So
you just officially moved out of your parent’s home for maybe the first time
ever. You moved onto campus and have been trying to get settled into your new
life here at AU. It is completely normal to not feel entirely comfortable or
settled in just yet. The transition of going to college can be a very stressful
time for some with all of the changes that naturally occur. But have no fear
your peer advisors are here with some helpful tips on how to get through this
transition!
1. Get involved (on campus and in DC)
You now live in DC – an exciting and vibrant town full of many different types of people and countless activities to partake in. Even if none of the clubs or sports teams on campus fit your fancy, getting involved can be helpful even just to take your mind off of missing home and feeling out of place. Sometimes being surrounded by people who are going through the same emotional rollercoaster as you can be comforting.
2. Talk it out
The feelings that you may be experiencing now are completely normal and something that your peer advisors experienced when they came to AU. There is a variety of people on campus who would be more than willing to listen and try to give some advice on how to process the adjustment, including your advisors both peer or academic, professors, and AU’s counseling center.
3. Stay organized
1. Get involved (on campus and in DC)
You now live in DC – an exciting and vibrant town full of many different types of people and countless activities to partake in. Even if none of the clubs or sports teams on campus fit your fancy, getting involved can be helpful even just to take your mind off of missing home and feeling out of place. Sometimes being surrounded by people who are going through the same emotional rollercoaster as you can be comforting.
2. Talk it out
The feelings that you may be experiencing now are completely normal and something that your peer advisors experienced when they came to AU. There is a variety of people on campus who would be more than willing to listen and try to give some advice on how to process the adjustment, including your advisors both peer or academic, professors, and AU’s counseling center.
3. Stay organized
Going through a transition like
this one can seem even more overwhelming if you don’t stay organized. Utilizing
planners, computer and phone calendars, or whichever method works best for you
to stay up on all of your assignments and other commitments can be very
helpful. Another important aspect of staying organized on campus is keeping an
open line of communication with professors and other resources on campus. Going
to professor’s office hours or events on campus designed to help you get
acclimated can be very beneficial.
4. Be open and patient
Try to give yourself enough
time to fully adjust to this big transition. Even if everyone around seems to
be fully adjusted it may not be the case. Be open to the feelings you may
experience and be willing to act on them to ask for help.Also be patient with yourself - if some of your classes are feeling like they're too much work or over your head try to be proactive and talk to your professors, visit the Writing Lab, or the Academic Support Center to manage the stress a bit better.
5. Take chances
This is the beginning of a
great chapter in your life so this should be a very exciting time even amongst
the stress or confusion. Try to experience new things and branch outside of
your comfort zone. This can include joining clubs or sports you never thought
to try, taking a class in a new discipline or speaking up a bit more in class.
