BOOMER SOONER, BABY. Get ready for the best year, at the best school. There is no right or wrong way to do your freshman year, but if you want a couple tips, here you go.
1. The dorms are a rite of passage.
I actually really liked living in the dorms. I lived in Walker and took advantage of Etcetera (the little convenience store) every day. Couch is obviously great because of the Caf, and Adams has Cane's (a blessing and a curse). It is really fun being in the same building as all of your friends, or in a building next door. Disclaimer: if you have a friend living in Headington, forget everything I just said and go hang out there.
2. It is OK to be homesick.
Even if you do not expect yourself to, you might get homesick at first. Honestly, everyone else is in the same boat. It does not mean you are not having an awesome time at school; it just means you are normal. Personally, I did not think I was homesick until I saw old videos or pictures from home. (Maybe delete Timehop for the first couple of weeks!)
3. The classes are not what you expect.
AP classes are not what these classes will be like. I had classes that were 10x easier than any high school class I took. I also had unbelievably hard classes. Word of advice: do not be like me and take a hard-looking class because you "want a challenge." Ask around about professors when registering for classes and do not overload yourself with hours (unless you really want a challenge).
4. Your friends will change.
And they should! The friends you make in the first week may not be your friends throughout college. Do not get too stressed about changing friend groups, everyone is trying to figure theirs out too! You will find your people.
5. Rent your textbooks.
I cannot stress this one enough. My first semester, I panic-bought $800 worth of textbooks because I thought I would need every book for every class. Unless you enjoy your parents hating you, please learn from my mistakes. Always rent your textbooks, whether it be from the bookstore, Amazon, etc. Chances are, you will not even use the textbook listed for some classes. Just do a little investigative work before you textbook shop.
6. Find the cool places on campus.
If you go to Gaylord (the journalism building on South Oval) it has a cool balcony facing the stadium that you can study on. Or, if you are anything like me and my roommate, you can go tanning up there.
7. Keep an open mind.
Coming out of high school, I thought I had a pretty good idea of who I was. I knew what my friendships looked like, I knew my study habits, I knew (or I thought I knew) what my future looked like. No matter how sure you are, keep an open mind. Being subject to change is scary but it's worth it. Change can be a good thing.
8. Take initiative.
This applies to a lot of things. Whether it be asking someone new to hang out, or hitting up your professor's office hours (always a good idea), you will not regret it. Give yourself a leg-up and be proactive.
9. Game days = Best days.
Hands down, football season is the best time of the year. These always end up being the very best days! Plus, nothing beats a Sooner win. And Texas sucks.
10. Cate has all-day breakfast.
You read that right. Their chocolate chip pancakes are seriously the best, take advantage of this place.
11. Dorm decor is not worth the stress.
I spent a lot of time on Pinterest, planning and dreaming about how cute my dorm would be. I dreamed about the Instagram I was going to post on move-in day, showing off all my cute decorations. Have fun decorating and stuff, but do not stress over it. As long as your room is comfy, that is all that matters. Do not waste $$$ in attempts to have a glamorous dorm.
12. The Biz is a gift from God.
Bizzell Library is heaven-sent. Not only is it gorgeous, but it is perfect for study sessions. If you are trying to get real studying done, go up to the higher floors; it gets quieter the higher you go. Speaking of quiet, do not talk in the Great Reading Room. Apparently, that is a big deal and people will give you mean looks if you do.
13. Tapingo is your friend.
I am telling you, this will be a huge help. You get to use your points/meal plan to order food from class and have it ready by the time you pick it up. Use it, love it.
14. It is going to be weird at first.
I remember my first night of college, in an unfamiliar dorm room with a stranger. It was weird. But here's some good news: it stops being weird. You start to get used to your new surroundings. You figure out the fastest way to class. You figure out how to do laundry. You figure out that the stranger you share a room with is actually really cool. Weird becomes the new normal, and you do not mind it so much.
15. Do not forget to call home every once and awhile.
I would go weeks at a time without talking to my parents. You will get so busy, that thinking about home falls into a low-priority mode. I cannot speak for your parents, but it is a safe bet that they want to hear from you occasionally. My mom and dad eventually flagged me down and made a deal to chat every Sunday night, which worked for us. It is whatever you want to do, but sometimes it is nice to hear a familiar voice.
16. Do not overpack.
I have a really bad habit of under-packing for trips and vacations (AKA I hate packing and am lazy). So I over-corrected when I started packing for college. I literally brought every article of clothing I could find. Here is a guarantee: if you did not wear it at home, you will not wear it at school.
17. Do not walk under the clock tower.
Do I even need to explain this one? Just don't do it.
18. It is OK to skip a class.
Unless it is not. Figure out the attendance policy before taking my advice. But usually, there is nothing wrong with taking a well-deserved day off.
19. Do not walk in the bike lanes.
Seems like a given, but I have actually seen people get hit on South Oval by bikers because they were walking in the bike lane. Even if you are walking near their lane, you might get hit by a handlebar (take it from me).
20. Use a planner.
Here is a (not-so) funny story: Last semester, I had studied for weeks for my U.S. History exam. I knew that material backward and forwards. I show up at 1:30, ready to roll, and everyone was turning in their exams. The test was at 12:30, not 1:30. Learn from my mistakes, write stuff down. Always. Use your planner religiously and you probably will not miss your exams!
21. There is no way to prepare yourself.
That is a hard truth. You can listen to other people's advice all day and feel ready to take on college. But until you actually do it for yourself, there is nothing you can do to prepare. The good news is that you 100 percent will figure it out. Not only will you figure it out, you are going to be great.
Have an awesome year and, as always, Boomer Sooner!
