To the future freshies.... wish I was back in your shoes. Welcome to the best year ever! There are so many things to look forward to about your freshmen year, but for me one of my favorite parts was living in the dorms. Of course it is a scary time, being away from home for the first time, but this is also your first step into freedom. You get to go to bed anytime you want, eat whatever you want for dinner, decorate your room super duper cute, and of course have a year long sleepover with your roomies. As I’m going into my sophomore year I am definitely excited to see what this year has in store for me, however I definitely am going to miss the dorm life. Here are some tips and tricks on how to make this transition a whole lot easier.

1. Make sure you get to know your roomies. Whether they are people you have met from home, online or random roommates, they are going to be with you for the rest of the year. They are going through the same transition as you and having one another will make the process a lot more fun. Whether ya’ll are having a night in binge watching Netflix movies, helping one another get ready for date nights, or just going with one another to get food from landy or lakeside, having each other will be a huge benefit. My roomies turned into some of my best friends and I could not imagine freshmen year without having them around for constant love and support. 

2. Use the dining hall to your advantage. No it is not a 5-star meal that you will be getting but it is already paid for and once you find what you like, it really isn’t that bad. My personal fav is lakeside, never missed out on the star hash browns for breakfast and oriental chicken and fried rice for lunch!! I’m definitely going to be missing the food this year and how easy it is to go in between classes for an already paid for meal. Also, it is okay to sit by yourself, we have all been there before and it is not as bad as you think, I would always do homework while eating by myself. 

3. Bring a Brita. Cannot stress enough how much of a lifesaver this is. Not only do you save money by not having to buy cases of water bottles every week, but something about that Brita water is 10x better, trust me. 

4. Bring pictures. Lots and lots of pictures, whether it is of your family, friends or even your dogs, bring them. There is going to come times where looking at those pictures in your room will make it feel more like home and come in handy during stressful times. 

5. Make the most of it. We all know from the previous few months how things can change at the drop of a hat @corona. Meet your neighbors, never say no to those random dirt road driving nights with your friends, go to all the date nights and socials, and just have fun. Your freshmen year only happens once so make sure you live it up the best you can!

Trust the process during your freshmen year. It can be difficult at times, but it can also be so much fun. Study hard but have fun! Wish I could go back and do it all again, this is a year of trying new things and making friends, don’t be afraid.

With love, Taylor Holwell, Fall’ 19