Looking for ways to breeze through freshman year? From the best dining halls, to using Ventra when you need to get around the city. Keep reading for 50 life saving tips for Freshmen at Loyola University Chicago!
The dining halls get old after awhile. Learn how to make new things there, such as putting salad ingredients in your scrambled eggs.
Get in a good routine early on, such as when you’re going to study, eat, sleep, relax, etc. It’ll help you stay a little organized and on track.
If you didn’t come from the city or suburbs and don’t know how to use the trains, learn! You get a Ventra, so you might as well learn how to navigate the L system.
Keep excess clutter to a minimum, or at least clean regularly. You won’t feel as stressed out, you won’t lose things, and you won’t trip over a shoe when you get up to pee at 4am.
You are going to be living with them for a full year, unless they transfer. Don’t live with a complete stranger! Get to know their likes and dislikes and how they work. You might have a lot in common, or you might have nothing.
There’s plenty of clubs to grab your interest! Plus you’ll meet some amazing people through it, and you might get some free food.
It’s required for Univ, but it’s also very useful. Make sure you know what classes you need and what core you don’t have to take, due to your major(s).
You can go for anything from illness to counseling. It’s helpful and it’s there for you.
It’s easy to get carried away ordering Insomnia or online shopping. Set up a budget so you don’t blow all of your money in the first few months of school.
Get to know your professors! Or, if you do need help in the class, go to get help! Office hours are for a reason and it helps if they see that you are really trying in their class.
It’s helpful when you try to plan your classes for second semester and are trying to figure out if you’ll be able to run from the 7th floor of Mundelien to Dumbach. Also, if someone is here for a visit and asks you how they can get to Sullivan, you’ll seem like a Real College Student.
Halas! It’s there! Avoid the Freshman 15! Take fun classes! Also, it’s a great way to relieve stress!
The weather may be warm, but the lake breeze makes it chilly. Invest in a nice fall coat.
Especially if you aren’t used to the Chicago winter. Stay warm!
It’s a pretty campus. Plus, you’ll be able to find the quickest routes to classes and you won’t get lost.
They tend to fill up. By booking them in advance, you’ll know you definitely have a study space.
I’m in the Leadership learning community and it was a great decision. You’re forced to interact with them at the beginning of the year, but you end up becoming really great friends. Plus, you get to live with people that you already know and are kind of close with and can get closer to.
Your RA might be cool, or have the same major as you, or just be a nice person. For the year they’re somewhat in charge of you, so it’s helpful to know them.
That way they don’t sneak up on you. Plus, you’ll be able to see ahead of time if you have two papers due in the same week or tests in all of your classes on Thursday.
Banquets, nice outings, etc. It’s helpful to have something other than jeans and sweaters.
College is about new experiences. Be open to what people introduce you to.
Time goes pretty fast and soon it’s finals. It’s a great way to document your time, what you did, what you looked forward to.
Or else you’ll be out of clean underwear one day and the laundry machines will be down. Then you’ll be in a pickle.
Wash dishes as soon as possible, or at least empty/rinse out whatever it is. It could grow mold or attract bugs in your room.
I like to have one for WTC classes and one for Lakeshore classes.
If you wear makeup. I usually spend time on mine, but if you wake up late and like to wear makeup, have a simple routine that is foolproof.
Take care of yourself! Use a face mask, watch your favorite movie, eat your favorite food. Do something to keep your mental health decent.
It’s easy to lose track of different club meetings or assignments. By keeping them in a planner, you’ll be able to see what you have to do.
Or else you’ll have to buy a 24 hour pass until you can locate yours. Keep it in a wallet or bag, not in your back pocket.
There are a ton of water bottle fill up stations located around campus. I say two or three because, chances are, you will forget one in class one day and you’ll be very thirsty until you get a new one.
You’ll get emailed about events on campus, when you have something at the mailroom, or about class cancellations/changes. Or, if you’re like me and love online shopping, emails about makeup on sale.
Free Events=Free Food/other items. Go to them. Plus, there’s usually a good, free movie in the Damen Cinema. Plus, free popcorn.
I ended up in Mertz, even though that was the last dorm on my list. I ended up loving it! You get used to whichever dorm you live in and see the perks of it.
When you have time, go see what Chicago has to offer, which is a lot. Go to different neighborhoods and explore.
You could be slipping behind and not even know it until you get that email during midterms saying that you’re failing. Don’t let it surprise you.
Nobody expects you to know exactly how things are done as a freshmen. Professors know that you are still getting used to college and how things work so don’t be afraid.
Go if you need to study. Or need a quiet place. Basically, go whenever you want. It’s going to be open.
Don’t let things escalate! Be open with issues!
Your roommate might accidentally be triggering something and it’s not going to get better unless you bring it up.
Most people don’t want to go random, and a lot of people talk to several people about rooming. If you find someone you’re compatible with, ask them about rooming. Although, random isn’t as bad as most people say.
Sometimes you’ll be so busy, you’ll forget to eat. Then it’ll be 11:30pm and you’ll be hungry but the dining halls are closed. Or you’ll be in the middle of a paper or a Netflix binge and you won’t want to get up to go to the dining halls.
Lifesaver for when you don’t want to spend a lot or want something other than dining hall food.
It’s easy to keep spending Rambler Bucks because it doesn’t feel like real money. But you won’t want to find out that you’re broke at 8am after an all-nighter and before your 8:30, trying to get coffee.
You’ll save a lot on buying coffee/tea/hot chocolate. Plus, you can get Insta-worthy study pics of cute mugs and notes.
If you are going to be sharing a living space, it’s just nice to know your neighbors.
Maybe your roommate isn’t interested in hitting up Second City, but the person three doors down is. That way you’ll have someone to go with and have a friend.
They can help you if you’re having general college problems or have questions. Plus they might be or know someone with the same major as you that you can buy books off of or can answer questions.
You’ll think that you did it in high school, you can do it now. You can’t. You might stay up until 4am to write a paper you forgot about and when your alarm goes off at 7, you’ll turn it off.
Whether it’s a motivational quote, or a picture, or someone that inspires you. When you’re questioning why you’re even in college or why you’re doing what you want to do, it’ll remind you.
This might sound cliche, but it’s true. It’s basically a fresh start. Unless someone from your high school came to LUC, nobody here knows you. You can be whoever you want to be.
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