Its hard to enjoy college if you don’t find ‘your people’. You miss your friends from home and the big unknown is daunting to say the least. Lucky for you, here is a simple 3-step guide for how to find your niche so you feel ready to tackle this next step!
1. Stay out of the dorm!
Its so easy to just crawl into your bed with a cup of microwave ramen and your laptop, but at the beginning of freshman year, that is the exact opposite of what you should do. You have a close to 0% chance of making friends on campus that way. If you choose to hang out in your dorm common area with your ramen instead, that chance increases by a lot.
2. Attend campus events
With the UW Guide app, you can see all of the many welcome events that are happening around campus that are planned for YOU. It is a great way to achieve the previous step and is something easy to suggest to someone you just met as a way to hang out more!
There are sports games, the organization (org) fair, and even succulent planting. Find something that interests you to find others who are also interested in the same things.
3. Start thinking about housing for next year…
Unfortunately, the Madison housing market is nothing less than abysmal. Ideally, you start looking for a place to move into for the next school year by early fall… which is now. Many of the cheaper or most convenient locations will fill up quickly.
Consider applying for a job as an RA or House Fellow for your dorm to get a better shot at securing a dorm for sophomore year. Even if you sign up for dorm lottery, there is no guarantee you will get a spot, so have a back up plan ready.
Part of finding housing is finding who you’d want to live with. Based on your budget, you may have to room with more people than you are in the dorms, which makes it crucial that you try your best to find people whose living styles are compatible with yours. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommates, now or in the future. However, it will make your life a lot easier if you don’t hate them. Meet up with potential matches beforehand. Communicate clearly. Be realistic.