Howdy, Class of 2021!!!!

Welcome to College Station, TX – the heart of Aggieland, where the spirit of The 12^th Man is alive and well. It’s such a fun college town that I’ve come to fall in love with and I know each of you will too! But before you move here in the fall, I’d like to give you the “inside scoop,” if you will, into living life here as a college student – how to have SOOO much fun (this one is easy), be efficient, save money, and more! So here it goes: Your College Station Tour begins now!!!

Download Hooked

Food is essential to success and so is saving money - so why wouldn't you download an app that allows you to get food AND save money just because?!?!?!

When you and your friends are planning meals, you might literally plan where you eat around where the best deal is on Hooked that night. (lol you think I'm joking right now, but you'll see)

...and Pocket Points

You get points for not using your phone in class which can be redeemed for great deals! (besides the obvious benefit of focusing during lecture)

(pro tip: turn pocket points on anytime you aren't using your phone and you're on campus)

(pro tip #2 if you have an iPhone...not that I've done this but...um: If you're earning pocket points in class but need to send a quick text to someone, just use iMessage on your Mac to text them. What Pocket Points doesn't know won't hurt it am I right?!?)

...AND the official Texas A&M app

It's a great way to check the campus map without being "that" freshman that doesn't know their way around campus and the bus routes!

If possible, avoid Texas Ave. from about 5-7pm

(if you can’t, it isn’t the end of the world…even though it may feel like it at some stop lights. Just get to know the backroads to save yourself a whole lot of time and frustration)

Gumby’s has $0.50 pizza rolls on Tuesday nights!!!

Downtown Bryan is really fun, especially on First Friday.

Check out Market 1023 (a less crowded, quainter, small-townier version of Magnolia), Proudest Monkey, Harvest Coffee Bar, and lots of other Downtown Bryan shops. On First Friday (which happens the first Friday of every month), Downtown Bryan reeeeally comes to life.

Getting seats @ Sweet’s and Lupa’s

Okay this is going to sound SUPER extra, but (I promise) you'll thank me later...

This can be pretty challenging during peak hours. In the morning, you can usually find a spot to study without a problem! As the day progresses, it becomes a little bit more difficult...especially during test week. So plan accordingly - eat your meal a little early (or late) and get to Sweet's or Lupa's during lunch or dinner time. Everyone will have left to eat when you get there, so you get your pick from a whole bunch of seats!

HEB is wonderful!!!

Great prices and a great selection. But avoiding the one on Texas can be a smart move, especially on the weekend. The HEB in Bryan tends to be much less crowded, check it out!

GO DANCING!

Harry's and Rockie's are both dance halls in the Bryan/College Station area. Get a group of friends and go dancing together - it's lots of fun! Sometimes there are even concerts at Harry's.

Don’t park in any on-campus parking lot without the correct pass, even if you’re just going to be there “for a minute.”

Seriously - I'm not sure how they do it but a parking ticket will be there when you get back.

Oh and also...

At Blinn, park in the overflow parking!!

Even though it's behind Blinn, it's easier to walk to/from and much less crowded than the regular lots.

ALSO, go to the bathroom in the portable near the overflow parking.

It's quiet, clean and no one ever goes in it!

YOU CAN GET VIOLATION TICKETS ON YOUR BIKE

For reals? Yep, for reals. I've seen students on campus get pulled over for running stop signs on their bike. So make sure you stop at ALL the stop signs and bike with the direction of traffic. Bikes are AWESOME, but use bike lanes, and use them correctly! Speaking of bikes...

Bikes can be super handy if you'd like to avoid running late due to the bus on campus!

There are lots of different bike programs to rent a bike through A&M, check some more details out here!

Also...this one's for you, girls: I know the blue/yellow stylish bikes with the baskets and fun handles are cute and trendy, but they do NOT fit well in the bike racks around campus!!! I would highly recommend against them for that sole reason.

Getting textbooks is a true art

The bookstore usually will offer the highest price it possibly can, so look elsewhere (if possible) to get your textbooks!! During syllabus week, your professor may even say that you will not need the textbook listed for the course...or he may say that you definitely do. And that he wrote it. In that case, DEFINITELY get the textbook...you'll need to know it just as well as he/she does!!! *soft smile*

Best study spots???

If you need a change of scenery from Evans, West Campus Library is open for 24 hours ever week day!! It's full of outlets, study rooms that you can reserve in advance, and a whole bunch of business majors.

If you really just aren't feeling the library (aka me 99% of the time), hotels around town (Holiday Inn Express is one my favs) are not crowded with students and make for great study spots!! Complimentary coffee, smooth jazz, and comfy seating. I'm all over it.

You. Have. Your. Own. Lane. When. Merging. Onto. University.

Please use it. Pretty please!!!!

You can rent movies, projectors, and more from the Annex!!!!

You right now: "No way!!!!"

Me right now: "Yes way!!!!"

Go to Aggie sporting events - they're SO fun!

Need I say anything else?? Gig 'Em!!! On that note...

The sports pass system DOES make sense (for the most part), it just seems super confusing at first.

Get advice on how to pull tickets from an upperclassman your first few games! Or even better, pull with upperclassmen. But you'll get the hang of it & learn how to take advantage of the pull schedule!

That's all I've got for ya, Ags! You're going to absolutely love Aggieland.

Thanks & Gig 'Em!