HOMESCHOOL - MAKING COLLEGE SMALLER

By Jane Di Leo

It is the moment you have been waiting for — no one telling you when curfew is, no one telling you to eat vegetables and to get homework done. College — it is the good life, right? Well, yes. But going to school can also be very intimidating. In high school, many people are a big fish in a small pond, but in college it can be just the opposite.

Everyone Is New
In high school, I was extremely involved in athletics and knew most people. Going to college 500 miles away from home, things were bound to be different, but I didn’t realize how different until the day my mom dropped me off at the residence hall. As the minivan that used to take me to tennis practice and run car pools pulled away, I realized I was all alone. My parents were at home, and high school friends were back in Minnesota getting ready for school.

The first evening in the residence halls, a knock came at the door. A few residents were trying to meet new people. We chatted for a bit, and a few nights later, we went to play pool together. What I didn’t realize that first night at school was that my first friends in college would be some of my best. Five years later, I still talk to them even though we are now thousands of miles apart.

The point is that everyone is the new kid in college. Some people might go to school with high school friends, but this does not mean they will stick together the whole time. In order to get the most out of college, meet as many people as you can because the person sitting next to you in class may want to form a study group, and the person sitting alone in the dining hall could be your next best friend. One of the first places to meet people is at orientation. Patrick Heaton, assistant dean of students and director of orientation at Florida State University, says orientation is the start of a period in your life where you will be challenged to meet people from different backgrounds and experiences.

“ You will get new perspectives and the chance to meet people from around the world who you probably wouldn’t get to meet in another setting other than a college.” He explains that in college you will have the chance to also meet a diverse group of people from different religions, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds. “We promote that there are commonalities between people, and we recognize the fact that people have different goals, but we all have the commonality that we are here to learn and educate ourselves.”

College is a time to explore new areas and break out of the mold that was high school. This doesn’t mean ditch your good friends, but it means meeting new people and expanding your social circle. You never know who you will meet or where that friendship will take you.

Get Involved, But Keep It Simple
Joining a campus organization, club or intramural team is a great way to meet people and make a large campus seem small. The amazing thing about college is that there are groups for many interests. Depending on the school, the groups can range from ballroom dancing to environmental clubs. Many colleges will have activity fairs during the fi rst few weeks of school. Go to the fair and browse the many options your school has to offer.

Although you might have been involved in eight activities in high school, it is best to start off with two the first year of college. David Rielley, senior coordinator of New Student and Parent Programs at the University of Missouri, says, “Get involved with something that is related to your major. This will give you an opportunity to work with people in your degree program, establish a mentor relationship with professors and pick up some insider info about your field. It can also help you get internships and job opportunities that will help out down the road. The second activity should be something that excites you. This will allow you to be around people who have similar interests and form relationships with likeminded people who will become part of a support network.”

Extracurricular activities are a great way to meet people and make a campus seem smaller; however, the main reason for being in school is not to be in an organization, but to get an education. Sometimes being too involved can hurt your school work, and many organizations require certain GPAs to be involved. Once the first semester is done, if you feel like you can take on more activities, then do so. The first semester I was in college, I found three organizations in which I wanted to be involved — student newspaper, student government and a Greek organization. I started out joining all three, but by the time midterms rolled around, I was swamped. I overextended myself and let people down who were counting on me. In the end, I dropped one in order to save my grades and my sanity.

Professors: Get to Know Them
Although they might seem intimidating, professors can be extremely helpful and your strongest ally. “Offi ce hours are one of the most important things students should go to,” says Daniel Huyhn, program assistant for Summer Orientation at Boston University. “Professors are always willing to help, and you will probably do better in class because you understand material better because of the one-on-one time with the professor.” Daniel also explains that professors can give you recommendations, but many will only give recommendations to students they know well.

During the first week of class, drop by your professor’s office and introduce yourself. This will help him or her to put a face with a name. Then, throughout the semester, visit him or her, especially when you are having problems understanding a lecture or class material. Make sure to go in prepared because it will show you care about the class and learning. When it comes to the grading period, the fact that the professor knows you and that you have put in extra work might be to your benefit.

In a freshman-level philosophy class, I was floundering. I did notunderstand Kant and/or Machiavelli, so writing a thesis paper about them was an extremely hard task. I went to see my professor and continually brought in drafts so he could see my improvement. In the end, I understood how to write philosophy papers and got an A.

College is a time for growth, fun and learning. It can be daunting at first, but there are ways to make a large new place seem smaller. The key, although it might seem cliché, is to keep an open mind. You will be challenged in many ways, and if you approach these challenges with the right attitude, there are no limits to how much you can grow.