Hello future college students and parents! I currently attend the University of California, Merced and major in psychology. As a continuing second-year student who has survived her first year in college, I totally understand how nerve-wracking it can feel to move into a new scho...ol and start such a big chapter in your life. I can assure you, however, that it's not as scary as it may seem! In my experience, joining a college feels like joining a family. In my first few weeks of school, I was welcomed with friendly students who were able to help me become familiar with the campus, the many resources on campus, and typical campus life. As a first-year, I was also a member of what UCM calls a "Living-Learning Community" (or LLC for short). LLCs are basically clubs that live with each other in the same dorm building. The LLC I was a member of was called "AFROhall", an LLC for black/African American students. AFROhall offered resources and held events across campus that helped me grow connections with so many people. Other schools may offer similar clubs or associations like UCM's LLCs so be sure to look out for them. Feel free to ask me any questions or express any concerns you may have about this new journey that will await you in the future! *I am not a representative of UC Merced and hold responsibility for our interactions. Show more