Talking to Your Roommate

Last year, during my freshman year, I lived in the Harrison dorm. I went random and had a positive experience with my roommate. We both respected each other and made sure to not cause a problem for the other. So unless I did something and was just not told, the year was very smooth and we got along perfectly. Despite common belief, you do not have to be best friends with your roommate. Of course, if you end up being best friends good for you! But it is not always going to end that way. Even if you are not best friends, it is important to have mutual respect, because if there is not that respect, there could be problems. A simple way to stay on top of it all is just by talking. At the beginning of the year, set rules with your roommate, find out what they are okay with happening in your room and what they are not okay with. Also explain your standards. If you guys do not talk to each other about this, then throughout the year, you may cause an issue you did not even know was possible. A simple thing my roommate and I did was text each other when we had friends in the dorm, and then make sure your guests respected their side and all their belongings.

Setting up Your Room

If you are anything like me, you are super excited to decorate your dorm in whatever way you want. I know I was. My one semester of high school interior design was thrilled with this idea. But, you need to keep in mind other important things for the room as well. Such as a mini-fridge, microwave, chairs, television, and fans. Trust me, you will need fans. Most of the dorms at Purdue do not have air conditioning, so unless you can sweat through the night, you should bring a couple of fans with you. In my dorm, I had a mini-fridge, microwave, and some chairs. All of those were great for the dorm because we were then able to bring snacks and eat things besides just the dining court food. Plus, it is nice to have some food at your dorm when you get back from your long nights of studying. Make sure to talk to your roommate and figure out what things you will need, my roommate and I did not need a television because we both watched things on our laptops. But, if you are a bachelor fan, maybe a TV is the way to go?

Find Your Favorite Dining Court (or Closest During Winter)

Living in Harrison meant I had two dining courts close to me (I also had "Harrison Grill" which was open for those late-night cravings). Almost every Sunday morning, you could find my friends and I sitting in Hillenbrand eating their wings, quesadillas, or whatever they may have been serving. HillyB (as you might hear it called) was our favorite place to go to eat by the end of the year because there was always something for the pickiest-eater (me) to eat. I would recommend downloading the "Purdue Menus" app. The app will give you the times for each meal and what is on the menu at each dining court. Trust me, it comes in handy when it is winter and you are not wanting to walk far to find out there is not anything you want to eat. Also, around Thanksgiving break, dining courts will have a Thanksgiving meal. I would recommend getting there early, otherwise, you will not find a seat. The meal is worth it, I promise.

Get Involved Around Campus

I am not a very outgoing person. With that being said, I have a solid group of friends and stay with them for the most part. But that has not stopped me from trying to meet at least one person in every class. If you can have a friend in a class, then you have someone you can study for exams with, work on homework, or if you have to miss class because you are sick, someone to send you the notes. Aside from classes, I recommend going out for a club, sorority, or fraternity! These are all a big part of Purdue. There are so many clubs around campus, that any interest you have will be a club. If that is not true, you can make a new club! Whatever you do, find something that interests you and get involved in it. It is a great way to meet new people and make great friends.

Find Somewhere to Study

I have never been one who is good about getting homework done at my home. With that being said, Purdue is a giant campus with so many open buildings for you to use. Going to one of those buildings, sitting down, and getting whatever work you have done is an amazing feeling. So I recommend trying it. When you are officially on campus, you will hear a lot about WALC. It is a great building, trust me, but it is almost always full of people. This means it will be hard for you to find a place to sit down and get your homework done. When I was living in Harrison, I would go to Krach all the time. It is a tall building across from the CoRec that is open for you to use. I would go there for hours on end to get the papers I procrastinated done. It is almost always quiet, and there are open places for you to go sit and study. I highly recommend finding a space where you can get homework done. Dorms also do have study spaces within them. During the day, if I did not have a class, I would sit in the lobby of Harrison and get homework done. If you can find an area where you will get homework done, then you are set.

Get to Know the Staff

Not only does a giant campus mean places to sit down and study, but it also means lots of employees. Purdue has an amazing staff and they all do an amazing job every day. If it is professors/instructors, admissions, advisors, librarians, and so many more. Everyone is there doing their job, and part of their job is to help you succeed. Something you will hear from everyone is to go to office hours. Not only is this a chance for you to get help with the class, but it also gives your professor a chance to get to know you. Which can be beneficial for both of you down the line. My favorite people are the people in the ThinkSummer office. I came to Purdue through their program called "Summer Start" and I instantly had relations with the entire office. They are just a small piece that helps me to realize how great the staff around Purdue is.

Go to Sporting Events

Maybe it is just me and how I grew up. Sports has always been apart of my family, basketball the main sport. Between my three siblings and I, it has always been there. Something about Purdue sports, I honestly cannot tell you what it is. But going to those games, standing among other students, screaming the cheers and chants as your fellow Boilermakers strive for victories. It is something else. I went to plenty of basketball games with my family growing up, one football game (with a funny story behind it), a couple of volleyball games, and some baseball/softball games. But none of those memories stand close to the fun that is had when going to the games as a student. Even if you are not truly a sports fan, I still say you need to attend at least one game. Pick whatever sport you want. Find a game and go. Believe me, you will not regret your decision.

Have Fun

This is my final piece of advice. While I have been writing this, I have been looking through my pictures to get more ideas on what advice to give you. Honestly, the list will go on and on, once you get here you will find advice to share as well. This is my favorite thing. Throughout the two years at Purdue I have so many memories, friends, and places that I love. Almost everywhere on campus, I can give you a story about my friends and I having fun there. Soon enough, you are going to have the same thing. Memories from everything you have done.

You are only in college once. I mean, you are only your age and with those friends once. Do not take it for granted. It is easy to get caught in the moment and not realize what is passing you. So go to the movies with your friends, try and workout at the CoRec, run through the fountains, pull an all-nighter for your exam, join that club, take that job, do whatever you have come your way. College goes by faster than you realize, I am graduating in a year and a half and still have so many memories I want to make with my friends. Do not let yourself go through college with any regrets. Sure, some bad things will happen, I have had my handful of them. Do I regret or wish none of them happened? No. Everything that happens will shape you into you, make the most of what is at hand, and keep going forward.

Final Thought

College is weird. It is brand new and something you are not used to. But I promise you that within weeks, you will have made memories and friends, leading to you being happy in the position you are in. It may be scary, but take it from me, and know that it will all be great and you will be happy with how things are going. So with all this being said, I wish you an amazing first semester, and I hope it all goes wonderful. Boiler Up! Hammer Down!