Let’s face it. College is intimidating. Freshman year is unique because you’re not quite an adult but still not quite a child. I remember last year I was completely clueless and nervous in every aspect of college. How can I stay healthy? What happens if I don’t know where class is? Are people in the grades above me intimidating like they were in high school? We decided it would be best to give the most recent class some tips on how to survive at Drexel.
1. Download Drexelone App Drexel’s campus can be really confusion, especially during the first few weeks of class. The Drexel One app will save your life. It has all the information that you’ll need, whether it be what building are where, what food establishments are open, and how many meal swipes you have left for the term.
2. Get a good quality winter jacket and boots Even though Philadelphia may be more warm compared to more northern schools, our winters are still ridiculously cold. Drexel feels like a wind tunnel during the colder months and at times it may feel unbearable. Having a good winter jacket will keep you as comfortable as you can feel with 20 MPH winds going towards you during your commute to class. In addition to the winds there is always ice that’ll be on the sidewalk. You won’t be able to go a year without falling unless you have a good pair of winter boots. Avoid the falls and get some boots.
3. Hack the meal plan The freshman 15 is one of the most intimidating parts of college that almost everybody fears. Drexel‘s dining halls have increasingly gotten better in the last year so it’s easy to make healthy substitutes. The best advice I can give you is to go to the Hans in between the lunch and dinner shifts because there are less unhealthy options available as the prepare for dinner. Going to Northside for groceries will save you a ton of money because groceries in Philadelphia are super expensive.
4. Take advantage of free gym classes For the first quarter at Drexel I didn’t take note of how many fitness classes Drexel offers. My biggest regret is that I didn’t explore the DAC and see what there was. This will be the only time of your life that you’ll have an unlimited amount of fitness classes and a free gym membership, so take advantage of it.
5. Get involved We all know that Drexel is a school where we pride ourselves in how driven our students are, but like any school, it may be hard to find a good group of friends. Freshman year is the perfect time to get involved and start fresh. Nothing bad can happen from putting yourself out there to branch out from your major.
Whatever you do this year, enjoy it. Freshman year is one of the most memorable that you’ll have. As mentioned, you’ll never be this much of an adult and child at the time, so take advantage of it.