Coming to Purdue from Out-of-State

One of the most asked questions asked amongst college students: Why did you chose the school you attend? In my opinion, I tend to answer that question more often than others. I am originally from New Orleans, which is roughly 900 miles south of Purdue University. The distance does not seem so far on paper, but I define both places as two different worlds. Currently, the Coronavirus pandemic only further amplifies the distance between my school and my home. I wanted to share why I chose to go out of state to hopefully ease some people who are also contemplating the decision of moving a couple hundred miles from home (or even thousands – Purdue has a lot of international student). I also expect everyone has some form of distance occurring in this time and may want some tips to learn more about how to handle the adaption. Below is a list a tips I found helpful.

1. Look up extracurriculars to join that you find interesting. Boilerlink is a great way to look up clubs and groups that have similar interests. I also suggest going to about any club call-outs that are happening. The club may surprise you and you might even notice some people in the clubs you are checking out. Most majors also usually have clubs connected.
2. Join study groups. Study groups will not only help you understand class materials, but they are a great resource in finding people who will be in the same classes as you at your time here at Purdue.
3. Go to Purdue events. Events like career fairs, club fairs, sport events help you meet others with the same interests as you.
4. Walk around campus. Simple walking (or running) across campus helps you learn Purdue’s campus and building locations. This just helps you around campus, especially when classes start up.
5. Try new activities. (Related to the first tip) you could find some new hobbies and activities that introduce to people and help you around campus.
6. Find a job. A job on or near campus automatically connects you to other students on campus. The job will also help you with time management and stability.

Hope everyone had happy holidays and a happy new year! Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about Purdue. I am happy to talk to any perspective students, new students, or currents students that would like to learn more about the NRES community!

-Scarlett