If you're reading this: Congratulations! You've been accepted into university and are on your way to Orientation! WOOP WOOP!

My expectations going into Orientation were hazy and confused mixed with a lot of anxiety. I was overwhelmed at the idea of navigating a huge campus filled with people I didn't know, all of whom were older and more educated than me (For a while I even referred to them as 'The Big Kids'). I also didn't know how I would learn to structure my degree, organise and choose my majors, take notes on my own, use the library system, make a whole new group of friends, and deal with the pressure of the massive jump from school life to university life while at the same time juggling the mounting pressures of adulthood. This caused me to enter my first day of Orientation with trembling hands and a heart palpitating at a rate of knots. I felt so overwhelmed at the whirling questions I didn't know the answers to, as well as the questions I didn't know how to verbalise. I felt like a child on her first day of pre-school: In need of her mommy, a juice box, and a long nap-nap.

But you and I are no longer children. We are on the brink of adulthood. We are expected to perform our own research, construct and validate our own opinions and ideas, and come up with logical and definitive questions to clarify our misunderstandings and confusions. Luckily for us, university is the perfect place to build and strengthen these skills. The first step to this is Orientation (a baby step in the greater scheme of things).

Orientation is the time to learn. It is the time to ask questions. It is the time to be vulnerable, as hard as it is, and embrace university as a new, exciting experience that will offer you everything as long as you are keen to explore. 

Here are some useful tips from A to Z that should help your Orientation experience be as fulfilling and stress-relieving as possible. If you are anything like me (a Worry Wombat at best), then by the end of this post you should feel less stressed about what is sure to be a wonderful experience at the cusp of your young adult life!

Always remember that everyone around you is in the same boat as you. You are all experiencing your university's campus for the first time, embracing the uncertainty of university life for the first time, and feeling lost in a sea of new and unfamiliar faces. Let this be calming to you rather than nerve-wracking. 

Be yourself. I know this may sound cliche, or like the cheesiest piece of advice, but take it to heart. You don't have to change who you are in order to make new friends or to get a group of people to like you. The easiest (and sometimes hardest) thing you can be is yourself. Your vibe will attract your tribe even if you don't make friends instantly. Give yourself time to adjust to your new surroundings and then you'll feel more comfortable in your socialising abilities. University is about finding yourself and growing your inner voice. Don't silence it by pretending to be someone you're not.

Count your blessings that you have the privilege to attend university. While you are on guided tours around campus, look around you and soak in the atmosphere, the new faces, and the vibe of the campus, and realise that you are more blessed than you know. It truly is a privilege to be able to receive tertiary education, and the more we acknowledge that, the more we can begin to take our roles as future leaders and educators of the world seriously.

Don't be afraid not to know what is going on. Instead, keep your mind and your ears wide open. Listen to the Orientation lectures. Soak in as much knowledge about the different opportunities available to you. University and student life are worlds apart from the twelve years of schooling you just emerged from- of course you will be confused and slightly disoriented. But now is not the time to panic. Now is the time to prepare yourself to move forward into your adult life.

Embrace the uncertainty. This was a hard pill for me to swallow as I am prone to anxiety, breakdowns, and panic attacks. But this is a beautiful part of your life when the world is wide open for you. You are about to meet so many great people, ingest a world of knowledge, and feel freer than you've ever felt before. Get excited!

Follow the advice given by your Orientation leaders and lecturers. They know best as they have been through university the longest and know what kinds of questions you will ask before you even think of them. Be patient with them too as they are dealing with hundreds of confused and excited Freshers all wanting to get the most out of their university career with the least amount of stress possible.

Gain as much knowledge about the Orientation process and the runnings of the campus as you can. Make use of the university's website, social media platforms, and current and past students so that you can get a leg up on how to structure your degree, navigate the different buildings, and learn how to take notes and use campus services before the craziness of the semester sweeps over you.

Having a smile on your face will relieve stress both in your heart and the room during Orientation. Smiling will only make you feel more confident and excited about your impending studies. People will also be drawn to your friendly nature and spirit. You'll be making friends and learning about your degree all in one go!

Interested in joining a club, society, or sports team? Go for it! This is the perfect way to meet new friends and spark new interests and hobbies. They also provide awesome stress-relievers when the life of work work work becomes too much.

Join groups with people you don't know. Orientation is the freest time you will have to expand your social circle, however small or big, and meet some fresh faces. I have met the best people that I am proud to call my university family who I would never have met if I hadn't stepped out of my shell and been open to new friendships. I promise you are going to meet so many likeminded and wholesome people through having similar interests, lifestyles, philosophies, and life goals. This is the time to introduce yourself and put your voice out there.

Keep reminding yourself that while university offers more freedom and choice that responsibility follows closely behind. As you emerge into adulthood the responsibilities will be greater on you to take care of yourself, manage your studies and time, and to make mature and wise choices about how you will live your life. This need not be scary if you keep your wits about you and your head screwed on straight.

