Your Guide to a Successful and Smooth First Day at College

You are looking forward to your first day in college - that's great! How does it make you feel? As you peruse that, part of what you think has some sparks of excitement, nervousness, and confusion since some things are unclear.

Knowing what to expect is a good idea, considering the many people you'll meet as you absorb the new experience. Our guide covers what college freshmen should expect on day one of advancing their education.

We have also included instructions on preparing for the day and some practical tips to help you navigate D-Day.

First things First: Congratulations!

If you are looking forward to your first day as a college freshman, it means you have reached the tertiary level of education. It also means your efforts in writing that college essay, graduate essay or personal statement were not wasted.

Preparing for and anticipating your first college class is a matter of preparation. As you imagine what it will be like, here is a detailed guide on prepping for your big day.

1. Preparing for the First Day at College

Planning can mitigate some of the confusion you experience on the first day of college. Before you enroll in your first class, ask yourself, "What do I need on my first day of college?"

Getting Ready for the First Day of Tertiary Education

If you have been to college, you already know what to expect. For the first-year students joining for the first time, your college checklist should include the following, among other personal items:

• Your class schedule in hard or soft copy (ensure you have it on your phone)
• A notebook, enough pens (including marker pens), and a laptop
• Your government ID or passport
• Your school ID, if processed in advance
• The required textbooks or syllabi, if provided or specified in advance
• The school's invitation letter or email, together with any forms you are required to fill in advance

What you need to prepare before college depends on what you need and what's available. It also heavily relies on whether you will attend a community college in the neighborhood or a school far away from home (let’s say in another state).

As you arrange your items, consider such factors and ensure you fulfill what you must prepare based on the school's invitation letter/email.

Arrival and Check-in

Now that you have everything you need to start your college student life and are already at the gate, what's next?

Find Your Way into the College

How you move into the college depends on whether you will live there or commute daily.

If you will be living on campus, then expect a busy day. Almost every student will have some company (family or guardian) to help them settle and get a room. At this point, get your campus map ready if you can access one.

In most cases, colleges have senior students and other staff who enable a smooth flow of things. So, as things get overwhelming, just follow the given procedure to get through.

Registration

The college has to confirm that you have arrived, so there are various registration points. Depending on the college requirements, various things are attended to here.

The whole registration process involves activities such as:

• Handling your fee receipts/scholarship confirmation
• Getting your student ID if it wasn’t issued before
• Orientation materials
• Dorm/room allocation

The registration process often has long lines. So, expect a bit of waiting.

Settling

Once the registration process is over, the next step is getting accustomed to your dorm life if you are a campus resident. At this point, you will be used to the chaos accompanying the first day of college.

Don't worry, though, since the folks assigned to guide you will help you get through. The hallway will have people moving to and fro, and you will see lots of new faces here.

As you settle in your allocated dorm, use this chance to meet new friends. You may share the same hallway with these comrades for the next 2, 3, 4… years.

Confirm Your Schedule and Classes

After the registration and dorm allocation, the first part of the busy day is over. The next part is becoming familiar with what you will do on campus for the first semester. You also need to know your way around, starting with where the classes are.

What will you be learning, and when is it indicated on the schedule or your course's timetable? There is not much problem with that. The problem that many freshmen face is navigating through campus.

Since you are a newbie in this environment, getting lost will be the norm for the first week. The good thing is that you have the campus maps with you. They could be printed, or the school could have an app to help people navigate. Have a good look and study them before you start moving around.

As you study, note:

• Where your class buildings are
• Where the library is
• Where your faculty offices are
• Where the school’s dining hall/cafeteria is
• Various ways to get back to your room, depending on where you are

Once you confirm your schedule for the first semester, arrive early at your next destination. For example, get to your first class 15-20 minutes before the professor arrives.

Orientation and Welcoming

Attending college orientation is the next step in familiarizing yourself with the environment. However, it depends on whether your college has this culture. For example, small community colleges may not offer orientation since it's easy to know where everything is within the first 30 minutes.

