Dear Villanova Class of 2022,

You did it! Through all the stress of the SATs, the Common App, and APs, you have made your decision. Finally, you have chosen your college, the place where you will spend the four most important years of your life, and most importantly you have chosen Villanova, which coincidentally means "new home" in Latin.

Along with your new home, there are new adjustments to be made. There are things to be learned through your experiences, good or bad, which will affect the person you wish to become on this campus. As a rising sophomore, I have some insight and relevance to the feelings you are experiencing right now.

I remember opening the email link saying I was accepted into the university. I remember the video with students saying, "Congratulations!" more times than I can count and Fr. Peter, both our President and our campus spirit animal, delivering a hearty, "Welcome to Villanova."

I remember thoughts circling my head, such as "What is college life like?", "Will I make friends easily?", and "Will I like it here? Is this the right fit for me?" These are all extremely normal things to consider, especially before arriving to campus in August.

In order to answer some questions, worries, and other concerns, I have managed to compile 22 words of wisdom or advice for the Class of 2022.

1. Leave your door open the first month of school.

Your best friends may live next door to you, or down the hall, but you will never know unless you keep your door propped open during the first month of your semester.

2. Don't stress about the "Awkward Luau."

While a lot of schools have pre-orientation sessions in the summer, at Villanova on the night of move-in day, there is a "Luau" at the Oreo on Main Campus with a DJ, food, etc. It's most likely your first encounter with your classmates, and it is, as noted, awkward.

Just take it as it is because it becomes a joke to laugh at a few months later. And don't stress about the people who seem to be more outgoing on the dance floor, chances are, they are upperclassmen already on campus who want to re-live their luau where they were an awkward freshman too.

3. Orientation is awkward, but you're all in this together.

Introductions can be uncomfortable, especially when you have to do it at least fifty times a day to people you probably will never see on campus again. Everyone knows that, and everyone understands. Your OCs are there to help you, to ease the tension. Be lighthearted, willing to meet new people, and fun! This is a great time to enjoy campus when it is beautiful and you do not have schoolwork.

4. Eat with different people.

In the first couple weeks, maybe months, of your first semester, most of the time your friend groups are composed of people you somewhat know. They are usually people from clubs, orientation groups, etc. But please, get out of your comfort zone. There are so many other new freshmen out there, and there is nothing wrong with "trying out" a friend group. What better way to do it than at the dinner table?

5. Switching friend groups is not a big deal.

Along with eating with new people, you get to meet as many people as possible, which is a good thing. If you ever find that another group or couple of friends vibes better with you, then you have to know there is nothing wrong with slowly hanging out with that group more. You are in a big university, where people simply do not care and do not notice who you hang out with.

6. Become friends with people in your classes.

In your first semester of freshman year, most of the classes you will take are Core Requirement classes for whatever college you are in. For CLAS (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), you will usually be placed in Core Philosophy, Theology, Math, History, Language, etc., meaning that most of your classes will be either all or a majority freshman. This is a really great way to get to know other people in your class, make a friend, and have someone who has your back if you ever need to miss or skip class.

7. Don't skip class.

In my first semester, a lot of my professors had a policy where they allowed "three unexcused skips" for the semester. Although this was technically the nicest and most considerate thing a professor could do, I tried to save my skips for the end of the semester, or if I was ever sick.

If you do not have as amazing as professors I did my first semester, try your absolute hardest to show up to every class. Class size is typically small, so your absence is noticeable, for the most part. Attendance can also be a major factor in your grade and can affect your reputation with your professor, so keep that into consideration when you want to sleep in or are too lazy to walk.

8. Find your go-to professor.

Throughout my first semester, I had a lot of struggles with adjustment. I was juggling homesickness, schoolwork, activities, applications, friendships, and so many other things.

I found these problems not only normal but also way more manageable when I found that my Ancients, Augustinian Culture Seminar-a mandatory course for freshmen-was the most amazing person I could go to on campus for advice.

