Becoming acclimated to college, especially your freshman year, can be the tough- yet it can be the most exciting and most interesting year of college. With the fading memories of high school playing in the background, this new start can be a somewhat overwhelming experience. Luckily, you’ve chosen to go to Northeastern University, so you’re already off to a great start. Even if you’re not a freshman anymore, do you know all there is to know about Northeastern? Keep reading for 20 things every Northeastern student should know to survive and thrive in their first year and all the years to come!
News flash: global warming isn’t going to tame our winters here in Boston. Winter comes fast, and stays for what feels like forever. If you’re from the Northeast, you’ll know what to expect. If you’re from anywhere else, my advice is be prepared. Winter is coming.
Regardless of your major or what classes you have, it is good to know the various buildings we have here on campus. Several of the buildings have commonly used nicknames, so it’s helpful to know those too!
The campus is big, so if you get your bearings quickly, that will definitely help.
There is a network of tunnels underneath about half of our campus. It spans the buildings from Forsyth Street to the Library, or pretty much everything that can be considered the old campus. The West Village buildings and anything on the outskirts of campus do not have the tunnels. To find an actual map, any of the entrances to the tunnels will have a picture depicting the various tunnels and their destination.
Yes indeed! Along with the tunnels, there are many classrooms under Snell Library. They are not accessible from the elevators inside the library itself, and have a separate entrance on the side, with stairs and an elevator leading down. These classrooms are super handy if you need a quiet place to work during off hours and the library is full!
Let’s be honest, textbooks are just very expensive desk ornaments. Before you go out and spend hundreds of dollars on something you won’t even use, wait and see what the class is like and what the professor says about the textbook. If you’re lucky you won’t need one, or maybe, someone has a pdf version that they can give to you.
Steast will be your main eating location at Northeastern, unless you happen to be part of the lucky ones who get to live in IV. But, remember each place has something different to offer. Stwest has great stir fry. IV has different kinds of international foods. And Rebecca’s has great, quick food all the time.
Seriously, don’t make the same mistake as other clueless freshmen. Rebecca’s takes meal plans and often has better options than going to Steast for the 1,000th time. Also skip the line and go for a few slices of pizza or chicken fingers. No need to wait if you want a quick bite.
We have an On The Go that is in between Steast and Stwest, and it takes meal plans. It is closed on Saturdays and opens late on Sundays. But Monday through Friday it’s open almost all day. Stock-up on snacks, water, and mixers, especially if you have leftover meals. FYI: Lines get long on Friday, and meals reset on Sunday.
Sports games are a great way to get into the Northeastern spirit. There is cheering and screaming, and it is a great way to feel connected to the school. Our hockey games are really the main event (Remember we hate BU), but basketball, volleyball, and swimming are popular too. The rule of thumb: pregame hard and then be as dedicated as you can to pretending you know what’s going on.
Drinking…it’s something that all college students do, even when they shouldn’t. I must say that underage drinking is illegal and really should be avoided. But, if you do happen to drink, be aware that some RAs at Northeastern are quite strict; they can and will call the cops if they suspect anything.
ALWAYS be a better person – if you see something, say something. In terms of drinking or other drugs, NEU has a policy called Medical Amnesty, meaning, if you or someone else is in danger from any substance, as long as you (or another person) initiate calling NUPD, and the situation gets better, no one gets in trouble. Please, please take care of friends and even strangers, no one wants to find themselves in a nasty situation, especially alone.
If you happen to partake in the marijuana, just know you cannot smoke it on campus. But as long as you are not on campus while smoking it, and also do not cause any trouble when high, then you really should be more or less alright. Smoking it out of sight of anyone is probably a good idea.
When it comes to partying as a freshman, there can be a lot of options, and at times it may seem intimidating. Some basics to know are; The ratio, it’s usually 3:1 girls to guys. Guys will almost always have to pay to get in, girls are mostly free. Pregaming is implied as the cheap watered down alcohol at these parties is not a great social lubricant. Parties either happen on the Hill (Mission Hill), at MIT, BU, or really anywhere in between, it’s good to find people in the know who can help direct you.
It is important to remember that most of Boston shuts down around 10-11PM. The trains stop running after 12:30 AM, and even getting food gets super difficult after 2 AM. Parties start early, by 8 PM you should be pregamed and ready to go. Cops often start shutting things down by 12.
There is BHOP (Boston House of Pizza) and they are usually open till 12AM. Then there is UHOP (University House of Pizza) and they are usually open till 1 AM. If you are really dying for pizza and it is super late, Cappy’s Pizza has big slices and is open till 2 AM.
As a student in the city of Boston there is a lot of stuff that can be done for free, or at a discount. The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is practically right on campus and is free for Northeastern students. There are lots of other exhibits and places to visit that will give us a discount for being students (such as the aquarium, baseball tickets, duck tour, etc.). We also have activities on campus that are paid for by our student activity fee. The gyms at Marino and Squashbuster are a part of this, and RA’s and Hall Council’s always have cool events that are usually free and fun.
P.S. There is a free coffee machine in Snell for all your caffeine needs.
If you need a quick boost to your battery while eating or in a meeting, there are lockers with chargers already in them. Or there are roaming battery chargers that you can rent for a few hours for free, and if you go overtime, you might be charged.
This is a new school, new people; it’s your first year. Live free, and talk to everyone. Apps like Yik Yak, Tinder, Bumble, and other meet-up apps can help broaden your circle of friends and even lovers. Just remember to have fun, be safe, and always be cautious if meeting an online stranger!
There are free condoms at UHCS (University Health and Counseling Services). It is usually better to buy a brand you prefer and trust; but just remember there is almost always a filled bowl of condoms in the health center located at the Forsyth building. Better to be safe than sorry!
For most of us this is our first time really away from home. There are new experiences everywhere at Northeastern, and there is just an overwhelming amount to do and to learn. It is going to be hard; this is college after all. You will get home sick, and tired, and burnt out. But you will find freedom and adulthood, and love, and all kinds of crazy fun. If you are prepared, and stay smart and cautious when you need to be, everything will work out fine. To every freshman Northeastern student out there, welcome home!
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