20 Things No One Tells You About Freshman Year At the SUNY Oneonta
1. Leaving your door open will work miracles.
We all like to have our privacy, and having the door closed is an obvious way to do so. But the way to meet people in your hall is to leave it open. The first couple of weeks will be full of finding new people, which is always hard. But leaving your door open and popping your head into other people’s rooms when they do the same is the best way to make new acquaintances, get to know more people in your residence hall, and even make some new friends.
2. You won’t find your people right away, but they’re here.
Making all new friends can be really hard for a lot of people. You’re likely to stick to your roommate or the people in your hall the first few weeks, and that may work out great. But you shouldn’t feel bad if they don’t click with you right away. You’re gonna have a lot of acquaintances in college the first few weeks, but don’t give up on finding your core friends- and it’s especially important to not change yourself in order to fit into a certain friend group. Your people are around, you just need to be patient and keep an eye out for them when they arrive.
3. You don’t have to be BFFs with your roommate.
There’s this preconceived notion that one has to be best friends with their freshman year roommate. That’s why so many people don’t go random- if they pick someone they like, then you’ll get along great and everyone can live happily ever after. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out. Some people are just not meant to get along. So don’t force the friendship. If you don’t get along, that’s okay. You each can find your own people. That being said, it’s still important to respect one another and be civil. So try to avoid drama, passive aggressive comments, and straight up arguments. It will make life easier for both people involved.
4. Buying a heavy coat is imperative to your survival.
This point cannot be stressed enough. Upstate NY is hellish in the winter. Your wimpy Northface or cute Patagonia isn’t going to keep you warm enough. Invest in a good down coat, definitely one that covers your butt so you’re warmer. A good coat can range from $70 to $150, so some are reluctant to make this type of investment. But you have to remember it will be used for all four years you’re at Oneonta, and when it’s 4 degrees Fahrenheit, blizzarding, and winds are blowing at your face at 30 mph, you’ll be thankful you splurged on it.
5. No, you won’t actually wear all the shoes you bring with you on move-in day.
Most people have this habit of overpacking for vacation, and the same goes for when you move in. All those cute pumps? You won’t see them again until move out. You can buy all the nice outfits you want, it’s guaranteed that unless your classes don’t start until 12:30, you’ll be rockin’ the yoga pants and t-shirt look every day. By week two, no one puts effort into what they wear or look like, because quite frankly, no one really cares how they look, or what other people think of them, (I know, a total 180 flip from high school!). Save your money and closet space, leave the 5-inch heels and sundresses at home, you most likely won’t need them while you’re at school.
6. Morning classes will probably kill you.
Getting up at 8 am in high school probably sounded like a dream come true, considering you had to get up around 6 every day. But in college, 8 am classes may as well be at 5 am. They’re rough, so if you can help it, don’t start your day until at least 9 or 10. Getting all your classes done in the morning may sound good in theory, but when you put it into practice, it’s a living hell, and you may end up skipping a lot more than you (or your professor) would like.
7. Your sleep schedule is going to be off, probably for the next four years.
College is funny because even though you have fewer classes than high school and more time to get the work done, you still find yourself up at 2 am, reading that book you’ve had a month to finish, or waiting for your second dinner to be delivered from Dominos. Everyone in college is always tired, and we do this to ourselves. But unless both you and your roommate like to turn in early, it’s unlikely you’ll go to bed before 11:30 pm more than twice a week, and on weekends, get ready to sleep until 12 pm and think that you’re getting up early.
8. You’ll get sick the second week in.
The start of college brings with it a whole slew of germs that you never had contact with before. You and the rest of the student population will undoubtedly get sick… it’s inevitable. To avoid being miserable, bring tissues, zinc tablets, and NyQuil on move-in day to get ready for the Oneonta Plague.
9. The freshman 15 can be easy to obtain in college, but also easy to avoid.
The freshman 15 are easy to obtain with all the fried food and late night snacking options available. There’s chicken patties, hamburgers, and french fries almost every day in the dining halls. Fortunately for you, they are avoidable. SUNY Oneonta is great because it has three dining halls, and all three have great salad bars, (the one in Willsbach is the best.) So, with some self-restraint, you can have some healthy options in your intake of calories. There’s the gym in Alumni Field House where you can work off those nachos, and if you don’t want to walk all the way there, (like most freshmen,) there are also workout centers in every residence hall. You have to work hard, but it is in fact, possible to keep those 15 lbs off.
10. Taking some time to focus on yourself is healthy.
This is your first year away from your home, friends, family, and maybe significant other. If you choose to stay in a long distance relationship, good on you. If your boyfriend or girlfriend is already at Oney, even better. But if you happen to be a single person going to college, do not jump into a relationship within the first two weeks. Take some time focus on you. Make some really great friends, pick up a hobby you would never have looked into before school, learn about yourself in a way you were never able to before. There is plenty of time to have hook-ups and relationships, but in this time in your life, it’s important to really focus on how great you are on your own, then after that, make out with as many people as you’d like, it’s up to you.