Not only did she know me well in class, but she was always available for me to talk about anything- from drama to stress to writing techniques. Having a professor like this is essential to not only building amazing relationships but also to have a sense of comfort on campus, a person you can trust. This can really help with the normal and sometimes inevitable stress of your first semester.

9. School spirit starts at the same time as basketball season.

Yes, there are football games, but there is usually only one game that a lot of people actually attend and tailgate near Labor Day. If you're looking for school spirit, you need to know we have it, just not for football. Wait until November, when basketball season starts to see the true colors of a Villanova student section come out. It truly does get CRAZY, and you'll find yourself finishing all your sentences, emails, and texts with "Go Cats!"

10. Apply for as many clubs as possible.

During the first couple weeks, random clubs will have sign-ups and information sessions before the large Activities fair in September. This is a perfect chance to ask questions about clubs you may be interested in without the hysteria of being overwhelmed at the Activities Fair.

Fill out applications for clubs you think you might be interested in, you will never know until you try. And trust me, clubs are the most competitive things to get into on campus. Things such as LPH, Blue Key, NOVAdance, etc. are are fairly competitive applicant pools where multiple rounds of interviews are conducted to get accepted.

But if you give your absolute effort in these applications and are genuine to who you are, what you value, and the real reason why you want to get involved, then the application process shouldn't scare you. Rejection letters should not drive you away, but they should inspire you to either reapply next year or get involved in other things. Here, everyone does find their "thing" on campus that they truly love.

11. Campco, Insomnia, and Late-Night make the Freshman 15 so real.

Not only is Villanova surrounded by great restaurants on the Main Line, but there are a variety of food places open late, suitable for college kids who need a midnight snack.

Campco, or "Campus Corner", is located directly next to Villanova's campus, providing literally everything you'd expect college student's food cravings: Chicken Fingers, Mozz Sticks, Mac & Cheese Bites, Zilly Fries (bacon, ranch, mozzarella cheese on top of fries--it's a hit or a miss with many Villanovans), and so much more.

Campco is extremely enticing at 11 PM when you are cramming on a paper and really need food, the only downside is: it can make you run out of NovaBucks real quick. Same deal with Insomnia Cookies. Cause who doesn't want a dozen warm, freshly-baked cookies in their dorm at 12:30 AM?

Late-Night is a little different. It's basically an on-campus version of CampCo, with way fewer choices. With a slight decrease in quality, Late-Night is great when you don't feel like waiting 30 minutes for CampCo, and you want to use your actual Meal Plan instead of actual money.

12. The walk to South is not as bad as you think.

South Campus, across Lancaster Avenue, is where a large majority of the freshman class lives. Along with Residence halls, there is also a dining hall, The Spit located on this part of campus. While it may seem like walking to Main Campus for a class is miles away, it really isn't. Especially during the first semester, when the weather is, for the most part, warm, the walking is tolerable. If it is ever raining or you feel lazy, hop on the shuttle.

But most importantly, TAKE THE BRIDGE! I cannot stress how amazing and quick the new bridge across Lancaster Avenue is. If you have a class in Tolentine, John Barry, CEER, Mendell, etc., it is way easier to cut across the Wildcat Path and now use the bridge. Not only is it quick and easy avoiding the pedestrian signs, but the view of the Church is amazing.

13. If you're a coffee drinker, you will not only get used to Holy Grounds, but you will numerically rank your favorite coffee spots on campus.

Sorry to all the freshman who wanted their Starbucks every morning, cause you get hit with Holy Grounds all over Villanova's campus. The coffee is generally good at any spot on campus, but the options offered at other coffee shops are somewhat better than the others. You will notice the difference and what you prefer within the first couple weeks.

14. Find a nearby study space.

For a freshman living on South, spending every night at the Library maybe isn't the best choice, unless you like to walk 10-15 minutes back to your dorm every night. For me, finding a good study spot comes with your preferences and where you feel most comfortable. But it is important to know that the library is not the only place to study.

