20 Tips Every Freshman Must Know At Quinnipiac University

If you're a freshman or soon to be freshman attending Quinnipiac University, these are the tips we have for you before you enter your four years of education!

So, are you ready to become a part of the Bobcat Nation? It can be a tough transition to leave home for somewhere new, but with a little help using these tips, you can have a successful start to an amazing first year at Quinnipiac University. Keep reading for 20 tips that every freshman must know!

1. Go to the Involvement Fair.

You will hear this from everyone when you first get to campus, and with good reason. This is where you can sign up for all the clubs that interest you while snagging all the free pens, stickers, candy etc.

2. Give yourself time to eat.

Better now than later that you find out that the Student’s Center or the Rat are usually packed. There’s no such thing as a ‘quick lunch’ on campus. Give yourself a good amount of time to eat because you’ll be waiting on line for food for a while and you don’t want to be rushing to class afterwards.

3. Get into the habit of checking your email.

Your Quinnipiac email is the main way advisors, professors, school clubs and other students will contact you. Don’t miss out on any important announcements by making a habit of checking your phone.

4. Don’t buy your textbooks at the bookstore.

We all know how insanely expensive textbooks are. Don’t let the on-campus bookstore fool you with their ‘deals,’ You’ll still being forking over a ton of money. Save some money by renting or buying books from Chegg or Amazon.

5. Avoid the dining hall at certain times.

Unless you want to be waiting twenty minutes for an omelet, try not to have breakfast at 10am when everyone else is. Same goes for lunch at 12pm and dinner at 6pm, the dining halls will be swamped. Thank me later.

6. Go to the hockey games.

If you go to Quinnipiac University, you know that hockey is the main sport. Go to the games and support the school from the student section. You can be lucky to win the free giveaways at games too. There have been free t-shirts, ice cream and even pizza.

7. Keep a schedule of the on-campus food locations hours on hand.

Nothing is worse than craving a frappuccino only to find the Starbucks closed. Save yourself the time and emotional turmoil by keeping the schedule on your phone.

8. Don’t buy beverages on campus.

The dining hall is notorious for upping the price on everything, especially water bottles or the pure leaf iced teas. Save that meal plan money by bringing a case of your preferred drink to campus.

9. Take pictures whenever you can.

With the Sleeping Giant across the street and a beautiful bell tower right on our campus, take advantage of the photo opportunities. Make sure to snap a picture and post to Instagram or Snapchat, it’s okay to show off a little.

10. Go to events hosted by campus organizations.

Quinnipiac University After Dark (QUAD) and the Student Programming Board (SPB) host many different events throughout the year. They host moving screenings, free late-night breakfast, trips off-campus and more.

11. Hike the Giant before it gets too cold.

Don’t put off hiking the Giant. The transition into winter comes quickly in the northeast and can be brutal so don’t miss your chance to hike or else you’ll be waiting till spring.

12. Familiarize yourself with the delivery options off-campus.

Let’s be real: you’re going to get tired of the food on campus eventually. Luckily, there are so many delivery places in Hamden and that even take Qcash. Gold Star, Droogies and Falcon Pizza

13. Get an Uber account ASAP.

The shuttles on campus take you almost everywhere that you’d need to go. Unfortunately, they’re unreliable so get an Uber account to save time waiting on a shuttle.

14. There are more places to study than just the library.

Good luck trying to find a seat in Arnold Bernard Library during the exam week. It’s helpful to know that each building, like the School of Business or the Student’s Center, has a study area and are open for the majority of day.

15. Follow school clubs and organizations on social media.

The best way to know when clubs and organizations are having events or giveaways is by follow them on social media. It’s the best way to get relevant information in real-time if you aren’t already on their emailing list.

16. Prepare for any kind of weather.

Going to school in New England calls for unpredictable weather. It will be blazing hot for the first couple weeks and then it will get cold very quickly. My advice when packing is to be prepared for just about everything.

17. Bring microwavable food with you to campus.

Maybe having takeout food is not financially possible but you still want an alternative to the Quinnipiac University food choices. A good idea would be to stock up on microwavable foods like soups, mac and cheese etc.

18. Make time for yourself.

On top of being nervous for the semester, you also have a bigger workload. Remember to take a break once in a while from school work and do something that you enjoy. Treat yourself!

19. Keep in touch with those back home.

Going to a new school is so exciting but make sure to send your parents or friends back home a text once in a while. They miss you just as much as you miss them.

20. Enjoy your time at QU!

You have a limited amount of time on campus and the time goes by so fast, so enjoy your time at Quinnipiac while you can. Get involved, make friends and most importantly, make some unforgettable memories.