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Going into first year - NERVOUS!
(31 posts)
(15 voices)
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Hi everyone!
I'm just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas of what I can expect from my first year. I'm going to UMass in the fall and I really have no idea what to expect and I'm really nervous! I hear it's going to be a lot of fun, but to be honest, I'm completely dreading it! I have never really been away from home, and I'm really worried I can't do it. Did anyone else feel like this?? Am I the only one???
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I know exactly how you feel.
I'm going into my first year as well. I have never been away from my family for longer than a week, so I definitely know how you feel.
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Thanks, Alaina. It's nice to know I'm not the only one. I'm really stressing over it! lol. It's hard to enjoy my summer. I wish I could have like 3 more years of high school!!! :(
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yayitsme123
Briana
Rutgers University - Newark
Posts: 130
I know how you guys feel! I was really worried about leaving everyone and everything behind and sometimes got really lonely just thinking about moving into college. Now I have some awesome roommates and lifelong friends that I don't know how I ever lived without! Plus my college friends even get along with my highschool friends, so we can all hang out together!
I think you really just have to go in with a positive attitude. Everyone feels the same way their first year because almost everyone is also away from their families for the first time. In fact, a lot of people at my school went home almost every weekend freshman year because they missed their family and friends. Start out with getting to know your roommate! Me and my roommate went everywhere together the first few days of college and we were able to mingle better. There will be plenty of opportunities and activities the first few days to get everyone better acquainted, so take advantage of them!
And remember there is always facebook, email, text messaging, and phone calls to stay in touch with your family and friends from high school. Depending on how far away you live from home, you can always go visit on weekends also. Just remember to have fun and that you guys aren't the only ones who are nervous! I'm sure you girls will do great =)
<3 Briana
<3 Briana
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I agree with briana. I was pretty nervous when I went away. I had a boyfriend and all of my friends at home. needless to say, first party in my dorm i forgot all about that stuff and i love my new life haha. Still hang with friends a bit over the summer, but for the most part i have a new more fun life. It's really an amazing time so embrace it. I'm just sad now because it's going by so quick!!
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I think Briana pretty much covered it all. I mean, I remember not looking forward to college too. But have fun and be safe. Good luck!
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Hi! I'm going into my first year too! I bought a UMass shirt at a vintage store a few days ago because I though it looked cool! Anyways, I think it is important to stay involved with your school. Orientations are always a lot of fun and there is always activities going on throughout the campus like movie nights, speeches, free classes like dorm cooking, and even random stuff like organized water balloon fights! If you really throw yourself into the school atmosphere and keep yourself busy then it will help drive the home sickness out.
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College is SO MUCH FUN. I feel like, at a University, there's no more stereotypes or grouping. You can pretty much talk to whoever you want. And there's tons of other freshman that feel the same way. On my first day, I went around my floor and got to know everybody. It was a lot of fun to meet so many new people. After that maybe talk to people in your classes? There's also lots of clubs and student organizations to join. There's no way you'll be left out :)
I loved to Skype with family and friends back home. It's a nice way to keep in touch because you can actually see them!
Hope that helps!
Yasmeen
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Thanks for all of the help girls. I'm still really nervous, but it does help to get some reassurance from you girls. It sounds like it's going to be crazy!
Madi, are you going to UMass!?
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My biggest advice is to not be afraid to talk to people, I am a naturally shy person, but going into college I made sure to ty and talk to a ton of people. SOme of the people I decided to talk to became my best friends and some are just friendly upperclass man who wave to me on campus and make me feel like a part of the environment. You honestly can not meet to many new people. Also join activites, its a great way to start building a close circle of friends.
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sandra, i will be a college senior this fall & i still get homesick once in awhile, but after about 4-5 days of being at my parents' house for vacations i can barely stand being away from my college life. when you move out, you can live your life pretty much however you want to. you may have had fun in high school, but you are about to meet so many different people & experience so many new things. you will become more grown up and also do a lot of stupid things you never imagined you would do. haha. the experience of moving out and starting college is irreplaceable--you just have to dive into it & have fun because it goes by so fast! i am gna miss my undergraduate years when i graduate this year! :(
in summary: college >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> high school.
