POV: You start college on Monday. You’re eleven videos deep into the “Day in My Life as a College Student” YouTube rabbit hole, surrounded by puddles of clothes you’ve been cycling through for the past hour. You’re trying to find your first day fit, one that’ll help you make the impression you’ve been hoping for.
You’ve imagined this moment — moving through a rush of students, sitting in a large lecture hall… at one point you’re high-fiving the campus mascot. You’re excited. But also, just a little nervous.
That nervousness is normal. And to help you get settled, here is what you can expect during the first week of this new journey and how you can make the most of it.
There’s a lot of hype around the first week; many universities, like the University of South Florida, make sure of that. You might come in with the expectation that this is the week where you meet and establish your core friend group, run for student government, and join a handful of clubs.
While these are all amazing outcomes, they may not happen immediately. Week of Welcome ensures that you begin the new semester with a bang, but it is more about orientation, both in the literal and emotional sense. During the first week, you have the opportunity to test drive your college experience. You can let your body adjust to a new bed, your brain adjust to a new schedule, and just grow accustomed to your campus and its resources.
However, like with any new experience, your first week may be a little uncomfortable.
“What I would recommend is just embracing that uncomfortable feeling because it goes away eventually,” says USF St. Petersburg Orientation Leader Carter Allen. But as you step outside of your comfort zone, you’ll realize, “Wait — that uncomfortable feeling led to many great things,” says Allen.
Find a balance. You don’t want to be so uncomfortable that it makes your life harder. But discomfort is sometimes at the foundation of new experiences and opportunities, so don’t be afraid when the feeling surfaces from time to time.
Everyone is a little nervous, and everyone wants to find their people. There is a shared awkwardness during the first week that is kind of magical; it gives everyone permission to be open, curious, and a little brave.
Some people you meet during the first week might become lifelong friends. Others might just share a laugh with you and then drift into their own world. Both are okay.
A few low-pressure ways to put yourself out there:
You don’t have to force connections, but giving yourself the chance to find them makes all the difference. The first week is a rare window where everyone is new, so lean into that.
Your first week is going to be full of flyers, tabling events, and club invitations. This is all a part of the Week of Welcome fun, and it’s insightful and exciting, but can be overwhelming. For your first week, if you don’t hit the ground running, that’s okay. Walk and wander. Let yourself observe and absorb. Explore widely but commit slowly.
Attend the first general body meetings and try the free events (trust, there will be so many), but don’t feel pressured to sign up for everything. Once again, the first week is an opportunity to orient yourself, so let curiosity guide you, not FOMO.
Allen also suggests taking it slow.
“Take it in little steps at a time,” he said. “Don’t try to run for president after you got into a student government.”
Allen’s tip for taking it slow is to do something new, something you wouldn’t normally do every day.
“And if it's something that you're like, ‘Yeah, I'm never doing that again,’ you don't have to. But if it's something that's like ‘I can do that again,’ then do it again and keep getting better at it,” Allen said.
Here’s a quick guide to a burnout-free first week:
It usually doesn’t hit right away. The first few days are packed with new faces, free t-shirts, and food. But when a quiet moment sneaks in, it’s inevitable. Suddenly, you miss home, your bed, your people, the version of you that felt sure and familiar.
Homesickness doesn’t mean you’re doing college wrong. You’re a human being, and it’s hard adjusting to a new environment. Here are some gentle ways to take care of yourself through it:
You don’t need to have it all figured out in the first seven days. You don’t need to feel totally at home or totally confident. You just need to keep showing up and be willing to try again tomorrow.
The first week of college isn’t necessarily a reflection of your entire college experience. So let it unfold slowly, let it surprise you, let it be awkward and fun. Through it all, be gentle with yourself and don’t try to figure it out alone.
At USF, you have support from the Office of New Student Connections and peer coaches. They are here for this exactly. They can answer your questions, offer guidance, and be a listening ear.
Find and create your community, and remember you’re doing just fine.