Avoiding classic freshman mistakes

By Natalie Gacek

As a freshman, you’re so ready to tackle college life.

But as the newest underclassmen of campus, you can stick out so obviously when you don’t know the ins and outs of university life.

Here are some tips on how to avoid the typical, face-palming freshman moves and become an upper-classmen-approved first-year student.

Stay out of the bike lane

Bikers don’t stop. They’re on a mission to get to class quickly and don’t pump the breaks for oblivious pedestrians stepping into their territory.

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Stop texting, stop blasting music into your ears and look both ways to cross safely and avoid getting taken out by a kid on two wheels.

Don’t run for a bus

Don’t be that kid who sprints down Wright Street to catch a bus to your dorm. Take it easy – there will be another one in 10 minutes. The 22-South waits for no one and the doors might sadly even just shut on you.

Running for a bus is a sign of freshman desperation. No need to become someone’s Snapchat story for the day.

Don’t forget about your laundry

It’s a feat to haul weeks worth of laundry down to the basement of a dorm, so congrats on doing it in the first place.

But remember that you’ve claimed a machine now so stay committed to your laundering adventure.

Everyone needs to wash clothes, so set a reminder on your phone to take yours out promptly when time’s up.

Or else it will end up thrown in a wet and wrinkly pile on a dirty counter, or you may never see it again.

Know your limit

Be careful when drinking and know when to cut yourself off. Not only can an overly-intoxicated kid be annoying to others trying to have a good time, but it can also be unsafe.

It’s not a good idea to rip tons of shots when you don’t know your limit yet, so be conscious of your intake.

Trust me, you don’t want to be that freshman grinding at a bar or making out at a frat. #Ragret

Don’t live in your high school mindset

It may have been the best four years of your life, or it may have been the worst. Either way, high school is over.

You’re on a new campus and have the chance to start fresh and make your college experience memorable and successful.

Join a club. Make new friends. Go out of your comfort zone.

College provides you with a wide range of opportunities and it’s up to you to make the most out of it.

Take all the knowledge you’ve gained in high school and apply it to your journey now. Move forward.

So, don’t be the kind of freshman who makes such blatant freshman moves. You can do better than that.

By following these simple guidelines, you can be the most successful freshman out there. We believe in you.

Natalie is a junior in Media

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