So you have gotten into college and moved into your dorm or apartment. Now what?

Your first weekend in college is fun, exciting, and a little nerve-racking. You are in a new place and you don’t know anyone. Here are five things to do your first weekend in college to make it a little less scary.

Meet your roommates

You may have already spoken to your roommates by now, but your first weekend in college is the time to really get to know them. Go out to eat at a restaurant and really talk to your roommates. This is also a good time to set boundaries and expectations with your roommates. What temperature do you prefer the dorm/apartment to be? At what time do you expect to be in bed and everything to be quiet? You will be living with these people for at least a semester, maybe longer, so you need to get to know them.

Decorate your dorm or apartment

The dorm/apartment you are in will be your home for the next semester or longer. Make it feel like home! Hang your favorite wall décor (with Command Strips!), find a picture frame to put your favorite pictures in, and get some cute storage boxes and organizers. You won’t have much room in your dorm/apartment, so storage containers are so important. Places you can buy cute (but cheap) décor and storage are TJ Maxx and HomeGoods. You do not have to spend tons of money to make your room cute. Just be sure it feels like home!

Attend college events

This is a great chance to meet new people and make friends. Your college will probably have a campus club fair where you can go to find out what kind of organizations they have and different activities each organization does. Make sure you go! This is where you will find an organization (or more than one) that you want to join. If you love writing, find an organization that focuses on creative writing or journalism. If you love the outdoors, there will probably be an organization that hikes, fishes, and camps. Your college may have movie nights or mixers. These events are where you will make your friends. Be sure to go to every event that you can!

Explore your new city and campus

Exploring your new city is so important. Find out where you will be grocery shopping. Will you get groceries at Walmart, Aldi, or Food Lion? Does your city have the grocery store that you want to shop at? If so, where is it? Find the restaurants you will most likely eat at. Explore your new campus! Find the bookstore, the library, and the dining hall. Find the best places to study and the best places to relax and spend time with friends. If you have your class schedule, find the buildings that you will go to for classes, and see where the best place to park your car will be if you are driving to campus. Exploring your new city and campus is fun, and it is also very important.

Relax and have fun!

Moving to a new city and going to college is stressful, but it is also fun! You will meet new friends, and you will join organizations that interest you. Relax. Go to a popular spot for students to hang out and find some new friends. Have fun! This is the most important thing for you to do the weekend of college. This time in your life is stressful and nerve-racking, but these four years will be the best of your life!

Your first weekend of college is an experience you will not forget. Make sure you remember it as fun and exciting instead of stressful! College is fun, but do not forget to study and do well in your classes. You are at college to have fun as well as get a degree!