1. They'll be wearing a lanyard around their neck.
Freshmen year, the first two things you have to keep track of are your room key and your ID card -- two very important items that cannot be lost. That being said, no one tells you that you shouldn't display these items around your neck on a lanyard for the whole student body to see. It seems easy and maybe even "cool" at the time, but if you see someone wandering around campus sporting this look, you'll know they are a freshman.
2. They'll be wearing an orientation shirt.
Along with your key and ID, upon checking into your freshmen dorm you definitely received a bright red shirt that had some type of writing on it that told the whole world you were a freshman. You and all your new friends got one, so why not all put them on and take pictures? Well, because walking around campus wearing this shirt made it pretty easy to pick you out from the crowd. Freshmen coming through!
3. They'll be walking around staring at their phone.
There's two reasons freshmen tend to do this. For one, they don't really know anyone yet. Walking through huge and unfamiliar crowds can be a little nerve racking, so staring down at your phone and pretending to be looking at something interesting definitely makes it easier. Second, a freshman definitely has their eyes glued to their phone because they're trying to figure out where their classes are. We're all guilty of screenshotting our schedules and freaking out while trying to remember what building and room to go to as freshmen.
4. They'll be carrying too many books.
Whether it be carrying an overstuffed backpack or just a pile of notebooks and textbooks, freshmen are definitely guilty of this. It's because they don't know any better, they think that for every class they have they need to come overly prepared when in reality that's not the case. You really don't need to bring your textbook to every single class, all you need is a pen and paper. Freshmen learn this the hard way.
5. They'll come up to you and ask you where something is.
It's happened to us all. We'll be walking to class the first week of school and some poor freshman has no choice but to awkwardly approach you and ask you where such and such building is. All we can do is smile and help them out, and tell them it gets easier -- because it does!
