Congratulations, future Wildcats! The UNH community is excited to welcome you to campus this fall! I am sure this college decision season is both an exciting and nerve-wracking time for you, so I am going to share some advice that will hopefully help you as a newly-admitted student.
First, check out UNH’s website for everything you need to know about classes, clubs and organizations, dorms, dining halls and so much more! It is not too early to look through the course catalog and see what classes you are required to take for your major. You can do this by searching for your major and then clicking to read through its requirements. After that, you can search for those required classes to read more about what they entail and what you will be learning! There are so many programs and courses from which you can choose, so I highly suggest reading through those options that pertain to you. At your orientation, you will choose classes for your first semester. It’s a good idea to come to orientation with a list of courses you are interested in that meet some of your first-year, major or discovery requirements.
While you are on the UNH website, I would also encourage you to go to the residential life page and look through the housing options! This is where you can preview all of your options for halls, floorplans, locations and themed communities. Something to note is that there are buildings solely for first-year students, but other halls on campus reserve 25% of rooms for first-year students as well. Be prepared to rank your top hall choices when the time comes. There are a lot of housing options, so make sure you really read through them all! You can also watch the short tour video on first-year housing on the UNH YouTube channel.
A great opportunity to meet people and begin to become acclimated to UNH is by attending the New Student Orientation. You can find the latest information and schedule for this year’s program here. You will have the opportunity to choose classes, tour campus, and attend fun and informational events. Don’t worry, there will also be a lot of food! Overall, orientation is a very enjoyable and helpful experience before moving in for the first semester in August, so do your best to attend if you can.
The transition from high school to college can be overwhelming and stressful at times, but it should be something you are able to enjoy as well. When you first get to campus and move into your dorm, make sure you go out of your way to meet new people, whether it is in your residence hall, a dining hall, the gym or anywhere on campus. Ask someone to lunch or to go on a walk in College Woods. By putting yourself out there, you will meet tons of new people who could possibly become some of your best friends during your years at UNH.
After a few weeks on campus, you will have the opportunity to attend U-Day. U-Day is when all of the student clubs and organizations set up booths on Thompson Hall lawn and along Main Street in the heart of campus. You can walk through to learn about clubs and organizations, sign up to join them, get free stuff and free food, play games and watch performances! It is a fun day where the entire community comes together. Even if you are hesitant about joining a club or organization, I highly suggest just going to U-Day to walk around and explore.
Overall, there are a lot of new and enjoyable experiences to be had in the next few months and over the course of your first UNH semester. Do your best to take advantage of every new opportunity and put yourself out there! See you in the fall, Wildcat!
