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Making Yourself Feel at Home at a Big School

Making Yourself Feel at Home at a Big School
8/2/2011
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Angela Andaloro

Going to a big school can be intimidating. It’s essentially uncharted territory and most of the time you have no idea what to expect. At Pace University, I share my NYC campus with over 7,000 other undergraduate students — talk about big! Still, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Many people ask me if I feel like I’m missing out on the college experience by going to a big school in the city. My answer is always a firm “Absolutely not.” While your college experience is undoubtedly influenced by where you go to school and the environment you’re in, there’s one more important factor: what you decide to make of it. So how can you make your big campus feel smaller? It’s simple!

Get to know your surroundings. You’ll learn where your classes are and where to grab a bite to eat as the year goes on but get to know your surroundings beyond those staples. Where can you go if you need a minute of peace and quiet? What’s going on during common hour? Are there any activities that go on every week? When you’re in the know, you’ll feel comfortable.

Get to know people. Don’t be afraid to meet new people! The best way to make your big campus feel smaller is to fill it with familiar faces. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone in one of your classes or to join an organization. There’s so many ways to make new friends and all they require is your willingness!

College is your home away from home for two, four or more years. It’s important to feel as comfortable as possible during this time and there’s no better way to control your school experience than by taking all the steps to making your big campus feel just like home.

Angela Andaloro is a rising junior at Pace University’s New York City campus, where she is double majoring in communication studies and English. Like most things in New York City, her life and college experience is far from typical – she commutes to school from her home in Flushing and took nearly a semester’s worth of classes online – but she still likes to hang out with friends, go to parties and feed her social networking addiction like your “average” college student.

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