What to Expect Your First Day of College Classes

You may know what to expect when you move into your college dorm room (small, pretty bare) but you may have no idea what to expect of your college courses. College is a whole new territory for you and it is a weird mixture of exciting and nerve wreaking. So what can you expect on your first day?

Prepare for possibly awkward class introductions. Your professor may do this thing where they like to put you on the spot and make you say your name, where you’re from, and a fun fact about yourself. Some professors may do this introduction, some may choose a completely different ice breaker, or you may even get away with a professor that does none of these things.  That means you can just sit peacefully in your chair and not have to hurt your brain trying to think of a fun fact and end up coming up with nothing and then you think you’re pretty boring. If this happens to you, don’t worry – you’re not boring, you’ve just been put on the spot.

Your first day of classes may or may not be shortened. You may end up with a shortened class on the first day, you may not. The professors may choose to just hand out the syllabus, go over it a little bit and then let you go or they may keep you for the whole class. Don’t get excited at the possibility of a shortened class – go prepared mentally and with the supplies you need as if you were staying the whole class.

Speaking of the syllabus, it will be TERRIFYING at first! Seriously – you will be terrified when you get that thick booklet in your hands, there’s no way you won’t be. The syllabus is a 10 page (more or less) monster that lays out the semester. There’s going to be a few pages on various policies such as attendance and late work and a run-down of you can expect to learn. There’s also going to be information on what books and other supplies you will need (mostly found in your college bookstore). After that is pages and pages of your assignments. This is what will be terrifying – you’re going to look through it and get overwhelmed at all you have to do. This isn’t as terrifying as it seems at first. Every class period is accounted for in your syllabus and usually the professor will outline what assignment you have to do and when it is due. The syllabus will be scary at first, but don’t hide it away somewhere never to look at it again. Three hole punch that thing and keep it right in the front of your binder. By the end of the semester it will look pretty ratty from all the writing and highlighting you’ve done on it. You will refer to your syllabus so many times your pages may even start to fall apart. You’ll not only be looking back to see your assignments – you’ll also be referring to any policies and other information your professor provided for you. Seriously – at some point in the semester you will start to love this thing.

Your first day of class is going to be awkward. You may not know anyone so it will feel a lot different than high school did when you were possibly sitting next to the same people from kindergarten to grade 12. You may not feel brave enough to talk with anyone at first, but you will get more comfortable at college and you will soon be loving it just like you will love that syllabus.