The not-so-trustworthy guide
Attention all freshmen! Being new to college raises many questions. What’s the best way to balance my schoolwork? What should I get involved in? How do I know if I’m in the right classes? All great questions, but today will be focused on the quick tips that you won’t be able to find from a course syllabus or your advisor, so listen up. The atmosphere, environment, and most importantly the expectations can vary on campus. There’s plenty of talk about what to do and what not to do in college, and it can be difficult to know who/what to listen to. Lucky for you, there is finally a source out here you can trust. Keep reading for the basics of do’s and don’t’s for how to follow college social guidelines and avoid the classic freshman mistakes.
First off, the dining center is the perfect place to take someone out. There’s never a dull moment in there, and there’s the opportunity to run into all your friends. How fun! You can go back for seconds, thirds, or however many you want, and you don’t have to argue about what kind of food you’re craving, because the dining center has it all! How convenient. The biggest perk: It’s free! No need to spend a dime here or worry about a tip to your server. That lucky someone is sure to be impressed if you can steal a booth at West.
Be sure to walk in big groups when heading to parties or friends’ houses. It’s always smart to walk with a buddy, so why not make it more than one? Walking in a large group not only will be fun to be with your friend group and make the walk go by faster, but you can join another group, the more the merrier!
Know that you don’t always need to wear NDSU gear to a tailgate. If you don’t feel like repping for the school, then don’t! Wear what you want. It doesn’t even have to be green or yellow. I will even let you freshies in on a secret: sometimes as a joke, we wear UND gear. How funny! Try it out, and I am sure upperclassmen will be impressed with your inside knowledge.
Don’t toss the free items you get when arriving on campus. You won’t regret holding onto all of the bison gear you get when first welcomed here at NDSU! Be proud to wear those lanyards you’re given! Upperclassmen can only wish they held onto those lanyards and extra gear. You only get them once!
When registering for classes be sure to get a head start on signing up for the 8 AM classes. They are such a hot commodity, and you will want to make sure to secure your spot in one early! College students love to start their days off right with an 8 AM class. See you there!
When planning to walk to a party or frat, there is no need for extra layers or jackets. The cold really isn’t all too bad, and it’s always a faster walk than you think! Jackets are overrated and completely unnecessary, so it’s in your best interest to just avoid the hassle.
When moving into your dorm there is no pressure to mark previous damages. The people that watch after your floor and dorm know exactly what damages were there before and won’t put you down for extra damages at your expense. At the end of the year, they won’t care if anything is missing or scratched. You will never be held accountable for it!
Last but certainly not least, and I will speak on behalf of all of Bison Nation, parking is not strict. So, if you don’t have that pass for where you want to park, no need to worry; park there anyway! Our parking staff isn’t very observant or thorough, and they simply don’t care if you park there. The parking staff isn’t on duty half the time! Park where you want and almost never receive a ticket.
Just like that, we conclude my quick tips for the freshmen. No need to thank me for the intelligent insight. It was my pleasure. Remember to follow these for a year I promise you will never forget.