As freshmen, there are some things that might seem odd or unpredictable about the flow of campus. The one thing that is absolutely necessary to know is no matter how well-prepared, chic or mature a new student is, all upperclassmen can still point out the freshmen.
That isn”t a bad thing, but in order to diminish at least a little bit of that upperclassmen-sneer, there are a few things to know.
First of all, welcome to the University of Idaho. Don”t let student loans or over enthusiastic orientation leaders scare you off just yet. Not everyone is that energetic and certainly not everyone is that friendly. However, UI still hosts several friendly people and asking someone for help is never frowned upon.
Claire Whitley
Another way to learn the most about UI is to simply read the newspaper. Not only does The Argonaut cover sporting events, but reporters write about things going on in the community, both Moscow and UI. However, don”t limit yourself to just reading the Arg. Around campus are free New York Times and Inlanders. Just catching up on news in general is a good tip because professors often ask about current events and they expect their students to at least know about the subject.That is my first tip. Don”t be afraid to ask for help, whether it”s finding a building, office, classroom or even just finding a book in the library. Upperclassmen may even offer a few pieces of advice from their vast knowledge of the inner workings of campus.
I would also strongly suggest swinging by the library to see if they have any of the textbooks on reserve. What this means is the library has the textbook and it can be loaned to students in the class for three hours at a time – some materials even longer. All textbooks can be returned for a full refund within the first week or two of school, so checking the reserves is a nice way to save a chunk of change.
Finally, and this has been said hundreds if not thousands of times since walking on to campus, get involved. It may not seem that important at first, but getting involved right away is one of the best things freshmen can do. It doesn”t have to be with a club or even a job. It can just be with the other people on the floor or a study group in a class. When in your dorm room, keep the door open. Encourage people to stop and say hello. Be friendly and don”t be too shy when meeting new people.
The point of all the tips though, is to get out there and meet people. Become a part of campus, and next year you can be the overly energetic orientation leader or the wise upperclassman.
Claire Whitley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Cewhitley24