14 Tips for the Class 2014: How to Enjoy Your Freshman Year
By The Executive Board
Well, you are all probably sick of hearing this, but we at The Student want to say, “Welcome to the Class of 2014.” Congratulations on being admitted to Amherst, and props for choosing one of the best undergraduate institutions in the country! The executive board at The Student wanted to wish the Class of 2014 well as you embark on your live-changing journey, and to aid you in your various adventures throughout your freshman year, here are a few tips (14 to be exact):

1) Read The Student. If you’re reading this, you are already following our first tip; so, good work! In all seriousness, The Student is a great resource to learn what your other fellow Amherst students are thinking about, and to find out what is happening on campus — from news to sports we’ve got you covered.

2) Sign up only for clubs you are genuinely interested in. If you sign up for too many you could get too overwhelmed with extracurriculars — not to mention it’s easy to get annoyed if you receive seven different emails from clubs you have nothing to do with.

3) Take advantage of the add/drop period. If there’s a class you’re at all interested in (whether for this semester or the future) go check it out. However, just make sure to not to shop too many.

4) Get creative at Val. The listed entrees are not your only option; we’ve got a stir fry station, panini press, waffle maker, blenders, not to mention plenty of sandwich ingredients. Feel free to experiment!

5) Go to sporting events. Your athlete classmates work their butts off and greatly appreciate the support of their peers. Not to mention the fun to be had from a rousing chorus of “Lord Jeffrey Amherst,” belted out while the Jeffs trounce another opponent.

6) Talk to your RC. Don’t be afraid to seek out advice, no matter how big or small the problem.

7) Start thinking about summer early. The first deadlines for some internships are in November, so get cracking if you don’t want to scramble for a job in May.

8) Leave campus. We know the campus is awesome, but there are so many other great things to see. Check out our spread on pages 12 and 13 for some ideas.

9) Don’t be afraid to sit by yourself at Val. People won’t think you’re weird, we swear.

10) Don’t save all your homework for Sunday night. Trust us. The libraries will get crowded on Sunday, and you don’t want to get stuck with a research paper crisis four hours before it’s due.

11) Check out the museums on campus. The Mead will pull ANY piece of artwork they have in their collection for you, and the Natural History Museum has some sweet rocks. Seriously.

12) Talk to people in your classes the first day. It’s a great way to meet new people who share your interests.

13) Office hours. Especially if it’s a big class, it’s a good idea to introduce yourself personally to your professor. And professors can’t help students who don’t talk to them.

14) Start essays early. Spend a little less time playing video games now and you’ll have much less stress later.

14.5) Join The Student.

14.9) Williams sucks.

Issue 01, Submitted 2010-09-20 20:16:01