My Top 10 Tips Before Starting Freshman Year

n June 21st, 2010 I graduated from Lake Braddock Secondary School. I had grown up just a few yards away from the school, in a house nestled in a neighborhood bordering the football field. I was roused from sleep on weekends by the blare of track and field announcements coming from the Alan Johnson track.

If I wasn’t feeling up to attending a football game I could simply listen to the score from my window, eagerly awaiting the announcers boisterously exclaiming: “TOUCHDOWN, BRUINS!”

Since my childhood I had walked by the school, watching the class numbers painted on the stadium in radiant gold change as the years flew by. From the earliest reaches of my mind’s eye, I can recall the numbers ‘94’ painted there.

Soon enough, ‘10,’ my number, was painted. And, soon enough, they were replaced with the numbers  ‘11,’ and I left my lifelong home in Burke, headed for my freshman year at theCollege of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

While the first months of college can be exciting, they’re also a whirlwind of activity, new friends, new housing, and a new lifestyle.

Here’s a top 10 list of things I wish I had known before I embarked on my journeys in higher education:

1)   Don’t over-pack:

       When I started packing for my freshman year last July, I was so gung-ho about the new life I was about to start that I went overboard on purchasing and packing. I went to Target, gift cards and graduation money in hand, and stocked up on lamps, carpeting, sheets, bedding, laundry detergent, shower soaps, poster, and anything and everything else that the Target college department had to offer. I packed every single item of clothing I owned, even shirts I hadn’t worn in years. I packed my entire DVD collection, and plenty of knick-knacks to adorn my desk, such as a large portion of my Star Wars action figure collection.

      Don’t do this.

Pack what you need. Take only a few prized knick-knacks, and they’ll mean much more. Take your favorite DVDs, and pack them in a CD case instead of taking each individual DVD box. Take the clothes that you like best; you’ll probably wind up changing styles and splurging on some new, mature clothes anyway.

2)   Learn to do your own laundry:

Mom and Dad won’t be there to do it for you. Learning how to do your own laundry not only gives you a feeling of satisfying self-sufficiency, it also gives you clean clothes. Practice doing your own laundry for the remainder of the summer. When you get to school, do laundry often. No one wants to see a pile of smelly clothes on your dorm room floor. Bring a hamper that’s big enough to house two weeks worth of clothes. Buy at least two laundry bags that you can use to bring your dirty clothes down to the laundry room. Learn your school’s laundry notification system. Many schools use laundry websites, such as esuds.com, which show the progress of each washing machine and dryer in real time.

3)   Try something completely bizarre:

In the first weeks of school there will probably be an activities fair, where new students can discover clubs to join. At my activity fair last year, I was drawn to music at a small booth. It turned out to be the Ukulele Club’s booth, and I instantly knew I wanted to join. I bought a $20 ukulele fromAmazon.com and attended the first meeting. I had never been musically talented and I had never picked up a ukulele before, but I caught on fast. It wound up being an exciting, casual club. Each week we played covers of popular songs, such as “You’re the One That I Want,” from the movieGrease and “Baby Baby Baby,” by pop-sensation Justin Beiber. I met some amazing people, and can now say that I play the ukulele. When it comes to joining clubs and attending events, don't just stick to what you know. Try something a little "out there."

4)   Order your textbooks online:

College bookstores are very expensive. Used books for popular classes are hard to find, and the price tag on a new book can be outrageous. See if your bookstore offers books for rental. If they don’t, or if you’d rather own your books, try Amazon.com. Amazon even offers a free year trial ofAmazon Prime for college students, meaning your books will be rush-shipped for free. Other websites such as Chegg.com offer book rental at steep discounts. In addition, wait to order your textbooks until you are sure you are staying in the class and that the textbooks indicated online are really the textbooks your professor wants. Last semester I wasted time and money by ordering textbooks for classes I hadn’t started yet. Sometimes, professors will post the wrong information online; make sure you check before you drop serious cash on books.

5)   Learn to love snail mail:

You may love your new independence and freedom from your parents, but never doubt the power of a good care package. Learn the address for your school mailbox and hand it out to family and friends. Receiving a letter or a package during finals can be a great reprieve from some stress.

6)   Bring lots of cold medicine:

As you can guess, living in a dorm with hundreds of other teenagers isn’t exactly heaven for your immune system. Be prepared to get sick, and come to school with a first-aid kit packed with Tylenol, Nyquil, and other such over-the-counter cold remedies.

7)   Keep an eye on campus announcements:

Campus announcements and flyers can often be about tedious things, such as studying for finals or paying bills. They can also lead you to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Had I not read my weekly student announcements e-mail, I would not have gotten the chance to meet TV sensation Betty White, who paid a visit to Williamsburg. I got to meet and talk to the Golden Girl, and even got my picture taken with her! I also got the chance to see Bill Nye the Science Guy give an outstanding lecture on the environment and making a difference in the world. Make sure to keep an eye on what’s going on on campus, or you might miss out on some amazing opportunities.

8)   Embrace your new hometown:

You will be living in your college town for around four years if you go to a traditional university. Make sure you acquaint yourself with the culture, history, and excitement of your new place of residence. My school, the College of William & Mary, is located in Colonial Williamsburg, a town that serves as a living museum of the beginning of our country’s rich history. Students are given free admission to many of the local sites and attractions. See if your new town offers free admission to museums and events for college students. It’s something to do!

9)   Keep in touch with old friends:

Though your friends from high school might scatter all over the state, country, and globe, they are friends who you will want to keep. Over breaks and holidays, seeing old friends is a well-earned treat. While at school, though, take some time to send your friends an e-mail, text, Facebook message, or letter; anything to let them know you are thinking of them. Skype can be an invaluable tool for staying in touch; with the click of a button, you and your friends can have a webcam chat and see each other, no matter how far apart college has brought you. Though you will have many new friends, having some close friends back at home is always nice, and will keep you in touch with your roots.

10)         Be friendly to anyone and everyone:

In the first few weeks of school, you will go through orientation. You will see new places, tour your campus, learn about how meal plans and laundry work, and, most importantly, you will meet hundreds of new people. It can seem overwhelming at first, and you may be tempted to be shy. You must realize, however, that every freshman is going through what you are. Nobody knows very many people at first. Take time to thoughtfully introduce yourself. Don’t be fake. Walk around the halls of your dorm and introduce yourself to everyone. Knock on doors and say hello. Who knows? The friends you make in the first weeks of school could be your friends for the rest of your life!