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1. Walk the streets.
"Put on your Nikes and go for a stroll," says Laura Douglas, a junior social Work Major at George Fox University (Newberg, OR). "I spent my first semester meandering down the streets near my school. Knowing what was in the area really helped me feel comfortable."

2. Chitchat.
Talk to people who live there. What are their favorite places? Where do they go to relax? To study? To get a cheap meal? During her first week of College, Julia Leorop, a senior sociology major at Huntington College (Huntington, IN), spied two older students chilling on a bench. She asked them where to get a great cup of java. "They pointed me toward this little coffee shop near campus," she recalls. "It's simply divine. I hang out there all the time."

3. Be a spy.
Overhear someone rave about a cool club? Go visit it. See a banner for a hangout that looks like it's full of life? Grab a friend and check it out. Curious about a certain part of town? Look it up on the Internet. Most cities have an official Web site that can provide some background info. Popular places are not a secret, and a little undercover sleuthing can go a long way.

4. Dive in.
If you live on a college campus, take advantage of opportunities to meet new students. Join a club, try a new activity -- just don't stay huddled in your room. "Even though I'm shy, I joined the forensics club," says Martha Ruth Eisele, a senior Spanish and writing/literature major at George Fox University. "That opened the door to a broader campus social life."

5. Stay connected with home.
Yes, the goal is to make your college city home, but doing so does not mean you have to totally forget about the folks back in your former zip code. Give them a call, e-mail them about your latest adventures, or write a good old-fashioned pen-and-paper letter. It will make you feel better, too.

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