Ahhh, it’s the beginning of August again. Everyone in town is beginning to anticipate the arrival of the college students and of course the new freshman. Stephenville is unlike any other town that I know of, many of its citizens love the college students and appreciate when they come back for the year. The businesses get excited about the extra customers and the town just seems livelier in general. Tarleton State University has its freshmen move in a week before class to go through what is generally termed T-week or Transition Week. This week is for all of the questions you newbies have when entering college, plus you get a credit for just going to the class to learn about your major! Score!

Well this article in its own way is answering many of your questions. It will give you advice on love, relationships, classes and even Tarleton itself. Keep in mind these tidbits when you are entering the gates for the first time, scared and nervous for that first class. That feeling is something to cherish because you are opening up this next chapter in your life, the beginning of the rest of your lives.

1. On move in day, there will be people to help you get your stuff to the dorms, let them help. Your parents will want to unpack everything, your dad will want to talk to everyone in the hallway and will probably spend 15 minutes talking to your RL, that’s okay this is a big day for them as well.
2. Get to know your hall. You never know whom you will meet; they might end up being one of your best friends. Meeting people is one the biggest challenges for shy people but, grit your teeth and find a reason to talk to someone new everyday, even if just to say thank you for holding the door open. (P.S School work is always easier to talk about that your personal life, you can start small and work your way up to the big stuff).
3. GO TO THE ORGANIZATIONS FAIR. This one is extremely important, there will be clubs, organizations and even Greek Life there. I know you might think that organized activities are not for you or that no one will want to let you in their club (and lets be honest how embarrassing would that be?) but go! There are people with similar interests and chances are there is a club for something you want to do. If you had told me three years ago that I would be in sorority and VP of the SEPA (Student Event Planners Association) I would have laughed in your face. I am way to shy for that but, you know what I am involved and it made my college career so much easier.
4. Use your meal plan! I cannot stress this one enough. Believe me, even if you eat alone it is perfectly acceptable. You don’t always have to be with someone. You can wait to live off of ramen until you move out of the dorms and into an apartment.
5. Go to class. Don’t skip more than one day a semester and never ever arrive late without a very valid excuse, or leave early. This is just disrespectful and you want your professors to know you are interested in your school life and future life.
6. Get to now your professor or TA (teaching assistant). You want them to be able to recognize you (maybe not by name but by face). It will make asking for help so much easier than just showing up to their office when you need help on that midterm paper due at midnight.
7. Do not take too many classes or too many difficult classes. Your high school AP or dual credit classes will have helped you none for the real college classes. It is better to start out with a basic class load of 12 hours or 15 even with some easy classes (believe me once that GPA is affected it is so hard to bring it back up).
8. Take vitamins and utilize the Quack Shack (Student Health Center). You will be sick when you’re not home anymore and you will need some help getting better. Stress, fun and lack of sleep will affect your overall health and you need to keep up with it.
9. Find what works for you in the academics department. You might be someone that studies best in the library, your dorm room, or even your common room. Any way you do it, make sure to go over your notes daily and make sure to do the reading, because it will come back to bite you in the ass, I promise.
10. 10. Finally, be who you want to be. Like I said earlier this is a new chapter in your life. You don’t have to be the loner like you were in high school. You can be the smart, wonderful and social person I know is somewhere deep down.

College can and is scary. Believe me, I still get nervous when I attend class every fall and spring, I am about to entire my third and final year here at Tarleton. My best advice to you is to remember you are here to go to school but you can add some fun in there as well as studying. Don’t flunk out your first semester because you went to the bars too much, it’s not cool. Focus on your future and the kind of people you want to be around not the kind you always end up driving home or the ones that cant have fun unless they’re wasted. BUY A PLANNER and USE IT. If you ever need anything know that there is someone who was in your position and make friends with upperclassmen. Follow traditions and be a proud Texan or TexAnn because we all BLEED PURPLE.