I know it can be daunting to enter an entire university during a time where people who have already established their friend groups, found their go to people to dine at lunch with, or even friends who go on quick errands in between classes. I want people to know that you are not an outlier as a transfer student, you just haven’t gotten the chance to let people get to know you. I guarantee you, with time, patience, and just a little bit of effort, you will!I am here to give you some tips for the daunting, nerve-racking, and exciting time of the first day of school.
PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE There will be organizations, clubs, meet-ups, and more that your university will have to offer you. Which is a great way for you to find fellow students that are pursuing the same major or professional career as you. This tiny bit of similarity will allow you to create a conversation. This can lead to meeting students and eventually colleagues who can guide you into bettering your education and inform you of events and social gatherings that are going on on campus.
JUST SAY HI AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF Of course there is a time and place to come up to someone and greet them, but in a classroom setting, it is a lot less daunting than you may think. The classes that you take will most likely be associated with your major which correlates with tip #1. Which leads me to encourage you to try to think of conversation topics that do not involve education. This could be asking where they are from, if they are in a sorority/ fraternity, what sports they used to/ currently play, etc. It never hurts to say hi, and you’d be surprised how many times you will encounter your classmates just walking around campus.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK IN THE BUILDING THAT YOUR MAJOR CORRELATES WITH Not only will this allow you to be more productive being on campus and doing your work, it will also allow you to observe if other people in your classes are doing their work as well. Once you realize this, you can politely ask if they would like to study with you, or if you have questions about assignments. Espcially because at the beginning, you will be adjusting to the curriculum and it will allow you to get help right away if need be. Students are more than likely going to do their work in the building that they frequently have classes in and this can allow you start to feel comfortable in this new space.
REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNSELORS AND ADVISORS Most of the time, your counselors and advisors will want to meet one on one to get you set up for the semester and to answer any doubts you’ve been pondering about. These counselors/ advisors also know of events that are being promoted around campus that you may be interested in. Your counselors are there to guide you and are there to better your journey at your university, don’t be shy. Allow them to get to know you and your interests, even if it is to get put on an email chain for different clubs, organizations, or events.
JOIN EVENTS, CLUBS, COMPETITIONS, ETC. Even if you feel under qualified, it is okay to enter competitions and events. You will be able to meet people who know more than you, and that is exactly where you want to be in order to grow as a person and as a student. Each university has a plethora of clubs and depending on your interests, there will be at least once that really resonates with you which can allow you to seek out friends who have the same interest as you do.
Change is always going to be scary, but I want to encourage you to look at it through a different lens. You’ll only have so many first days of school, so many classes that you absolutely need to take, and so many people you’ll meet. However during all of those events, you are in charge you and you have the capability to make the most of it. So be the student who asks a bunch of questions if you’re stuck on an assignment, be the student who is polite to everyone, be the student who joins a bunch of clubs, because one day it will all be over and you are just at the beginning. Remember to drink lots of water, move your body as much as you can, and most importantly, be someone who your future self will be proud of, cause you’re going to meet that person a lot sooner than you think. Good luck!
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