20 Things No One Tells You About Freshman Year at Syracuse
College can be a scary place when there is no one around to advise you. You want to make the best decisions and everlasting memories. Well, I am here to help! There are certain things every freshman at Syracuse should be aware of, but most of these tips aren’t necessarily things everyone is immediately aware of. Not to worry! Keep reading for twenty tips that no one tells you about your freshman year at Syracuse, but are important to know!
1. Stay realistic!
Don’t expect your college experience to be like the movies. Don’t expect your college experience to be like your brother’s, sister’s, mother’s father’s, or best friend’s experience. It’s completely different from the movies and it is going to be completely different from the person you know. No one will ever have the same college experience as you and you know yourself best so take advice from people, but try to do what you think is right.
2. Dorm life can be hard.
There can be misunderstandings in the beginning, and there will be discomfort, but it’s a great way to practice meeting new people and handling situations where you feel uncomfortable. Let it happen and learn from it.
3. Missing your dog is the worst part.
Many Syracuse freshmen bring out their dogs when the weather is nice and sunny, so go ahead! Sometimes ask if you can pet their dog. It will really bring a smile to your face!
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4. Explore during your freshman year at Syracuse!
Make sure to try out the restaurants that are at Marshall Square. I recommend Strong Hearts, Varsity, Kind David’s Restaurant, Bleu Monkey Café, Faegan’s Café Pub, and appeThaizing.
5. Make sure you try the sandwiches.
Staying on the food theme, we have some of the best sandwiches, in my opinion. The cranberry chicken sandwich at Slocom Hall, and the pesto chicken sandwich at Whitman are extremely tasty and perfect during those busy class days.
6. Dress accordingly.
Snow boots and an enormous winter jacket is a must. Period.
7. Lack of privacy is hard.
Getting used to the communal bathroom was a struggle for me. If you have the same struggle, I recommend waking up early to do your business. No one is usually there!
8. Be smart with your textbooks!
I rented all my books for my classes, unless it was really cheap and I wanted it even after the class was over. I recommend renting because it is honestly so much cheaper!! There are plenty of websites for Syracuse freshmen to rent books and use bigwords.com to compare the prices from the different websites.
9. Check out the club fair.
This is at the beginning of the year! It’s a great way to meet new people and socialize. There are so many different clubs in Syracuse and I bet there is going to be one just for you!
10. Take attendance seriously.
Yes, high school is over. BUT classes are still important and you really should go to every single class. Some days might be harder, aka those extreme snowy days, but you should still try to make it to class. It’s so important to show your professor that you are attending every lecture and honestly, you are not going to regret going to class.
11. Don’t stay in your room to study!
Go to Carnegie Library if you need complete silence, and go to Bird Library if you are studying in groups or just need a little distraction once in a while.
12. Check up on Mom and Dad!
Make sure to call your family at least once in two weeks. In the beginning, you are going to call them a lot but as you make friends and college starts to get exciting, you might not call as often. It would really be good for you and them to update them on how you are doing and how school is because in the end, they’re the ones who were by your side since the beginning, #familyisforever.
13. Do not underestimate freshman 15.
It is real. And honestly, it is so easy to gain 15 pounds when you are snacking at midnight because there you are little miss independent, living away from your parents. And also having the dining hall as a buffet does not help at all.
14. Clean your room once in a while.
It’ll be worth it… trust me.
15. Don’t rush friendships.
Making friends might take time. It definitely took some time for me and I realized that it was worth it. Get to really know these people around you and soon enough, you will find your group of friends. Your friends are going to be a huge part of your college experience so make friends who will be with you for the rest of your life!
16. Be yourself.
College goes by really fast and there are only 4 years of it. Be yourself and show people who you really are so that you make the happiest and greatest memories while in college.
17. Invest in a nice water bottle.
H2O is not only good for the body, but refreshing as you hike up the long, difficult, and tiring stairs of BBB, Sadler/Lawrinson, and Day.
18. In need of ice cream?
If you are craving ice cream (Haggen Daz), or want a late snack, check out Kimmel food court. For some reason, not a lot of freshmen know about Kimmel but it’s open until real late, there is tons of food to chose from, and you can sit down and chill with your friends. But like I said, this is a dangerous place to be in because it can lead to freshman 15!
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19. Go exploring!
There are days when you really want to leave the campus during your freshman year at Syracuse, get on the freeway, and go somewhere. Money will be flying out of your bank account, but having a Zipcar membership will do you good. You can rent a car for a specific amount of time and drive away from Syracuse for a little bit. There were many nights that I just needed a breather and went out with my friends. It’s honestly really nice and relaxing.
20. Enjoy your freshman year at Syracuse!
I don’t know why I just realized this over this summer, but my main advice to any Syracuse freshmen is to really enjoy college. Get involved in clubs, try different internships, study abroad, attend a party, watch the sunrise with your friends, go to a concert, check out downtown Syracuse, cover yourself with orange, study all night and ace that test. Remind yourself that college only happens once and the many special experiences that you can have are only available in college. Really make the best out of these 4 years because they are not kidding when they say time flies especially in college.
