Coming into UW Madison can be a big change, from campus life to navigating new friendships, but these are three tips to adjusting to the college lifestyle:
- JOIN ORGS! As cliche as it sounds, go to the club fair and join organizations that interest you! The club fair is a great way to take a peek at all of them in a less formal setting, and UW Madison has so many to explore, from professional to sport-based clubs. Participating in organizations is where I met some of my best friends! You can take a look at the organizations on this website: https://education.wisc.edu/student-life/student-organizations/.
- Make group chats with students from your classes! When first getting to a new class in the beginning of the semester, sit down next to someone or a small group of people and formally introduce yourself. This can sound awkward or intimidating, but I promise everyone is in the same boat and could use another friend in class. By the end of the first few weeks, you should ask them for a social media handle to create a small group chat. Not only is this great for catching up when you aren’t feeling good and can’t make a class, sparking a friendship is a great way to make new friends at school and make campus feel smaller.
- Take advantage of your dorm! Introduce yourself to your neighbors! Within the first week of living in your new dorm, make sure to get to know your hallmates and some people on the floors above and below you. Not only could they become good friends, but it will make you feel more confident and comfortable living around new people. Dorms bring people together, and it’s great to return to a hall where you know you can stop by a friend’s room!
