From a Current Student to a Freshman: 10 Things You Should Know

1. Get out of your comfort zone

College is a great time for growth and exploration - so get out of your comfort zone! Join a club you never thought you would. Sign up for something completely new. Try new foods. Hang out with new people. You might be surprised and discover something new that you love!

2. Talk to current students

I can’t stress enough how valuable it is to get to know upperclassmen during your first year of college. They were in your shoes just a couple of years ago, so they are some of the best people to help you navigate your first year of college. They can help you choose the best classes, recommend professors, show you the best study spots, loan you textbooks and much more! So, reach out to some upperclassmen. They are great resources to make your first year at Wichita State just a little bit easier.

3. Apply, apply, apply

Apply for scholarships. Apply for internships. Apply for jobs. Just apply, even if you don’t perfectly fit the requirements. Take a chance and bet on yourself. You never know, taking that chance might lead to a great opportunity!

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

“I need help.” If you’re anything like me, these three simple words are hard to say. But one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in college is that it’s okay to ask for help. Wichita State offers a variety of support to help you:

• Tutoring
• Supplemental Instruction 
• Instructor Office Hours
• Advising
• Counseling and Prevention Services
• Student Health Services
• Office of Disability Services 

So, when you need it, ask for help. That’s what these support systems are there for.

5. Take advantage of Wichita State’s free resources

Wichita State also offers a wide variety of free resources to students. But many new Shockers miss out on these resources simply because they don’t know about them. Don’t worry, I won’t let that happen. Here are just a few of the resources you should take advantage of at Wichita State: 

• Shocker Career Accelerator: The Shocker Career Accelerator is an excellent resource for students to explore career paths, build their resumes and find jobs.
• Shock Stop Discount Program: Wichita State students can get discounts from participating local restaurants and businesses.
• YMCA Membership: All Wichita State students are automatically members of the Steve Clark YMCA on campus as well as all eight Wichita-area YMCAs.
• Athletics & Fine Arts Tickets: Wichita State students receive free tickets to all home athletics and fine arts events.
• Shocker Support Locker: The Shocker Support Locker gives Shocker’s access to food, clothing, toiletries and baby/family products. It’s located in Grace Wilkie Hall Room 103.
• Free Printing: The Office of Diversity and Inclusion allows students to print ten pages for free every day.

The reality is that you’re spending money to attend Wichita State, so you might as well get all the free help and entertainment you can get!

6. Get to know your professors and advisors

Yeah, I get it. Meeting with professors and advisors can be intimidating. But they truly want you to succeed and taking a little bit of time to build that relationship can make a huge difference. 
     
So, go to office hours. Meet with your advisor. Use them as resources; they’re there to help you. My professors have served as mentors, recommended me for scholarships, helped me find jobs and have been a support system to help me learn difficult material. Similarly, my advisors have ensured I’m on track to graduate and helped me pick the best classes. Plus, once you get to know them, interacting with your professors and advisors will be a lot less intimidating.

7. Leave your door open

Every time you walk into your dorm room, you have a choice: leave the door open or close it. If you grew up in a home like mine, you were taught “Close the door! You don’t live in a barn!” But I’m going to argue against that rule, and here’s why:
     
An open door signals to passersby that you’re a welcoming person and invites them to come in and introduce themselves. This was the perfect way for me—an anxious introvert—to meet new people. And to this day, some of my closest friends at Wichita State are people I met because I left my door open. 
     
Pro tip: Invest in a doorstop (or 3D print one in GoCreate like some of my crafty peers). The doors in the dorms are heavy, self-closing doors. So, a doorstop is essential to prop the doors open.

8. Try to make a friend in every class

Whether you’re in a hard class or an easy class, a large class or a small class, a fun class or a boring class, knowing someone in the class can be extremely helpful. Here are three reasons why: 

• You will always have someone to sit by.
• If you miss a class, you have someone to borrow notes from.
• You have a study buddy and partner for any group projects.

9. Balance is key

College is about so much more than the piece of paper you receive when it’s over. It’s an opportunity to discover yourself, gain independence, make friends and so much more. So don’t waste these four years of self-discovery, growth and fun by being holed up in your bedroom studying. 
     
Find balance.
     
Don’t get me wrong, studying is an important part of being successful in college. But it’s also important to find balance by hanging out with friends, gaining work experience, traveling and having fun. If you take time to do these things, you’ll leave college a more well-rounded person—and with balance, you’ll have a degree, too.

10. Enjoy it!

I know it sounds cliché, but college truly does fly by. That being said, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is: Enjoy it while it lasts. Go on that trip. Get coffee with your friends. Take that pottery class. Make memories. Use the time you have in college wisely because in the blink of an eye it will be over.