Annual college decision day (May 1st!) is coming up and the only reason I am well aware of the approaching deadline, almost a year into attending college, is the number of high school seniors that I’ve been attempting to give advice to, through the anxiety-inducing days leading up to a decision that can very much shape the rest of their lives. Having grown up with Rutgers in my backyard and having gone to a high school where nearly half the graduating class ends up going to Rutgers, I’d known and heard a good deal about Rutgers anyways (like the torments of organic chemistry and the infamous busing system), but there’s still a great deal that I learned from experiencing it first hand.

1. All the perks of being a Rutgers (or really, university) student

Somehow simply having an .edu email address and a Student ID card can open up a world of discounted or free perks. From $17 tickets round trip to New York City, coupled with living within walking distance of a train station, to free Zumba classes and gym membership, there so many things I never expected, or anticipated using, but definitely have been taking full advantage of. I have been recently relishing free HBO GO access, as well as a free Wall Street Journal subscription, and of course, free access to all the databases and scholarly articles one could ever want, all of which seem unsubstantial, but I am very aware of the frustration of trying to get access to the perfect “peer-reviewed” journal article on an Elsevier database based on the abstract, but not be able to read the full-text version.

2. There’s a lot of celebrity speakers and random (all-expense paid) trips

It’s almost overwhelming the number of people I’d only dreamt of meeting before that came to Rutgers, for a variety of reasons, from Khalid to Hillary Clinton to Joe Biden to Dolores Huerta to Nina Turner, all of whom I’ve been able to see within the past year. I can only imagine who else will visit the ol’ Rut by the end of my time here. Being involved with different clubs comes with one major perk — free travel. In this year alone, I’ve traveled Albany and Philadelphia for a weekend, Washington D.C for almost a week, and of course, New York City, countless times, sometimes for a few days, once for two weeks, completely for free. Had I wanted to, I also had the opportunity to go to Orlando, Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta completely paid for. Somehow, from one conference to another, there are always subsidies for college students to attend if they simply apply to.

3. You’ll have to go out of your way to meet people

This is something that kind of took me by surprise. I absolutely love meeting new people and getting to know them, but I really did not anticipate the sheer amount of effort it would take to meet and get to know people. There are very few “friends of convenience” here, though they do exist, and though it is easy to start up a conversation with literally anyone, it’s rather difficult to maintain a friendship and escape what I like to call the “acquaintance zone,” that treacherous area where two people who generally talk to each other but aren’t close enough to be friends yet stay until someone takes initiative and proper plans are made. Another caveat is having schedules that enable you to “be friends” with someone one semester doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t fall back into the “acquaintance zone” the next.

4. Everyone knows each other

Yes, there are over 30,000 students at Rutgers, but somehow, there’s always a high probability that you and the next person have at least one mutual friend. I moved around Central New Jersey quite a lot as a child, and as a result, have experienced some crazy coincidences. Some of my closest friends from elementary school and middle school (both in different towns) are now absolute best friends with each other. The six degrees of separation rule could practically be halved considering the number of people I’ve met who I’ve been distantly connected to all along by some convoluted network of relationships. Going back to number 8, this further reinforces the concept of having a lot of acquaintanceships, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

5. There’s a good chance you’ll change your major, and that’s OK

When I chose Rutgers, I did so in part because of the strength of its public health major, as well as its exciting Biotechnology major, and crossed a lot of potential schools off my list because I was so decided on these two specific major. While I already declared my major this past February, I find it almost ironic that people choose colleges based on their prospective majors when there’s a very high likelihood they’ll switch it at least once, if not several times, and that’s completely alright, because ultimately, Rutgers has so many options that you can major in literally anything. What’s most important is that you major in something you love, because if you appreciate the content of the classes you’re in, you’re even more so likely to do well in them.

6. There’s too much to do. You can’t do everything

One aspect of Rutgers I was so excited about was the plethora of opportunities, of clubs to join and events to go to, and I’ve learned firsthand that it is literally impossible to do everything. For someone like me, this is almost devastating, because I really do love to get as involved as possible. However, at one point I found myself swamped with commitments that I simply couldn’t fulfill, and I realized that although I wish I could dedicate myself to all my extracurriculars, I was also a full-time student and needed at least some sleep. Only recently have I started letting go of some of my roles, most recently leaving the position as Vice President of a club chapter. To try to do everything I’m passionate about would a disservice to all of them, because I’d never be able to give any of these commitments my all.

7. You can actually be in charge of your own schedule

After so many years of waking up early in the morning around 6 a.m. and somehow making it onto the school bus, I was surprised at how much of a struggle it was to get to my 9:50 a.m. classes in college my first semester. For night owls and early birds alike, it’s a really new experience to be able to make a schedule that works around your wonky sleep cycles. One person could have classes ending at 9:30 p.m., go to sleep around 4 a.m. and walk up at noon every day, while the next could start their day at 6 a.m., finish classes by 2 p.m., and go to sleep at 10. The meaning of business/school hours really disappears when everyone’s waking hours vary so much.

8. The communities you’re a part of here will make or break your experience

Finding the right communities is the key to enjoying and really thriving during your four years here. From the Douglass Residential College to the Honors College to even the student government, finding such supportive, inspiring communities filled with amazing people and countless opportunities has greatly shaped my first-year here. There’s a saying that goes “it takes a village to raise a child,” and in some ways, I think it’s so important that a person chooses the right niche, the right village for themselves. This isn’t just limited to living-learning communities or set organizations. For computer science majors, this may be at the Cave, for business folks, this may be a business fraternity. At a huge place like Rutgers, finding consistent communities of people that you can grow alongside is absolutely essential.

9. You’ll love it, eventually

Coming to Rutgers, I didn’t realize how much I would end up loving it here. It seemed like the path to take to go instead of a conscious choice. It took a while to look around and appreciate the beauty around me. Honestly, I never thought New Jersey could ever be a beautiful place, but now I look forward to the view of the Raritan River out my window every morning. The new experiences I’ve had and people I’ve met will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I’m always excited to see what each day has in store. This first year has far exceeded my expectations, and I’m so excited to see what else Rutgers has in store for me.