Coming to university can be daunting, so here are three actions you should take to quickly adapt to university life.
Welcome Week and Discussion Groups
At the beginning of each semester, the university creates a multi-week event called “Wisconsin Welcome.” Students can attend different events such as organization fairs, outdoor activities, and late-night outings. I made a couple of friends at the beginning of the week during a carnival event around the University Bookstore. Making friends quickly is crucial in university, as academics will soon take up most of your time a few weeks after school starts. Most people end up being too busy to make any friends. For more information visit: Wisconsin Welcome.
Discussions are a great way to meet new people. Spend this time not only to learn your academics but also to bond with TAs and classmates. I used this time to make nine friends from school projects done in class. Make sure to also put in the effort outside from your class discussions to get to know them better.
Organization Fairs
The UW-Madison semesterly org fair is literally the best place to find community! From business to culture to anime clubs, there is a club for people with all sorts of interests. I learned about the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the Boxing Club through the org fair. Clubs are extremely useful for networking and making connections with people, so pop in the org fair! For more info: UW-Madison Org Fair
I hope this guide helps you transition to UW-Madison from high school. Good luck in uni!