What I Wish I'd Known as a Freshman: Northeast edition
Check back every day this week for a new What I Wish I Had Known as a Freshman feature.
Going to college is exciting. You’re all set. You’ve got your bedding, your storage bins and your shower tote. Even with the most careful preparation, there are still things you won't figure out until setting foot on campus -- but here are a few to get you started.
Don’t bring your entire closet: At home, you’re used to your own room, with abundant closet and drawer space, your own desk and your own personal space. In college, you share a small room with someone else -- and you’re lucky if you have your own closet. Pare down as much as possible. Remember, you can always trade your summer clothes for your winter clothes during fall break.
Get involved from the start: Check your college’s student activities website for information on involvement and club fairs. They tend to occur during the first several weeks of school. Attend the fairs and sign up for whatever clubs are of interest to you. Introduce yourself to other students. The earlier you become involved, the more people you’ll meet and the more you’ll enjoy your college experience.
Attend career fairs early on: No matter how large or small your college is, employers will come to recruit students for jobs or internships. Attend career fairs every year. By the time you are a junior and senior looking for important internships or job opportunities, you will be knowledgeable about the proper dress code, what to bring and how to approach the employers.
Be open to your roommate situation: Whether you are rooming with your best friend, someone you met on Facebook or a complete stranger, be open to this new experience. Spend time getting to know your roommate. Attend dorm-floor activities together. Take an informal campus tour together and learn where your classes are. It’s OK to become best friends with your roommate. It’s also OK to dislike your roommate. Keep in mind that your roommate is in the same situation as you -- it may take some adjusting, but enjoy it.
Don’t wear flip flops in the rain: Make sure you have the proper gear for all possible weather conditions. Don’t be the girl who wears flip-flops in the rain, slips on a marble floor, shatters her kneecap and spends the next several months in a leg brace and crutches. It is imperative to have the proper clothing and footwear for all types of weather.
Always remember there is not one particular freshman experience that you must have. College is all about learning and growing as a person. Freshman year is about experimenting and experiencing -- make it whatever you want.
Read more stories like this in the new USA TODAY College Guide magazine, available Sept. 11, 2012.
Madeleine Brown is a junior at Penn State majoring in PR and was an intern for USA TODAY College during the summer of 2012.
This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.