Becoming one hundred percent familiar with a college campus takes time and effort. However, you can speed up the process with some helpful tips on how to survive your first year at Hamline. Here are my top tips that will help you navigate campus:
Learn the building lingo:
Compared to other universities, Hamline has a very small campus. Most of the building names will be easy to remember, but distinguishing between them when you hear abbreviations can be tough. You’ll learn that there are three Drews: Drew Science Center, Drew Fine Arts and Drew residence hall. Most students and professors call Giddens Learning Center just “GLC,” and the library is just referred to as the “library,” not Bush Memorial Library.
Learn the food lingo:
It’s called the “C-Store.” I’ve heard only two people call it Leo’s Corner since I’ve been a student at Hamline. If you eat at Bishop’s Bistro, most people just call it “eating at Ando.” Meals and DB on your account are both great to have, but you’ll find out soon enough which one you are going to run out of faster. Don’t forget you have the option of eating in the cafeteria, the Grill, Starbucks, the C-Store, or Subway with your meal plan. There are also many great options just off campus for food.
Photo by Anna Heckmann. The Starbucks on campus is a popular location for both students and staff.
Time how long your walks are:
For the most part, it will take you around 10 minutes to get somewhere on campus (assuming that you start also on campus). It may be helpful to measure how long it takes you to get from place to place, so that you can start to plan when to leave meetings, when to get out of bed in the morning and how to enter a class exactly when you want to.
Join an organization:
Yes, joining an org is good for your social life, your education and your resume, but it’s also a great way to learn more about campus. There’s a strong possibility that an org you are part of meets in a building or setting that is new to you. Orgs allow you to explore areas that you might not normally in your daily schedule.
Explore all of the paths around campus:
There are several ways to get to each building! One of my favorite paths is through the blue garden by the library. There are stepping stones and a fountain, so it’s very peaceful if you’re looking for a midday retreat.
Learn the landmarks:
Almost right away you will hear people mention certain landmarks around campus as indicators for where to meet. Trust me, you will learn them, but for now you should know a few basics: the “Bishop” is the metal statue of a man on Hewitt Avenue, the “quad” is the green space between the heights and the “star” is composed of the geometric benches and lights positioned in the grass in front of Anderson.
Photo by Anna Heckmann. The Bishop statue stands tall in front of the Klas building.
Get to know the important offices on campus:
There are so many great resources on campus that you should become familiar with. There’s the Writing Center, Academic Advising and IT in the library, Payroll and Health Services in the basement of Manor and Student Accounts/Financial Aid/Registration in East Hall and Res Life in West Hall. All of these offices are always there to help you succeed, so take some time to visit each one!
When in doubt, it’s completely okay to ask someone for help. If you’re lost or confused, loads of upperclassmen, staff and professors are there to assist you. You got this!