Welcome week of freshman year I shook more hands and learned more names than any other weeklong span of my entire life. Throughout freshman year you will be surrounded by a sea of interesting, intelligent, and creative people…my advice? Meet as many as you can!
Coming from tiny Clarendon Hills, Illinois, I couldn’t be more stoked to see so many new faces. Yes, I am a pretty outgoing person, but I was definitely a little nervous not knowing a single person in my class for the first time. It is important to remember that everybody is in the same vote and introducing yourself to someone new can never hurt. That week I made three of my best friends by running down the hallway of my dorm with a Frisbee inviting people to play on McCarthy Quad.
Each dorm puts on fun events like barbeques, beach trips, hikes to the Hollywood sign and holiday parties. It’s always fun to get off campus and a good way to bond with the floor mates.
Outside of the dorms, make an effort to get to know the students in your engineering classes too! Having a fun study group makes homework, projects, and tough classes way more enjoyable so don’t be afraid to reach out to the person sitting next to you in physics or Engineering Academy. Getting to know people who share the same interests is an awesome way to bounce ideas, expand knowledge, and encourage learning past what is required. I know several groups of Viterbi students who have started their own apps, formed a club, and even small businesses based on their interests.
Professors are another great resource!! They love meeting their students and usually have a couple hours each week set aside to just chat with people about class, industry, and even balancing your time. Even if you don’t have questions about material, I definitely recommend stopping by and taking the time to get to know your professors. They are a wealth of knowledge and truly interesting people to talk to. I got involved in research on campus simply by visiting office hours and expressing interest to a professor. I have also already asked professors for letters of recommendation for summer internships. The better they know you, the better the letter!
We are exposed to so many amazing people in college and my advice to any incoming students is to take full advantage and meet as many people as you can!! You will learn more, seek new opportunities, and have a better time! Freshman year goes too fast so make the most!!
