What to Expect in Your First Week

If you are like I was one year ago, you are utterly terrified.  College means tougher
classes, more studying, unfamiliar people, and a room that is far from home.  This cannot be good.

If you read nothing else I write in this letter, read this:  You have nothing to be
afraid of.  Yes, your classes will be more challenging.  Yes, you may have to study more than you did in high school.  No, your parents are not there.  And yes, the people you live with will be unfamiliar - for all of two minutes.

One of the most wonderful things about Carolina is the freshman experience.  You will move in a few days before classes begin, and those are the days when you get to meet tons of people, sign up for clubs, and generally enjoy the time you have before your first test is announced.  I know exactly what you are thinking.  “What if I don’t make any friends?  What if I have no one to eat lunch with?  What if no one is like me?”  Listen to this:  That will not happen.  As a very social person, I thrive off of being around people and forming relationships that extend beyond the classroom or the club meeting. My worst fear was that I would never find a niche and would be desperate to return to Raleigh by September 1.

I made friends at Carolina faster than I ever have in my life, and I have lived in four different cities.  Trust me, everyone is eager to get to know one another, and Carolina recognizes the need for freshmen to have a little more exposure to the community around them.  That’s why, in the first week, you will have hall meetings, plenty of icebreaker games, and you will get to be a part of Fall Fest, when South Road is blocked off and lined with tables staffed by members of every club at Carolina, each one wanting you to sign up to receive more information about his or her organization.  Sign up.  Even if you never thought you would join a dance group or consider participating in wetland conservation, put your name on that list.  Yes, your e-mail inbox will be flooded with information about those clubs, but you just made an effort to get involved, and I promise that you will not regret it.

In your free time, grab a Frisbee and some new friends, and spend a couple of hours just throwing it around.  Be spontaneous.  No freshman at Carolina is looking to be excluded.  You will find your place, your room will begin to feel like home, and you will wonder why you were ever nervous.

The first day of classes will come quickly, so use your first few days at Carolina to
get excited about what the year will bring.  When that day does come, stay excited,
because you are going to be exposed to some of the most fascinating people, information, and classes.  Just be sure to stop by the Old Well and take a sip.