Top 10 Tips for New Students

Walking onto a University campus for the first time is both a nerve wracking and exciting adventure. For many students, it marks the beginning of choosing who they want to become, and how they want to live. Though it is an amazing opportunity to begin a higher education journey, the immense amount of new relationships, information, and opportunities can become overwhelming. Because of this challenge, here are 10 helpful tips for new Eagles to soar high while they get comfortable at EWU:

1. Welcome Week: Participating in the events during Welcome Week have the potential to influence your entire first year. This week is designed to get new students familiar with campus life, faculty, and all that EWU has to offer. Lifelong friendships, valuable information about programs, organizations, and resources, and some of the best memories are often formed during Welcome Week! If you weren’t able to attend this September, join in the fun next year!

2. EagleSync: Log in to the EagleSync online platform which lists student organizations and clubs, and events happening at EWU. Contact leaders of certain clubs you are interested in & try new activities that are easy access and free! This is a simple, easy way to familiarize yourself with campus, gain teamwork/leadership experience, learn from seasoned students, and build new relationships. 

3. On Campus Jobs: For many students, extra financial assistance is needed when pursuing higher education. Not only are on campus jobs a convenient, and helpful resource for paying your way through college, but a wonderful way to gain work experience and networking opportunities within the community. Employers are flexible with students in scheduling hours, and there is a good chance that if you begin your search early, you will get a job in an area of personal interest or your desired field! Check for postings on Handshake, EWU’s student employment job search tool, and confirm if a posting is work-study eligible (if you have a work-study award from financial aid).

4. Social Media: When seeking out information about events around campus, social media is a great way to stay up to date on all that is happening during the year. Follow several EWU Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok accounts that will inform you about all the events occurring on campus. 

•   EWU on Facebook @ewueagles, Instagram @easternwashingtonuniversity, and TikTok @easternwauniversity
•   College of Professional Programs (CPP) on Facebook @EWUCPP, Instagram @ewu.cpp, and TikTok @ewu.cpp
• Psychology on Facebook @EWUPsychology
• Education on Facebook @EWUEducation or Instagram @ewuedu, and Eastern Reading Council on Instagram @ewureadingcouncil
• Social Work on Facebook @ewuschoolofsocialwork

5. Start Networking Now: EWU is filled with hundreds of new faces. Throughout your years at college you will continue to meet new people from different clubs, sports games, events, classes, and jobs. Begin a list of people you have met that you may contact in the future. Include their name, contact information, and how you connected with them. This includes friends, professors, orientation leaders, employers, and classroom guest speakers that may become valuable resources to you in the future. If you need a professional reference in the future, it is a best practice to ask individuals in advance if they are willing to serve as a reference, before listing them on an application or resume. Use Eastern’s very own professional networking service the Eagle Career Network (ECN) to connect with Eastern graduates (alumni) who are currently working in their field of study, to ask for advice, tips, etc. Contact the Career Center to meet with a Career Advisor about opportunities to get hands-on experience in a field of study, like internships.

6. Explore Campus: The day before class, walk to all of your classrooms to get a sense of their locations on campus. Explore buildings like the JFK Library, University Recreation Center (URC), Pence Union Building (PUB), Tawanka, and Phase Building, to seek out study spots and the various activities EWU has to offer. EWU has interactive online maps of the Cheney and Spokane Catalyst locations, where you can check specifically for resources/services like parking, food pantries, nursing mother rooms, printing, and more. Need to travel off campus in Cheney or Spokane? Your Eagle ID card provides free bus access through the Spokane Transit Authority (STA).

7. Familiarize yourself with EWU Resources: EWU has countless resources for students to take advantage of during their years at college. To learn more about all the resources Eastern has to offer, check out the EWU website, The Student Affairs Resources for Students Guide, and the Dean of Students Instagram account @

8. Come Ready to Learn: Along with the opportunity to learn from your professors & network with people around you, comes the valuable opportunity of learning from the individuals you meet every day. Do not limit your learning to the classroom. Rather, come prepared with questions for the friends, professors, employers, CAs, guest speakers, PLUS tutors and academic coaches, writing responders, leaders, & faculty you meet throughout the year. You will not only build beneficial relationships, but increase your chances of success in college and for countless years to come! Make use of faculty office hours to ask questions about concepts/topics from class and receive guidance.

9. Schedule Time to Rest & Reflect: In the midst of attending all these exciting events, meeting multiple new people, and adjusting to a completely new environment, comes the risk of burning out too fast. Though it is important to stay involved on campus, it is just as important to prioritize practical areas of your life such as sleeping enough, moving your body, eating meals, and taking time to do the activities that refresh your mind. Set a consistent schedule for attending classes, doing homework, eating, sleeping, and  social activities. Making sure to reflect on the topics you are learning, and processing the new information around you sets you up for sustainable success that will lead to a balanced and healthy lifestyle! Free Well-Being Coaching is offered by Counseling and Wellness Services, and Epic Adventures provides low-cost trips kayaking, hiking, camping and more for students. Counseling and Wellness Services also offers in-person and telehealth counseling options for students. 

10. Have Fun! As cliché as this phrase may sound, the statement remains just as true. College is what you make of it, and a huge piece of creating the ultimate college experience for yourself is by enjoying the process every step of the way and having tons of fun as you go.  Check out the full calendar of campus events here.  And once you graduate you continue to be part of the Eagle family, as  #Eagle4Life alums! Enjoy EWU Alumni Association sponsored activities like EWU Day at Silverwood, and EWU Day at the Seattle Mariners!