Moving from high school to college is a big step in someone’s life. All the stores you used to go to, the food you used to eat, and the faces you’d always see changes. It’s a big transition in your life that can certainly be made easier with some quick tips.
1. Leave your dorm room door open.
Before I left for Iowa, all my family members told me to keep my dorm room door open. I decided to do so and left my door open the first day on campus. Within those 24 hours, four girls came in and said hi. Keeping your dorm open lets others on your floor feel comfortable stopping by and introducing themselves. It’s a great way to meet other students who live in your new community and an easy thing to do.
2. Go to some of the On Iowa activities.
The first few days on campus you have nothing to do. No school, no clubs, no homework. While you have no obligations, I recommend going to the On Iowa activities to meet other people and make new friends. One of the biggest events for On Iowa is Kickoff at Kinnick where you go on the football field and take the iconic “I” photo. During the picture, I met a group of girls and we all started talking. We bonded together and got along super well. To this day, I can thank Kickoff at Kinnick for introducing me to some of my first college friends! On Iowa activities are made for freshman and new students…. so take advantage. It’s a great opportunity to meet others and learn about Iowa.
3. Get involved.
I knew that in college there were going to be a ton of clubs to join. The problem is, I didn’t exactly know what there was or how to sign up. That is what the Student Organization Fair is for. You walk all throughout Hubbard Park zig-zagging between rows filled with almost every club at Iowa. You get to speak in person to representatives of each organization and get to have all of your important questions answered. If you have any interest in joining a student organization at Iowa, this is the place to be!
Moving from high school to college is a big change and there is a lot to take in. While a lot is thrown at you, there are little actions you can take that make the whole transition easier.