THE SPECTRUM | JACOB ELWELL
Get out and experience all that your freshman year has to offer.

I remember the first day of freshman year here at North Dakota State, new environment, new faces, new everything.

The dorm life is fun and all, but it can get boring if you’re limited on the things you can do. It’s important to get out of your room and try new things. Luckily, there are many things you can do to pass the time.

The Wellness Center is a great place to get active and meet tons of new people. I play basketball nearly every day there, and the students are always running pick-up games. I can’t even tell you how many friends I have made on the basketball courts alone. No matter your skill level, you are always welcome to participate in an upcoming game. My advice to you is to find someone who enjoys doing the same things as you. Whether it’s lifting, basketball, racquetball, swimming or ping pong, there’s always something to do at the “welly.” I can’t see why one wouldn’t want to go there, considering it’s basically like a smaller version of Life Time Fitness. (Plus, you already pay for it. Thanks, student fees.)

It’s also important to get involved in clubs and activities. I am so glad I decided to play flag football in the fall. It made my initial experience much more enjoyable than if I decided to not do anything. Any organization of your choice will help guide you to those people with similar interests.

I’m not going to lie, when I walked into my dorm for the first time, I was scared. It was so empty and plain, and it came with a very depressing vibe. To avoid this, it’s wise to customize your room so it looks more relatable to you. I would suggest hanging up posters of things you’re interested in. It’s also not a bad idea to hang colored lights in your dorm. They can take away that depressing feel of a dorm.

There are items that nobody will tell you to bring to your dorm that you should definitely bring. At first, I had no pictures of my family anywhere on my desk. It didn’t occur to me how much I would miss seeing my family members’ faces every day. I immediately called my mom and asked her to mail me a few pictures of the family and me. Believe it or not, you will miss your family too.

Another item that’s very important to bring is a piece of carpet or rug. Your dorm room is your home for your whole freshman year; you might as well make it feel like that. Also, it’s not fun walking on a hard surface for nine months.

As much as it is important to pack the necessities, it’s also important to pack accordingly. Don’t bring too many items, or you’ll find yourself struggling with both move-in and move-out day. I brought back too many presents from winter break, and I paid the price come move-out day. I needed multiple cars just to get all of my stuff back home.

Another tip is to get to know the people on your floor. I made the mistake of not meeting anyone on my floor, and looking back at it I should have been more outgoing. It’s important to get to know them because they are always right there to talk to. Don’t be a stranger in the place that you live.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to tell your roommate how you feel. If they are doing something you don’t like, just say it. They won’t be upset. It’s a completely understandable reason. You have every right to live the way you want to. It’s better to be straight up with someone about how you feel than live your dorm life by their rules.