Alayna Wilkening:
There’s a lot of pressure to be social all the time freshman year. Maybe that’s sustainable for some people, but it definitely wasn’t for me. I loved hanging out in my friends’ dorms, but I also made sure to set aside time by myself to recharge. For me, that meant eating lunch alone in a corner of Forest Dining Hall while watching my favorite TV show.
At the same time, get out of your comfort zone and talk to new people. Hang out in your dorm floor lounge, get coffee with a classmate and go to group events like Late Nite. Not everyone you meet freshman year will stay in your life forever, but it’s so special to be able to spend your last week in Bloomington with the people you met during your first week here.
Jonathan Frey:
I grew up hearing parents and teachers say college would be the greatest four years of my life, and it felt crushing when my first year didn’t feel quite so great. I wish I could tell my younger self to take my time.
Freshman year is the slowest life will ever be for you in college. I know it will feel like you’re falling behind or running late if you don’t join seven student orgs and go to five frat parties in your first week, but I promise you life will be fast and stressful enough in the years ahead.
If you do find your best friend right away, great. If you don’t, you’ll be okay. The more you rush into things and try to be the model freshman, the less likely you are to find the things and people you truly love. All great things take time. College can become everything you dreamed it would be; just don’t expect it to happen all at once.
Natalie Cartmel:
It’s hard coming to a new place. You have to make new friends, adjust to a new environment and learn how to live independently. You may feel some imposter syndrome at first, but that is totally normal! Be patient with yourself. This is a really big change, and it can be scary but also exciting. You may not feel like you fit in right away, but with time, you will find your people, trust me. College is a fresh start and, as cheesy as it sounds, it’s a good opportunity to discover who you are.
It can be challenging but try to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Join clubs, go to networking events, talk to your professors and classmates —, anything that will get you talking to people more. Not only will this get you more comfortable with talking to people you don’t know, but you will also make friends! In high school, we are placed in a bubble of proximity, where we become friends with people we see every day simply because we grew up around them. College is different because you get the chance to meet people from completely different backgrounds and choose friends who have similar interests and goals. So, talk to as many people as you can, and you will find your people along the way.
Odessa Lyon:
Academics! It’s a big piece of the pie. Bigger than the classes, though, is the professor. I’m sure most people have heard this a million times, but it’s true — the professor makes the class. Usually this comment is cynical, but it can also be guiding. Looking back, I wish I had made a better effort to research professors whose work I respected or whose academic interests mirrored mine.
Obviously, there’s a certain extent to which your freedom of choice is restricted — that is, required classes — but I wish I had initiated and pursued relationships with professors at the beginning of my college career as well as I do now! Or, at least, with the same purposeful intent. You’d be surprised how much guidance a chat with a mentor who understands your circumstances can provide.
Briana Pace:
As cliche as it is, step out of your comfort zone. My freshman year, I had the attitude that I had friends at home and it was only 45 minutes away, so I was good. I took a gap year to complete Army training and, as silly as it sounds, I felt like I had too much life experience and was too old to be friends with other freshman. I’d already been on a self-discovery journey and felt like I had found myself already. I hadn’t.
Four years later, I now realize I was just scared. I’m not the most outgoing person and was afraid to put myself out there. I used my gap year as an excuse. Don’t be afraid. Everyone is new and is trying to make friends. So, go hangout in the lounge with people and get to know the people in your dorm. As the saying goes, everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager. Be a villager; be involved.
This story was originally published in the Indiana Daily Student's 2026 Orienter.
