This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Stony Brook chapter.
1. It’s hard to make friends right off the bat, but don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
2. Yes the campus is bigger than you thought and no sometimes carrying around a map doesn’t help. Don’t be afraid to ask others for help, trust me they’ve been where you are.
3. The food here gets tiring after a while. Make sure you scope out nearby places that do delivery. Ordering out every now and then is a nice treat.
4. The teacher may seem not to care all that much about you since there are literally hundreds of students. That doesn’t mean you can’t go visit them during office hours or hoot them emails every now and then.
5. Don’t just focus on taking a bunch of classes you think you HAVE TO take. Throw in a class that piques your interest because who knows you might end up finding something else you rather do with your life.
7. It’s okay if you aren’t a science major. If you’re liberal arts or undecided, it doesn’t make you any less smart or hardworking.
8. It’s not all about studying. Join a club or team, even if it’s just one and try sticking with it. You’ll find that finding friends comes a lot easier that way.
9. It’s empty on campus some weekends. There are only so many times you can go to the mall. MAKE A COMMUTER FRIEND. It’s hard for them to make friends as it is so as long as you treat them a meal on campus every now and then they’re pretty open to bringing you to places.
10. Try to stay in touch with your old friends. It’s nice having someone to relate and tell stories to. Just because you’re making new ones doesn’t mean you get rid of your old ones.
11. But don’t compare your experiences at college with your other friends who go to other colleges. You’ll miss the little things in your everyday life that are just as special.
12. Don’t constantly think back on what could have been if you had chosen your dream school. In fact, drop all the expectations of what college is supposed to be like and just go in with a blank slate.
13. High school may have been your kingdom, but you can’t stay in it forever. Don’t treat your first year of college like your last year of high school.
14. You might not get along with your roommates and that’s okay, but you have to at least be willing to give them a shot.
15. College is different from high school, you don’t have to try to like everyone, but it’simportant to broaden your horizons a bit and make friends that are different from your usual “type.”
16. Be open to others’ views. The point of college is to learn, not just from your textbook, but from the people that you interact with every day.
17. There are couples everywhere, which I’ll admit can get depressing and kind of gross, but being single your first year here will actually grant you even more freedom and independence.
18. Yes random events happen all the time, so keep your eyes peeled open. It’s not strange to have random inflatable water slides or zombie tag games on campus every now and then.
19. You don’t HAVE to do anything. That’s kind of the blessing and curse of being in college. If everyone’s joining a sorority or going to parties every weekend, don’t think you are obligated to. But if you want to try it, why not? Be sure to go with someone you trust though and don’t be too reckless, you still have the rest of college to go through.
20. I hate to sound like a cheesy poster, but it does actually get better. After a month or two (or even a semester), you’ll eventually get into a groove of things. You’ll find out what works and what doesn’t for you and before you know it, you’ve finished your first year.
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