Move-in day for freshman is coming up soon, so here are some things you need to know about the University of Dayton before you arrive on campus.

1. You are expected to hold doors for people.

You will quickly notice that wherever you go, people will hold doors for you. It’s a big thing here at UD. The holding doors ‘phenomenon’ reflects how nice and willing students are to help each other. Never be afraid to reach out to upperclassman about anything.

2. Each Freshman dorm is not equal...

...But each dorm has its own special charm. Founders is in the perfect location being only a minute walk to a few of the academic buildings. Marycrest has the biggest room and dining hall right inside. Stuart is way up on the hill… but you get so close with your floormates. Marianist has the Empo which is open until 1 a.m., which is perfect for late night snacks. No matter where you live, you will love it. Our dorms are ranked number 19 by the Princeton review too.

3. Dayton to Daytona is bigger than any spring break that you can imagine.

Dayton to Dayton or D2D is a huge trip that Junior and senior take the week after finals. You basically spend a whole week with all your best 21-year-old friends on a beach. This is the absolute best way to recover from finals.

4. The Ghetto sounds scarier than it really is.

The “Ghetto” refers to the south student neighborhood, and that’s all it really is. Yes, that’s where the party scene happens, but there’s nothing sketchy or scary about it. A better way to describe it: crisp, clean suburbia. You’ll quickly learn all the names of the streets in the Ghetto: Lowes, Kiefaber, Stonemill, etc. There’s also a north students neighborhood called the dark side. It’s less famous but also an essential part of campus.

5. Download the UD app.

This app has 2 main features that you’ll actually use. 1. There’s a map. You can search any building or street on campus, and the app will show you where it is and help you out. Your class schedule is on there, so you can use that to check what rooms you need to go to. 2. The featured foods in the dining halls are available. You can look on the app and decide where to go for lunch.

6. St. Patrick's Day is a big deal.

From day 1 at UD, you’ll hear about this huge Irish holiday. According to David Letterman, the University of Dayton is one of the top 4 places to be for St. Patty’s Day. (Along with Dublin, New York, and Chicago). The student body will fill the Ghetto for a day’s worth of festivities featuring the annual ginger race and plenty of other ways to celebrate Dayton style. Upperclassman will ask you all year if you’ll be doing 40s at 4… I’ll let you discover what that is for yourself.

7. Google Calendar is a great resource.

Google Calendar, or Gcal, is an application that you can use right through your Gmail account. You can add your classes, club meetings, and sports practices to stay organized. The Gcal app will even notify you on your phone and laptop for upcoming events. Another great feature is that you can share calendars with other students to coordinate when to work on a group assignment or project.

8. The perks of being honors.

Honors students get a few perks that are worth taking advantage of. You get to move in early, schedule early, and free printing. If you aren’t an honors students coming in, I recommend becoming one if your GPA is above a 3.5.

9. There’s a brand new dining location on campus.

Last year, there was a dining hall in Kennedy Union. Over the last few months, they have remodeled and changed that entire area for a new dining location including an Au Bon Pain. As an incoming freshman, you’ll be there to see how it rates next to Marycrest and VWK dining. According to the details that have been released, I think the new KU will be a great option.

10. Everyone loves Dayton.

We are ranked number 4 by the Princeton review for students that love their school. We even have an entire month called I Heart UD month. It might take some time to adjust, but after awhile, you WILL (most likely) love UD. We are one big community. Also, 95% of students live on campus all 4 years. No one wants to leave because of the tights bonds that are formed amongst the student body.

Get excited for your freshman year as a flyer!