To the freshmen entering Milledgeville and Georgia College,

With move-in approaching and classes starting in only three weeks, I'm sure the reality is setting in that you are going to be a freshman in college. You are probably feeling excitement, nervousness, downright fear, or a little bit of all those emotions. I'm here to tell you that you should be excited! You are about to start the best chapter of your life. The friends you will make will bring you countless memories and hopefully, life-long bonds. I can understand the nervousness, of course, though. You are moving to a new place to live on your own without parents or very many people you know. But you are not alone. Every other freshman you are surrounded by is in the same situation. The great thing about Milledgeville, though, is there are so many opportunities here to get involved and meet new people. I've compiled a list of some of the best ways to start meeting new people within your first few weeks of starting school.

1. Greek Life Recruitment

Registration for Formal Recruitment has closed, so congratulations if you are officially participating in recruitment! I can speak for all of the wonderful sororities here that we are so excited to meet you! If you missed registration for formal recruitment, there will be other opportunities throughout the semester for you to check out our awesome sororities and see if you are interested!

2. Wesley/BCM/YoungLife

There are several different Christian worship and devotion opportunities throughout the week, such as Wesley on Wednesday nights and BCM on Tuesday nights. Some even have specific events just for freshmen, so you are able to connect more with each other in small groups. You can search these organizations on Facebook or here to find out more information.

3. Intramural/Club Sports

Intramural and Club sports are intense at GC! We take these sports seriously. You do not have to be Greek to participate in these sports, at all. You can create your own team or search online for teams to join. There are 35+ intramural sports and 15+ club sports (which travel to compete with other schools). If you missed your calling to be a professional athlete in high school, or you just want to relive those glory days, you can check out Georgia College's intramurals and ultimately sign up here.

4. Other Clubs/Organizations

There are so many clubs and organizations that you can be involved in at GC. Georgia College Miracle, pictured above, is just one of the many and they are a service organization who puts on the largest fundraiser on Georgia College's campus, raising money year round for The Children's Hospital in Macon. You can access a full list of clubs and organizations to browse here.

5. Pool Parties!

Several organizations work with apartment complexes like The Bellamy and The Grove to put on different events like Delta Sig's Shipwrecked. This is a super fun way to meet people and relax by the pool for the afternoon. These events are usually posted on the complexes' Facebook pages, and are talked about all around campus so you'll surely hear word of it.

6. The Wellness Center

Georgia College has an amazing wellness center aka gym that you should 100% take advantage of. There are group fitness classes throughout the day which gives you an opportunity for a good yoga session or ab attack, whichever you may prefer. Either way, you can meet people in these classes and that's a plus. Meeting people aside, the facilities and equipment are top notch and you pay for them with your student fees so check it out! The Wellness Center is located on West Campus.

7. The Greenway and Bartram

So, I don't necessarily recommend going here to meet people, but I wanted to throw it in as something you should definitely do with some of those new friends you'll make. The Oconee River Greenway and Bartram Forest are two outdoor recreational areas. Bartram is a great place to eno, walk dogs, and run on the trails designed for just that. The Greenway is much more versatile. You can also eno, walk dogs and run, but it is also a destination for kayaks and even has a little beach area. There are community events held there often, and evenings are filled with people enjoying the outdoors so you won't usually be alone.

Nestled in the heart (and heat) of Middle Georgia, Milledgeville is truly a one of a kind experience. The sense of community instilled within this "college town" has created a strong bond between the students who attend the university and the locals who reside here year long. Getting involved within Georgia College is easy and will create so many opportunities for personal growth and building relationships that will stay with you for the rest of your life. And it all starts here— your freshman year. So now, it's time to get ready for the best years of your life.