In addition to helping you know your way around, orientation allows you to meet new friends.

Depending on your school, orientation involves:

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• Welcome addresses and speeches from the college administrators and the student leaders, where applicable
• Icebreakers and other activities that will help you meet new people
• Informational sessions in the form of workshops and lecturers. They help you learn:
• Where campus resources are
• What your academics involve
• Where to get various student services
• The available student clubs
• How to observe safety while on campus
• Campus tours that show you where multiple facilities are located
• Departmental meetings, depending on your major
• Social events to help you relax and socialize after a day of orienting
• Residential hall meetings, depending on where your room is located

2. Campus Navigation and Finding Your First Class

The introduction to campus and what you'll get used to is over. The next phase is knowing how to get around as you test the knowledge gained from the college orientation exercise.

Knowing where to go when needed will ease your college campus life in the first semester or academic year. The tools you need for this exercise are the campus maps or the mobile app that will help guide your directions.

Once you have your guiding tool, start walking or running (or skating) toward the first class, library, dining hall, and other vital areas.

If unsure, ask a senior (the older students, staff, or professor) for directions. You may be misled at times, but again, don't worry; it's your first day of college.

Avoid this myth: Older students will harass you if you ask them anything or get in their way. It’s not true, and this is not high school!

Making the mistake of getting lost is the norm, but it doesn't have to be that way if you have mastered what the orientation activities have taught you. What you should avoid, though, is:

• Getting late, especially for your first class
• Carrying the wrong material with you

The lesson here is that by planning, you avoid unnecessary stress.

3. What to Expect on Your First Day of College Class

At this point, all the essentials that will aid in rendering a smooth student life are attended to. Now, it's time for the first college class.

How are you feeling?

You may be excited if you are pursuing your dream course. However, you may also feel intimidated if you have not figured out whether it's the right course. Highlighting what you should expect will ease your nerves.

NB: You will meet your professors for the first time.

After meeting your professor, the norm would be to introduce themselves first and then explain what they will cover in the syllabus. The syllabus details usually include:

• What is expected of the class and how grading will be done
• The required textbooks and when to do and submit assignments
• When, where, and how to ask for help

Note all the essential details to ensure you don't miss anything. What you miss could be a marks penalty.

Now, while that's the norm, you will meet two types of professors (lecturers/tutors) in college.

• The first one is the one who introduces themselves, as we have highlighted above.
• The second type is the hard-nosed lecturer (or an old guard perhaps) who introduces the course in 5-10 minutes and then slams you with a 2-hour lecture.

Most of us who have attended summer classes can relate to the second type more. Why? Because summer classes are hurried more often than not. With the second type of professor, don’t be amazed if your first assignment lands on the same day – it happens.

We have helped first-year students tackle their first assignment here. It's a relief since they don't know what to do until they find experts offering affordable homework help to stranded students like them.

The point here is that you can meet such types of teachers in your student life, and they are unavoidable. The good thing is that by reading this blog, you are now familiar with what to expect in your first class.

The Classroom Participation

If the first class is somewhat welcoming, thanks to 'Professor Flexible' (the first type), you might be asked to introduce yourself. Other activities might include joining a discussion group, being asked your opinion on something, or having some get-to-know-you activities to make everyone comfortable.

It’s worth noting here that some of the classes will be online. It's another norm now, even after being admitted to college physically in this post-COVID phase. For the shy ones, here are tips for introducing yourself in an online class when you join one for the first time.

Tip: Don't be afraid to introduce yourself, whether the class is online or in a physical location. The rest of the students are as nervous as you are.

4. Socializing and Meeting New People

We have already mentioned meeting new friends during the dormitory check-in, registration, and room allocation. Why are we repeating it? Because you need friends in college.

Another reason is that it's not easy to make new friends, especially if you are an introvert (or reserved).

When you meet for the first time, say hi to your roommate or neighbor. They may not be of the same feather as you are, but getting to know them is a huge step to connecting and friendship.  

