Orientation is meant to prepare you to start college. They throw all of this information at you and parade you around the empty campus. But what about the important stuff? Where's the seminar on ordering a midnight pizza so you can get through your 7 page paper? Or the talk on how to handle the stairs that have taken over our campus? Here is a list of 15 things I've had to learn the hard way, becasue I'm feeling generous.
1. Find a comfortable pair of shoes.
As you will quickly learn, William Paterson is not exactly a heel friendly campus. Walking back and forth to all of your classes and activities can be hard on the feet. Especially when the campus is on a mountain, and there are stairs and inclines everywhere you turn.
2. A nice pair of slippers will be your best friend.
Whether you're going to sign your friend in at the front desk, or just walking up one floor to borrow a friend’s biology notes, no one has time to put on shoes and socks.
3. Layer your clothing
Some of the buildings pump AC and heat while others don’t have it at all. As you move from building to building your poor body will be going through a lot of ups and downs throughout the day. Throw a sweater or hoodie over a comfortable short sleeve shirt, and you’ll be good no matter what the temperature.
4. Write down your CRNs.
When looking up courses for the next semester, take a minute to notice the number on the left hand side labeled CRN. When you go to register there are boxes at the bottom of the page. If you type the CRNs into those boxes, you can save yourself the time it takes to scroll through the overcrowded list of classes to find the one class you want.
5. Periodically check your classes before registration.
When classes go live for the upcoming semester, they are not always definite. Times change, professors change, and sometimes, the class gets dropped altogether. If you’re like me and you make your schedule the second it’s possible, it is likely to change before registration. To avoid extra frustration on registration day, log in a few times to double check the classes.
6. Eat lunch before the common hour, if possible.
The student center is not necessarily a small space, but once that clock hits 12:30, there’s barely any room to breathe. The same can be said for the dining hall. If you don’t have class at 11:00, you might want to head over early and beat the rush. Every group should have that one friend that can at least save a table for everyone.
7. Invest in a good pair of snow boots.
You might love that cute pair of purple Uggs, or the brand new skate shoes you got for Christmas, but you’re not going to love them so much when you slip on a patch of ice and end up on your back in the freshly fallen snow.
8. And a collapsible umbrella.
New Jersey weather is unpredictable. One minute it’s sunny and bright, and barely an hour later, you’re standing in your pretty sundress all soggy and sad. When you have classes to attend and things to do around campus, the rain can really be a downer.
9. Look at the bulletin boards.
Take a minute or two from your daily commute to class and take a good look at the bulletin boards. They may just look like a cluttered mess of colorful paper, but it’s really a plethora of opportunities that you’re walking right past, like Broadway shows for $15, or therapy dogs. (Therapy dogs!)
10. Don’t schedule a Valley class back to back with a main campus class.
It is unrealistic to think that you can make it from one campus to the other, and to your classroom in the 15 minutes between classes. Parking availability is little to none, and the shuttle bus fills up. Do yourself a favor and make sure there’s plenty of time between the two classes.
11. Make sure you double check your classrooms before the first day.
William Paterson should be famous for naming two buildings the same thing. There’s High Mountain East and West, Overlook North and South, Science Hall East and West, Hunziker Hall and Wing, and Hobart Hall and Manor. You may not have to worry about the dorm buildings, but it can be awfully confusing when you’re looking for room 016 in Hunziker Hall and it doesn’t seem to exist.
12. Save your Pioneer for the weekend.
When there are less students, there are less options at the dining hall to avoid waste. My advice; make Saturday or Sunday your order-in day; or you could all hop into a friend’s car and take a trip to the diner. If you're going to use your Pioneer Express funds on an off-campus meal, do it on the weekends.
13. Know your adviser.
Your adviser isn’t only there to give you your alternate pin and send you on your way, they're there to help you. Ask them your questions. It’s their job to help you find the answers. Just don’t forget that they have other students to advise as well, so respect their availability and try to keep the silly questions to a minimum.
14. Have a conversation with your RA.
Just like your adviser, you have an RA for a reason. Their sole job is not to ruin your late night jam session, or let you in when you lock yourself out. Introduce yourself and exchange numbers. It’s much easier to go to them with a problem if you get to know them a little bit.
15. Know all the shortcuts.
- The stairs on either side of the student center offer a way around the after-class rush on the main SC stairs.
- Cut through Science Hall East to get to the parking garage easier.
- Follow the path next to Hillside for a quicker route to the Science Halls from High Mountain East.
- Go down the slope next to Health and Wellness to get to the Science Halls from Matelson, White or High Mountain West.
- From Overlook North and South you can just use the stairs next to South to get to the Science Halls. (You could also just roll down the hill for a faster commute, but we can’t condone that.)
- Lots two and four offer a shorter walk to the Atrium, Hobart Hall, Shea, and the library.
- When walking to Hobart Hall from around the Student Center, cut through the Atrium.
- If you need to walk to Hunziker Hall or Raubinger in the rain or snow, you can use the Hunziker Wing entrance and cut straight through,
***BONUS TIP: The elevators that have two doors also have two open and close door buttons. The buttons with the line in the center are for the door on the same side as the button panel. The others are for the door opposite it. You are welcome.
