College is a stressful time for many freshmen as establishing a new group of friends can be a difficult thing to achieve. Expression and discovery are two things that every college student will look at when arriving at school. These things can be very hard to come by and it can be difficult to even start to think about how to put yourself out there. Here are four ideas to help you find your niche in this new environment.

Have Some Variety

Build some variety into your course schedule. This will encourage you to meet many types of people throughout all your classes and can lead to different types of connections.

Join Some Clubs

Club involvement is crucial to getting connected to a new school. At Michigan State, we have something called Sparticipation in both the fall and spring semesters. This is a giant club fair for all the clubs on campus. Your school most likely has something similar. Attend the event and talk to the people representing different groups. You can also see if they have an information QR code or a signup list to sign up for emails from that club! In connection with this, look at any school-related social media accounts and posts to discover clubs you are interested in. Reach out to them through their direct messages or see if there is an information link in their account.

Speak to Your Advisor

Have discussions with your advisor. Advisors can often open your mind to your options and give you advice on good clubs and organizations to join to make the most of your college experience. Getting to know your advisors can improve your college experience and enhance job opportunities for the future.

Be Yourself

My final tip is something that may appear to be basic but be yourself. While going around campus just be true to yourself and be open to new opportunities. Just do what makes you happy and positive experiences will come your way.

There will definitely be challenging times during college, but many very fulfilling times as well. Try everything you can, have a good time and enjoy some of the best years of your life.

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