Socializing With Friends
Go to parties with your friends. Take advantage of the parties that college life is known for, and find the ones that are best suited to your social interests. If you enjoy large parties, try going to sororities, fraternities, or other large gatherings. Small parties, or a group of people gathering in a friend’s apartment, can also be fun. Always go with a friend or a group of friends to larger parties. It will be safer and more fun. It’s a good idea to leave the party before it ends. Once people start to leave the party, most of the fun is finished. Be mindful of the amount of alcohol you consume at a party, and be careful not to drink a drink you didn’t pour yourself.
Get creative when dressing for theme parties. Themes can be just about anything from 1980s parties, Hippie parties (or “Hippie vs. Hipster”), Mardi Gras parties, “Luck O’the Irish” parties, etc. You can usually find the clothes you need in thrift stores. Avoid racially-charged or sensitive subjects when planning your theme party, or your outfit for a theme party. This can go very wrong, very quickly. Ask yourself whether you’re making fun of a particular cultural group, or if it might be misinterpreted in this way. Wear something versatile, so you’re not stuck in the theme all night if you decide to go elsewhere. For example, if you’re going to an 80s dance party, think about wearing a brightly colored shirt, black tights, and Converse hightops, over a strappy black dress. That way, you can just take off the shirt and change shoes when you’re ready to move on.
Take a road trip for spring break. Get your friends to pool their resources, and rent a van or RV for a week-long road trip to your favorite destination. You might find yourself staying with friends, relatives, or camping out to save money. As a student, you’re eligible for discounts on some rentals, hotel rooms, and other destinations. Take back roads whenever you can to really explore the landscape you’re traveling through. Post pictures of your road trip on social media with your friends and family back home.
Make new friends. Just being around so many other people your age is one of the best parts of college life. You’ll make friends in college that will last a lifetime. Just put yourself in situations where you’ll be most likely to meet other students who share your interests and values. If it’s hard for you to make friends, start by looking around at the other students in your classes. Remember that most people are shy sometimes, and that it’s not always easy to initiate a conversation with a new person. If you live in a dorm or residence hall, try to get to know others on your floor. If there are mixers or social events to help with this, you should attend them. It’s okay to start a conversation, no matter how random, with anyone who looks like another student. This is the norm for college social life, so take advantage of it!
Joining a Club
Go to your school’s club fair. At the start of the semester there’s usually an event where all campus clubs have tables with information about their club. This is a great place to start, when you’re thinking about what club to join. Ask questions, take a look at the material the club is sharing, and think about whether it might be fun to try out. Remember that joining a club doesn’t mean a huge initial commitment. You can always sign up for lots of clubs, then drop out of the ones that aren’t fun for you. There’s likely to be lots of fun, free stuff at the school’s club fair, like stickers, snacks, and other things.
Join a club that reflects your interests. Most colleges and universities have student organizations based around certain interests. You might find an anime club, or an astronomy club. Some clubs are for sharing and learning about other cultures, such as Spanish club or Chinese club. Joining a club will allow you to meet other students who share your interests. Staying active in areas that you’re interested in help you to remain connected to your own passions.
Try a club that’s outside your experience. One of the best things about college is the chance to participate in events and activities that broaden your knowledge of the world. A club that allows you to move outside your comfort zone may turn out to be very fun. For example, if you’re terrified about public speaking, consider joining the drama club. If you’ve never participated in team sports, think about joining an intramural sports team such as Ultimate Frisbee.
Start your own club. If there isn’t a club around something that interests you, consider starting one of your own. You’ll have to register your club with the university either online or through a paper document. Once your club is confirmed, you’ll be listed in the university’s directory of clubs, and you’ll have access to campus buildings and equipment. You might start a student club, a campus club (including students and faculty). or a community club (that includes students, faculty and community members). For example, one student noticed that there were student groups for other cultural minorities, but not for students with disabilities. She started a student group so that students with disabilities could come together and get to know each other.
Join a sorority or fraternity. Being part of a Greek organization does more than just provide you access to great parties. It also offers a sense of community with your fraternity brothers, or sorority sisters, that will last a lifetime. Choose a Greek that reflects your interests, values, and priorities. For example, Mu Phi Epsilon is a coed international professional fraternity, and Alpha Chi Sigma is a professional chemistry fraternity. Greeks participate in fundraising for charitable causes. If you join a Greek organization, you’ll have access to additional scholarships, tutoring and other benefits.
