I have teamed up with an incoming Radford student, Ashley Duke, to answer some common questions many Radford University freshmen may have coming to the university. She came up with the questions as a freshman, and as a third-year student, I did my best to answer them with honesty, heart, and maybe a little humor.
1. Where is the best place to eat on or around campus besides the dining halls?
Places you can eat on Radford University's campus other than Dalton and Muse (our dining halls):
Chick-fil-a, Starbucks, Au Bon Pain (affectionally called ABP), Wendy's, Papa John's and more.
Places you can eat off of Radford University's campus without straying out of town:
Radford Coffee Company, Benny's, Moe's, Sonic, Macado's, BT's, Sharkey's, River City Grill, and more!
2. How much does it cost to do an average load of laundry?
According to some of my RA friends (because I haven't lived on campus in a while), it is $2.75.
3. What are some items we wouldn't think to bring but should have on campus?
A sweatshirt. You probably think I am kidding, but people tend to leave things like sweatshirts at home because it's August and hot outside. While it may be hot outside, our academic buildings are *freezing* the first few weeks back to try and combat the heat.
4. Is it hard to find and get to and from classes?
Honestly, once you have the campus down, getting to and from classes will be a piece of cake. If you are nervous about this prior to classes starting, reach out to someone (you can even shoot me a Facebook message!) to walk around campus the night before the first day of classes to start finding your buildings and classrooms!
By finding your classes the night before, it will ease your nerves just a little bit. I am a third-year student and I still go and find all my classes so I know where I am headed on the first day.
5. How easy is it to get involved in clubs and organizations?
It is so easy. Go to the club fair. Going to the club fair is the first step in meeting people who are part of organizations that you want to be part of. Everyone goes – like everyone. And there is something for everyone. We have a chemistry club, if that is something you are into, or if you need help with chemistry.
After the club fair, it is pretty easy to figure out what you actually want to get involved in and from there all you have to do is follow-up with the people you met who are already part of the organization.
6. Is it better to have your bed raised or lofted ?
This is truly a preference thing. I did not loft my bed and felt fine with the amount of space I had. However, I didn't do anything other than sleep and study in my room.
If you want to have space for friends to hang out, lofting your bed may be a good idea because it will create more room for seating.
7. Do you recommend going to events that your RA hosts?
I recommend going for four reasons: RAs can become your friends – why would you pass up an opportunity to become friends with someone older than you? There will likely be free food! As you will learn, free food is a lifeline as a college student. RAs work hard on their programs and they are actually fun, so why not go out and check it out? And lastly, getting involved on campus is one of the best ways to make the most of your college experience.
8. What are some ways to save and make money on campus?
I worked for Radford University Outdoor Programs for two years – in my extremely biased opinion, RU Outdoors is the best place to work on campus. I have also worked for New Student Programs as a Peer Instructor and as a Quest Assistant, in which I found some of my greatest friends here at Radford. I have also worked as a tour guide for admissions, which I loved so much because I was able to talk about our beloved university with students and their families.
9. What is the best way to organize your studying and make sure everything gets done before class?
As I answer this, try not to imagine your mom or your older sister giving you this advice:
Keep a planner. In the planner, prioritize your class work and then your play. It is important to remember that the time you invest in your studying will actually be reflected in your grades. This isn't high school anymore, and you won't be able to get away with only doing half an assignment and still get an A.
10. Should we have a calendar to keep all of our events, obligations, and engagements organized?
Yes. Planners are your best friends. Invest in one you like. It will become your lifeline especially when you start to get more involved on campus.
I keep two planners. I keep a hard copy and a digital one. I compare both on Monday mornings in case I had written down an obligation in one and not the other. If that is the case, update them to match. While this is a little extreme it helps me stay on top of my deadlines and keep up with my priorities.
Pro Tip: When you get *really* busy you may want to schedule in meals because it is college and as college students, we forget to eat sometimes, but it is some important to maintain a regular eating schedule to keep you healthy.
11. Can we have overnight visitors on campus?
Visitors are allowed on campus. But make sure you do the following:
Check with your roommate – you want to be on the same page with whoever you are sharing a room with.
Once you have the go ahead from your roommate, you have to go to your RA to fill out a form to have a guest. Then you will want to look into getting your guest a parking pass so that way their car wouldn't be ticketed or towed.
12. Where is the best hang-out spot on campus?
The quads: Muse quad and Moffet quad both are the spots when it is warm outside. You will find dogs running around, Enos hanging up, and surely a frisbee will be thrown around. (Above are real life Radford students holding frisbees in front of Muse/CHBS).
Starbucks is also a hub for students hanging out. Personally, it is my favorite place. I love sitting at a community table while I do work and see my friends come through between their classes.
13. How easy is it to make friends?
Honestly, this is dependent on who you are. If you are outgoing, you are going to have no problem making friends. If you are like me and are more of an introvert it can still be easy, but you have to put some effort into it.
Looking back at my first semester of school, I see that the more I got involved in things that I was interested in, the more friends I made. Now I have friends in all facets of the university.
14. What should we expect in our classes?
Every class is what you make it. If you show up, if you do the assignments, if you go to your professor's office hours, and if you ask clarification questions, classes will come easier than if you choose to not show up, not do your work, not ask for help.
I found that you have to make the choice to invest yourself into your class work and it becomes enjoyable.
15. How do we easily get a job on campus?
I got a job within the first semester of being in college. I also held three at one time. So I'd say it is pretty easy to get a job, you just have to find one that works for you and with you.
16. Is it easy to adjust to living in a dorm?
It is easy to adjust as long as you guys communicate well. Seriously, communicate with your roommate.
If you have a headache and need it to be quiet, let them know. Surprisingly, they can't read your mind.
If you really need to go to sleep early because of a big test but your roommate normally studies in the room, you are allowed to try and find a compromise so the two of you can get what you want.
In order to make the adjustment easy, you have to be willing to compromise and communicate.
17. Do some professors assign work over the break?
It is totally up to the professor. Some do, some don't. If they make us do work they will likely let us know that they are in fact sorry that we have work to do.
18. Do the dining halls get really crowded?
Sunday Brunch at Dalton is packed, and there are also peak times to eat at Chick-fil-a, and if you want coffee in a reasonable amount of time before class from Starbucks, you better show up 10 minutes before your 9 a.m.
19. What are the most popular clubs on campus?
I don't really have the answer you may be looking for on this question because on our campus there isn't really a place for one club or organization to take popularity over the rest.
Every student has an opportunity to find something that they love. There truly is a place for all students on our campus. If you love to give back, join a sorority or a fraternity; if you love your religion, join one of the ministries; if you love the outdoors, go on an RU Outdoors trip; if you love to workout, you can be a regular at the gym or even work there; if you are all about diversity and equality, you can find your home with DAP.
Our campus has endless places for you to get involved. In college getting involved stops becoming about popularity and becomes finding your people and the place that makes you feel at home.
20. Is it a good idea to have our parents send us care packages?
YES. Care packages are a blessing. Have your parents send you as many as you can possibly get. I am a third-year student and still sometimes get care packages from my parents.
If you have any other questions that you need answered, let me know. I could seriously write a book on what you should know about coming to Radford University and I love doing it. This university means the world to me and if I could help you out as a part of our student body, I am more than willing to do so!
