Entering college and moving to a new town, meeting new people, and juggling social and academic activities to be terrifying; it feels like you're blindly stumbling around campus at times. The information you learn about your school and yourself throughout your freshman year is incredibly valuable, but some of theses lessons would be better grasped earlier than later. In order to make the lives of the incoming University of Delaware freshman class a little bit easier, I asked members of the class of 2019 what their advice would be for the baby blue hens.

1. “Don’t wear white shoes to a frat party ”
2. “Don’t have an emotional attachment to any shoes."
3. “Hit the gym!”
4. “Don’t be stuck in high school, it makes it harder to branch out in college.”
5. “Burn bright die young.”
6. “Stay away from the cookies.”
7. “But also don’t because they’re really good.”
8. “Make sure to ALWAYS eat the dining hall cookies.”
9. “Always use tongs for the cookies in the dining hall unless you want to get yelled at.”
10. “Condoms are $1 for 10 at Student Health.”
11. “Lay on the green every once in awhile.”
12. “Ration your points.”
13. “Chipotle is still better than El Diablo.”
14. “Calories don’t count during finals week."
15. “Don’t lay on the book.”
16. “If you want an omelette at Caesar Rodney leave an extra 20 minutes.”
17. “Talk to as many people as possible.”
18. “Study in groups.”
19. “Staying up late is fun... until later.”
20. “Why put off ‘til tomorrow what you can half-ass today.”
21. “Frat basements are both your best friend and your worst enemy.”
22. “Keep an open mind.”
23. “Get the meal plan with as many points as possible!"
24. “No matter what they say show up to class.”
25. “Always stay true to yourself.”
26. “Take (healthy) risks.”
27. “Always say yes to free stuff.”
28. “Don’t try to jaywalk”
29. “Klondike Kate’s nachos are the best”
30. “Make friends with the people on your floor. They’ll be helpful with classes and you won’t have to eat alone.”
31. “Read ratemyprofessor.com, your professors can make or break you”
32. “Try to enjoy everything, even schoolwork.”
33. “Know the dining hall hours!”
34. “Always bring a fracket* with you, even if you think you may not need it! It will definitely come in handy. And make sure to find a good hiding place for it too.”
35. “Leave your dorm room door open for the first month of school” (it will be easier to meet people on your floor)
36. “Always enjoy liquid assets”
37. “GET INVOLVED. You’ll make the campus a home when you meet people who have the same interests as you.”
38. “Don’t feel like you HAVE to be best friends with your floor and roommate(s), some people are, but you don’t have to be in order to make great friends and establish a UD family.”
39. “Have as much fun as you can without harming your grades.”
40. “Just be yourself. A lot of people tend to change who they are and participate in things they normally wouldn’t just to fit in. So just be the best version of yourself and enjoy your time in college with the people who love you for you and not for what you are pretending to be.”
41. “Beware of Kirkbride Jesus. Don't look him in the eyes...”
42. “Keep the most open mind cause there’s so much to get out of this school”
43. “If you meet an elementary ed major named Joe, date him.”
44. “Go to the Hen Zone.”
45. “To switch up desserts in the dining hall, make a cookie ice cream sandwich or a root beer float.”
46. “No matter what the weather, wear a jersey to dages.”
47. “Respect yourself and your values.”
48. “Dress well test well.”
49. “Spend the extra money on points.”
50. “Take breadth requirements with your friends because then you can attend class on a rotating schedule.”
51. "Beware of 24 hour quiet hours [during finals week]. They will get you.”
52. “Don't be afraid to call maintenance; if you dont nobody else will."
53. "Become friends with your RA."
54. "Set a timer for your laundry so you remember it’s there."
55. "Bring a steamer, they're alot easier to use than irons."
56. "You can never have too many hangers."
57. "Bring a vaccuum."
58. "Don't expect anything to be open on the weekend."
59. "If you have the chance to pet a dog, pet it."
60. "Always lock your bike. People are savages.”
61. "Don't go to the dining hall during rush hour (6pm)."
62. "Put time to workout into your schedule or else you wont do it."
63. "Take lots of naps."
64. "Dont wait until the morning your parents come to pick you up to pack your stuff up."
65. "Always bring an umbrella , especially on Tuesdays."
66. "Don't wait until the day before the final to learn all of the material."
67. "Bring lots of snacks."
68. "Don't be alarmed when you wake up to the sound of landscapers."
69. "In the fall beware of the smell of the mushroom farms."
70. "Bring lots of fans if you don't have air conditioning!"
71. "Definitely go to math class."
72. "If you’re living on North Campus bring a bike."
73. "Be wary of bikes, bikers have no mercy. And skateboarders too."
74. "Always walk on the right side of the sidewalk."
75. "Walk in straight lines no matter what the obstacle."
76. "It’s not hard to stay out of trouble as long as you aren't dumb."
77. "Never go out alone if you're a girl. Stick with your friends!"
78. "Call your mom at least once per week."
79. "Learn where White Clay Creek State Park is; it’s beautiful."
80. "Get plants, the legal kind."
81. "Get air freshener."
82. "Take your trash out often."
83. "Dont be the roommate that doesnt take the trash out."
84. "Dont kick your roommate out nightly."
85. "Always have at least one fuzzy blanket."
86. "The turkey bacon ciabatta in Perkins is the best sandwich."
87. "Dont wear a lanyard."
88. "Take a lot of pictures."
89. "Dont care about what other people think."
90. "Get a onesie."
91. "Dont stress too much over grades."
92. "Bring flip flops."
93. "Make friends with technologically savvy people."
94. "Dont be the guy with the fake ID, but know the guy with the fake ID."
95. "If you go home for the weekend, bring food back!"
96. "Have picnics on the turf!"
97. "Switch out your seasonal clothes, it will save you space."
98. "Don't be afraid of the cops because they're actually really nice as long as you arent belligerently drunk."
99. "Know the rules for RAs entering your room."
100. "It really does go by too fast. Make lots of memories, enjoy every moment, and don't take any time for granted."

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and get ready for an amazing year at an amazing school!

*slang for frat jacket. Usually an old stained sweatshirt you wear over a crop top or a tank top when you have to walk to a frat house on a cold night. It usually gets taken off and ditched the second one arrives.