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vanillaism
vanillaism
Johns Hopkins University
Posts: 47
I'd have to agree with everything that has been said here. College is so much less clique-ish than high school, and everyone is far more open and in the same boat as you. In the first few weeks (at least at my school) almost everyone is beyond friendly and willing to reach out and make friends. It all depends on your attitude. Don't be afraid to go to events on campus and join clubs etc. I know it sounds cliche, but the more people you surround yourself with, the more friends you're likely to make. Plus you'll get the opportunity to make all different sorts of friends.
If you're worried about meeting people early on, your roommate is your best bet. As soon as you find out who they are, try to contact them. If you're lucky, you can have a future best friend situation on your hands (I was amazingly lucky. I lived in a triple connected to a single in a suite style type deal, and my two roommates AND suite-mate were essentially a family. They were some of my best friends). Also, if your school has a facebook group, meet people through there too. That way when you show up you'll already have a few people you're ready and excited to meet, without the awkward introductions.
In terms of being homesick, I'm probably the worst person to ask about this haha. I was literally on the opposite side of the country and I rarely got homesick. If you do, skype is always a great option, along with calling and visiting. I only came home for major holidays since it was so expensive to fly into my hometown airport (oh the perks of living in Las Vegas) but it wasn't bad at all. The first few months are the worst, but the more you surround yourself with friends and new experiences, the easier it becomes.
Trust me, your first year is a blast. Make the most of it!
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yayitsme123
Briana
Rutgers University - Newark
Posts: 130
Man I really wish I had this forum when I first started college! You girls would have been such a good support group to have Freshman year =)
@Lauren - I completely agree, College is WAAAAy better than high school. Whoever said high school is the best time of your life clearly never went to college =)
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WhoaIsa
WhoaIsa
University of Tübingen
Posts: 52
Yeah, that was exactly my thought, too.
I'm moving into a dorm in September for the first time cause I realized that I'll save much more money. And since I'm a person who needs other people around, a dorm might be perfect. The only thing I'm gonna miss is my very own bathroom =( Well, maybe I'm lucky enough to get a room with bathroom included, I'll know it in mid-August
xoxo Isa ♥
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Yea not having my own room was hard to adjust to. I'm don't like accommodating other people but I got used to it. I ended spending most of my time in other people's rooms away :P
Ohh! And if you find a lounge on your floor, you should to to the movie nights or board game nights. We have a lot of those. The RA should be planning them.
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yayitsme123
Briana
Rutgers University - Newark
Posts: 130
I agree with both of you, I fully enjoy going home on the weekends sometimes just to sit my room alone and watch tv haha. I got really lucky with my roommate though. She's now one of my best friends and she's soo considerate as a roommate. Like, as soon as I get out of the shower she leaves the room for like 15 minutes just so I can get dressed.
I wish my RA planned movie nights =(
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WhoaIsa
WhoaIsa
University of Tübingen
Posts: 52
I sometimes wish we'd have this roommate-concept here but our dorms are single rooms only. Therefore I'll definitely hit any lounges in the building and if I'm lucky I'll get a room at a place called 'Student Village' which basically is a little dorm village with a pub, a supermarket and some other free time stuff in it
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yayitsme123
Briana
Rutgers University - Newark
Posts: 130
The Student Village sounds so cute and intimate! You definitely wouldn't have trouble making friends there. I think that since everyone has a single they'll all be more open to exploring different floors, knocking on random doors and hanging out it lounges! I remember freshman year there were always random people knocking on random doors just to introduce themselves!
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WhoaIsa
WhoaIsa
University of Tübingen
Posts: 52
I thought about just leaving my door open then. If nothing helps I put a huge blinky-sign outside my door that says: Be my friend, hahah =D
But I'm definitely looking forward to it, not only because it's totally close to my campus
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yayitsme123
Briana
Rutgers University - Newark
Posts: 130
Haha I'm sure you could find a blinky sign somewhere online! Leaving the door open seems like a really good idea though =) Do you guys get a mini fridge or kitchen or something?
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WhoaIsa
WhoaIsa
University of Tübingen
Posts: 52
My dad wants to buy me a mini fridge which I'm super thankful of. The kitchen will be on the floor and I gotta share it with 7 other people, so that screams like fun cooking sessions (although I'm so not talented when it comes to cooking)
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yayitsme123
Briana
Rutgers University - Newark
Posts: 130
Well it's good that you have your options open for the kitchen. 8 people sharing a kitchen isn't so bad! Plus you can pick up tips and easy recipes from everyone else! And the minifridge is a great idea =) (I would hate to have to stumble to the kitchen down the hall in the middle of the night just for some water)
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WhoaIsa
WhoaIsa
University of Tübingen
Posts: 52
Exactly! I'm such a clumsy person, I'd probably fall or trip in the middle of the night.
