Congratulations, you have been accepted to Lewis & Clark College! You have amazing grades, and you are fully ready to start all of your classes. You have paid quite a bit to purchase your books and have finished moving all of your things into your dorm room. Your parents have left for the year, and you are all alone. Now what?
First, your dorm room. As always, there are the things you think you will need, and the things you think you will not. On my list of essentials are a first aid kit and a tool kit. You might not need either of them that often, but when you do, they will be invaluable.
A personal mini fridge is more useful than one might think. Yes, there is a communal fridge in every kitchen, which you can find in almost every dorm hall. However, space in these communal fridges is taken quickly, and you risk food theft. Luckily, this does not happen all too often at LC, but keeping cold food in your room is more important than you realize.
Do not underestimate the importance of wall decor either. LED lights, posters, postcards and anything that one can use to decorate their walls should be put up. Trust me, it will help keep you sane. Otherwise, the cold white walls of your dorm room are simply a bit too reminiscent of a psychiatric hospital. Putting decorations up contributes a surprising amount to making your dorm room feel like your room.
No matter how much your dorm room feels like a safe place, do not stay in it all the time! Making friends may seem daunting, but it is a very important part of college life. There is nothing wrong with eating dinner alone, but it is nice to have a group to sit with once in a while.
Try to pay attention to the posters put up around campus. They often advertise events you can attend and make friends at, or at the very least, acquaintances. It might feel daunting to show up at a random event, but the organizers will be delighted to have you there. Many of these events are hosted by LC clubs! Joining a club is a great step towards meeting people who have similar interests, and building a community. You may not make any immediate friends from club meetings, but they might be the people you can sit next to in a class, even if you do not know them that well.
As for classes, remember to allocate enough time to get your homework done. Spending time with new people is fun, but you still need to keep up with classwork. Spending all evening with your friends and then staying up until 2 a.m. to finish that essay is not a good long-term solution. Once in a while, you may need to pull an all-nighter, however try to avoid making it a habit; sleep is important.
If you are struggling with coursework, go to your professor’s office hours. They will appreciate getting to know you better and they can offer a lot of help with the work they have assigned. Their job is to help you understand what they are teaching, and there is nothing wrong with not understanding the material.
Finally, do not forget to reach out to your friends and family from home. You are officially an adult now — you have moved out and you are living your own life. That does not mean you need to completely distance yourself from your family. It can be very comforting to phone home now and then, as can it be to hear some parental advice, as annoying as it may be. Do not forget to tell your parents you love them. They miss you!
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