It is that time of the year again! The new school year is about to start, which is always a very exciting time for our student-athletes, especially for those who are about to begin their freshman year. So what are the first two weeks of your first year in college like? What should you expect? What should you be afraid of?
First of all, you really do not have much to worry about. Everywhere in the US, especially on college campuses, people are extremely welcoming and will help incoming students in every possible way. Plus the universities and colleges typically all organize what they call a “Welcome Week’, which takes place the week before the official start of classes. During that week, the school will host numerous events and activities where new students get to meet each other and where they get introduced to the most important buildings on campus. It is always a very fun time and for most students that is where they will meet some of their very best friends for the next four years. We know that as a student-athlete, summer is usually a very busy time with tournaments, competitions or matches, but if you have a chance to participate in Welcome Week, you should definitely try and make it! During this week, you will also get the chance to buy some necessities, such as bedding for your dorm room, possibly a small fridge to keep basic groceries, or school materials such as pens, notepads or a calculator. You should also use this week to maybe explore the possibility of opening a US bank account or to look for an American cell phone. These are not mandatory, but this is the week where you will have the most time to take care of such things.
After the conclusion of Welcome Week, you will then start with your regular classes, which typically run from Monday to Friday. By this time, you should already be (somewhat) accustomed with your new campus, so that you should be able to make it to all your classes on time. But if not, don’t worry, professors are very understanding and will not be too strict this early in the school year. For your classes, the first week will also be some sort of an introduction phase as professors will use the first one of two classes to go over the schedule for the semester, the materials and books needed, and what to expect from their particular class. So again, this is an important time of the school year where it is important to pay attention, so that there are no bad surprises later in the semester. Typically during this week, you will also start with your regular team activities, such as team meetings, practice and in some cases already some scrimmages or qualifyings.
This will bring you to the conclusion of your first two weeks in your “new home” and you should now be fully settled in. But if you still feel a bit overwhelmed at this point, don’t worry. Your professors, academic advisors, and your sports coaches are always there to help, so don’t ever hesitate to reach out to them if you need anything or if you have any questions. And of course, even at that stage, you can still always reach out to us as well. We are always glad to help and our passion to help our student-athletes does not stop once you have embarked on your college journey!