Last year around this time, I was excited but worried about starting my first year of college at Seton Hill University. It's hard to believe that it completely feels like a second home now. Even though I have always absolutely loved life up on The Hill, going to college was still an adjustment. Here are a few tips and tricks that I learned along the way that will make you feel like a total insider during your first year at Seton Hill!

1. You can turn in your extra meals at The Cove.

The Cove is an awesome, little place on campus that has a bunch of food and snacks. Chances are you will end up eating cheese sticks there at 10pm during your first semester! Another plus to The Cove: if you don't use all of your allotted meals for your meal plan every week, you can turn them in for things like chips, juice, and yogurt. Most people do this on Sunday, since your allotted meals reset every Monday morning, so The Cove is a complete madhouse then! If you want to avoid the rush, try turning them in on Saturday instead! (I'm not kidding. Any Seton Hill kid knows that the below gif accurately describes The Cove on Sundays).

2. Most of the buildings are connected.

It can be confusing when you first learn that Maura, Admin, Cannevin, and Lowe are four buildings that are all connected! When I first started at Seton Hill, I often couldn't tell where one hall stopped and the other started. There's a valuable trick though! Keep your eyes on the floor. When the pattern or type of floor changes, you have crossed into another building. I promise you'll be able to navigate the campus like a pro in a week!

3. You actually need to go to your classes.

I always read college advice articles that tell incoming students that you can do well in a class as long as you attend class for the exams and do well on them. This might be true in bigger schools, but Seton Hill is small, and most professors take attendance! There's often a penalty on your grade based on how many classes you miss. Disregard the advice of anyone who says otherwise because you really have to go to class at Seton Hill! (Plus attending class has the side affect of you learning something!)

4. Do not be afraid of your professors!!!

I repeat, do not be afraid of your professors! They are seriously all so kind and willing to help you. Seton Hill is a really small school, so you're probably going to form a really close relationship with the professors in your area of study. If you don't understand something, stop by and see them during their office hours. If you have a scheduling question or are looking for an internship, please talk to them about it! I have learned firsthand that they really want to help you, and are a lot more relatable than you think. A meeting with them usually means a casual chat over coffee rather than an intimidating interrogation!

5. Breakfast is the best meal ever on The Hill.

I'm partial to breakfast foods, but Seton Hill's breakfasts are really amazing. A classic favorite is the cinnamon swirl French toast, but you can't go wrong with the build your own waffle bar! It's totally worth getting up early for. If you aren't an early bird, then you can always catch breakfast at dinner occasionally. There's also always a midnight breakfast during finals week that nobody should ever miss!

6. Find a friend with air conditioning.

If you're living in Brownlee or Havey Hall, then you will be roasting during the first weeks of school. This is the perfect opportunity for you to mingle with some new friends who might be more fortunate. DeChantal (pronounced dish-on-tull) and Farrel (like Will Farrell) Hall both have air conditioning, and Dechantal houses some of the honors freshman. If you live in an air conditioned dorm, then make some new friends by hosting a Cards Against Humanity tournament in your suite. You'll meet new people, and everyone can avoid the heat!

7. Go to the events at the beginning of the year.

There are going to be a lot of events at Seton Hill to kick off the start of the new school year. Even though they aren't only for freshman, this is the time to get out there and enjoy the new friends and fun! The club fair is a good opportunity to get involved and find people that share your interests. The foam dance is a party on DeChantal Lawn that features a dance floor full of fireman's foam. It was definitely one of the most fun parts of my first year in college! You'll totally see me at both of these events this fall. As a bonus, a lot of the events on campus also have food, so you can't lose.

8. Learn your shuttle times.

This is especially important if you are an art or music student. All of our art and music classes are off of The Hill, down at the SHAC and the PAC, which would be quite a walk! Thankfully the school runs scheduled shuttles to these facilities. Memorize the shuttle schedules so you'll be able to find the ones that fit your schedule.

9. The White Rabbit is the cool hangout near Seton Hill.

The White Rabbit is an adorable Alice in Wonderland themed cafe in downtown Greensburg. It's absolutely beautiful and cozy, and the food there is as good as it looks. The White Rabbit is also conveniently located extremely close to the PAC! A lot of students that don't have cars on campus take the shuttles to the PAC and then walk to the cafe from there. The White Rabbit is classic favorite of most students and is sooooo much more than a coffeeshop. In addition to their fabulous lattes, they also have amazing cupcakes, biscuits, Italian soda, and tea. Seton Hill kids love to study and hang out there, so you'll probably visit it in no time!