Hints for new students from Kate and Ali

• Don’t buy books before classes start, look into getting used ones.
• Use the buses-They’re free
• When packing for college if you’re not sure you’ll really need something, don’t bring it because chances are you won’t need it (eg. an iron).
• Don’t be stressed if you don’t know what you want to major in, most people don’t know their freshman or sophomore years
• Go to office hours and visit your
• TA's
• GO TO CLASS
• Don’t think the library is the only place to study-Go to the Newman Center to study, it’s not just a Catholic Center, it has food
• If you park somewhere you are not suppose to you will get ticketed or towed
• You don’t have to be a graduate student to go to the grad lounge
• There are snack bars all over campus-Flint, Whitmore, Sylvan etc.
• Greenough sub shop has great subs and is open later then the dining commons
• Leave your room door open-it’s a great way to make friends
• If you can’t get into a class go ask the professor on the first day of class because they almost always let you in
• Don’t go home every weekend-you will not make friends and miss out on a lot of fun college stuff
• Don’t hang out exclusively with friends from high school
• Before you leave for an off campus party think about how you’re going to get home
• Make friends with people in your class so if you miss a class you can get the assignments
• Look into foreign and domestic exchange programs early in your college career
• Don’t get a microfridge. They are a rip-off. If you’re going to make the investment just buy a fridge and microwave it’s much cheaper in the long run
• Don’t worry if you don’t have a printer, printing is free in most computer labs
• Bring shower shoes
• You can get cookies and ice cream delivered to your dorm room (see Freshman 15 below)
• You can go to the movies at Cinemark for only $5 with a student id
• Buy notebooks before you come here because CVS, Staples, and Walmart will be sold out on the first day of classes
• When the RA’s knock on the door you don’t have to let them in
• Be nice to your RA’s remember they are students too
• Bring lots of quarters for meters and laundry
• Don’t start smoking cigarettes your freshman year because you’ll regret it your sophomore year
• Bring an eggcrate
• The Freshman 15 is not a myth don’t eat ice-cream after every meal and pizza at two in the morning
• Make sure you have an Ethernet card in your computer before you come to school
• Bring a Brita filter
• The craft center is fun you only have to pay for your materials; instructions are free
• Remember if you decide to have an easy semester and take only four classes you’ll have to make that up by taking six classes another semester or a winter/summer course
• Don’t get the unlimited meal plan-no one could every eat that many meals at the dining commons
• UMass is not as big and scary as it seems. It’ll become small to you really quick