Freshman year is your time to explore the University’s campus and get comfortable with living in Champaign-Urbana. There are many great things I can say about living in a college town, but unless you grew up in the area, it takes a lot of getting used to. Even though I have spent three years of my life on this campus, I still slap myself on the head sometimes for running into the same problems time after time. To keep yourself from making the same mistakes that I do, here are some tips to keep out of those strange situations: 

Avoid walking on the tiny sidewalk near Sixth Street and Gregory Drive

Across the street from the Main Library on Gregory Drive, the sidewalk quickly goes from spacious to abnormally narrow. For some odd reason, the Surveying Building sticks out onto the sidewalk and turns it into a single-file patch of walkway. You may not understand until you actually see it, but trust me, it is an experience you will want to stay away from. This sidewalk has led to many awkward moments of bumping into random strangers and maneuvering around to allow the other person to get through first. Save yourself the time and struggle by just walking on the other side of the street. 

Avoid walking near the Illini Union Bookstore when it is raining 

Outside of the Illini Union, there is a bus stop that many students take advantage of when it is raining and they do not want to walk around campus. While this is good for some people, it is also painful for those of us who continue walking in the rain. It tends to rain frequently here in the C-U area, and when it does, I always find myself trying to plow my way through the sea of umbrellas that students huddle up outside of the bookstore.

Avoid leaving your dorm without your i-card 

You may not think much about it, but that little plastic card is something you will want to keep on yourself at all times. For those of you living in University Housing, that is how you will get into your dorm and how you will also be able to get your meals in the dining halls. Your i-card also has your University Identification Number (UIN) listed on it which you will need to have on hand for most of your tests. Some professors even go as far as checking your i-card to make sure no one else is taking the test for you.

Avoid running into bicyclists

There are numerous students that have bikes on campus and use it to get around. From my experience, many of them are biking in places they shouldn’t be, causing potential collisions with those walking in their paths. So if you are a biker, pay attention to those around you when trying to get to class quickly. If you plan on walking, look up from your cell phone once in a while and make sure there isn’t a bike coming at you. You don’t want to have to explain to your friends why you have bruises and scratches all over yourself. 

Avoid sitting in the front row of your classes

I won’t lie. I have a terrible attention span, and I usually don’t pay attention in my classes. That said, I like to float away from the front of the classroom so that I can continue not paying attention without my professors noticing. Most classrooms only have outlets in the back of the room, so if you need to charge your computer in the middle of class, you do not have to make a scene doing so. 

Avoid signing up for a billion registered student organizations on Quad Day

This will not be the first time you will hear this from someone: Quad Day is a great way to find clubs that fit your interests, but a lot of freshmen will make the mistake of giving their email away to too many organizations. These clubs will send you a bunch of emails for the rest of your college career, and you will indeed regret it. So choose the few RSOs that you think you will actually partake in and steer clear of giving your email away to the rest.

Avoid walking home alone at night

So, this is not unique to this campus, but it is something I have to throw in here. I am sure you will hear it from your parents every time they call, but it is not something to be taken lightly. Make sure you always have a friend to walk home with or call the SafeRides buses to make sure you get home safely. I have friends who thought it would be OK to walk home alone and then have run into some pretty bad situations. For your own safety, stick with a friend at night. You do not want to become the next day’s Crime Alert.

Maggie is a senior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @maggiehuynh.