My first year at the University of Idaho has absolutely flown by. I had so much fun in just one year, and while summer was a long time coming, it's hard to believe it's all over. That being said, when I first got there, I wasn't sure how long it would take for me to figure everything out. With one year under my belt, I've decided to compile the most important parts of getting through your first college year, starting with the social aspect.

Time

The biggest problem people have is balancing school and a social life. School is always supposed to come first, but there needs to be moderation in everything. Making time to experience the independence of college with friends is essential to survival. College is the time to meet people, whether it’s at a party or just passing by on the street.

One must make time for fun, or else college will be a dreary experience. Taking the time to relax and have fun will also reduce stress and increase mental health. In the long run, meeting the right people will be more important than getting A’s on every single assignment, so efforts must be made to branch out despite a busy schedule.

Icebreakers

Getting to know someone for the first time is tough. Not knowing what to say is a very common problem, but, surprisingly, it is easily solved. Introducing yourself to strangers or friends of friends is much easier than it was in high school, as cliques are no longer a very pressing issue. Regardless of the social barriers, saying a simple “Hello” is an easy way to be noticed and help make connections.

Getting to know people at social events is generally going to be easier, as everyone is there for the same purpose: to meet people. That being said, getting to know people outside of parties and more social activities is not impossible. Talking to someone out of the blue isn’t rare, especially if you just happen to be both bored and in the same place. Commenting on the task at hand is a good way to open up the lines of communication without making things awkward, and can lead to more in-depth conversation.

Significant Others

Occasionally, having a boyfriend or girlfriend in college can be frowned upon, but it isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, it can be a very good thing as long as one doesn’t get too busy with their significant other. Yes, it is important to spend time with your partner, but you cannot spend all of your time with your partner. Maybe it is more fun to exclusively hang out with your boyfriend or girlfriend, but at the end of the day you need more than just one person to turn to, despite how close you may be. In the long run, it will be beneficial to branch out and spend your time with more than one person, and if you can manage to network while maintaining a healthy relationship, you will be successful in the social scene.

Parties

Parties. Parties are something that you will get dragged to whether you like it or not. While parties are fun, it is important to practice proper partying, as they are not the same parties from high school. Other than the obvious “don’t drink too much” and “don’t set your drink down” there are other, more social aspects to be aware of.

First, always be aware of how inebriated the people are around you. If everyone is blacked out, maybe it’s time to get out of there. Next, always try to know where the people you came with are. If you realize no one you know is there, maybe you should have left too. There could have been an emergency, or someone might just be in a separate room, but try to stay in touch or find a friend. Finally, regardless of whether or not you smoke, buy a pack of cigarettes. Simply put, drunk people love cigarettes, and there will be drunk people at any party. For some bizarre reason, cigarettes are the easiest way to make new friends, as you will be asked for one more than once.