What do you think of when you hear the word “college”? Big campus? Open quad? Football games every Sunday? For most people, this is what their college experience is like. But for the select few who chose a nontraditional route of higher education, this may not be the case.

When I chose a CUNY for my undergraduate education, I had no idea what I was in for. I knew it would be something different, but I didn’t quite know what to expect. Having just finished my first semester, here are some of the most important things that I’ve learned from being in a CUNY school and some key lessons that I’ve learned through trial and error.

1. Know your campus.

I cannot stress this enough. Each school within the CUNY system has its own version of a “campus,” and it’s your responsibility to know the in-and-outs. Or if not, the basics of which building holds which facilities. It’ll save a lot of time and hair-pulling when you need to find a certain department in a rush.

2. Befriend the commuters.

When nearly every person is traveling to and from home to class, it can be hard to develop long-lasting friendships with those who decide to dorm. For those who dorm, it can be easy to get caught in the “dormitory bubble,” but remembering to expand your horizons and step outside your comfort zone is a great way to meet people who you would normally never come across.

3. No meal plan? Try cooking.

At most universities, there are an abundance of meal plans for students to choose from. Most CUNY schools, however, are known for their less than impressive or even nonexistent meal plans. A popular alternative, and one that is healthier and more beneficial, is to cook for yourself at home or in your dorm. It’s a great way to budget your money, time, and calories instead of watching your wallet empty out every week.

4. Be wary of the schedule changes.

While the scheduling may seem nonsensical (certain days follow a Tuesday or Friday schedule for what appears to be no reason), the CUNY calendar remains the tool to help you always be on top of what classes you have on which days and when you’ll have to take your last final before break. And two words: Winter break.

5. Classes: Get ‘em while you can.

If there’s anything to take away from this article, it’s this: CUNY registration is notorious for crashing when students need it the most and for running out of classes that students need to complete their major, so remember to plan ahead on your course schedule for the next semester and keep track of which courses you need to take in order to graduate in four years. Oh, and make sure you register as soon as possible or else you’ll end up with a three-hour organic chemistry lecture on Saturday mornings.

6. Talk to your advisors—you’ll need them.

This goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip. It is essential that you get to know your advisors (and professors) early on in the process; they’re the ones who will help you secure internships, study abroad programs, and those hard-to-get-into courses. They’ll be the ones with you for the entirety of your undergraduate career, so the more they know about you and you about them, the better. It also never hurts to make a new friend.

7. Clubs are the “school spirit.”

You may have heard this back in high school, but this is even more important at a school where the majority of the student body commutes from home. Clubs are the central hub of all social activity on campus, and they’re the best way to become friends with people both in and out of your major. They’re also a great way to try new things and see what interests you. And who knows, maybe you’ll find your potential career path in the process.

8. Be familiar with your major’s course requirements.

Some majors have such restricted course tracks that there is basically a set sequence of courses that one must take in order to graduate on time. Make sure you know which ones you have to take and when so you optimize the most out of your academic career.

9. Save the MTA subway map on your phone.

Seriously. Whether you’re a first time city student or a born-and-bred NYC native, at some point you’re going to need that neat little diagram to navigate yourself from point A to point B. The last thing you want to do is try and guesstimate your way from Flatbush back to your dorm/house at 2 a.m. So save yourself the hassle (and the $40 Uber ride), and download the map onto iBooks. You’ll thank yourself later.

10. Treat it as an adventure not as a drawback.

CUNY may not be the quintessential college you pictured back in high school, but the reality is that college is what you make of it. So make the most out of your four years, and have fun with it.

Even with impossible classes, constant all-nighters, and the complexity of relationships, college is a time in your life like no other. Remember to study hard, work hard, and play hard. You’re going to college in one of the greatest, if not the greatest city in the world; why shouldn’t your college experience be the same?