When you first arrive at your new University settling in can be intimidating. There will be so much to do and so little time to do it. When I first came I dropped all my stuff off in my room and went to meet my new flatmates. In fact I didn’t actually unpack my suitcases until a week after arriving! Within that first welcome week I had a lot of business to attend to. First of all there was the essential Right to Study check. This is where I obtained my ID card and was officially given the green light from the University to become a student. Along with that I needed to make sure that all my classes were in order. This was by far the most time consuming thing in my case. It’s also a good idea to register with a doctor. It’s easy to put off, but if you get sick and you haven’t registered then you may be out of luck. It took me a couple weeks before I finally forced myself to actually make the trek to the GP’s office, but seeing as there were quite a few people in my building getting sick I made sure to do it.
Those were some of the housekeeping things that need to be done. However, there are more fun and just as important things that you need to be doing! You’ve probably been preparing quite a few months for this moment and now is the time to make friends and immerse yourself in the sites, people, and experiences. It’s never to early to start making friends. I’d suggest starting with your flat/room/floor mates seeing as these are the people you’ll be seeing the most throughout your time. Luckily, I ended up in a flat with 7 amazing people that I would be happy to call friends!
Look into joining clubs and societies on campus as well. They are a great way to meet people that have similar interests as you. Don’t be afraid to try new things! A lot of things will seem strange at first, but trust me, trying new things will become the norm.
So far I have met way more people than I ever thought I would, and I hope to meet many more!
Cheers,
-Q
The American Globetrotter 