New surroundings, new friends, new teachers, new classes—moving to college can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be.
Evangel wants to make your transition to campus life easy. That includes answering the questions you may be thinking but are too afraid to ask, like these:
What if I don’t like my roommate?
This is a biggie. And it’s why Evangel never pairs roommates up randomly. We actually use a roommate-matching system to select as compatible a roommate as possible at the beginning of your freshman year. You fill out a survey that asks about bedtime, study habits, interests and musical preferences so we can gauge which other students best match your living habits.
It’s super important to fill out your survey as honestly as possible. This way, you’re sure to receive a good match. Later, if you find yourself struggling with your assigned roommate, you can talk things over with your resident assistant (RA) and resident director (RD). They are there to help you work through any problems that arise. But the more likely scenario? A roommate you actually like hanging out with!
What if I’m not smart enough for college?
Our best answer is to take it one class, one assignment and one day at a time. If you get stuck, we’re here to help.
Need tutoring? The Academic Support Center offers free tutoring to any student who needs help studying for classes. It also facilitates study groups and helps you manage your time.
Hate writing papers? The Write Place, located on the second floor of Trask Hall, provides one-on-one help with writing and proofreading papers for class.
Have a special need or learning disability? The Academic Support Center and your professors are always willing to work with you, whether that means offering extended testing time, a quiet environment, help with note taking, audio texts and more.
Still worried? Talking it out with your advisor usually does the trick. They love to help new students adjust to college life, and they are very understanding and ready to work with you.
What if I have no idea what I want to study?
Join the club! Many students don’t know exactly what they want to do when they first come to Evangel. What’s more, many students change their majors, sometimes multiple times, before graduating.
To help you find the area of study and career path that fits you best, Evangel has several strategies. First, because we’re a liberal arts university, you can take courses in a wide variety of subjects and have the opportunity to explore different fields.
Second, we help you find what you’re good at. Rather than trying to shore up weaknesses, a much better strategy is to focus on building strengths. That’s why every student takes the Gallup Strengthsfinder, a test that identifies your top five core talents.
Academic advisers use these “strengths”, as well as your hobbies and interests to help you plug into areas of study and campus involvement you’ll be excited about.
What if everybody is dating but me?
It’s human nature to notice those who have what we want—like a date to Harvest Fest or Spring Fling—while failing to see those like us. Be assured, not everyone at Evangel will be dating.
Romantic relationships are just one of many types of relationships you may form at Evangel. Focusing on them to the detriment of others is a missed opportunity.
Don’t worry about getting—or giving—a “ring by spring.” Instead, take advantage of the many social opportunities through your residence hall, academic department, club or sports team, and start forging some meaningful friendships. As a bonus, you might even pick up a date to Harvest Fest!
What if I don’t have a car?
While cars are convenient to have, they’re by no means necessary. Students at EU are great about offering rides for each other. A lot of floors in the residence halls even coordinate carpools to church on Sundays.
Not to mention, there’s plenty to keep you busy on campus, from social activities to employment. Plus, several restaurants, gas stations and a grocery store are within walking distance.
What if I get sick?
If you’re feeling under the weather, Evangel’s Wellness Center is just a phone call (or a walk over to the student union) away. You can make an appointment or walk in during business hours every weekday. Evangel’s nurse practitioner can take care of almost anything your family doctor would, including immunizations, checkups for missions trips and advice.
Plus, there is no office fee. The only possible expenses for your visit will be nominal charges for any supplies or tests needed.
What if the dorm is too noisy for me to study and sleep?
All residence halls have set quiet hours from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day, as well as round-the-clock courtesy hours. But if you find studying in your room gets too noisy during the day, most floors have rooms set aside for studying, and all residence halls have computer labs and study areas on the second floor. If you need a different place to study, Evangel’s library, located on the north side of campus, stays open most hours during the week and select hours on weekends.
What if I’m too shy to make friends?
At the beginning of your first semester, you’ll enjoy EU Launch, an amazing orientation and relationship-building experience designed to help you transition to college life and the Evangel community. Launch features social activities for both large and small groups to connect you with other new students.
After Launch, there are lots of ways to build on those connections. You can attend the clubs and organizations fair to know what’s available to get involved with. Plus, the student-led Activities Board holds regular campus activities, as well as floor and hall events.
With all of this, you’ll have lots of opportunities to make friends, even if you’re shy. All you have to do is be willing to get involved.
If you’re struggling, just have a chat with your RA, RD, advisor or a counselor. They’ll help you get involved so you can find your tribe.
What if I really, really miss my mom?
It’s natural to be a bit homesick at first. The quickest way to overcome it is to dive into the Evangel experience by getting to know those around you. Staying connected with family through phone calls, texts, emails or Skype also helps.
If you find yourself really struggling, stop into the Counseling Center for a little heart-to-heart with a compassionate professional. Hundreds of students each semester take advantage of this free service to talk about everything from mental health to family to relationships and a wide variety of other issues, large and small.
College life may be new, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. With these tips in mind, you’ll do great!
Have a question we didn’t answer? Connect with us on social media or call 800.EVANGEL. We’ll be happy to help.