Into the College Groove: How To Fit In
So, you’re about to enroll in college. Depending on your type of personality, you are either excited or frustrated. If you get bored with high school, you cannot wait till it ends and the new chapter of your life starts. And that chapter is surely going to be great.
Frustration comes when you’re afraid of big changes, and enrolling in college is a big change ‒ a new chapter. And you’re not sure that the chapter is going to be great.
In both cases, unless you are a nerd, you are kinda worried because of the amount of studies that awaits you. And you may need some job to pay your tuition or rent. And you are not so sure that you’re going to be able to maintain studying and working.
But you can always check out the SaveMyGrade review and win some extra time. So, all set, right? Not quite. Are you sure you’re going to fit in college?
High Hopes & Nightmarish Visions and Their Outcomes
Studies aside, being in college is indeed a new chapter in your life. But, most likely, you’re not prepared to write it on your own. This means that it’s going to be co-written or even written by other people and circumstances.
You may have high hopes for your college life. A new chapter that’s going to be more exciting. A new chapter where you’re going to shine.
If you were big in your high school, you’re going to get bigger in college. If you felt like you were nobody, this is your chance to become somebody. But your high hopes may crash and burn as your college peers find you — for the first time or still — ignorable.
If you are having nightmares about your college enrollment, where not only does your life remain bad but gets worse, you are in safer territory. You know what to expect. And if things turn out differently, you can enjoy this surprising outcome.
One thing is for sure: the college itself may be expecting you, but your prospective college peers may not necessarily welcome you. And you need to know how to fit in.
Prepare for Your College Enrollment
If you thought that doing presentations were going to be the biggest problem of your college years, boy, were you wrong. You can always rely to PowerPoint presentation writers and delegate your tasks to the platform of your choice. And in doing so, you win more time to figure out how to fit in.
You can start from preparing mentally for your enrollment. Anything can happen, and you need to be ready for it. Not that we mean it in the abandon all hope, ye who enter here way. Anything doesn’t mean something bad. But you need to be mentally prepared that things won’t unfold the way you anticipate.
Thus, instead of expecting that you’re going to be accepted the way you are, you need to be prepared to learn and adapt. This way, you will easily figure out how to fit in.
Even if you make some mistakes on your way, they will be quickly forgotten by your peers. And don’t get disappointed when things don’t go your way. It’s part of the knowledge that you get while at college.
Live on or Near Campus
To fit in, you need to make sure that you are a familiar face for your peers. And you cannot achieve that if you live far from the campus. People see you during classes, but not after them. And it’s the after-classes time that matters. Living far away means limiting your chances to fit in, as you have little to no understanding what your peers do after classes.
If you are living on the campus, it’s much easier to find dorm friends. Living near campus is not the same, but it allows you to socialize with your peers nonetheless. You are more aware of their activities. You can easily learn who’s having a party and might even get invited there. It’s also easier for you to learn about places where your peers like to gather.
Yet, the most important part is that your college peers get used to you. Being a familiar face means that it’s easier for others to start a conversation with you. And conversations often lead to making new friends, or acquaintances at least.
Participate in College Activities
Where to go? Whom to hang out with? Whom to stay away from? Those are the common questions that college freshmen have. And the best way to learn answers to them is to participate in basically all the activities that the college has to offer.
It is great to hang out with your peers after classes and go to parties, but you shouldn’t forget that you have some goals as a college student. And there’s a way to marry those goals.
Participating in various college activities and events gives you a chance to get to know other students while paving your path to the future. Literature clubs, discussion clubs, political clubs ‒ pick anything you are passionate about.
Don’t know what you’re passionate about? Try all of them and pick the one that sticks.
There, you cannot only fit in with your college peers but also figure out which path to take career-wise. In other words, you’re killing two birds with one stone.
Closing Remarks
Fitting in college is no rocket science. Yet, it’s always connected to disillusionment. That’s why it’s better to prepare mentally for your college enrollment. It instantly gives you more control over the new chapter of your life. Yes, the first few paragraphs, or even pages, can be written by someone else, but you’ll quickly start writing it on your own and your way.
Go to parties, participate in college activities, join clubs, communicate with your peers, and pick a tribe or stay tribal. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes; they are unavoidable during your college years. And don’t be afraid to correct them.
Learning how to fit in during your college years will help you learn how to fit in later in your life in different communities. So, learn and adapt, but don’t forget your values and who you are.
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