How to survive the first day of freshman year

blog

August 06, 2019 - Tiffany Lee

The first day of freshman year can be a scary thought. You are walking into a new place, with new people at your new home, and you have no clue how to take it all in. The best part of being a freshman is that everyone else in your class is right there with you, and the people who aren’t were there at one point. After talking to fellow students, I came up with a few tips to help you survive the first day of freshman year.

Get your bearings on campus during orientation. Moving in early definitely has it perks. Participating in Welcome to Ouachita’s World (WOW) gives you the opportunity to be around campus and find out where everything is. Pay attention to the names of buildings and floor numbers because then finding the room number will be easy. You can also look at your class schedule before the first day of school and take a quick trip to find your classrooms with a friend.
Make your schedule your lock screen. After asking around, I thought that this was the smartest idea! I personally was the ultimate freshman with my schedule printed out on a piece of paper, but if you want to avoid being the ultimate freshman, this is for you. Find your schedule on your INFO student portal, take a screen shot and make it your lock screen. No one will ever know you are looking at your schedule, and you can be confident in where you are going.
Dress to impress! We don’t have a dress code, but I think you should always look your best when making a first impression. Dressing nice and brushing your hair shows professors you care about being in their class, and it’s a new day to make new friends. You want to feel confident in yourself, so put your best foot forward.
Have a walking buddy. Chances are you met a few people in WOW who will have similar schedules or will at least be going the same direction. Talk to your roommates and new friends before the first day and compare schedules. See if there is a way you could walk together. Walking with a friend can help calm your nerves and face the first day.
Go in open-minded. The first day of class my freshman year, I literally cried after college algebra. Go into class being open to learning about a subject no matter how hard it is. The CORE classes may seem annoying at first, but they have helped to set me apart as I’m applying for jobs or even just dealing with life (yes, even college algebra!). Along with being open-minded, remember you don’t have to stick with a life plan you decided when you were 5 – it is okay to change your major!
Don’t let the caf scare you. The first day everyone is intimidated walking into the cafeteria, and no one knows where to sit. That is okay! Don’t be scared to make friends. Go into the caf and just sit somewhere!
Find a mentor. Luckily, WOW has already given you upperclassmen who would love to help you in any way they can. Throughout your first year, find someone to help you and who will be there for you. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t made friends who had been there for me. We need people to hold us accountable and give us advice, so don’t be scared to reach out.
Own the fact you are a freshman, and have fun! You will never get to be a first day freshman again. This is the time to ask the silly questions, be confused and get lost walking to class. Own it! The truth is, no one looks at you any differently or thinks, “Wow, such a freshman.” We have been there and we understand. Besides, we love seeing a new face on campus!

Freshman year is one of the most challenging and fun parts of your college career. The first day marks the beginning of the next four years at Ouachita. Enjoy it, don’t stress and soak it in. It’ll be time to graduate before you know it.