Making the Most of Your College Experience (After Freshman Year)
Tips from Senior Janelle
College comes with the expectation that this is the last chance to meet people and create friendships that will last a lifetime. The problem is that most organized events on campus are geared toward freshmen since they are new to the university.
This means that the rest of us upperclassmen are left to meet people through classes, group projects or being dragged out by friends.
All of which can be awkward enough when people already have their established friend groups.
In my 3 years at NAU, I’ve learned a number of helpful opportunities to make great friends and great memories. Here’s how to make the most of your college experience after freshman year:
1. Attend Off-Campus Events
Downtown Flagstaff is a great place to attend off-campus events since it’s open to all students and the entire Flagstaff community. I highly recommend the Orpheum downtown. The theater hosts concerts, silent discos, drag shows, and more!
Social media can also be effective for finding events off-campus. Students often join Facebook Groups for social activities. This is also a great way to find others who are also looking for new people to meet.
Lastly, I recommend following Instagram accounts that promote events and activities around the city of Flagstaff. A couple popular ones are @DowntownFlagstaff and @DiscoverFlagstaff. NAU’s twitter account is also a great place to look for events and activities since they often promote them with #FlagstaffHappenings.
2. Find On-Campus Jobs
Finding an on-campus job saved my college experience and I will continue to recommend it to everyone trying to meet new people and form new connections.
On-campus jobs provide flexible schedules that allow you to focus on academics while still meeting people and getting paid.
In my experience with Campus Living, there are students in your classes that can be some of your closest friends, but you just don’t know them yet.
If you’re unsure of where to look for an on-campus job, search Handshake: Handshake is free through NAU and you can filter jobs based on on-campus or off-campus. Handshake helped me find my job and I often use it when looking for summer internship opportunities in Flagstaff and back home!
Unlike off-campus jobs, on-campus jobs provide a common denominator that can jumpstart connections. It is much easier to meet someone when you already have something in common, such as the university you both attend!
Balancing it all
A common concern with having a job during the semester is the struggle to balance it with classes and the work that comes with each course. I have found that the best way to manage your time is to make a weekly schedule.
Write down what assignments you will work on each day and keep in mind your work schedule — some days will be heavier in assignments than others.
Keeping yourself to this schedule will make each day even with the next so you won’t dread a certain day or overwork yourself too early or late in the week.
3. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
The most important step to getting out there and optimizing your college experience is getting out of your comfort zone.
Memories cannot be made unless you get uncomfortable and put yourself out there.
I think most doors open when you are comfortable doing things alone. I often challenge myself to sit at a coffee shop alone or go to a very public place to encourage myself to meet new people and start conversations I wouldn’t normally have. In the simplest form — go for a walk alone or run errands without people you’re comfortable with!
My junior year was the first year back to normal after the pandemic. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone felt more necessary than ever since I had been isolated for so long. I challenged myself to walk to the store alone when I needed a few things since this would make me feel more vulnerable than driving alone.
I was also not very open to social activities with large groups. This was because most of the time, there was only one person I really felt comfortable around and when they didn’t attend, I felt awkward and lost.
Forcing myself to go even when my comfort person wasn't there was life changing. I left myself with no choice but to bond with other people and grow those connections rather than relying on the one solid friendship I already had.
This has boosted my confidence more than I could ever imagine and I will always recommend everyone struggling socially to do the same.
If you are starting off small, I suggest visiting a coffee shop or restaurant to do homework alone. My favorite spots in Flagstaff are Juice Pub, Wildflower, and Late for the Train. Even if you choose to leave headphones in to stay focused, I would consider this a victory since you ate alone, studied in a public space alone, and were able to get some work done!
4. Manage Societal Expectations with College
The problem with college is the way they make it seem in the movies. I grew up thinking that the friends I made in college would go on to be my bridesmaids and we’re going to watch each other start families and live out our dreams.
This expectation made me compare my college experience to others and, in turn, made myself feel as though I am not doing enough in these 4 years.
The truth is, these 4 years are not the only 4 years of your youth. There will be opportunities to form strong connections with people after graduation so placing this pressure on yourself is unrealistic.
Once you accept that you may only have a small circle by the end of college, it doesn’t mean you didn’t live the crazy fun college experience that society accepts.
Everything I recommended has completely shaped my college experience. I have made awesome memories with a small circle but still formed lasting connections beyond my comfort group. I will continue to challenge myself to get out and make the most of my last year at NAU!
