I've sat through the draining hours of Freshman orientation. I've silently eaten mediocre hamburgers in the dining hall in the midst of hundreds of other people who's names to me were unknown. I've walked the many miles that it takes daily to get from class to class and have embraced the discomfort of my burning calves and flushed face along the way.
I also survived.
These minimal tips and tricks allowed me to put to rest my last, first week of my college career. I found comfort in the little things, created extraordinary friendships and obtained peace within the chaos of a new college lifestyle.
Step 1. Do not eat in the dining hall for every single meal. Trust me on this. Trucking through the line for pizza will eventually get old and unexciting. Venture out to other options your school has to offer for dining and you will allow your college food tastebuds to mature past ramen and into more exotic cravings. My go-to is the yogurt bar where I can turn a casual few scoops of strawberry and banana yogurt into an extravagant bowl of yumminess by adding fruits and granola. Spice it up a bit and get something different every meal so you will not dread your beloved, university eating chamber.
Step 2. Be fearless when meeting new people. When you go up to a person and ask if you can sit with them, the worst thing they can say to you is no. Flip your hair, and move on to the next candidate who could be your potential bestie, spouse, or a Tuesday study partner. You never know.
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3. Hang out with people off campus. You'll truly know the kind of person you're chilling with if you get them in an informal, unacademic related atmosphere. Hit up a Chick-fil-A before the closing hours and submerge yourself into intellectual conversation between sips of a strawberry milkshake.
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4. Do not be afraid to ask for help. I still cannot open my campus mailbox. I just can't seem to spin the knob in the correct direction to obtain the mail that I probably don't have. So what do I do? I shyly ask for assistance from anyone near by, and then casually spark up conversation with my new mailbox helper. Talk about a social confidence booster. Ask for help and you will make new friends, guaranteed.
5. Have some time for yourself. Do what brings you the most comfort. Sip on your favorite coffee freshly brewed from your new, dorm room Keurig and settle into your best-loved film (mine is August Rush). If that's not your flow, heat up some pizza rolls from your old microwave that came with your micro-fridge and listen to a crime podcast. You can even turn your dorm room into a safe haven with some Christmas lights and plunge into your favorite Netflix series. Whatever your heart desires during your quiet time, embrace it, and make a point to allow yourself to enjoy it.