Learn about what the different courses entail. In first year you are given the options of electives next to your majors. Find out what the different courses teach, what the content and workload is like, what kinds of careers you can join using the course, and how the course can help you strengthen your abilities in your other majors. It's a very exciting process.

Make yourself heard. Do not allow your voice to be suppressed by fear, anxiety, or trepidation. Now is the time to express your opinions and ask questions. Don't be afraid to hear your voice in a quiet room. Others might just benefit from your questions and answers.

Never be afraid to admit that you are scared, anxious, lost, or confused. No one at this stage wants to see you in these states. If the semester hasn't even started and you are already too scared to ask for help when you are given all the resources and friendly faces to do so, then you are going to be in trouble when lectures, tests, tutorials, and seminars are added to the mix. Speak up and let people know when you are feeling overwhelmed.

Orientation can be incredibly stress-provoking and anxiety-inducing only if you allow it to be. In the days leading up to Orientation I wound myself into such an anxious mess that I sought any excuse not to attend. In hindsight I would have lost so much valuable information and hands-on time with my future lecturers, friends, and campus. Try to remind yourself to inhale courage and exhale fear. You can only benefit from your Orientation experience.

Prepare yourself for your Orientation programme. Find out where you need to be and at what time. Take a look at your daily itinerary and prepare for the various activities. Read your Orientation pack and familiarise yourself with university jargon, important names, buildings, services, and FAQs. Some important things to remember to pack for the day are:

• A water bottle
• A notebook and pen
• A hat
• Walking shoes
• Some nibbles
• Money
• A backpack
• A phone charger
• Your clever little brain

Questions, questions, questions- ask as many as possible! Rather look silly and ask a lot of questions than feel silly and confused when you don't ask them. Take down phone numbers and email addresses of leading figures in your faculty so you can set up appointments to discuss your confusions if you need to at a later stage. 

Read your Orientation pack. This is a very important piece of advice. You will be given a pack of booklets and notes with instructions on how to structure a degree, what majors are available to you, how your faculty is structured, a map of the university, a list of emergency contacts, and a timetable to follow for your Orientation programme. It will be beneficial to you to read through this pack so that you have background knowledge going into Orientation, and so that you can form a list of questions to clarify your understanding of how things work.

Stay with your Orientation group and Orientation leaders. Over the course of your Orientation days, you will form friendships and trust circles with them. This will allow you to turn to them for advice and clarity on the questions you have. You may also find some people in your group taking the same courses and majors as you that you can stick with when the semester starts.

Take notes. You may feel like a Super Nerd taking notes during Orientation lectures while others might be on their phones, walking around aimlessly, buying food, chatting, or just sitting in the sun. But trust me, taking notes that you can review at home in your own time is a vital part of becoming accustomed to university life. Writing down notes about how the university works, who to turn to for advice, where to go for specific services, and how to construct your undergraduate degree are the first steps to becoming a self-sufficient and forward-thinking university student. It can also help you to construct your own questions related specifically to your course of study that you can ask your Orientation leader or course conveynor at a later stage.

Understanding university jargon such as 'semester,' 'major,' 'course,' 'degree,' 'faculty,' and 'tutorials' can be overwhelming and difficult to remember. I suggest you make a list of these words as they come up in Orientation lectures and define them for yourself in a way that is easy to understand and remember.

Value the precious time you have to clarify your misunderstandings and navigate campus before the semester starts. Once the semester starts, it is full steam ahead, and if you aren't on the train when it leaves the station then you have no one else to blame but yourself. Take the time and initiative to explore the buildings, familiarise yourself with surroundings and names, do your research, ask questions, and stay focused.

Waiting until you're ready to ask a question, achieve a new goal, or start a new lifestyle is not always an option. Sometimes you just have to dive in with as much confidence and conviction as you can muster. This can be scary, but also incredibly rewarding if you have the drive and motivation to succeed.

"Xcuse me?" "Pardon?" "Please can you repeat that?" Yep that's right- even though you are becoming a big bad adult, manners still matter! Be polite to your lecturers and Orientation leaders. This shows maturity and respect.

Your new life is just beginning. Fear and anxiety are bound to follow you for the first couple of days. But remember that as you continue walking towards the sunrise of your beautiful future, your fears and inhibitions will fade into the darkness. 

Zone into your new surroundings. Immerse yourself in the world of student life. This is your new beginning. This is where you will spend the next three to four years finding yourself, losing yourself, building yourself, and strengthening yourself. It is an incredible time to be young. 

All that's left to say now is good luck and enjoy your Orientation experience! If this post helped in any way at all to relieve your anxiety and give you useful advice about how to approach Orientation, I'd love to know in the comments.

Let the picture quote below be your mantra going into university. Now turn off your phone and get some sleep because you've got a big day tomorrow!