Hello, my name is Anna Pellegrini, and I am majoring in Organizational Communication and double minoring in Psychology and Leadership. I am graduating in a few short weeks, so it is a bittersweet time knowing that the place I have called home for the past four years will soon be my alma mater.
This past semester, I have been reflecting on the last couple of years here at Missouri State. It is hard to describe my college experience in a short blog as these four years have the greatest years of my life. For this blog, I am going to give you some tips on how to make the most out of your college experience.
Make Friends
Coming to college, one of my biggest fears was worrying about if I was going to be able to make friends. And honestly, almost every other college student has this fear too. Introducing yourself to strangers is a scary and intimidating thing to do. However, remember that other students are wanting to make friends too, so they will be glad that someone wants to talk to them.
- What worked for me was introducing myself to the other students in my classes. This was a great way to make friends but also have study partners.
- If you are living in the residence halls, prop your door open and say hello to other people living on your floor.
- If you’re in line at the dining hall, say hi to the person in front or behind you.
- Attend an on-campus event and introduce yourself to other students there.
- Talk to your RA or a professor, they also may be able to help introduce you to a new friend.
The friends I have made over the past four years have made such a large impact on my life and I couldn’t imagine my college experience without them. Put yourself out there and make a new friend!
Get Involved
The most common piece of advice you will hear when preparing to enter college is to get involved. As simple and overused as this advice is, it is truly the best advice. Getting involved can help you make friends, help you find your passion, gain leadership skills, connects you to the campus, but it also allows you to have fun!
My freshman year, I wanted to join Traditions Council. They were having a mandatory informational meeting and I was terrified to go. My roommates were not interested in joining but they encouraged me to go. So, I nervously walked across campus and attended the meeting. As I became a member of the organization, I can truly say that it set the stage for what my experience would be as a student but also as a leader at Missouri State.
Since joining my first organization freshman year, I have been a member of 6 different organizations with various leadership positions. Each of these organizations gave me many memories that will last a lifetime.
Make the Best of Every Situation
College is hard. You are going to be homesick. You are going to fail a test or two or three. You may lose a friend. However, just because college is hard, that does not mean you should give up. There are going to be times you are going to fail but you should make the best of every situation. Reflect on what went wrong and use that knowledge to do better in the future. I believe that things happen for a reason and that there is a silver lining in everything. Find the silver lining and use it to your benefit! Do not give up!
Live in the Moment
It is super easy to take a nap after your class instead of going to an event or seeing your friends. However, you might miss a great memory. College will fly by before you even know it. You should go to events, go to parties, take advantage of all opportunities, talk to the person next to you in class, take pictures, and have fun. You will learn a lot in your courses at college, but you also learn a lot outside of them. Live in the moment and soak up your experiences. Before you know it, you will be graduating and wondering how 4 years went by this fast.
(submitted by Anna Pellegrini, Missouri State University | Organizational Communication; Orientation and Transition Programs | Orientation Assistant; Student Government Association | Director of Administrative Services; Alpha Omicron Pi)