And on the weekends I'm either at my boyfriend's place or at home, so I can avoid starving, hahah =D
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Aww the Student Village sounds adorable!! Like a little town or something. I'm just picturing cute little cottages and farm animals XD I don't know why. There's probably no animals but it still sounds really cute. Some dorms I've seen are gorgeous and super clean. The ones at Rutgers are all so blah. But they're still lovable in their own way.
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@WhoaIsa: i would definitely recommend leaving your door open whenever u are in your room during the first few weeks (and probably after that too). it makes meeting people really easy, especially during the first couple of days when everyone is moving in. & if you have a single room this is probably even more important bcuz you won't have anyone else coming in & out of your room if you leave your door closed!
all this dorm talk reminds me of a very important thing to keep in mind: when you take a shower, take your keys with you! if you have roommies, they will forget to leave the door unlocked & you will get locked out! if you have your own room, you will accidentally lock yourself out. trust me, this happened to me when i had a single room in an apartment setup. i had to call an RA (a male RA) & answer the apt door dripping wet & wearing a towel so he could open my bedroom door for me. haha.
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mycadesu
Myca
St. Paul University
Posts: 22
Oh gosh. I'm currently in my first year of college, and I felt the same way when I had my first week a few months ago (See, in the Philippines, our schooling days start on June and end in March)! I was so nervous, I didn't really know what I was going to do with a new place and new people to deal with. But then luckily, if you stay yourself and make sure you don't trip on your first day, you'd usually fit in.
Remember to stay friendly and laugh! It's the ultimate icebreaker.
Okay, so I don't really know much about leaving home and dorming, since in my country, college students rarely do that. We live in our own homes, even though most of us have to commute for hours just to get back. :) But as much as I heard from the dormers in my university, the best way to gain friends is to make sure you pass by all the rooms. A little 'hi' works wonders.
Good luck!
-M
People love to talk but hate to listen. Listening is not merely not talking, though even that is
beyond most of our powers; it means taking a vigorous, human interest in what is being told
us. - Alice Duer Miller ♥
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I am super nervous about this! I was in college for a couple months at rasmussen college but i could not focus. This time i will be going to a regular college with the dorms and everything. I want to get good grades but in high schol I was not the smart student. I need some tips on getting good grades and having fun at the same time. At rasmussen college i was really not focus idk why but i hope this time it can be diffrent! PLEASE HELP?
Tatiana Hopson
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I was a pretty good student in high school and I did struggle in college. It takes a lot of effort and dedication. Just remember that college isn't free like high school and pick a field of study you really feel passionate about. When you're interested in something, it's easier to study for. DON'T PROCRASTINATE. Figure out some study schedule that works for you and make sure you stick to it. I had horrible all nighter experiences last semester. It's also important to just keep up with the material; that will make it easier to study for finals.
A couple things I do are study before I shower. And I review everything in my head while I shower. It's silly but it helps. I'm also going to set a max for the number of parties I go to next semester. Studying with friends never worked for me but you could try that too.
I hope that helps!
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yayitsme123
Briana
Rutgers University - Newark
Posts: 130
I agree with Yasmeen, stay ahead! Freshman and Sophmore year I used to chuckle when a professor told the class to "Read Chapter 4 for next class". I always thought, "why am I going to read this chapter if the professor is just going to talk about it in class?". This past year (my junior year), I got smart and read ahead. Even though sometimes it meant staying in when my roommates were going out to the bar, it was well worth it (I still did go out sometimes!). Studying frequently can actually take the stress off of you.
Read ahead, start studying at least 2-3 days before and exam, start your papers a week early (start your BIG papers WEEKS early), and start on your homework right after class (while the material is still fresh in your mind). It gives you such a feeling of relief when you can confidently hand in all of your assignments on time and don't have to stress staying up all night the night before an exam. And Yasmeen is right, Midterms and Finals will be so much easier for you, and all of your roomies and classmates will be jealous, because while they're staying up all night every night you can actually relax!
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Miral glorioso
Miral glorioso
San sebastian College- recoletos
Posts: 4
Like you girls Im actually going to college this June, Im also from the Philippines like Myca. o well im really nervous a week from now im going to school. im a little bit of scared im going to a different place and meet different faces with different personalities. i wish i could handle it ..
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