Each college has a few aspects that are unique to just that campus. Here are a few pieces of freshman advice tailored to CMU's campus:
All cafeteria food is essentially the same
Don't get yourself into the mindset that one cafeteria is way better than all of the others. While the size of the cafeteria and a few food options may vary, the meals that each cafeteria serves are the same; they just rotate from cafeteria to cafeteria. The big exception for this rule is Mongolian Barbecue (when it's open) because that is just home to the Towers.
Go to Mainstage
This event usually happens the first weekend that everyone's at school. You can learn about and talk to most of the campus' organizations (commonly called RSOs), and there's usually a lot of free apparel and food.
Learn how to pronounce the dorm names
The number of times I've heard Kulhavi, Calkins, Larzelere, and some other halls on campus mispronounced is astounding. There aren't that many dorms on campus, so knowing where they are and how to pronounce the name will come in handy and won't make you look like a freshman.
Yes, people do live on North Campus
From someone who does live on North Campus, this seems obvious to me, but apparently, North campus is a foreign land to some people who live in East, South, or the Towers.
Budget your Flex
While Flex is amazing for getting lots of extra food and Starbucks, you will be very sad if you run out by October. Try to budget your Flex so you run out, or come close to running out, at the end of the semester (even though it does roll over) because you need it for laundry and lots of Ben & Jerry's during exam week.
Find your shortcuts!
It's Michigan, and the walking to class in the winter is awful. Luckily, there is almost always a way to get to where you are going by cutting through a lot of buildings. Take a day and adventure through the buildings during the fall, and you'll be so happy with yourself once winter comes.NetNutrition is your new best friend
On this website, you can see all of the menus for the upcoming week so you can plan out your meals for the week, or at least get excited when you see chicken nachos on the menu.
Now with that little bit of advice, enjoy your first year at CMU and FIRE UP!
