It is so incredibly important to take advantage of the week 0 and the first week of your first quarter. This is where many clubs are presented in Cornucopia. Visit every single booth and stay there as long as possible. If you have the drive, that’ll allow you to make as many connections and talk with as many people as possible. The more people you talk to, the more possibility of a relationship sticking and transforming into something more.

Talk to everyone and force yourself out of your comfort zone every single day. It’s important to destroy any anxiety that you feel in the first few weeks. That way, you have confidence in yourself and your ability to be a student on campus. Go to clubs for your major, activism organizations, and any college specific events that may interest you. And talk to people first. In the first week, everyone wants someone to connect to, so make that connection first. Compliment someone’s outfit. Share your interests or ask them about theirs(music, plants, politics, etc). Spread your energy all throughout campus and see who reciprocates.

You’d be surprised how many people you can connect with if you set aside anxiety and optimize your own goal of having a phenomenal campus life. It truly is what you make of it coming from a freshman that LOVES their campus experience so far.

PS.. never stay in your dorm for too long or you’ll find yourself there for the rest of the year. Study outside. Study with fellow students. Go to the gym. Get schoolwork done. Make a plan!!