This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WM chapter.
We are approaching the first weekend of the school year. You’ve made a few friends, and you all want to go out. Because you are young and innocent freshmen, the only parties you know about are the massive public Facebook events that are popping up everywhere. “OMG frat guys and dancing?” It’s a whole new world for you! But from personal experience, there are a few things you should know before you attend these infamous freshman magnets.
- Have a buddy. Whether it’s your roommate, or someone you connected with instantly on your hall. Don’t leave each other. My first night out, I was in a group of friends, but they each had their roommates with them. Unfortunately, I was left behind. It was terrifying. Luckily, I found a few familiar faces, and made it back home by 11:30. Late night…
- If you have curly hair, do not attempt to straighten it. It is still August. This is Williamsburg. Straightening that curly mess will not result in you looking cute the whole night. The second you step foot out of your dorm with your freshmen posse, moisture will find your perfectly flat-ironed hair and ruin it.
- If you dress to theme, make sure you end up at that party. Or if you go elsewhere, make sure you can change your outfit, so it’s more…socially acceptable? For instance, the first week of freshmen year, some of my hall mates and I decided we should make an effort to meet new people and attend the Jersey Shore party. We riled through our clothes to attempt to look like Snooki, and yes, we put big bumps right on top of our ignorant heads. I even put on some heels (horrible idea for the brick paths of William & Mary). Long story short, we didn’t make it to the Shore. We ended up at some off-campus house. I was utterly mortified. All these upperclassmen were in cute, college appropriate clothes. And there we stood, looking like Deena, J-Woww, and Sammi.
- Relax; these parties are not all that makes up the social scene at William & Mary. If you plan on being a part of Greek life or other on-campus clubs, the mixers, date parties, and formals are much smaller. Don’t worry, you will not always be stuck on a sweaty dance floor surrounded by 200 perspiring people grinding and making out with each other (unless that’s your kind of scene).
- Finally, be safe and know your limits.We do attend a school with a relatively safe campus, but in your first few weeks, you aren’t going to know most people, so there won’t be someone always looking out for you. The beginning of the fall semester is a fun time, however you should remember, there are 4 more years to look forward to, and you don’t want to harm yourself in anyway, physically or socially.