Coming to a big school like Rutgers, it is expected that there will be a million learning lessons along the way to graduation. If your first taste of freedom is at a university with over 40,000 students, 5 different campuses, and its own public transportation system, then you’ll soon realize that there is plenty of room for mistakes and funny stories. Attending Rutgers as a freshman, I had no idea what to expect of the wild adventure that was ahead of me. But now that I’m into my second semester I can say that if I haven’t learned a lot, I’ve witnessed more than I could’ve ever anticipated and now have attained a basic idea of what to expect as a Rutgers student. Keep reading for things that will happen to you at Rutgers University!
Jungle juice can either make or break your night. While many Rutgers students choose to bring there own alcohol in a water bottle, others don’t mind waiting in a line for a solo cup filled with punch and God knows what else. If you don’t know your jungle juice limits, you will quickly learn. And by learn, I mean there will be a night where you become the best dancer at the party until you throw up the color red and ruin your cute outfit.
R U this? Or R U that? During your stay at Rutgers, you’ll learn that these people LOVE their puns. At first, I personally thought it was cute and would laugh at it from time to time. Now, I struggle saying the words ‘are you…’ without thinking of the puns, and my phone automatically corrects ‘r u’ to ‘RU’ now which is great…
If your football team isn’t good, that doesn’t mean you can’t have an awesome time. Rutgers is a prime example of this. With horrible blowouts and an embarrassing record, our student body still manages to have plenty of fun and enough spirit to get us to the stadium. From waking up early to start drinking, to attending dagers, to stumbling to the game and cheering against the beating hot sun, every Rutgers student will wake up at least one time still in their game day gear, not remembering how they made it back to their bed. Though you don’t always have to pre-game, it does make handling the loss a lot easier…
Yeah, Rutgers is a fun school. But if you get sidetracked, it will also kick your ass. Finding a balance between school work and partying is a major component to surviving the semester. There are parties almost every night on campus so it’s easy to get distracted, but it’s up to you to understand that your grades are why you’re here. Studying doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, but you should prioritize your work and make sure that you can keep up with your schedule if you plan on going out a couple nights a week.
There’s a bus coming in less than 1 minute or 27 minutes. And due to this dilemma (shout out to the Next Bus app) I will admit that personally, on multiple accounts, I have been that girl running to catch a bus. Sometimes, if I’m really desperate, I’ll even wave my hands to get the bus driver’s attention (I’m looking at you F buses). But I’m not always the runner. As a matter of fact, there have been scenarios in which I’m sitting in a seat, relaxing with my headphones in, watching some other late person try to catch up. I even have the nerve to laugh a little.
Lecture halls… they’re so easy to not pay attention in. Although I’ve learned my lesson from this and now choose to sit in the front (which sometimes still doesn’t stop me from adding a few things to my Forever21 shopping cart), you’ll notice that on people’s laptop screens, they’re not always taking notes. I’ve seen people catching up on Shameless, messaging their friends, Facetime-ing, Facebook stalking, scrolling through their Twitter and Instagram feeds… and it’s just a normal thing that happens. Lecture halls are both a blessing and a curse, because although you think you can multitask, you really can’t. Before you know it, your professor is a page and a half ahead of you with notes, you’ve missed 2 clicker quizzes, and at this point you should’ve just skipped class to take a nap instead.
During the first week of my first semester I thought it was a great idea to wear flip flops to frat parties. My feet, when I came back, were black. I immediately went in the shower to disinfect my them. So ladies, this means skip any shoes that show skin, and definitely leave your Michael Kors heels at home. If you’re like me and still like to wear heels out, make sure they’re black and a material you can clean. If not, break out your 8th grade converse and wear those out. It’ll save you money, aggravation, and the pain of a couple blisters anyway.
‘RU screw’ — a famous term that Rutgers students like to use when they’ve been, you guessed it, screwed over. It happens to anyone and everyone. You just have to wait for your time…
So, I don’t know about anybody else, but I saved up money from my high school job to be able to leisurely spend it when I made it to college… and almost all of my money has been sucked up by food. Some popular spots around here include Playa Bowls (the best fruit/smoothie bowls you’ll ever have), Tacoria (there’s a rumor going around that they deliver), cookie rush (they literally bring you desserts), and Stuff Yer Face (famous for strombolis). Try your best to not become addicted… stick with your dining hall meal plan for as long as possible, and don’t fall into the trap.
There is so much to fall in love with at Rutgers. Whether it’s the people, the school spirit, the colors, the different languages, the chants, the atmosphere, the night life, the passion, the silly memories, the 4AM conversations with your roommate, or the school in general… you will fall in love more than once–you will fall in love with this place over and over and over again.
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