Being a freshman in a new city and at a huge university can be very scary. You’re new and lost, and you’re also trying to discover who you are as a person.
Campus life.
Being involved is the best thing any freshman can do to better acclimate themselves. Most colleges have a welcome week and incoming freshman arrive early. That week gives so much opportunity to new students because each day is almost like a party on campus.
The University of Toledo’s welcome week is where I met some of my closest friends. Without that week there would have been no way to ever meet them because our majors are drastically different and there’s no way we would’ve had any classes together. Welcome week also gave my floor a chance to connect and grow strong friendships before the stress of classes set in.
Greek life.
Even though I don’t know social Greek life firsthand, many of my friends who have joined love it. There are several once in a lifetime chances you get to experience when you’re part of such a huge organization. Especially with each fraternity and sorority having their own philanthropy; you’re able to help the less fortunate with fundraising. Even though Greek life is expensive, you get way more than what you pay for!
Dorm life.
Living on campus can be a lot of fun, especially when your resident advisors love their jobs.The RAs organize all the activities with the floor, and it’s up to you to participate or not. I participated in as much as possible my freshman year and it led me to meet the five amazing roommates I have now. The activities can be as simple as a movie night in the lounge or Zoo Lights during the Christmas season.
Living in a dorm gives you great opportunity to ease yourself into living on your own. Some dorms have cafes attached to them so you have meals just about whenever you’re hungry. All you really need are your essentials for everyday life; usually, items for the bathroom and bedroom will suffice.
Having a meal plan is vital for living on campus. A regular student meal at the University of Toledo is around $7 or $8 and having a meal plan helps at every café on campus. Dining dollars also come with your plan and that helps you purchase food from the fast food restaurants in the Student Union.
Incoming freshmen.
College is not meant to be a scary place. It is supposed to help you later in with life. It can definitely be demanding, at times, but the experience of college and the classes you will be taking are worth it in the long run. I promise!
