We all had a million questions running through our minds when we were freshmen in college. College can be a pretty scary thing to jump into; you’re on your own for the first time, you may or may not know anyone at your school, and you don’t have anyone to go to for help just yet. It’s okay. Here are some of the most common questions that incoming freshmen have, along with the answers.
How am I going to know where my classes are?
Clemson has an app that you can download on your smart phone. It’s called “my.Clemson.” It has just about everything you’ll need in it. Once you log in with your username and password, it automatically downloads all your information from iRoar. In addition to all your academic and athletic information, it also has a map. This map will show you where on campus you are, and has outlines of all the buildings on campus with labels. If you don’t know where your next class is, no sweat -- just pull up the map on your phone and pretend like you’re texting as you look up where to go next. And don’t feel too bad, either; I’m a junior and I still can’t tell you where every building on campus is.
Should I rush?
Absolutely. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl, if you’re from South Carolina or California. Everyone should experience rush at least once, even if you decide not to go Greek. By going through rush, you’ll meet all kinds of new people that you probably wouldn’t have had the chance to meet otherwise, and you’ll make a lot of new friends. Those boys or girls rushing next to you are in the same seat as you. They’re new to college, and they’re trying to branch out and meet new people just like you. Sign up for rush because you never know what chapters and people will surprise you.
What if I don’t like my roommate(s)?
That’s okay. A lot of freshmen roommates grow apart from each other. Whether they were a completely random pair, or best friends from high school, people change in college. If you get to school, and you realize that your roommate situation isn’t what you thought it would be, then talk to your RA about your options. You could always try to find someone else whose roommate decided not to come to Clemson, or dropped out. Or, you’re in a Greek organization that has a spot on the Quad or the Horseshoe, then talk to your chapter about possibly moving onto the hall second semester. If you try everything you possibly can, and there’s still no other option for you than to stay in your original room with your original roommate, then it’s just going to be something you will have to live with. You’re in college now; sometimes, you are going to have to deal with people you don’t want to.
I didn’t have to study in high school. How do I study?
Neither did I. Then I got to college and it was a lot harder than I expected. But the right way to study depends on the class. If it’s a definition-based class, then flash cards are the way to go. If it’s an essay based class where your professor asks you to write three to five sentences explaining the importance of an event or concept, then making chapter outlines, and your own pretest questions, is most likely the best way to study. College courses aren’t like high school courses; most of the information you’re going to have to teach yourself. Clemson’s Academic Success Center behind the library is going to be one of your best friends. They have a writing center and offer different types of tutoring sessions based on your study habits and courses. My advice would be to pay the ASC a visit during the first few weeks of classes so you know exactly how many resources are provided for you.
What if I don’t know what I want to study yet?
No big deal, your freshmen year course load is mostly filled with general education requirements that everyone at Clemson has to take at some point or another. While you’re taking your gen-eds, though, try to pay attention to which courses interest you the most, then at the end of the year talk to your advisor about what you like and what you don’t like. They’ll be able to point you into the right direction for choosing a major. But don’t want too long to make a decision either, while in reality everyone would like to take a victory lap and get in an extra football season before graduation, it can get pretty expensive.
I got an MIP, now what?
Take a deep breath and try to not freak out. If you get a minor in possession on campus, then the school is going to be notified and you’ll receive an e-mail from the Office of Community and Ethical Standards about having a meeting with them to discuss what happened. Go to the meeting, fess up to it (don’t try to lie), and deal with the consequences. They’re not that bad. You’ll have to go to a Tiger STEPS class for about three hours one night where you’ll discuss why drinking under age isn’t a smart decision with about 20 other students who got MIPs as well. Then you’ll have to do 10 hours of community service, write a two to three page paper on what you’ve learned from this experience, and pay $50 for the Tiger STEPS class. Then, it will be taken off your transcript so it won’t show up when you’re applying to graduate school, or for a job. It’s your one “get out of jail free” card. Just don’t let it happen again.
I want to meet a lot of new people. What do I do?
Go through rush, even if you’re unsure. You’ll meet a lot of different people, but mostly you’ll be with hundreds of other lost and confused freshmen just like yourself. If you don’t feel like you’ve met enough people in rush, get involved with other student organizations like FCA or Student Government. You can always sign up for classes at Fike with your roommate(s) and introduce yourself to other people there. Being a freshmen is scary at first, but if you are confident in yourself and are out-going, you’ll make other people feel at ease and you’ll make a lot of new friends that way. Just don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
I’m afraid of gaining the freshman 15. How do I make sure I don’t gain weight?
Stay active, whether its going on an early morning run before class, hitting up Fike after class, or just playing sand volleyball with the people on your hall. Just stay active. Fike offers numerous fitness classes you and your friends can sign up for if you don’t know what you want to do, or you can just go to Fike and workout on your own. Another thing to pay attention to is the food. The dining halls have tons of different choices for meals and it’s buffet style so you can eat as much as you want, but that doesn’t mean you should. You need to be conscious of what kind of food you’re eating because all the yummy fatty foods can look really good on a plate, but if you’re worried about the freshman 15, you won’t think it looks so good on your tummy.
What if I fail a class?
College is hard, you need to understand that now. Failing a class is not something that people want to do, but it’s something that happens to more people than you think. In order to help high school students transition into college life, Clemson offers what’s called Academic Forgiveness. The Academic Forgiveness Policy allows students to omit up to three failing grades. There are some rules to using the Academic Forgiveness Policy, and those rules can be found on Clemson’s website. Don’t think that because you fail one class you’ll never graduate; the AFP is there to make sure that doesn’t happen. But don’t take advantage of it. You only have three chances, so use them wisely.
What if I get really homesick?
That’s okay. Odds are, at least half of your freshmen class are homesick too. Don’t be ashamed to miss home, everyone misses home at least once in a while. FaceTime your parents, siblings, friends, or whoever it is that you’re missing. If that’s not enough and you want to go home to visit, then call your parents and set up a weekend for you to come home and bring your roommate or your other friends. Sometimes, a weekend away from Clemson is refreshing. There is always so much going on that a step back to just breathe is all you really need.
College is scary at first, but after a few days you’ll get the hang of it, and you’ll laugh at yourself for ever being nervous in the first place. You are going to have a blast in college -- especially at Clemson.