At night, there are usually people in Bartley doing homework or studying, or you can always rent a study room for test preparation, etc. Plus, the walk to South from Bartley is way easier than the Library if you forget something or when you're ready to walk back to your dorm for the night.

15. The Spit is the best dining hall on campus.

Having the Spit perfectly located on South Campus is probably the equalizer to living farther away from campus than the upperclassmen.

You'll find that for the most part, the Spit has the best options. And usually has a consistent selection of food, especially if you have a special diet. If you don't like the dinner selections for the day, you can never go wrong with a sandwich on the Deli Line (please make them toast yours because it is life-changing) or the Stir Fry line (*cue the Migos references*)

16. Greek life is not as big of a deal here as it is on other campuses.

As someone who did not rush a sorority this year, I can assure you that Greek Life is not the "do-or-die" to a social life at Villanova. I have many friends who went through the rushing process because they really wanted to be in a sorority, and they are also loving their experience. It all depends on personal preference, whether or not you have the time, money, energy to dedicate yourself to Greek Life. If it is, amazing. If it isn't, that is not a big deal.

17. Keep an organized planner.

Having an organized planner saves you so much stress for staying on top of schoolwork, papers or projects, activities, meetings, and speeches or lectures given on campus. It makes your life a whole lot easier and is a great way to keep track of your time management, which is a big part of college life.

18. Registration is not that hard.

As someone who never had to make a class schedule for themselves, I was super stressed about my first registration. Usually, registration times are distributed randomly, although kids with more APs tend to have a preference for freshmen.

Your time affects what classes you may not be able to get into, especially if you want a specific class time or professor. Sometimes, freshmen with upperclassmen friends will have their friends "hold" a class spot for them, they will drop it so that the freshman can take their spot in a class they really want. While this can be unfair if you don't have upperclassmen friends, it is just a reality or a motivator to get upperclassmen friends.

As a CLAS major, my schedule had a lot of leniencies, and I can pretty much pick from a variety of classes which ones I want to take. My advisor helped me set up a game plan with what classes I should take and the steps to logging online at my Registration time, making the process actually easy when it came time to register for the spring semester. It all works out in the end.

19. If you want a good burger, go to the Law School.

The secret to eating at the law school is to get there around 11:15 because any time past 11:30 you can no longer use a meal, since graduate students and law students usually convene there. Plus, if you get there early, you may see a couple basketball players who are well aware that this is the absolute best place to eat on campus.

20. Enter as many ticket lotteries as you can for basketball games.

The only way you can score a ticket to a basketball game in the student section is by entering an online ticket lottery. You can download the app, "Nova Students", log in using your Villanova ID and password, and as games show up, you can choose whether or not to enter a lottery to win a ticket.

It is run by a point system, so the more entries or games you go to, the more likely you will win the next games. Since next year's home games will all hopefully all be at the Pavilion, it will be super easy to go to weekday games, and you get points anyways by entering so you have nothing to lose!

21. Make some time for yourself.

Except if you went to a boarding school, college is different from anything you have ever experienced because friends and people are constantly surrounding you.

You live with them, you eat with them, you attend school with them. Set some time aside in your schedule to do something on your own--have lunch with yourself (which is NOT weird in college), go to the gym, take a walk or a run. The options are endless. Plus, this alone time gives a lot of thought for self-reflection because it is always necessary to give yourself a "check-in" to see how you are feeling.

22. The Villanova "family" is real.

Veritas. Unitas. Caritas. "Truth. Unity. Love." Not only are these the three Augustinian virtues which define our school, but they are actually embodied by everything we do.

As a Villanova student, you have been accepted to more than just a school, you are now a part of our family.

And that isn't just something we say when you are accepted, it is something that you acknowledge and appreciate throughout your time here. People here care about you and what you bring to our community to make this campus a better Villanova for all.

Now, let me be one of many to say,

"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling Nova '22"

Welcome to Villanova.