The Freshmen Experience

April 15, 2015 by Chelsea Roberts

As a student-athlete and the Editor-in-Chief of the Beacon Bolt, I learned a lot of valuable lessons during my freshmen year. I have compiled a list of the top ten non-academic things I learned during the 2014-2015 school year to share with the student body my personal findings, as well as to inform future college students of what to expect.

Extreme couponing is a task that most college students reluctantly do, but the anticipation of new Dutch Brother’s discounts, makes the student coupon book’s release dates almost as great as your own birthday.
Call your parents often. For eighteen years you probably took them for granted and won’t truly realize it until you go to the hospital with the flu, and there’s an empty chair beside you and a clip board full of paperwork, but you are metaphorically and literally helpless without them.
Sew your student ID to your body. It is the key to the most important resources you will need during your time here at NCU: chapel credit, food and sleep.
$7.99 is all you need for the safest, cheapest, fastest and overall best entertainment you can get. Subscribing to Netflix is a must for every college student.
When home, eat as much as you can. As much as you will start to miss your family and their annoying mannerisms, you will miss home-cooked food more. The Caf food is great, but nothing beats mom’s tater-tot casserole.
College is perpetually exhausting, so three alarms in the morning is necessary. Pick the most annoying alarm you can, get up, grab yourself a coffee from the Beanery, and go to class. I promise you’ll live.
ALWAYS back up your important files. Your USB can and will mysteriously break into several pieces in your backpack the night before a big paper is due. Prepare yourself.
Never underestimate the value of a care package from your folks.
Even though your professors have several masters’ degrees, they are real people who care about you.
Get involved. The fastest and easiest way to make friends during your freshmen year is to join a club, intramural sport or small group. Don’t hold yourself back from having fun and creating memories, you will have to work a little harder to balance your schedule, but it’s worth it.