11. Sal’s is delicious, but it adds up.
Buying chicken fingers and onion rings everytime you’re too lazy to walk to the dining halls seems like a good idea until you’ve realized you have no money and end up scrambling for coins to tip the delivery guy when he comes in 45 minutes to an hour, (standard delivery time, FYI). Do yourself, your wallet, and the poor delivery guy a favor and just walk up to the dining halls. The food may not taste as good, but it’s already covered in your board payment, so suck it up.
12. The library is the only place to get your work done.
You’ll fall asleep in your room and the study lounge in your residence hall is used to avoid studying. If you have that paper you’ve been putting off for three weeks or have to study for a midterm, go to the library. They’re open until 1 am most nights, and the people you’re with won’t distract you because 9/10 times they’re in the same boat as you.
13. Use ratemyprofessor.com when selecting classes!
When you make your schedule, your most valuable tool is ratemyprofessor.com. SUNY Oneonta has some incredible professors, however, there are some that will not click with you. Some are perfectionists when grading, which you may not mind, or it may drive you insane. Some are super sarcastic which may fit your sense of humor perfectly, or may make you loathe dragging yourself to class every other day. In order to find your perfect fit, go to the website and scope out the best teachers that fit your learning style, it will definitely make the semester more enjoyable, and you’ll know what you’re in for from day one.
14. Take advantage of the resources the college offers you.
SUNY Oneonta has so much to offer its students. You’re paying all this money, you may as well take advantage! The school offers tutoring, guidance in choosing your major, resume building classes, a counseling center, and many, many more resources to help you in your professional and personal life. Look into these, and see what you can use to your benefit- you have nothing to lose!
15. Finals week will kill you, but you will resurrect, that’s a promise.
Finals week is hell. Everyone is sleep deprived and cranky and stressed. You’re all going to be on edge, so try to not rub elbows with anyone who is easily aggravated. It’s a crazy week, but by the end, you’ll pass your tests, the stress acne will clear up, and you get to go home for break and see your pet and sleep in your own bed, which is reward enough for your hard work.
16. Try to make your declining dollars carry over to the second semester, then treat yourself.
This is a hidden secret that only the savers on campus can attest to. The school gives you $315 per semester to spend in Jazzman’s Cafe, Seasons, Mill’s Market Place, and the Starbucks on campus. If you don’t use all these declining dollars the first semester, they carry over to the next one. The best way to use this money is to be kind of stingy first semester so that you have more money second one. This way, you can stock up on food from the marketplace when you’re snowed in, get a sandwich from Season’s when you’re sick of the dining halls, and treat yourself to Starbucks before your first class of the day. It’s nice to have the extra money, and you won’t find yourself scrimping and saving the last half of the second semester because you used all your money in the fall.
17. Don’t let people make you feel like shit about your major.
Regardless of whether you’re a double major in Biology and Organic Chemistry or a Communications major with a dual minor in dance and theater, you worked just as hard as everyone else to get into this school and study what you love. Don’t judge other people’s studies, focus on yourself. And if someone starts talking about how much harder their major is compared to yours, roll your eyes and walk away. No one has a right to pass judgment on anyone else and their dreams or passions, so don’t let that sort of negativity affect you.
18. If your gut says don’t go out, listen to it.
You have four years to go out and get all your partying done. If you feel like staying in one night, or all the nights, it’s OKAY! People may roll their eyes or try to get you to cave in, but if you really don’t want to go out, then you’re allowed to stay in, watch a movie, and try and get 8+ hours of sleep. Sometimes, your gut is right, and while everyone else is getting ticketed because the bar they were at got raided by the Oneonta Police Department, you’ll be thankful you listened to yourself.
19. Saint Oney’s Day is overrated.
It’s a lot of drinking and standing around in the snow. If you’re not in a frat or sorority, you’re kind of screwed when it comes to finding a party, So if you’re into hanging out with a lot of drunk people all day and hiding from the cops when they come and raid the party, more power to you. But don’t expect it to be the most incredible day of the century… because it really isn’t.
20. Stretch your brain, it will pay off in the end.
This one is super important. At this age, our brains are more absorbent than ever. Take advantage of this! Take classes you never would have thought to take in the past. Read for fun. Take in as much new information as possible. Your brain will thank you. And who knows, maybe taking that piano class will open up an interest in music you never knew you had before, or that environmental policy class will inspire you to take more like it. You never know what a single class, book, or club can spark in your mind, so say screw it and just do it! You’ll look back and thank yourself for taking the time to feed your brain.
