Everything freshmen at FSU now understand
Everyone goes through it, but it gets better
There are some things you simply can’t know until you’ve been in college for a year to learn them the hard way. But that’s okay, now you’re a pro and next year’s freshmen will be just as clueless as you were!
The Tab is here to tell you, FSU class of 2020, we’ve all been there; and you, class of 2019, it’s about to get real #relatable up in here.
Bring your umbrella everywhere
Native Floridians have been living this our whole lives. The skies may seem blue and sunny, but don’t be fooled, I assure you it will be monsooning in a few minutes (especially in the summer). Tally is one of the rainiest cities in America so do your future self a favor and buy rain boots, a rain jacket, and collapsable umbrella. Put that umbrella in your backpack and never take it out. Trust me, studying in Stroz soaking wet makes it way harder to focus.
Keep your FSU ID easily accessible
Speaking of Stroz, to get both in and out of the libraries on campus you have to swipe your ID to walk through a very temperamental turnstile. Too many times have I gotten to the entrance, only then to fumble around in my backpack for my wallet, continue fumbling in my wallet through all the crap in there, finally find my ID, swipe it the wrong direction ten times while it gives me a red light, hear an annoyed person behind me scream “Other way!!”, swipe it the right way five times before it deems my swipe worthy of a green light, then shamefully look back at the huge line of stressed studiers I’ve just held up behind my stupidity.
This is Emma. Emma is smart. She has her ID out and ready for swiping. Be like Emma
You also need your ID to print or check anything out in the library, so you honestly may as well just glue it to an appendage.
Pee before setting up your shit
Odds are you’ll be studying in a thousand different places other than your dorm room, like on Landis, the Sweet Shop, in the library, Starbucks, or maybe under a mossy tree. You also probably won’t think about how much coffee you’ve drank meaning you’ll have to go to the bathroom pretty soon. So you settle into your little study corner, take out your expensive textbooks and laptop, and start studying.
What do you do when you have to go to the bathroom or get more coffee? You can’t leave hundreds of dollars of stuff sitting there unattended in the middle of Landis, duh. And you can’t ask a stranger to watch it while you’re gone. As much as I want to trust my fellow Noles how do I know they won’t take my stuff, or get up and leave before I come back? So you’ll end up having to pack up all your stuff to bring it with you, and then unpack it all over again five minutes later.
This is a pic of the girl who agreed to watch my stuff. I was gone a whole two minutes. Aaaaaaaaand she’s gone
Or just bring a friend to study with you and avoid this dilemma all together. Problem solving!
Blackboard is your best friend and worst enemy
Blackboard is where you keep track of all of your classes and grades. Seem daunting? It is. It’s your most valuable resource to stay on track with upcoming assignments, class announcements, and homework. But just like your email, if you put off checking it for too long it becomes super overwhelming to look at.
Blackboard can quickly turn into a source of anxiety and stress, and what college student needs more stress? Download the app on your phone so you can get updates whenever something new is posted like class being canceled last minute. You’ll be cursing yourself when you show up to class at 8 am and realize no one is there.
A very mad me at 9am, the very next morning after I wrote this….check your email before class, kids
The answers to life are in your syllabus
Remember those things you got on the first day in high school that were completely pointless? Well now they mean everything. You should treat your class syllabus like the bible. Most of the questions you have will most likely be answered in the syllabus, so check it before frantically emailing your classmates and teachers every question you have.
I like to keep a folder on my desktop for all of my current classes with my work and a copy of the syllabus in it so I can access it all the time. Another thing to keep in mind is that syllabi are constantly “subject to change” and most likely will be altered throughout the semester. Make sure you’re looking at the most current version to keep yourself sane.
(And the most infamous part of Tally life, drumroll please…)
Parking is an absolute nightmare
If you choose to bring your car here, good luck, you’re gonna need it. The roads can be confusing af and it’s way too easy to accidentally go the wrong direction on a one-way street if you’re not paying attention to road signs. The worst part is there’s practically no parking on campus or the surrounding area, so you could be circling for a good 30 minutes.
One of two things happens in this situation- you get so fed up that you throw in the towel and skip class that day, or you park somewhere illegally out of desperation to get to your test in time. Either is socially acceptable in Tally and if you make it through four years without a parking citation, you’re a living miracle.
I could go on, but I guess you’ll just have to learn the rest of them for yourself. So Enjoy your “initiation” into college life, you only get to be a freshman once…thankfully.