Starting college is always a tough time, no matter what school you go to. Whether it’s a mean roommate, gross dining hall food, or just homesickness, every freshman goes through some hard times their first year. If you happen to be a SUNY Geneseo freshman, then hopefully these tips will give you some good pointers for your new journey into college living.
All Geneseo students know the pain of trudging up Cardiac Hill to their classes every morning. You’ll be so much better off by wearing some good walking shoes rather that cute pair of sandals you love. This is especially true if you live in the South village, where it’s an even longer walk to the academic buildings.
While Geneseo’s winters might not be the harshest ones around, what they lack in snow, they most definitely make up in wind. The walk over from the South village is aptly named the Wind Tunnel for this exact reason, so a good jacket will be a life-saver once winter hits.
Trust me, I know it’s tempting to swing by for a latte every time you’re in the Union, but you will definitely regret it once the end of the semester hits and you’re living strictly off of ramen and coffee from Max Market.
Just go to them, even the ones that sound lame. These initial events are where you’ll start to meet some of your class mates, make some friends, and even if you don’t want to participate, you’ll still have a lot of fun watching the insanity around you.
This may not be necessary later in the semester, but at least for the first couple of weeks, this is one of the best way to meet your hallmates and make friends with very little effort or anxiety on your part. It’s a very quick and chill way to meet people in your dorm even if you don’t want to be the one wandering into other people’s dorms.
I don’t know about you, but for me it’s almost impossible to study in my dorm because of all the distractions around me, whether it’s snacks in the fridge, Netflix, or online shopping, I just can’t seem to focus. Because of this, I usually like to study in the common area of my floor or in the library. Whatever spot works for you, stick to it and will become a little safe haven for you. Some good spots I recommend are the college green, the gazebo, and the top floor of library.
This doesn’t necessarily mean going home. Geneseo always has a ton of opportunities for students to go out and explore, whether it be cheap concert tickets, day trips, or just shuttles to
Rochester, there’s always something available for you to do off campus.
This may sounds odd but it’s always best to have at least a couple out of season clothes, especially in the first couple months. In the past two weeks the whether has switched from 90° to 50° and everywhere in between, so it’s best just to be ready.
Building on my last point, the weather here can change pretty quickly. When it gets hot here, it gets HOT, and the same for cold. Because of this (and the lack of central heating or AC in dorms), it’s best to get a couple different fans to cool your dorm down with, as well as a couple throw blankets to snuggle up with when it gets cold.
The SIs (Student Instructors) are only there to help you, so going to their review sessions can never hurt. I know that they’re sometimes held at inconvenient times, but it’s always worth it to go to them if you need any help with your classes or just some extra review.
As tempting as it is to not have to walk uphill at 8 in the morning and just sleep in, it’s extremely important to go to class. Even if your professor doesn’t actually take attendance you’re still hurting your grade by not getting the extra help the lecture provides.
Whether you want to study out to just hang out, going to your hall’s common is always a good idea. There’s usually other people already out there looking to do the same thing. It’s a great way to make friends with people in your dorm as well as a make a study group or sometimes, even make friends with people from outside your residence hall.
Your professors are such good resources whether you just have a question on the homework or need some extra help studying. Many of them are really cool people with interesting stories and knowing a professor well enough to have them as a reference on a resume can never hurt.
As a freshman, many of your classes are going to be gen-ed requirements that are taught in a large lecture hall with at least 100 students. These classes are designed to be hard to get you in the college mindset and some of the more major-focused ones are made to “weed out” some students from the major (especially true for Biology). While this might sound scary, in truth, it just means you’re going to have to change your study habits. Memorization alone will no longer get you by, and that first test will show you that. Don’t worry if you got a bad grade, that only means that you have room for improvement and a chance to figure out what went wrong and how to do better the next time around.
Freshman year is a whirlwind of new people and experiences. It can be overwhelming and not having that immediate best friend to go to when times are tough is hard. Just know that you will find your group at some point, whether it be next week or two months from now. Find people that you feel comfortable with and make an effort if you can see a friendship with them in the future.
One of Geneseo’s trademarks is its sunsets and the prime viewing point is from the Gazebo because it overlooks the entire Genesee valley. If you can catch it on a good day, it’s one of the most beautiful sights you’ll ever see.
Move-in weekend is definitely stressful and if you’re anything like me, after saying goodbye to your family, you just want to curl up into a ball for the rest of the weekend. However, this first weekend is the prime time to meet new people and get to know the campus. With all the events that go on it’s hard to find some time to yourself, but if you get the chance, it’s a wise idea to find your way around campus to your classes. While doing this, it’s also a good idea to time how long it takes to get from your dorm to the class, as you don’t want to be late on your first day. This will make that first day much less nerve-wracking and help you get into the swing of college classes.
Personally, I rented the microfridge unit (a minifridge, freezer, and microwave), but any minifridge will work great. Trust me when I say that the dining hall food gets old really quickly. It’s hard to not get bored eating the same sandwiches and pasta from downstairs MJ everyday, so to have your own food handy is a lifesaver. Because of Geneseo’s shuttles, it’s also very easy to go grocery shopping at Walmart or Wegmans. Having fresh produce (or even just snacks) in your dorm helps ease some of the repetitiveness from your diet and helps stretch that meal plan out a little longer.
Being such a short distance from the college, Main street is a great place to explore after class or on the weekends. While the bulk of it is made of restaurants, there are some other really cool stores, as well. Most of the shops are catered toward college students , so it’s easy to find something that will interest you. There’s also multiple events held throughout the year on Main street and a farmer’s market available most weeks. Even if you’re not in the mood to shop or eat, it’s nice to take a stroll down, get away from the college for a little bit, and take in some of the small-town sights.
Your first year is such a special and exciting time. You’re in a new place with new people and trying to find your place in the middle of all of it. Take advantage of all the events that are put on, talk to people there, they’re just as new and confused as you are. Do things on your own. It can be scary going to Main street, or even the dining hall by yourself, it may feel weird not being with a group of people but it’s so beneficial to venture out on your own sometimes.
College is a great time to learn about who you are as a person, and it can be hard to do that when your always surrounded by people. The opposite can also be true too, it should be a time where you start putting yourself out there, meeting new people and trying to find your niche. Whatever you decide to do, just remember to take full advantage of that freshman year because it’ll be over before you know it!
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