To Enter a Class Quietly
Multiple times your efforts are to no avail and whether you've gone to the bathroom or are coming to class late if you try to enter quietly you make more noise than you thought.
13. Finding the bathroom
Now that you're away from college you feel like an adult and you just walked out of your class without asking anyone to go to the bathroom. Nothing is going to bring you back down to reality than not knowing where the bathroom is. Like it seems like common sense to find a bathroom, but these college buildings make bathrooms harder to find than the class itself.
14. The run/jog/walk when you're running late
It's this weird combination movement we all do where we don't want to draw attention and make a full sprint, you're trying to remain calm and walk, but then you realize you don't have time for that, so you move to a combination fast walk and jog.
