10 Ways to Adjust to Freshman Year at ESU

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Leaving home to live in a new state, city, or town can be intimidating, to say the least. You are leaving behind your family, your friends, and your boundaries, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It is also a chance to start fresh, discover yourself, and make new friends and connections. Still, adjusting to any change can be difficult, so I have provided you with some tips to adjust to freshman year at ESU.

1. Make connections during orientation.

Orientation weekend is a good place to make some acquaintances before school even starts. Find some people in your major or connect with potential roommates. Coming into freshman year with a friendly face or two can make your new surroundings seem less intimidating.

2. Bring something familiar with you to school.

Do you have a favorite glass or mug you drink from at home? Got any stuffed animals you can’t live without? Bring something from home so that when that homesickness kicks in, you can assuage it with all your favorite comforts from home. You can also bring photos of your family and friends to decorate your walls.

3. Familiarize yourself with your new surroundings.

Take a few of your new orientation buddies and explore your surroundings. Go to the Wawa across the street and order a hoagie before Hoagiefest lets up. Visit the Union and the cafeteria to see what food you will be eating for the rest of your semester. Go to the Walmart plaza and discover Cluck U: it will become your new best friend. Take the bus (or shuttle) down to Main Street and get a gigantic slice of pizza from Goomba’s Pizza. Also, visit Crystal Street, particularly Trackside for daily specials – perfect for broke college kids. Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg may be small, but there are some fantastic little treasures.

4. Sign up for a mentor.

No matter how ready you think you are for college, it is still a tough transition. A mentor can help ease your adjustment period. If you skated by in high school, you can leave the skates at home because that will not work in your college classes. If you want those grades, you have to put in the work. Your mentor can show you how to do that. They were once in your shoes, so they can help you learn some new tricks.

5. Sign up for BALANCE workshops.

Balance stands for Being an Active Learner Among New Collegiate Experiences. Basically, it is a set of weekly workshops covering topics designed to help you navigate university life.

6. Consider getting a study skills tutor.

Getting a tutor does not mean you are not intelligent or that you are not a good student. But, college classes and exams are a bit different than high school. In a class where your grade depends on how you do on three large exams, one failing grade can be detrimental to your overall grade for the semester. Having someone who can help you learn study skills can help you prevent this type of ordeal.

7. Find your study spot.

Chances are that your dorm room will get loud during crucial study hours sometimes. So, find a quiet space to cram those textbooks into your brain. I recommend the first or second floors of the library (third when the Greeks and athletes aren’t completing their study hours) or the second floor of the Union.

8. Befriend professors in your major.

Your professors can be a huge help in making your first semester of freshman year fun and easy. They can offer tips and insights that you just don’t get in class. Don’t be intimidated by them. They’re there for you!

9. Join a club or group.

The fastest way to make friends and connections is to join a group. Visit the club fair at the beginning of the semester to find out what interests you.

10. Read more ESU SOCIETY19 articles!.

Our site strives to be the premier source for all things college and ESU. We have many articles that can help you adjust to your new life on campus. There are articles about study techniques, restaurants in the area, tips about orientation, emailing your professors, etc. Browse our archives and keep an eye on our Facebook page for our latest materials.