The end of summer is near, and soon enough you'll be moving into your dorm, buying textbooks, and starting classes. It can be an overwhelming time, especially for incoming freshmen. You are about to start a new chapter in your life and meet hundreds of new people. Luckily, in our digital world, Facebook is one of the top used social media sites that college students use to meet each other and network. Sometimes colleges even make Facebook pages specifically for their students to learn about each other and communicate.

So how could you use your Facebook to make a good first impression? Here are some tips and tricks to help you become a college social butterfly.

Before you go:

• Change your profile settings:
  • Create a new Life Event so your friends and family can congratulate you!
  • Update your intro to accurately reflect your new location and school to receive local events and groups that you may enjoy. Facebook will even let you know if one of your friends are going to an event by you!
  • Make sure your cover and profile photos are up-to-date and an accurate reflection of who you are.
• Get a head start on meeting your classmates:
  • Join your school’s Accepted Class of 2020 Facebook Group.
  • Join your Freshman Dorm’s Facebook Group (or an off-campus housing Facebook group to help find people looking to sublet).
• Get to know your new neighborhood:
  • Join Facebook Groups in your new city. This is the best way to find out about different events and activities going on in your new town to take advantage of off-campus happenings.

When you get there:

• Stay in touch:
  • Organize your News Feed preferences to prioritize family and friends that are far away so you don’t miss a beat.
  • Share memorable experiences with the people you've met along the way using Facebook Live!
• Build a professional network:
  • Join your school's Career Center/Alumni Facebook Group to begin looking for summer internships or jobs, and network with Alumni that are in your desired professional field.
• Stay in the know:
  • Join Groups associated with the campus clubs and activities you join to meet new people interested in similar things.
  • Utilize Facebook’s recently launched Events Discover feature to find and enjoy local events both on and off campus.
  • Join your school’s Lost & Found Facebook Group - Help find lost water bottles, missing ID cards or jackets left in classrooms/the library/dining hall/parties, etc. and make connections along the way!
• Show Leadership:
  • Create groups for your classes, a great way to collaborate on homework, class projects and study for exams.
  • Create groups for study abroad travel, make it easy to visit and meet up with friends while traveling.
  • Create Facebook Groups/Events for sporting events happening on campus.

Follow these steps and soon enough, you'll be making connections within your college campus.

Good luck and enjoy the next 4 exciting years of your life!