It often happens that an enthusiastic freshman full of plans and hopes for college life finds themselves in a new environment and burns out. They are not excited about their studies, have no friends around, and find it hard to cope with the mixed feelings. In such a case, you shouldn’t be frightened, it’s normal. It’s just that the student needs time to overcome the resulting moping and adapt to the university or college.
Why is it hard for a freshman to adjust?
The joy and excitement of admission is gradually replaced by worries and questions “Where and with whom will I live?”, “How to build relationships with classmates and professors?”, “How to behave on the first day of classes?” and others. If it’s hard for a freshman to cope with them, they get discouraged and even depressed. Sure, you can just “serve your term” – there are tons of services where you can buy term papers online – but ask yourself if you want it to be that way. Therefore, in such cases, it is very important to know how to adapt to the new environment, so that the years of study were joyful, and not accompanied by constant oppression and moral difficulties.
Method One: Find out what’s coming up for you
If you have older friends who are already studying, ask them about student life, studying, order and rules. Ideally, try to find acquaintances who attend your university. They will be able to share not only general knowledge about student life before you start college, but also point by point tips about your alma mater: which dorm is best to check into, how to navigate around campus, where to go in the evening, which neighbourhoods to avoid, and so on.
Such questioning will be especially helpful for introverts because it will allow you to reduce the number of interactions with strangers. In any case, the more information you get and the earlier it happens, the easier it will be for you to prepare for the unknowns that await you.
Method Two: Prioritise
When a student understands what they went to university for and what goal they want to achieve, they will not suffer from uncertainty and wonder, “I went to classes, and what to do next?”Do not limit your life only to learning – do not forget about your hobbies, interests, and interests. Going to university opens up a lot of opportunities – especially if you’ve moved to a big city from the countryside.
That’s why it’s a good idea to make a regular plan for the week. Write down clearly for each day how much time you spend in class, how many hours you need to spend preparing for seminars, where you need to go or go on a trip. Make new acquaintances with whom it will be fun to spend your college days. Maybe you’ll find true and trustworthy friends for life among them.
Method Three: Participate in out-of-class activities
University life is not just about classes. It’s common for freshmen to be told what clubs they’re recruiting for. Then you won’t have time to mope, and there you can again find new friends from other departments that you would otherwise never get to know.
Also, extracurricular activities can often be more than just a hobby and influence your future profession. For instance, an economics student who was actively involved in the university media during their studies, after graduation will be able to try working not only in their field of study but also in the economic and general media.
Method Four: Sports
If you played well on your high school sports team before enrolling, you can approach your physical education teacher and ask to play on a college or faculty team. Practice, team play, and a sense of self-worth can help you adapt more easily and integrate into the student community.
Method Five: Make friends in classes or in the dorms
To make the adaptation in college or university much easier, find like-minded people. Take a closer look at your classmates, don’t be afraid to be the first to talk to them or offer your help. With good company, studying will be easier and more fun.
You can also try to find friends beforehand – you can try to find groups/chats in social networks of university/faculty freshmen and already from the first days know a few people with whom it will be easier to adapt in a new place.
We hope that these tips will orient you in the student world and help you build relationships with your new team. Don’t be afraid, try to keep your spirits up, and check out all the activities and opportunities on the college or university website beforehand.
