The 25 mistakes every freshman will make at UCLA

Ah, first-years. They come from their big-fish-small-pond mentality and are thrust into UCLA, a bustling nonstop machine of 30,000+ undergraduate students scrambling to keep up with the quarter system. It’s a lot to adjust to. Along the way, we’re all bound to make some mistakes. Here are some examples (which we may or may not know from personal experience) of classic freshman blunders.

1. Forgetting your locker number/combination in the dining halls

We get it – by the time you walk all the way up The Hill, you are so eager to stuff your face with De Neve pizza that you definitely don’t have time to check.

2. Wearing a sweatshirt from another school

I’m sure your mom went to Berkeley and loved it, but seriously. You’re a Bruin.

3. Asking, ‘so what’s the deal with USC?’

It’s a sensitive subject. We just hate them, OK?

4. Losing your BruinCard

I know, you JUST had it. We’re taking ours out of our pockets every .00023 seconds too. But it happens.

5. Misplacing your BruinCard

Good thing Sproul Hall is open 24hrs to help you when you locked yourself out after a 2AM binge.

6. Getting your BruinCard ‘stolen’

But is it really stolen if you left it on your desk at YRL?

7. Paying twice for a broken laundry machine

If it didn’t work the first time, adding another $1.25 isn’t going to help.

8. Over-swiping

Friends, family, late-night coffee. It’s easy to get excited when you have 19P.

9. Under-swiping

Here’s a fun game we like to call, “How Many Cases of Powerade Can 45 Swipes Get Me?”

10. Signing up for a million email lists

In your inbox are newsletters from Model UN, Global Dancing Club, the Campus Gardens Coalition and everything in between that you were “totally going to go to this week”.

11. Buying a binder for every class

This isn’t high school. There aren’t worksheets.

12. Going to every discussion section

Four out of five times, it’s not worth it. Just take a nap, fam.

13. Forgetting your iClicker,  but still attending class

You had ONE JOB.

14. Going too hard Week 1

Frat row is especially tempting for young, under-experienced first-years, but it gets harder and harder to sneak past your RA when you’re blackout drunk.

15. Thinking you’ll keep your orientation friends

There are so. many. people. here. If it’s meant to be, you’ll find a way to keep in touch.

16. Wearing a sweater to your 9am

It’s cold when you step out of Hedrick, but you’ll definitely be sweating by the time you sprint to Public Affairs.

17. Taking all of the BruinWalk flyers

It’s OK, child. You can say no.

18. Using trays in the dining hall

You’re only drawing attention to yourself. Stack your B Plate bowls like a true Bruin.

19. Thinking you won’t get the freshman 15

IT’S NOT ME, IT’S COLLEGE, OK?

20. Taking 8am classes

You thought because it was later than high school, it would be easy…

21. Over-dressing for class

Dress code: leggings, sweatshirt, ponytail from last night (bra optional).

22. Not knowing where the nearest WEPA printer is

Your printer crashed at 9:14 and you have class at 9:30. Time to dash.

23. Only studying in Powell

See: YRL upper floors, Kerckhoff lower level rooms, Ackerman court, The Study, biomedical library, sculpture garden, Dickson Plaza, any open classroom, etc.

24. Buying your textbooks new

The Free and For Sale page will save you hundreds of dollars.

25. Forgetting literally everyone’s name

For real though, it’s not just you.

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@sampeggywolf