To those first-year students, welcome to campus! And for those returning, welcome back!

To the freshmen and transfers – I’m confident you’ve made a great decision by coming here, and that the next few years will be filled with lifelong memories. But as I enter my final two semesters as an undergraduate student, I can’t help but remember the intense nerves I felt in the first week or two. From making new friends, to adjusting to the college course load, there were a lot of things on my mind! Thankfully, I got through it, and so will you! With that being said, I would like to share some tips on how to have the best possible time here and get past that first week hump.

1. We’re all in this together

I think the best way to kick this section off is with a story. It seems like ages ago, but let’s go all the way back to when I was a scrawny high school sophomore with a bad haircut. My best friend at the time (and still a close friend to this day) was extremely outgoing. He participated in theater, had lots of friends, and in general had a real knack for talking to people. When I looked at him, I saw a person with confidence who had no trouble making friends. In essence I wanted to learn how to be as comfortable as he was in social settings. Now that we have the backstory, let’s go back to the first week of college of my freshman year.

At this point we went to different universities but wanted to put the effort into keeping in touch, so we called after our first week. I began the call by describing my nerves and questions that had been weighing on my mind. How am I going to make friends? How drastic is the jump from high school to college? What I heard from him surprised me. He went on to tell me that he was wondering the same thing, that he too was trying to find his way and having some difficulties at first. The point is that this is the most social, outgoing person I’ve ever met, and even he was having those same troubles. Anxiety will happen to everyone. Everyone is nervous to meet new people, everyone is nervous about the new standards set in college. You’re all in the same boat, and I believe once you realize you’re not alone, things will get a lot easier!

2. Time management

I’m sure you’ve heard about the importance of managing your time wisely your whole life, but seriously, if you’re ever going to pick a time to start, do it now. I cannot stress enough how much this will make your life easier. You don’t need to be perfect; you will make mistakes, you will turn things in late, but the key here is starting good habits. Make a schedule. Write things down and not just assignments. You’ll be surprised how quickly time passes at school, and how suddenly, your laundry starts piling up or you have a five-page essay you haven’t started due in 2 hours. Keeping track of your day in a calendar – either written or electronic – ensures you don’t over plan your weeks, which can become a real problem if you’re not careful. All in all, the hardest part of this step is to start. It will take some effort at first, but once you begin to form these habits, I promise you will be thanking yourself.

3. Get involved

One of the most important things you can do at college is to join some kind of RSO (registered student organization) or group outside of the classroom. This could be a professional group, Greek life, or any of the many RSOs on campus. The University of Illinois is a very big school, and one of the most populated public universities in the U.S. This means there is literally something for everyone here. The first and biggest recommendation is to get involved by going to quad day. Quad day is an event in the first week of fall semester where nearly every club sets up a stand on the main and south quad. This is the time to get as much information as you can gather about the different organizations on campus. Sign up for some mailing lists and join some group chats, just put your name out there however you can. Who knows, you might find a group where lifelong friends are made. Our very own Katie Landers wrote a blog about the ins and outs of quad day you can read here!

4. College is hard

We can acknowledge that college is hard, but that doesn’t mean it is something to be afraid of. As students here, we are going to be academically challenged and that’s ok. It’s important to acknowledge that hard can mean all sorts of different things. To some, it can be complex math and physics courses and for others, it could be writing a 10+ page paper. Regardless of what’s difficult for you, you will be ok. One of the beauties of college is you have more choices than ever before in picking a path of what interests you and what aligns with your skill set. Of course, there are some gen-eds you will take that you may not like, but hey we’re all in this together, remember? In the same way that your high school course load seemed impossible for your middle school self, you continued to grow and ultimately succeeded at the task. The same principle applies to your years in college. Yes, the classes may be more difficult than what you’ve done in the past, but you will continue to grow and succeed in the end. The university provides incredible resources for students, because they want to see us succeed. There are tutors, study groups, and plenty more people and resources that will help you get to where you want to be. The most important thing is to simply reach out.

5. Have fun!

Of course, I had to throw in the most cliche piece of advice ever to finish off the list, but seriously – take a step back and enjoy yourself. While the first week is daunting, I’m confident you’re going to look back on it fondly, almost wanting to go through it all over again. I know I do. In the coming months and years, you are going to meet people that you will remain close to for the rest of your life. It could be your neighbors on your dorm floor, or a professor from your favorite class. Just make sure to take a moment to pause, have a deep breath, and appreciate all that is going on around you. Appreciate the freedom you have here. As I approach the end of my college journey, I am extremely satisfied and grateful about my time here at Illinois, and I can’t wait for all of you to build your own story. Trust me you will.

Good luck and stay safe!