If you are an incoming freshman, you have a lot to worry about. You have packing, class schedules, roommate selections, and those annoying “Think About It” lessons you have to do. But the thing that probably stays on your mind all the time is who you are going to end up being friends with.
I can’t promise you friends or say that you will have the same ones forever. However, I can promise that if you become friends with four people in particular, your freshman year will be so much better.
One of the very first people you meet in college is the man or woman from Fix It who comes to help clean and maintain the dorm. BE NICE TO THEM. Seriously, they can become the most useful people at many points during your freshman year. These amazing people are the ones that keep your living space clean. They also are the ones who clean up the vomit on the floor of a typical freshman dorm on a Friday night. So don’t make them mad, or they will let it sit there and smell outside of your door. Become friends with "Fix It" real fast, and if there is ever an issue, they will be more than willing to come help you out if they have a good relationship with you and your floor.
The next person you should absolutely become friends with is the person who swipes your meal card. It sounds strange, but they can give you the ins and outs of the dining hall if you are close with them. Get on a first name basis with them, and they will remember you and treat you well. They will even tell you about the best places and restaurants to go in the area because trust me, you’re going to want to get a break from dining hall food. If you have a good relationship with them, they will tell you where all the good food is hidden on specific nights.
I can only talk from experience here, but living in a freshman dorm can get a little out of control. When it comes down to the “disciplinary” stuff, the person you have to meet with isn’t your RA. No no, it is the RD (resident director). If you get sent to them, or have a floor meeting (or six) with them, you are not in good shape. So try to avoid unwanted meetings with them at all cost. However, if you are super nice, say hello all the time, and even show up to a few of those dorm events, you will probably stay off the RD’s bad list.
The final person you should become friends with is a DPS officer. DPS is not the police. They are peace officers and don’t want to get you in trouble because they are there to help. Every now and then they will come up to your dorm and just do a walk around. Don’t freak out. Try and talk to them. Establishing a relationship with them can help you out in the future. On those nights that you couldn’t find your friends after a party, DPS will be the ones who get you home safely without problems. They might even bring you donuts late at night while you're studying in the library. Plus, they always have funny stories about their days in college.
Of course making friends with other students is the most important thing. But keep these four people in the back of your mind while you go about your days as a freshman. They can really prove to be useful friends.
