"Just moved into my new dorm room!" is a post that I'm seeing frequently on my Facebook timeline, these days. Each time I do, I feel a pang of jealousy in the pit of my stomach: Why, oh why couldn't that be me? Curse GMU's late starting date!
It's funny how much my reaction to move-in has changed in a year. This year, I'm anxious to get back to school, see all of my friends and sisters, and start my new classes. Last year, I was just anxious about everything. What if my professors are mean? What if I can't find my way around campus? What if I can't make friends? What if I fail out?!
I wish I had had someone I could've talked to, someone who could've helped quell my fears. Well, with freshman move-in date coming up quickly, I decided to write this article to help out all the new little Patriots who will soon be on campus! Here's some advice for surviving (and enjoying) your first year in college.
Homesickness happens.
It doesn't matter whether you live across the country, or just half an hour away, like I do: at some point you will feel the overwhelming urge to go home, especially during the first few weeks. That is natural. College is big, new, and scary, while home is safe and familiar. Now, I know some of you are probably thinking, "Yeah, right, that won't happen to me! I'd rather live in Antarctica than spend one more minute under my parents' roof." Yeah, it will. I was the same way, and my parents will confirm that after a week on campus, I was a blubbering mess begging to come home. The best way to combat homesickness is to try and get involved on campus. Making friends will make school seem less like a foreign country, and more like a safe haven. Dorm rooms can look like something straight out of "Orange Is the New Black" in their original state, so bring some decorations to liven the place up! If the homesickness gets really bad, go see a school counselor to help you work through it. There is absolutely no shame in asking for help when you need it.
Find a support system.
If you're lucky, you'll bond with your roommate(s) and hall mates right away. If you're not, or you're like me and you often prefer books and Netflix to actual people, then you're going to have to put in a bit more effort. Try joining at least one extracurricular activity, whether it be something you enjoyed in high school, or something entirely new. For me, joining Pi Beta Phi made all the difference. My sisters make me feel loved, encouraged, and supported. They really are my guardian angels when I need them most! While I encourage all women to go Greek, I understand that it's not for everyone. Homes can be found in a sports team, musical group, newspaper staff, or many other activities! What's great about a large, diverse school like Mason is there's plenty to choose from! Conversely, don't join too many groups and become overwhelmed. Find a nice balance.
Go to class and do the reading.
The blessing/curse of college is that you're an adult. No one will check up on you or call home when you don't go to class. All the same, it's good to go, even when you don't feel like it. Discussion-based classes discuss the information in the reading, not merely teach it, so it's best to stay on top of the assigned reading to fulfill that annoying participation part of your grade. That being said, some lecture-based classes have professors who lecture verbatim from the PowerPoint, which was created directly from the reading. These classes will most likely be dull, but you still should go, because there are probably iClicker/Top Hat questions involved. Miss a lot of those, and your grade takes a nosedive.
Professors aren't scary.
For the most part, they're very nice people who enjoy what they do. Don't be afraid to go to their office hours to discuss paper ideas, or a concept in class. I've found that most professors love it when a student expresses interest in their subject or asks them questions; it makes them feel appreciated. They want to help you learn, but you're the one who has to ask. Also, be sure to use ratemyprofessor.com before you sign up for classes. It'll save your academic life, believe me!
Your free time isn't really "free."
In high school, classes are back-to-back seven hours a day, five days a week. In college, you might have one, two, three, or even zero, classes in a day. That leaves a lot of time in between. Now, it's incredibly tempting to use this freedom to binge-watch Netflix, or play Call of Duty (temporary gain for long-term pain; I've been there). That means all the work: reading, note-taking, and paper-writing is left until the last minute.
Not only will this cause you an unhealthy amount of stress, it also might not get done on time. As I wrote in my previous article, the wi-fi goes down a lot, often when you need it the most.
Listen to what your body needs.
Being a typical college student means you go to sleep at 3 a.m. and wake up at noon, right? Not necessarily. Some people, myself included, can't seem to stay awake past 11 p.m. Be aware of what times of the day you function best. If you're a morning person, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. classes won't work for you, and if you're a night owl, 9 a.m.s probably aren't your thing. Although you won't always have a choice, it's good to try and plan your schedule around the times when you're most alert. Also, eating and sleeping regularly is super important. Not only will you physically feel better, but your health and quality of schoolwork will improve.
It's going to be okay.
First semester can seem confusing and daunting because there is so much to adjust to, but give it some time and it'll feel completely normal. Mason has such a warm, welcoming environment, and there are plenty of upperclassmen that are here to help you. So take some deep breaths, and relax, because I'm sure you'll do great!
