1. Leave your door open.
I was finally all moved into my dorm, my family pulled away and my first thought was, “what now?” When I went back to my room I left the door open. As girls walked down the hallway they stopped to say hi and I had 5 new friends by dinner. Leaving your door open shows that you’re open to meeting new people. Keep an open mind and an open door and you’ll be set.
2. Try to eat with new people.
At college you spend a lot more time interacting with your peers than in high school. Mealtimes are an easy way to meet people, and instead of just lunch with your friends, now you’ll eat with them 3 times a day. During those first weeks don’t be afraid to sit down with that girl in your Spanish class, trust me she is looking to make friends too!
3. Find your study place.
The library is actually a great place to study IF you know where to sit. Don’t sit down on the first floor at 6:00 on a Wednesday night. Everyone you have ever met at St. Joe’s will ALL talk to you because, guess what? they are procrastinating writing a 10 page paper too! Head upstairs to find a secluded place that is quiet and you feel comfortable and focused. Your GPA will thank you.
4. Go to the activity fair.
Get involved, get involved get involved! You have heard it a thousand times. This is actually great advice! How will you ever meet your amazing new classmates if you just sit in your room being a potato all day? That’s right, you won’t meet those lifechanging, wonderful human beings! The best way to start out your involvement on campus is to attend the activity fair the first week of school. Here are a few of our favorites: Greek life, SUB, all club sports, and student senate,. Groups will be clamoring for your information. Contrary to popular belief, us upperclassmen want you to love SJU as much as we do, and we’re really excited to help you get involved. I enjoyed my year so much more because of organizations I learned about at the activity fair.
5. Do at least one thing that you wouldn’t have done in high school.
Were you super musical in high school, but never stepped foot on any type of sports field? Did you write a lot, but were always too shy to get anything published in your school paper? College is a time to reinvent yourself, and to become the best version of yourself you can possibly be. Take some risks and put yourself out there. More often than not you’ll be rewarded for it. I proved to myself I could do things I would have never considered doing before, for example joining girls Rugby. Push yourself! You may be surprised at where you end up.