More ways to meet new people and make friends may involve:

• Introducing yourself to the person sitting next to you
• Joining discussions and study groups
• Attending college events and club meetings

5. Managing Your First-Day Stress and Nervousness

As all of the above happens, you'll probably experience a mixture of cold and hot sweat, mixed feelings, and nervousness. It's okay to feel overwhelmed since it's your first day on campus.

The main agenda here is to stay focused and organized. Whenever that anxiety kicks in, you can do a few things, such as:

• Deep breathing as you remind yourself that this is the first time you are experiencing this
• Have a positive mind and know that there are others like you going through the same
• Focus on the small achievements such as going past the registration, getting a room, and arriving in class on time

Managing Your Time Wisely

Getting through the day also requires some time and discipline. The best move here is to create a routine that you can follow for the rest of the semester or academic year.

Of course, your routine will change depending on the curriculum and the changes you make to your subjects/units.

To help in staying organized:

• Use your phone's calendar and notes app or download a planning app to help you track your classes, assignments, and any other activities in college.
• Know when to rest and eat to avoid rushing to your classes at the last minute.
• Setup a nighttime routine to help you get enough rest and prepare for the next day

Finding Help in College

If you have questions on how to go about things or get something done, contact the right people. Depending on your problem, you can:

• Ask your professors, tutors, and the staff around
• Read college lifestyle blogs from academic help sites
• The new friends you made or senior students

As you learn about the college and how things function, you’ll realize there are a lot of support systems in college.

6. Getting Through Common Surprises and Unexpected Situations

Not everything will go perfectly on the first day. You may have already noticed that on the long registration queues and the commotion outside the dormitory hall.

Other things you should be aware of are:

• Classes usually get canceled
• Units and classes are also rescheduled, which means changes to your timetable
• It’s the norm to walk into the wrong class
• You may be asked to write a first-day-at-college essay
• When the day ends, you may feel homesick if you stay on campus.

Depending on what you are facing, always use the right solution to help you cope and get through. How can you handle common situations that may happen on the first day?

Tips for College Freshmen on Day One

Reaching this point means you know what to expect on your first day of college. This day is important to you and any other freshman in your batch since it ushers in your first-year college experience.

We have addressed everything based on what happens on day one of college and our experiences when we arrived at college the first day.

The college freshman tips you should remember as you approach and go through the day are:

• Plan and arrive early
• Be friendly and be open-minded
• Ask the right questions to the right people and take notes where necessary
• Explore your campus and know the key spots. Exploring may take your first week
• Learn how to save your money from the first day onward. Don't get used to cafeteria pizzas, no matter how good they look

Your Student College Life Starts Now

The first day of college is always unpredictable until you get through it. It’s also the start of a new chapter in your education. As you meet new people, become more independent, and get through your first class, embrace the experience since it's part of your growth.

Be confident as the day progresses, and know you are not alone. As you progress with your campus life, more experiences, assignments, and essays will help you learn. On our end, we will help you nail those assignments and boost your academic excellence.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What should I bring with me on the first day of college?

What you bring on the first day of college depends on where the college is. Those commuting will need a bag packed with items indicated on the admission letter and what they need for the day. For those going to live in campus, you require everything indicated on the letter and personal items to help you live in college.

2. Which myths should college freshmen ignore on the first day?

• Your first day will be smooth – that’s a yes and no observation
• Your roommate will be your best friend – that may not happen if you don’t share the same values
• You cannot avoid freshman 15 – it’s avoidable if you eat and live healthy
• You can skip class – there is freedom in college, but skipping class comes with penalties

3. How do I find my first class on the first day in college?

• First, check your class schedule before you start moving
• Use the college map given to you or the app
• Don’t skip the college orientation
• Start locating your class early to avoid being late. Check for room numbers and other relevant signs
• Ask for help from senior students and staff if you are lost

4. Where can I get professional academic help with my first college assignment?

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