Ah, yes. It is the time of year young adults move away from their secure hometowns to a fresh college area. Moving to a new place away from mom and dad is scary enough but downsizing to fit into a smaller space, taking more advanced classes, and experiencing a large campus poses more challenges. For many, this is their first moving occasion, and like riding a bike, it is a arduous, but quick learning process. Riding a bike may be physically painful but the first week of college can be emotionally exhausting and mentally stressful for all those involved. Some advice to make the week go smoother:
- Find classes beforehand. UW is enormous. There are buildings everywhere and there is a chance all of one’s classes are not in the same building. Finding classes a day or even hours in advance is better than being late and scrambling to find an unknown classroom.
- Pre-order textbooks online. Mathematics major, Lynora Anderson said, “There will be a mad rush for textbooks the first two weeks of classes, and if you don’t pre-order you risk wandering around the bookstore for hours trying to find your textbooks that aren’t there.” The UW bookstore is a great resource, but there is always the chance a specific book could be out-of-stock.
- Park early and be prepared to walk. Leaving fifteen minutes early is not enough time. Parking is limited even with a parking pass. The chances someone will be able to park right in front all their classes are slim to none. Be ready to walk a good distance to get to classes. There are other options of transportation like UWYO Roundup if personal transportation is an issue.
- Go out and be involved. Alone time is necessary but lying in bed every chance someone gets is not essential. There are plenty of activities happening around campus and it is important not to isolate oneself. Psychological Resident, Julio Brionez, Ph.D., recommends staying active and, “find someone you can talk to.”
- Meet people, including professors. Look around. Plenty of students are in the same boat. Not everyone has a group of friends and is searching for someone to connect with. As for professors, they have hundreds of students walk in and out of their classrooms daily. Having a close relationship with professors makes it easier to ask for help and communicate in the future. Friendly faces are always nice to see for anyone.
- Write down important dates. “I would look through all your syllabi and put all the important due dates in your calendar, the professors hand them out for a reason,” Economics, Mathematics, and Statistics major Austin Miller said. Be on the ball. College professors are less lenient with deadlines.
- Check emails daily. Technology is most people’s main source of communication. There is bound to be important information flowing through school emails and personal emails. Classes being canceled, the latest activities, appointments, and other details are certainly enclosed in emails.
