Downtown Setting: The down­town area in Big Rapids offers a small town feel to res­i­dents and vis­i­tors. Photo By: Kristyn Sonnenberg

When I first arrived to col­lege, I was eager to get out and explore the cam­pus and meet new peo­ple. After you get set­tled into your room and get acquainted with your room­mate, if you have one, get out of your room for awhile and go check out the Ferris cam­pus and meet other stu­dents. Remember, you’re in col­lege and it’s a whole new experience.

Get to know other peo­ple in your res­i­dence halls and attend events that are put on in your hall. It will give you a chance to make new friends.

Additionally, there are var­i­ous events that go on through­out cam­pus dur­ing the semes­ter such as speak­ers, come­di­ans, con­certs, and other fun events. These are almost always free and worth attend­ing. It gives you a chance to learn about var­i­ous issues and top­ics or to just have a good time.

You can also go tub­ing on the Muskegon River, which I have yet to do.

I attended my first Ferris con­cert in the fall of my fresh­man year and had a blast. It was a nice break from all of the hus­tle and bus­tle of aca­d­e­mics. Also, I had attended some very infor­ma­tive, inspir­ing and inter­est­ing speak­ers that opened up my mind to new per­spec­tives and ideas.

Although there is a Wal-Mart and a Meijer, I sug­gest you take a walk through down­town Big Rapids. There are a vari­ety of places to check out, includ­ing the Old Pioneer Store and Emporium/Kilwin’s (which has excel­lent fudge), a movie the­ater, and sev­eral great restau­rants to dine at.

Also, get involved. There are plenty of orga­ni­za­tions on cam­pus and surely one of them has some­thing to offer that suits your inter­ests and hob­bies. Aside from classes, home­work, and study­ing, being involved in an orga­ni­za­tion on cam­pus is ben­e­fi­cial for your résumé and your social life.

I found that I enjoy being a part of an orga­ni­za­tion because I got to do what I love most and I made great friends. I have also found that I have grown and matured.

So, don’t just sit in your room, study all of the time (well, be sure to study two hours for every hour you are in class), and watch TV con­stantly. Get out­side, get involved, and make new friends. College is sup­posed to be the best time of your life, so start early and make it memorable.