Think about joining a club just for fun. Sometimes people join student clubs to enhance their resumes later on, but it’s worth thinking about joining a club that’s purely fun. Clubs can provide a much-needed outlet for your creative, artistic, or social interests. For example, you might join a line-dancing club, or a Star Trek club. Having fun in clubs can help balance out the stresses of the intense studying of college.
Don’t join too many clubs. You’ll probably join more clubs at the beginning of the semester than you’ll have time for as the semester continues. You don’t want your club participation to become stressful when it’s meant to be fun. You can also change the number of commitments within the club that you’re responsible for. If you’re participating in more than 1-2 clubs, you might try to keep your commitments to a minimum. If you find yourself stressed by the amount of club activities you’re expected to do, take a step back. Think about what your priorities are.
Enjoying the Perks of Being a Student
Take advantage of cultural events. Research suggests that attendance at cultural events significantly enhances your experience in college. Colleges provide regular opportunities to attend theater productions, go to art shows and literary readings, attend musical performances such as concerts and recitals. Your university may bring in exciting performers from around the world that you’re unlikely to have encountered before. You may develop interests in cultural aspects of life that carry you through your lifetime.
Make sure to check for student discounts. Many national chain stores offer discounted retail prices to people who can show a student ID. Among the kinds of items that you might find discounted include books, clothing, school supplies and computers. If you’re not sure how to find student discount, do an online search for the item you’re planning to purchase and the words “student discount”. For example, searching for a new tablet computer, you might find that Apple offers educational discounts on the ipad. Local businesses also offer student discounts. Grocery stores, bookstores, movie theaters, and restaurants are among the businesses that offer special rates for students.
Take a semester to study abroad. Spending a semester studying in another part of the world is something that you may wish to take advantage of. If you’ve been studying a foreign language, going to a country filled with native speakers offers a wonderful chance to solidify your knowledge. You’ll have the fun of learning about another culture up close and in daily life. There are things you can learn by traveling that you’ll not have the chance to learn in other ways. Going out to another country’s clubs, museums, and restaurants is an experience you’ll remember for your lifetime.
Consider taking independent studies. If you’re passionate about particular subjects that aren’t offered by your college, find another way to study it. One of the perks of being in college is being able to learn anything you want to. Most universities have a way for students to design their own course of studies. This requires seeking out experts and specialists in your area of interest. These people might be at your university, or they might be working professionally in your community. Be aware that your professor might expect you to be more self-directed in an independent study course than in a typical lecture course. Just because it's independent doesn't mean that there's less work involved.
Making Studying Fun
Listen to music while you study. Find the musical soundtrack that enhances your study time. Often people find that listening to music without words is best for concentration. Try listening to gentle orchestral arrangements, piano solos, light jazz, smooth electronica or easy listening to complement your study. This strategy won’t work for everyone. Some people are distracted by music while they work. Experiment with different kinds of music until you find the genre or pieces that work best for you. Some people can drown out music even with lyrics.
Make your study social. Find a group of study companions and plan regular study together. You might try quizzing each other, or making games from the material that will sharpen your knowledge. Talking to one another about the course material can clarify anything that you didn’t quite understand from the lecture. You’re more likely to learn when you’re motivated to study. If you’re more likely to be distracted from your studies by working together with other students, it’s important to acknowledge this and spend your study time alone. If this is true for you, keep your social time as a reward for your solitary learning.
Try studying with different mediums. Make a poster and draw out the relationships you’re trying to memorize, for example. If you’re musically inclined, set the words you’re trying to learn to music to help you remember them. Make diagrams to illustrate what you’re learning. Make your own flash cards, including pictures and words to help you learn. You can often find video information about the topic you’re studying online. Khan Academy, or Coursera are among the free educational courses and programs can help support and enhance your learning.
Reward yourself for hard work. If you’ve put in a long afternoon at the library, or if you’ve turned in a report you’re proud of, it’s time to celebrate! Take yourself out for your favorite beverage, or take the evening off to see the latest movie you’ve wanted to see. Even while you’re still working, keep healthy snacks nearby and take breaks when you need to. You can use also use these as rewards for reading up to a certain point, or for writing a certain number of words or pages.
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