First-Year Collage for College!

Learning Centers

The learning centers on campus are definitely a resource that can help a first year students become more engaged in their academics. By making frequent visits to the learning center for extra help, students will feel more motivated to complete the class assignments and ultimately become more engaged with their academic endeavors . These learning centers can instill a greater feeling of confidence that with hard work they can handle the course load. 

Career Services

Career services aids in the first year transition experience because many first year students come to college “lost” and “confused” with what they want to do with their lives. Career services is there to tell these first year students that its okay to not know where they will end up but that they will do all that they can to help the first year students explore their options with career advising. 

Academic Advising

Academic advising helps first year students transition because many questions about class registration and graduation requirements can be answered by advisors. After a few trips of advising, students have a better idea of what is expected of them as a Rutgers University student and are more confident in continuing forward with their academics at Rutgers when they understand the big picture. 

Resident Assistants

For first year students, their Resident Assistant is a huge help with their transitioning process into a residence hall and into college in general. Any questions that first year students have, they can always turn to their RAs for help. And if these RAs don’t know an answer, they will direct their first year residents in the right direction. Resident Assistants are especially helpful to first year students who may not have a connection with one of the university’s upperclassman. Some first year students come to Rutgers not knowing anybody, so the Resident Assistant is a great resource to help them get acclimated.

Gym

The gym believe it or not helps first year students transition because its allowing them to de-stress from their classwork and take a “mental break” while also helping them manage their time better. The recreation centers also offer intramural sports for students to get involved in which is a great way to make friends on campus to make their transition even smoother. 

Nextbus / Bus system

Nextbus.com helps first year students more easily navigate the bus system. First year students can go on the site and see all the different bus routes, where it takes them, and how long until the next bus arrives. Being able to navigate the campus is essential for them to become engaged in the university community since Rutgers is so large and getting from place to place is crucial. 

Involvement Fair / Getinvolved.rutgers.edu

The Involvement fair, as well as getinvolved.rutgers.edu, is a great starting point for first year students in helping them get involved with organizations on campus. Getting involved in various clubs and activities on campus can help first year students transition by reducing their stress and keeping themselves busy! 

Football Games

Who doesn’t enjoy some of Rutgers’ sporting events?! The football games show the unending pride that the students have for the university. And seeing and embodying such pride will make their transition more enjoyable once they realize that the students at Rutgers are happy to be here. 

Campus Centers

The campus centers help students transition because although Rutgers is large, the five campus centers connect all the five campuses together. Students can read advertisements on what is happening on campus for the week or pick up a Daily Targum. The campus centers serve as a place to study or a place to hang out. The first year-students will see the Student Centers as the central places on campus which makes the university seem a lot more like a smaller close-knit community!






LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST:

Orientation!!!!

Orientation helps first year students in so many ways! So many of the first year questions and concerns are answered at Orientation such as how to deal with roommate conflicts, where to go for academic advising, and how they go about many other things! Orientation instills a sense of confidence in the students and reassures them that they will survive and thrive in the university now that they are aware of the resources available to them on campus.