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Stating the obvious here, but starting college is super overwhelming. I know, I’ve been there!

You’ve left behind everything you’ve ever known and are suddenly sharing a tiny room with a stranger, trying to learn where everything on campus is, how to survive without your parents, and a million other things at once!

That’s why in this post, I’m sharing the best tips that helped make my experience settling into college as a freshman a little easier.

I’ll be sharing tips to help with adjusting to dorm life, making friends, feeling nervous, navigating college life, being without your family for the first time, feeling homesick, and more.

So, whether you’re going through all this right now or you’re about to, I truly hope these tips help make your first few weeks at college less stressful, and more enjoyable.

Here are 7 simple and actionable tips for transitioning into college as a freshman.

Settling Into College: 7 Tips

#1: Display Pictures Of Friends & Family

A great way to make your new home feel a little more homey is to hang up pictures of people who remind you of, well, home!

Any pictures of your friends, family, pets, and your favorite memories together are perfect to display.

If you’re feeling a little lonely at college, looking at these pictures will help you remember that there are people who love and care about you.

Polaroids are super aesthetic and trendy nowadays! If you’re looking for an easy way to hang yours up, try using one of these fairy light strings with clips.

It’s what I personally used in my dorm to hang up my polaroids, and the clips made it super convenient to hang up my pictures and switch them out whenever I wanted to.

Plus, the fairy lights made my wall look really pretty!

#2: Engage In Familiar Activities & Hobbies

Starting college means you’ll be experiencing a ton of new things, which is exciting yet overwhelming.

To help cope, try engaging in some of your favorite familiar activities and hobbies while at college. Anything you enjoy doing at home, try doing at school.

This can be literally anything from taking a morning walk, to watching your favorite show, to playing your instrument, and more.

For me, it was drawing and making coffee! Whatever you choose to do, it should help create a sense of routine and normalcy.

#3: Go To Campus Events

In my opinion, one of the best ways to get settled into college is to actually experience college life! One of my favorite parts of college life is campus events.

They can be a great way to get out and do something fun, as well as a reminder that there’s a ton of other new students in the same boat as you just trying to figure things out!

So whether it’s a club meeting, a concert, a festival, a student loan orientation meeting, or a casual hang out, remember to get out and explore a little.

If you’re like me, sometimes going to events alone can be a little intimidating. My best advice for fellow introverts is to find at least one person to go to things with. Orientation is a great place to find them!

From there, it’s so much easier to meet more people and feel comfortable at whatever event you’re at.

#4: Make Your Space Cozy & Comfortable

Another one of the best ways to settle into college is to make your dorm (or apartment) as physically comfortable as possible.

This will look a little different for everyone, but some general ideas can be getting comfy pillows and blankets, getting a soft mattress cover, buying a fan if it’s too hot, getting some relaxing lighting, etc.

You might also want to consider investing in high-quality sleepwear to improve your nighttime comfort. For example, organic cotton underwear women by Q for Quinn or a pair of silk pajamas are great since they are breathable, soft on the skin, and made from natural materials that promote better sleep.

Small changes like these can help create a cozy, restful environment for a better night’s sleep. Anything that makes your space comfortable, relaxing, and enjoyable to spend time in will do!

You’ll be spending a lot of time in this space, after all. You should make it somewhere you truly enjoy.

Something I currently use to make my apartment feel very relaxing is candles. However, most college dorms don’t allow candles inside.

So, when I lived in a dorm, I used battery operated ones like these. I found them to be a great substitute for real candles when it came to creating a relaxing ambiance in my room.

Obviously, you don’t get a nice aroma like with real candles, but they’re still perfect for college dorms (and will make your space look really pretty, too). Some even have flickering “flames” for a realistic touch!

#5: Keep A Routine

Routines are one of the best ways to create a sense of normalcy while adjusting to a new environment.

Whether it’s a morning routine, daily routine, night routine, or a few simple rituals you do regularly, implementing this strategy can really help you when settling into a new life at college.

A routine will look different for everyone, and it’s okay if you’re struggling to find your ideal one. If you are, I’d suggest starting with a really simple morning routine.

Pick a wake up time that leaves you enough time to get to class without feeling rushed while also letting you get a good amount of sleep. Then, pick a few things to help you get a good start to the day.

They can be anything you want, but for some inspiration, many peoples’ morning routines include things like freshening up, exercising, journaling, eating breakfast, or cleaning.

Other great ways to follow a simple daily routine doing homework during certain hours, eating around the same time, and going to bed at the same time each night.

A planner like this one can really help you plan out your routine and follow it regularly.

#6: Keep In Touch With Friends & Family

I think this tip is pretty self explanatory! One of the hardest parts of starting college for many new students is moving away from friends and family you’ve known forever.

To go from seeing your family every single day to only every few weeks or months can be a tough adjustment, and it leaves a lot of students feeling a little bit lost.

But just because you don’t see your family every day doesn’t mean you can’t talk to them regularly!

We’re lucky enough to be able to call, text, and video chat loved ones with the tap of a button, so why not do that?

Picking a day every so often to call your family is a fantastic way to feel a little bit more at home while you’re at school, and can really help with settling in during those first few weeks.

Whether it’s every day, every week, or every month, pick what works best for you and your family and mark it on your calendar.

#7: Join A Club

Pick a club, any club! A simple tip, but one that helps a lot nevertheless.

Joining a club that’s related to something you enjoy is a great way to add some familiarity to your new life like I talked about earlier.

But you can also go in a completely different direction and join a club just for the sake of trying something new!

I actually joined my school’s ukulele club when I first started college without ever having played before, and ended up really enjoying it.

If you’re looking to make friends, a club is a really easy way to do that, especially for introverts.

With a club, you already have a built in conversation topic and are surrounded by people with similar interests as you.

So, it can be a little easier to meet new people this way than in class, at a party, or in orientation.

If you’re wondering what clubs there are to join, see if your school hosts a club fair or has a list online somewhere.

Outro & Closing Thoughts

So, that wraps up my post on settling into college. Here’s a quick recap of the tips in this article:

#1: Display Pictures Of Friends & Family

#2: Engage In Familiar Activities & Hobbies

#3: Go To Campus Events

#4: Make Your Space Cozy & Comfortable

#5: Keep A Routine

#6: Keep In Touch With Friends & Family

#7: Join A Club

I truly hope these tips help you in some way and wishing you the best in college and beyond!

Thank you for reading my post “7 Helpful Tips For Settling Into College As A New Freshman.”

Still deciding where to go to college?

Be sure to read my post: 50+ Questions To Ask Yourself When Choosing Your College (From A College Junior).

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7 Helpful Tips For Settling Into College As A Freshman!