Being a first-year isn’t as atrocious as the upperclassmen make it seem. Here are some little things I wish I knew as a first-year that would have made my first few weeks at Dickinson a lot easier:
Go to the gym.
Dickinson has one of the best fitness centers among all liberal arts colleges. Take advantage of it!
Don’t be afraid to have some me-time.
Find an afternoon, sit in one of those comfy circular couches in HUB underground and pick up a book. College is a time to meet people who can challenge you, but sometimes the person who can surprise you the most is yourself.
There are places to study other than the library.
Especially during midterms and finals season, give yourself a break from the extra stress of trying to find a seat in the library. Personally, I love studying for finals at the Trout Gallery. Althouse and Kaufman have some pretty nice classrooms fully equipped with projectors and computers. Studying outside during the breathtakingly beautiful Carlisle fall is also one of the best way to relax before an assessment.
Do laundry on a weekday.
My friends still judge me for doing my laundry on random weekdays. But hey, I rarely need to fight people over dryers. There is no feeling worse than holding your freshly washed clothes and deciding whether you should just continue holding your clothes and sit next to an almost-finished dryer in silence, or leave your drippy clothes in the room and come back.