Advice to incoming UC Davis freshmen
Take it from someone who knows
I have compiled important tips for my future Aggies to take into account before starting their Fall quarter here at UC Davis.
If your major doesn’t fall under “STEM”, don’t you fret!
During your first weeks of school, a lot of your conversations will start with “oh so what’s your major?” so when that happens, remember:
-Don’t let yourself feel like others are above you just because of their major
-You will change your mind, A LOT, and that is completely okay
-Be proud of your major, who cares what other people think!
Also can we just appreciate my A1 quality Yik Yaks.
DC food will seem cool at first, but it gets old, REAL quick
During orientation, you’ll probably be amazed with our dining halls, at least I know I was.
But if what you’re used to is having your mom welcome you at the door with a warm home cooked meal, then you my friend, are going to suffer the most.
Just last week I took an Uber all the way to Sac, (yes I spent $20 + on an Uber ride) just to get some Peruvian food, which was the closest thing to a home cooked meal that I’ve had in months, so no, I am not ashamed of it.
The only solution I can give you for dealing with is to just embrace it because when you are a second year, you will be begging freshmen to swipe you into the DC.
Frat parties are not like the movies
I’ve been to my share of frat parties, and I am not impressed.
The restrooms are 9/10 disgusting, it is always crowded and sticky as hell in there.
But I mean don’t get me wrong, some can be really fun, but at the end of the day it’s really about the people you go with.
Pro Tip: Underage drinking isn’t cool BUT if you’re going to try it, please make sure you know what’s inside your cup.
Please ask for help
Resources are there for a reason. If you are confused about something the professor went over in class, go to office hours. Go to your peer tutors. Go get help. If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed by your classes, or just life in general, go get help.
Spend some alone time
Whenever I feel like I need a breather, I like to visit to the arboretum. I either take a book with with me, work on my homework, listen to music, or straight up just walk around and explore the place. Downtown also has multiple cute little coffee shops that I enjoy visiting.
Cherish your old friends
Remember that making new friends at college doesn’t mean that you should neglect your friends back home. Make time to have Skype dates once it a while and text them constantly, but most importantly, don’t you dare ruin y’alls streak on Snapchat.
Finding love
Unless you’re one of the very lucky few, it is very unlikely that you’ll find the love of your life during your first year at college. The myth is false; boys don’t get more mature with age.
You WILL give in to Tinder at least once during your time here.
Homesickness is real
Believe me when I tell you there will be days where all you’ll want to do is pack your bags and go home.
But don’t worry, everyone has those days. Just remind yourself of the reasons that you chose to come here in the first place and all the opportunities you are going to be presented with because of it.
Making new friends
Lucky for me, my roommate and I were a match made in heaven since the first day of orientation. We both had a hold on our student account which led to us not being able to register for Fall classes, which lead to her cussing me out because I was taking too long on the phone, which oddly enough lead to us becoming the best of friends. But hey, if you don’t happen to be that lucky, there are other ways to make friends in college.
- Introduce yourself to the people around you during lecture
- Join Greek life
- Join clubs on campus
Moral of the of the story: GET INVOLVED
Visiting The Bay area is a must
Did you know that our campus is exactly 1 hour and 30 minutes away from San Francisco?
So grab a couple of your friends, and get on the road!
Although Davis is one of the greatest college campuses around, it can get a bit dull, especially if you are a city girl like me, but that isn’t anything a trip to the city can’t fix!
All in all, remember that these four years will be over before you know it, so make the most out of them! Have fun, make tons of friends, study your ass off, but most importantly, don’t forget to make memories that you will cherish for the rest of your life.
Welcome home class of 2020!