We recently gathered some information from students on things to do or consider if you’re going to college or university for the first time. If you are a freshman please read on, some of these were inspired by things that went well, while others were inspired by things that didn’t go so well. Either way, it’s a useful read.
Go to orientation
During orientation you will learn a lot about the campus and what to expect as a student. Going to orientation will answer a lot of the questions we talk about in the rest of this blog, but orientations usually have a bunch of cool activities and free stuff too. And they’ll let you know about awesome on or off campus amenities.
Do a tour of the campus
Sometimes this is a part of your orientation, but it never hurts to get the lay of the land before you start school. It will help when it comes to planning and you can get an idea of all the available facilities/amenities on campus including medical/health services, gyms and your classrooms.
Where to go for emergencies
During your academic career, you may have an emergency and need help. Before you start school, get in touch with or do some research on your campus emergency and protective services, so you know where they are, how to get in touch with them and the different support services they offer. This was a big one because most of our respondents said there were lots of services they weren’t aware of and it could end up saving your life. Most of them have websites, so that’s a good place to start.
Textbooks
Books can be expensive, and what makes it worse is that sometimes you only use the book for one term. Some courses have eBooks, but others still have hardcopy books. If you know the courses you're taking for the fall and winter terms, start shopping for second-hand books as early as possible since they may sell out. Pay attention to the edition of the textbook, since some professors assignments and readings are version specific, and if you have an old version, it may get in the way. Some of our respondents found this out the hard way.
Look up intramural sports and activities
If you’re looking for a way to stay active, meet some people and burn off some steam, intramural sports are a great way to do this. These tend to fill up quickly, so the sooner you sign up, the better, since you get to pick activities that work well with your class schedule.
Look up school clubs
Most campuses have student clubs and groups. Whether it’s academic or more leisurely, it’s a good way to meet people plus a lot of these clubs come with perks like discounts at different establishments, events or activities. One of the most popular is the outdoors club. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone, most people said this was a good way to expose themselves to new experiences at an affordable price with minimal risk. You never know what you will end up loving
Review the academic calendar
It’s important to know when the different deadlines are and how they may impact you academically or financially. In some cases, students have withdrawn from classes without understanding the implications, so it’s important to review them before you make that decision.
Understand the academic rules and policies
All universities and colleges have academic rules and policies. Take the time to review and understand them so you know what you are responsible for and know the institutions expectations.
Figure out where all the week of welcome events are
Most campuses have week of welcome events. These are very popular because it means lots of free food and lots of free swag. You’ll see these advertised all over the place and on the school website.
