Being a new college student can be daunting. New places, new people, new culture, new terminology: it all piles up quickly. I felt like a deer in headlights. Even though I was somewhere familiar, I was soon buried in coursework, unfamiliar expectations, and a vocabulary I didn’t yet speak.

Early on, my academic advisor emailed to offer his help. I could easily have ignored that message, and almost did. But that day, for reasons I still can’t explain, I replied and agreed to meet. It was one of the best decisions of my college career.

I had chosen a major that had no faculty at the time, so my advisor came from the math department. I never expected to connect with a math professor, but he seemed to recognize quickly that I was struggling to navigate the institution around me. Rather than jumping in to fix my problems, he got to know me: what I was studying, why I chose that major, where I was from, what I cared about. He shared his own story too, including how he found his field, why he chose math, and why he loved teaching. That was the first of many meetings.

Over time, he became the person who taught me how to navigate college. He helped me understand my degree path and supported me through a rough stretch when I decided to change my major. He stayed on as my advisor even though he didn’t have to. He connected me with campus resources and so much more.

All of it started with one small step: meeting with him during my first year.

Your advisor is reaching out for the same reason. What will you do?