Sneak Peek: The First Day as a Miami Student
Below is an inside look at one Miami student's first day of college:
- 7:00 a.m. First day of class! I decided to wake up early to shower and eat breakfast. I think I've figured out my never-fail wake-up system.
- 7:45 a.m. My roommate and I had breakfast together because we both had 8:30 a.m. classes. I think I ate too much because there were so many choices.
- 8:15 a.m. Red bricks everywhere! On my way to my first class and I'm already lost. Yesterday I walked around and found all of the buildings where I have class, but now I'm confused. Thank goodness for the kindness of other Miami students, who pointed me in the right direction.
- 9:25 a.m. One class completed. It was my UNV 101 class, with all first-year creative arts majors. I didn't recognize anyone, but I'm sure I'll see a lot of them over the next four years. The instructor asked everyone to do introductions, then we looked over the syllabus and talked about what brought us to Miami.
- 10:00 a.m. Time for class number two, which I found without getting lost! I even had time to text a couple of friends from home that are at other schools.
- 11:00 a.m. Class two was a Global Miami Plan course, so there was a mix of all years of students. I felt like an outsider since other people seemed to know each other. Next year, that will be me. Class number three starts in 30 minutes.
- 1:00 p.m. Time for lunch at the Armstrong Student Center with some people from my residence hall corridor. There are lots of food choices here too. Heading across the street after lunch to pick up a book that just arrived at the Bookstore, then the rest of the day is free. Tomorrow's schedule is more spread out and I like not having all of my classes on the same day.
- 3:00 p.m. Time to take a little nap and catch up on some sleep. Too nervous to sleep last night!
- 4:00 p.m. I need to start reading for class. After seeing how tomorrow's schedule goes, I'm going to make a study plan to schedule specific times for homework. Armstrong has some great quiet study rooms that I didn't realize students can just schedule and use! My roommate is looking for a job on campus. Her older sister says it will help improve her time management. Something to think about...maybe we can work together in one of the dining halls for a few hours each week.
- 6:00 p.m. Headed to dinner with more people from my hall. I'm feeling a bit more comfortable about everything.
- 7:00 p.m. People outside the dining hall are playing soccer and a bunch of us are going to watch. Maybe I'll see if I can play.
- 10:00 p.m. Time to write dates of assignments and exams from today's classes into my planner. I already have some questions for one of my instructors, so I think I'll stop by her office hours tomorrow. I can't wait to get into a regular routine. If the rest of the week goes like today, I think I'll be alright!
Of course, not all Miami students have this seamless of a transition and it often takes longer than one day to "feel alright." (And sometimes, that "never-fail wake-up system" fails...) You may also notice the seeds of other potential issues - unfamiliar, possibly less-healthy food than they are used to, which can lead to them not eating well or not feeling well. We encourage you to check in with your student after the first week of classes to ask about successes and learning moments. Read below for suggestions of what you might say.
