A little over a week ago I moved about three hours away from home to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to begin my college journey at Middle Tennessee State University. Coming into my freshman year, I didn’t really know what to expect as far as life on campus here, especially being a few hours from home. Obviously I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve come to realize that MTSU definitely has some cool advantages. Here are just a few of the things I’ve learned in my short time here.

First of all, Murfreesboro is a great location. Definitely take advantage of the short commute to Nashville. Whether you want to go hang out downtown for the evening or maybe splurge on the weekend and go to a concert, you’re in the perfect place for it and you will always have plenty of options. Not to mention you’re right in the middle of the state, so you’re only about a three hour drive to cities like Memphis, Knoxville and Atlanta.

You may not want to, but go to the Connection Point events MTSU has to offer. Even if you don’t attend all of them, going to a few is a great way to meet new people on campus, especially if you’re a freshman. Not to mention they are usually giving away free stuff, and everyone loves free stuff. And let’s not forget about the best part; the buttons. There’s nothing like going to a new event and getting a new button to add to the collection.

Once classes begin, you will quickly realize that MTSU’s campus is much larger than you originally anticipated. At some point during your trek to each class on the first few days you will more than likely find yourself in places that you’ve never even seen before. It will wear you out, but at least you’re getting some good exercise walking across campus. Also, don’t even try to figure out Peck Hall because even when you think you have it figured out you end up lost and confused.

If you have some down time between classes, you can always find a good hangout spot somewhere around campus. Whether you set up your eno under the trees in the grove or grab some Starbucks and find a quiet spot in the library, there’s always somewhere to go when you have time to kill.

While I haven’t been at MTSU for too long and I still have a lot to figure out, I know that I made the right decision by coming to this school. It’s a great university located in the heart of Tennessee with top rated programs for nearly every major. You can’t go wrong with a school as good as this one, and I’m proud to be true blue.