Even though you've already been going to college, navigating the transition into UCSB brings new challenges that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Here's a few tips to help you get started on your journey here at UCSB:

• Remember your strengths. You have worked hard to get here and you are resilient. Those tools that got you here (e.g., strong organizational skills, work ethic, persistence) can also help you to succeed. Think about what helped you to achieve your goals in the past. Pull those tools out of your tool belt, dust them off, and put them to work.

 

• Find the path that best fits YOU. Remember, following your true interests, passions, or skills will lead you to be more successful in college and in turn that will help you to find success in a career.

 

• Talk to important people in your life. Your family, community supports, past mentors, and friends from your CC are all important people to turn to when you are first starting out on this new adventure. Remember, those folks helped you through past challenges so that you could get here. They want to see you succeed. No one succeeds without support. Let them continue to be your sounding board to solve problems and be your cheerleader to encourage you when you feel discouraged.

 

• Ask for help. You will likely need to add to that tool belt you came to college with. Seeking out help doesn't mean you are weak or stupid. In fact it means just the opposite--you are smart enough to know that nobody gets through new and challenging tasks without some guidance and mentorship. Remember, if you already knew all the things to know in college, you wouldn't be here. You can learn about many of the campus resources that will be helpful to you by reading through these pages.
  

Just like it took some time to learn to navigate your community college, you will also need to develop your own personal road map to make your pathway at UCSB. Sometimes the first step in that is to get familiar with UCSB. Make the newness less scary and more of an adventure by following these tips:

• Find places you need to go ahead of time. Not sure where Campbell Hall is but have an 8 am class there? Getting to class on your first day is exciting but can turn into panic if you get turned around on the way there. Go check out where your class is going to be held and also check out what is around it....you might just find that there is a cool tree to sit under or a coffee cart nearby.

• Give yourself extra time. Imagine this: you're running late to class, you’re sweaty, out of breath, and you open the doors to your first lecture hall only to see a couple hundred students already in their seats. You will eventually find your pace and rhythm, but to make your day feel less hectic, give yourself some extra time to get to your destination. When you are in a rush you will likely feel rushed...not a great way to start.

 

• Grab your roommate or others who live nearby and check out some of the main spots on campus and in IV. UCen, SRB, top of the library, Campus Point, Freebirds, Starbucks. You can even make it into a scavenger hunt to make a game of it. What spots are your favorites? 

Remember, familiarizing yourself with a new place can take quite a bit of time. And, feeling lost can feel unsettling and can even make you miss home. Be patient. You'll find your way.

@UCSBMentalHealthPeers Transfer Experience: Navigating your transfer experience while also navigating the bike path like… #CanIUseWaze #WhichWayToCampbellHall #TransferExperience #UCSB

Ground Yourself by Establishing Your Weekly Routine

To allocate time for all that you are trying to do--sleeping, eating, class and studying, socializing with friends, regular personal maintenance (e.g., laundry, shopping), extra curricular activities, and work--you need to be organized. Keeping a consistent schedule will help you to know what to expect generally each day and each week and this will help to ground you. 

Map out your regular weekly schedule in a planner, a calendar, or your phone. Some students also like to have a big calendar with major events (e.g., exams, breaks) marked on it to make it easier to visualize the whole term. Need some help with planning? Check out our tips as well as visit CLAS for workshops on time management.