What’s up, freshmen? If you’re reading this, it means you’ve just discovered our illustrious school newspaper and are still naive enough to read my articles. This is the first issue of the year, which means I don’t have to write about anything too important. Instead of doing research and fact-finding, I’ve made a list of tips I wish I would’ve known as a freshman, or did know and just completely avoided, much like I avoided writing this.
Books
Textbooks are becoming increasingly expensive and can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of each semester.
While the Otterbein bookstore is an easy and helpful option — perfect if you need a book immediately — exploring your options can help you save a lot of money. Websites like Chegg.com and Amazon.com offer rental services that are much cheaper than purchasing books, as long as you remember to turn them in again.
You can sell new textbooks at the end of each semester to certain companies, but it’s easier to save the money now than to try and get it back later.
It can be helpful to wait until your first couple days of class to purchase a book as well because the professor may have changed the book or could provide the materials themselves.
My Otternet
When teachers actually use it, Blackboard is extremely helpful in connecting with other students and keeping track of grades and assignments, and so is My Otternet.
An option is available on My Otternet that lets you look at the roster for each class, allowing you to get in contact with other students for group projects or if you missed a day of class. Some classes will also provide notes and papers electronically after a class.
Don’t be suspicious
You’re in college and you heard about a “social gathering” nearby at someone’s house. It’s really easy to have consequence-free fun as long as you are safe and smart about it.
Like, maybe don’t show up to somebody’s house on a Friday night with a group of 20 others from your dorm so that you clog their front door and lawn.
Don’t carry illegal substances around campus. Don’t run around destroying public property, and maybe don’t have that pong game in your dorm room at 9 p.m. because your resident assistant didn’t get invited and might get jealous.
Getting in trouble
Be aware of your rights and how they change on and off campus.
The laws of Otterbein and Westerville can be very different, and you might find yourself getting charges from Otterbein you never even knew existed.
Be polite and respectful to Otterbein and Westerville police, but know your rights so that you and your friends don’t get taken advantage of. Sooner or later this will happen to you or someone you know — trust me.
Don’t stress too much
You’re going to have plenty of stress as the years go on. You’re also going to get fat and skinny a bunch depending on your party-to-exercise ratio, so just accept it and enjoy your first year.
You’re going to have fun and you might even learn some stuff, but you have your whole life to worry and regret. So when you wake up on Sunday with a hazy memory and the feeling that you screwed up, you probably did — but who cares? You’re a freshman, and you might as well enjoy it while you can.
I definitely could have come up with a lot more tips that could be even more helpful than this, but you learn those things as you go. Go to class, talk to people, have a good time, don’t mess up too much. You’ve got four years to make a new you if you want, so get started.
