Everything You Need to Know to Start The School Year Off Right

The start of another academic year is upon us and that means welcoming new students to campus and welcoming back returning students who have spent the summer away from the College of Charleston.

Whether you’re embarking on your first year at the College or settling in for your senior year, starting the school year off right is essential. Here are some tips to keep in mind, places to know and resources to have at your fingertips as you prepare for the first day of classes on Aug. 21, 2018:

7 Essential Move-In Tips

Move-in day is always exciting (and a little bit hectic). This year students head back to the residence halls on Aug. 17 and Aug. 18, 2018. Here are seven tips to make move-in day as seamless as possible:

1. Write your name and room number, in big clear letters, on everything. With everyone moving in all at once, it’s easy for an unlabeled box to get misplaced.

2. A rolling handcart or dolly can save you time as you haul your clothes, bedding and tech into the residence hall.

3. Pack a small tool kit. A screwdriver and hammer can come in handy when it comes to building shelves and assembling furniture.

4. Nails and screws are not allowed on residence hall walls, so make sure you have Command Strips or hooks. These gizmos can be handy for hanging photos, installing floating shelves or whatever you want to adorn your walls with.

5. Bring disinfectant wipes, paper towels and bathroom cleaning supplies. Students are fully responsible for cleaning their own suites.

6. Collapsible bins, hangers, stackable plastic drawers, over-the-door hooks – anything to maximize storage and space – are a must.

7. Make sure you have a reusable water bottle. It’s hot – and humid – in Charleston this time of year, and there are refill stations all over campus.

5 Buildings to Know

If you’re not new to campus, then you should know your way around, but just in case, consider this a refresher. For those students who are new to the College, these five buildings are essential to student life on campus:

1. Addlestone Library, 205 Calhoun St.: This is the main College of Charleston library. You’ll likely spend a few learning-filled days (or nights) in this location.

2. George Street Fitness Center, 50 George St.: Located on the bottom floor of the Campus Center Apartments, the George Street Fitness Center is the College’s most comprehensive fitness facility.

3. Mail Services/Public Safety, 81 & 89 St. Philip St.: Located on the ground floor of the St. Philip Parking Garage. The Office of Mail Services serves as a comprehensive post office for students. Adjacent to Mail Services, students will find the College’s Department of Public Safety, which provides crime prevention, event management and police services to campus 24 hours a day. This is the place to register your bicycle.

4. TD Arena, 301 Meeting St.: Home of Cougar basketball, among other premier CofC sports, this 190,500-square-foot sports facility features an arena with seating for more than 5,000, a sports medicine complex for athletes, a hospitality suite and athletics offices.

5. Stern Student Center, 71 George St.: This is the epicenter of campus life at the College of Charleston where you will find everything from a food court and ATMs (Wells Fargo and Bank of America) to a game room, a lounge and meeting space.

Get to know all of the College’s buildings by checking out the campus maps.

Where to Eat

The College offers everything from all-you-can-eat dining halls to Kosher/vegetarian/vegan dining at Marty’s Place and Mediterranean grain bowls at Olilo in the Stern Student Center Food Court. For all the details on where to eat at CofC and to learn more about the College’s meal plans, visit the Dining Services website.

Weeks of Welcome

Get familiar with campus, mix and mingle or learn something new. There’s something for everyone during the College of Charleston’s Weeks of Welcome (WOW). Taking place Aug. 18, 2018, through Sept. 27, 2018, WOW packs in nearly six weeks of events. The WOW kick-off event will take place on Aug. 18 at 8:30 p.m. in TD Arena with a Class of 2022 photo op and a free screening of Avengers: Infinity War. Other signature events include Maroon Mayhem, a street festival and block party happening around Cistern Yard, George Street and the Stern Student Center on Aug. 20 at 3 p.m. Maroon Mayhem will also include an 8 p.m. concert for students in Cistern Yard featuring the band Stop Light Observations. And SustainFest will take place in Cistern Yard on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. WOW events in September include Late Night Canvas & Cookies on Sept. 8, Charleston Miracle’s FTK 5K on Sept. 15 and an event celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 27. For a full listing of of WOW events visit the Weeks of Welcome website.

Get Involved

Whether you want to play club sports, learn Chinese, get involved with civic causes, improve your hair care, sharpen your cybersecurity skills or come face-to-face with the paranormal, CofC has a club for that. Peruse all of the various clubs and organizations on campus to find the activity that’s right for you. And to get up-to-date information about student organizations, Student Life events and more get the CougarConnect app and check out the website.

Stay Happy and Healthy

College can be stressful, and eventually you might begin to feel a bit rundown or even catch a cold. Luckily the College of Charleston’s Student Health Services center is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses are on hand to treat students who may need anything from allergy shots to treatment for illnesses and infections.

It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that you might feel stressed as the semester gets underway – tackling new classes and meeting new people can be overwhelming. The Counseling Center offers an array of services to help students struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety, homesickness or issues with alcohol or substance abuse.

The Cougar Counseling Team is available Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the school year, and no appointment is needed.