A survival guide for introverted Georgetown freshmen

Welcome to NSO! Where everyone is extraordinarily excited, peppy, cheerful, and a bit annoying. This is where your journey starts.

All the school spirit definitely adds an appealing vibe to campus, but all of the attention and glee can make anyone a bit uncomfortable.

Orientation has its positive and negative aspects but you will likely meet a few good friends during the time. The forced interaction permits unlikely friendships to form over silly games and activities. But after this time, shy individuals may not know what to do next.

If you are more guarded, the beginning of school can be a bit frightening. Where are all my classes? What the hell is my professor talking about? Why are there 200 people in my Econ class? But, alas, there is hope for every type of person in college. Just heed this advice.

Remember you’re not alone

It’s easy to feel as though you are the only individual unsure, the only freshman without an abundance of confidence or composure. But, remember that almost every person has most of these feelings to some degree or another. Instead of focusing on yourself and thinking there is a spotlight on you, bring the attention to another person using small talk in the common room or to and from class. You are no better or worse than any other person so why not take everything in stride?

Use social spaces

Utilize the common room. Even when you would much rather be sitting in bed doing something, make an effort to be present in the common room. More likely than not people will pop in once in awhile and do work. Because of their proximity to you, it’s almost inevitable that some of your hallmates will become your friends over time.

Don’t eat alone

Especially crucial in the beginning of the year is to find peers to sit with at meals. This early period in the semester is perfect and very acceptable for asking if you can sit with just about anyone. Plus, because everyone is still new to the school, there are a lot of commonalities between your experiences so far. Bringing up light topics such as NSO, class schedules, or activities to join is a simply way to start off on the right foot.

Join clubs and activities to meet people

Although this may seem obvious to most people, to quieter individuals this may not be so clear. Join clubs. Sitting in your room will not generate a thriving social atmosphere. Georgetown’s social life runs through its clubs since there are not many fraternities or sororities. Even if they are not intense or career-advancing, joining a club such as GUGS will expose you to more people.

Walk around with confidence

Your mindset is key. Walking around with a smug look and timid mentality will likely dissuade many people from wanting to speak to you. Arm yourself with a smile and a “screw-it” attitude because first impressions are key. Most of the time, not many people know you as a freshman, and so you have to build a reputation. Even if you don’t possess poise or courage, you can likely fake yourself out by pretending to have it. Experiment.

Don’t stress about the little things

The overall most important point to always keep in mind is to put every situation in perspective. One small failure will not result in permanent exclusion from friendships. There are close to 2,000 people in your class. If you don’t succeed at first, try again. It’s only your freshman year out of four years of college. The majority of people do stupid things, commit stupid errors, and flounder miserably at some point in their first year. No need to be perfect, just try to be the best you.