Dear Future Hokies, Here’s a Few Things You’ll Need to Know:
1. You’ll want to buy the VT lanyard that holds your Hokie Passport: just don’t.
This is one of the many things that will make it extremely obvious that you’re a first-semester freshman. While it isn’t the end of the world to be pinpointed as a freshman, your first weeks at Tech will certainly be easier if you blend in. I am speaking from personal experience here; no one ever told me to look the other way when I saw any type of lanyard. So I’m telling you now: just don’t even think about it. On top of the lanyard, some other things that make it painfully obvious that you’re a freshman include: looking both ways while crossing the drillfield, walking to parties in a pack of one hundred or more people (you’ll find this out when everyone yells “FRESHMAN” at you out of their car windows), and lastly, wearing the “What’s A Hokie?” shirt you recieved at orientation.
2. You will definitely get lost on your first day.
On a campus that is over 2600 acres, this is just inevitable. I remember thinking to myself after walking around for an hour just to find the on campus bookstore, “Why did I ever choose a school this big? I can’t do it; I’m never going to figure out this campus.” I was on the verge of a breakdown the entire day because I couldn’t find anything. But don’t worry, future Hokies, you will figure it out within a month. It’s not as complicated as it seems.
3. Go to Gobblerfest!
I’m sure you have already heard this a thousand times, but it’s important. Gobblerfest is where you’ll get to visit booths from hundreds of different clubs and organizations on campus. Even if you have no interest at all in clubs, you should still go and snag all of the free stuff the booths hand out!
4. Blacksburg weather is crazy, but you’ll learn to adapt to it.
It could be sunny and warm one minute and then torrential down pouring the next, so always carry an umbrella and a rain jacket. The winters in Blacksburg are harsh, so if you don’t have a parka, buy one. It might sound awful now, but you will definitely get used to it and you might even learn to love it.
5. If you’re not a football fan already, you will be soon.
I can honestly say jumping to “Enter Sandman” for your first time at a Virginia Tech football game is one of the most exhilarating things you’ll do. It’s like this rush that takes over the entire stadium and it’s amazing. You just have to experience it, even if you hate football. Before you know it, you’ll be counting down the days to football season. “Enter Sandman” will become your favorite song and you’ll be picking out your outfits based on if they’re the correct shade of maroon and orange so you can wear them to a football game.
6. VT Dining is actually all that it’s hyped up to be.
You hear it all the time: Virginia Tech is number one in the nation for campus food! It took me until the end of my freshman year to get my parents to eat on campus with me at West End Market and when they finally did, they loved it so much that they got not only one meal, but two (a little bit ridiculous, but worth it). Yeah, it’s pretty much impossible to not gain a few pounds freshman year when you go to a school like this.
7. McComas is probably the best gym you’ll ever go to, so use it!
Don’t worry about those few extra pounds you gain because Virginia Tech also has the most amazing gym to work them off! This may be the biggest and nicest gym you’ll ever have access to, so use it while you can! If you can, go in the morning because it gets super crowded around 5pm. If you’re really into fitness, look into purchasing the Group Fitness pass that gets you access to all of the awesome classes like Body Pump, Cycling, Yoga and HIIT, which are also located in McComas.
8. Find a place that you love to study.
Don’t be afraid to venture out of your dorm to study! There are so many great places on campus that are designed to create a productive atmosphere for studying, so why stay in your boring old dorm? There is the library, which has a ton of seats. I like to switch it up and study in Torgersen Bridge or Deets. All of these places can get crowded at certain times, so it’s good to have a backup.
9. You’ll always have something to do.
Virginia Tech holds a ton of awesome events throughout the year. Some of my favorites are Relay for Life (Virginia Tech holds the largest collegiate Relay in the world), the Big Event, concerts from a variety artists, and of course the sporting events. There are also so many things to do in surrounding areas like having lunch at The Homeplace in Catawba or hiking the Cascades, McAfee Knob or Dragon’s Tooth trails.
And last, but certainly not least:
10. You’ve just made one of the best decisions of your life.
Virginia Tech has honestly changed my life and made me a better person. It might sound silly, but I am so grateful to get to spend my collegiate years at such a wonderful place. I’ve met some of the most amazing people and learned so many new things and I owe it all to this school. I am only a sophomore and still have a solid two years or more studying here, but as I sit here and write this, all I think about is how I never want to leave this place. I never thought I could love a school this much, but here I am. I’ll predict that within a year or two you’ll feel the same way, future Hokie. Your four years here will fly by and soon you’ll be scheming trying to figure out how you can possibly stay just one more year. Enjoy every moment because you’re about to have the time of your life!