Now that you’ve arrived on campus, everything may seem more than a little overwhelming… There are so many things to do, getting used to college classes is seriously stressful, and making new friends is both exciting and scary. While you may have gotten a ton of information about your classes, your new dorm building, and even about Georgetown itself, we decided that a “Welcome to Georgetown” guide could be useful for the incoming class. So to the Class of 2017, here are 17 “insider” tips that will hopefully help you out during your first weeks here on the Hilltop.
1. Almost everything has student discounts: Chipotle and Tacklebox do free drinks, Qdoba does 10% off on Tuesdays, Madewell and J.Crew have 15% off, West Elm does 10% off, etc. Make sure to bring your GoCard as proof and don’t be afraid to ask stores if they have deals.
2. If you want to go somewhere fun for dinner try Los Cuates on Wisconsin or Surfside (behind the hospital). Mai Thai has some seriously delicious Thai food, and on your birthday you get a free meal. This tip may be obvious, for a classic Georgetown dinner, try Clydes or Tombs. (Get the Artichoke and Crab dip, it’s amazing…)
3. While the Chicken Madness is the signature dish at Wisey’s, the Hot Chick is just as good… (Or in my opinion, better.)
4. When studying at Lau, be careful of the big tables on Lau 2 (unless you’re doing a group project) if you need to seriously study, because that floor can get crazy noisy. Check out Lau 3, 4, and 5 for quite study areas. Now, if you’re pulling an all nighter on a Thursday, remember that Midnight Mug closes earlier than usual. (Sunday through Wednesday they’re open until 2 though!)
5. For the MSB, get there super early if you want a booth since they literally are always taken. Also, if you have a friend who’s in the MSB try to hit them up and book a breakout room when you can.
6. Find a friend in your class. It may seem scary if you don’t know anyone, but it’s worth it. It’s great to have someone to help you out if you need a study partner or if you’ve missed class.
7. If a class has a ton of older students and the amount of work freaks you out, try to stay calm! You may consider dropping it, but wait it out and talk to the professor, it will make a serious difference in the long run. (I didn’t and I still regret it!)
8. Don’t try to stretch yourself too thin with clubs and activities. Do what really interests you. Being involved in a few things that you really love is better than barely participating in a lot of things.
9. Be ready to experiment at Leo’s and try your best to avoid the rush hour period (12:30 lunch and 6:15 dinner). Also, breakfast at Leo’s is seriously underrated. Go on Saturday and Sunday mornings with your friends and recap last night’s escapades.
10. Make an effort to explore the Canal and Waterfront. The Canal is slightly hidden plus it’s a really nice place to run, and the Waterfront has restaurants, the movie theater (technically), and beautiful views of the Potomac. (If you make your way down there after a night out, the fountains may or may not be seriously fun to run through.)
11. Baked + Wired is the BEST cupcake place in the Georgetown area. (Try some of the other baked goods and drinks, they’re amazing!) Georgetown Cupcake isn’t as overrated as many think (check their twitter for a daily secret cupcake), but the line is not fun to wait on. Sprinkles, my second favorite cupcake place, does free cupcakes every once in a while, so make sure to like them on Facebook. (If you get an A on a test or paper, bring it to Sprinkles on Tuesdays and you’ll get a free cupcake!)
12. If there’s ever a time you want a quiet night in and don’t want to spend money, the ICC sometimes plays movies that haven’t been released yet.
13. Get your sleep. As much as you want to stay up all night and talk to your friends, you need it. Otherwise, the next day you will seriously regret it when you start falling asleep in class.
14. There’s honestly so much to do in DC, and sometimes it’s hard to get out of Georgetown, but I swear it’s worth it. I check this Washington Post guide all the time, since it has so much info on where to go and what to do in DC.
15. Manage your money. Things get expensive! It’s nice to be able to go out to dinner with your friends, order take out on the nights you really need it, and go on that occasional M Street shopping trip. When you start to get sick of Leo’s, it’s nice to have options!
16. Don’t forget your high school friends. When things get rough at school, it feels good to be able to talk to your friends from home. Since they’re at different schools they are having different college experiences than you, and most of the time that can help.
17. Going to college is a huge adjustment and being homesick is totally natural. Even if people say they aren’t, there’s still a part of them that misses Mom’s cooking, Dad’s “wise words”, your siblings’ antics, and the beloved family pet. I’m a junior and there are still moments when I miss home, but as the year goes on and you become settled you’ll feel a lot more comfortable!