The start of the new school year can be overwhelming, especially for new students. With so many things to accomplish — such as ordering text books, moving into dorm rooms and figuring out how to navigate the campus — getting to know people might become the last thing on students’ minds.

“The first year is crucial in making bonds and beginning friendships that will last your four years in college,” said Langston McKinzie, sophomore in AHS. “College is a social environment. (Freshmen should) get out there and meet new people.”

Keep the doors open:

Next to new roommates, resident advisers are usually the first people freshmen meet on their floor during move-in day.

Chung Rhee, sophomore in Engineering, lived in PAR his freshmen year and still remembers the tips his RA gave him and his floor mates when they first moved in.

“My RA told us to leave our doors open to get to know each other,” Rhee said. “We left our doors open for most of the time, and people would just ask each other for help on homework, or go to (gyms like) CRCE or the ARC whenever they wanted to. It’ll be a lot easier making friends (if you keep your door open).”

Keeping your dorm door open is one of the most time-tested tips for those living in the residence halls.

Some residence halls, like Allen Hall, take things a step further and arrange an event where everyone in the residence hall has to leave their door open for a night so other residents get the chance to go around and visit as many people as they can.

“I think the best thing Allen Hall did was open-door night,” said Colette Kinsella, senior in Education.

“It not only helped me to meet my floor mates but also the people who lived above and below me. I suggest keeping your doors open always because someone will most always come into visit.”

*Go to dorm events*

RAs, along with other advisers in the residence halls, usually arrange events such as dance parties and movie nights so their residents can get to know their neighbors.

“Allen Hall had weekly events that the program advisers put together,” Kinsella said. “These events were mostly limited to the dorm residents, and so it was easy to see the same familiar faces at programs and make friends.”

Along with hallwide events come floor events that are limited to just the guys or girls on the different floors. Kinsella remembers the events her freshman year RA put together for the girls on the floor.

“My freshman RA was fabulous,” she said. “She literally had her door open at all hours of the day. We used to call her room ‘the black hole’ because you could not walk by without getting sucked in with a bunch of other floor mates. We would have tea parties and hall decorating parties. At Christmas she even organized a secret Santa.”

To make sure residents are interested in coming to the events, some RAs bring food and other treats to attract more students.

“The only other time that (my floor mates and I) all get together is when the RA told us that there would be free food in our floor lounge,” McKinzie said. “You will learn in college that free stuff is what everyone wants, especially since we pay for everything else.”

*Join RSOs that share your interests*

Because the University has so many registered student organizations to choose from, new students can easily find any group they are interested in and meet new people with the same interests.

Rhee joined an intramural soccer team after having played soccer in high school, and Kinsella was thrilled to find an Ultimate Frisbee booth during quad day.

“If you played a sport or did a club in high school, I strongly suggest finding that club on Quad Day,” Kinsella said. “Quad Day will definitely seem overwhelming, so I suggest going in with a game plan.”

*Go Greek or don’t go Greek*

The University’s Greek pride can be seen just by walking through campus, and the start of the school year marks the beginning of recruitment for Greek organizations on campus.

For those who don’t choose to go Greek, meeting people can sometimes seem harder as potential friends surround themselves with Greek life.

“It isn’t hard at all to meet new people when you are not going Greek,” McKinzie said. “Don’t forget they do have to take classes just like you. Some do stay in dorms just like you. Sometimes they are trying to meet more friends as well just like you. Going Greek is only one avenue to meeting more friends.”

Kinsella agrees that there are activities to do and people to meet outside of Greek life.

“At first, I felt like it was more difficult for me to meet people because I did not go Greek,” Kinsella said.

“I felt like everyone around me was doing it, but it’s actually not the case at all. I think Rush just makes it seem like everyone is in a (fraternity) or sorority but you can definitively meet people outside of that scene.”

The Illini Union also organizes events for students to enjoy, such as Illinites. Students can always go bowling or shoot a game of pool at the Union as well.

The University offers a lot of events new students can participate in, and RAs are always available to help a new student when they need it.