<p>How exactly does the swimming work? What happens if you fail?</p>
<p>Just to clarify. I meant swimming exam.</p>
<p>During one of your first PE classes, you will report to the Rolfs Aquatic Center. You put on your bathing suit, shower, and go out to the pool area. They let you take a warm-up lap across the pool. A few students get pulled during their warm-up lap and informed that they have already passed. Most do not, though, so they are then asked to swim four laps across the pool, two on their backs and two on their fronts. If you are unable to do so, you fail. If you already know that you can’t swim, you can tell them before the test begins and you automatically fail. If you fail the test, you are required to take a beginner’s swim class as part of your PE requirement.</p>
<p>Thanks so much! I actually don’t know how to swim so this is actually comforting.</p>
<p>I had to take the swimming class–it was actually pretty fun. I made a lot of good friends there. The only downside is that I actually KNEW how to swim–the inconsistency in the swim test is ridiculous! One of my friends had to tread water for two minutes and passed, whereas I did four laps very quickly and she just didn’t like my form…</p>
<p>Either way, you will be good because even if you get “stuck” in the swimming class it isn’t that bad!</p>
<p>As we start to assemble supplies, etc for my son, we have a few questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Fans are listed as a recommended item. He is in O’Neill, which is a Hall with air conditioning. When you have an air conditioned hall, do you still need a fan?</p></li>
<li><p>Laundry - seems like the newer pods of laundry soap as the most convenient, but all we have seen are for the newer HE washers. Are we over thinking this? Would pods work (are the washers HE) or what have all of you used.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Hi Indy! I can try to help you here… My daughter, who graduated in 2011, lived in Welsh Family Hall, which is a twin building to O’Neill. She did NOT use a fan-just the good old AC! It was great for those first couple of weeks, then not really necessary (being nice here!). You won’t need to bother with the fan.</p>
<p>As for the laundry, I think the pods are the easiest. We have also sent along those “all in one” sheets that include the soap, fabric softener and dryer sheet. That seemed to work out too and couldn’t burst or anything. As I remember, the washers and dryers and the standard type, not HE.</p>
<p>And…as a footnote…for all our joy at the AC in Welsh Fam. we now will be moving our son in to the oldest dorm on campus with obviously no AC…all’s fair…</p>
<p>Hi IndyDave. My son will be a sophomore in O’Neill and he is on the Frosh-O staff so I’m sure your paths will cross when you are moving in your son. I don’t think your son needs a fan because they crank the a/c. As far as laundry goes, my son used the St. Michael’s on campus laundry service. Good luck to all of you as you move your kids into their dorms and let me know if you have any other O’Neill questions. They are getting a new rector this year. Their old one was a gem but he is somewhat retiring and will be involved in Campus Ministry this year.</p>
<p>As I plan my sophomore year return, thought I’d stop by College Confidential to thank folks again for helping me overcome last year’s freshman jitters. In hindsight, some of my “Dumb Freshman Q’s” seem rather childish, almost foolish. Nonetheless, I still appreciate the helpful advice offered here to get me off on the right foot.</p>
<p>Is it true that if you present a SCUBA or PADI (as in you’re a registered SCUBA diver) card you automatically test out of the swim test?</p>
<p>Yes, if you have a <em>current</em> SCUBA license (You have to be at least an Open Water Diver, i.e. the little kids certifications like “bubble maker” won’t get you out) or life guarding certificate you can exempt the swim test. As a recall, at PE orientation (this will be in the first few days of class) your instructor will give you all the information about the swim test and then tell you that you can bring him your certification and opt out. I actually left my card at home, so I had to take the swim test anyway.</p>
<p>This was last year, I assume they won’t have changed the rule, but asking the instructor at your PE orientation is your best bet.</p>
<p>Just graduated two weeks ago. Had a great experience at Notre Dame. Refreshing this post again since it addresses and answers a variety of questions incoming freshman may have. Go Irish!</p>
<p>I would appreciate any insight on the following:
- When do first year students receive their schedules?
- When do they find out what books will be required for their classes?
- Where is the best place to buy books - Amazon? University bookstore? Other?
- Do many students take advantage of the Student Activities Organization’s bed linen sale?</p>
<p>I would also like to hear about the school’s dorm supplies sale. Is it worth it, especially considering it will be hard for someone like me with a long drive to campus to bring everything? Or is it a lot cheaper to just buy things when you get there?</p>
<p>Here is some of the insight our family has gained from our experiences moving in each year. Our son is a senior this year and our daughter will be a freshman…oops, sorry, have to be pc…she will be a first year student. </p>
<p>We did not buy the linen package. I checked some reviews and some people did not like the quality. But the convenience may be worth it for some people. I can imagine if you were flying and coming alone that the linen package would be a great convenience.</p>
<p>We made many trips to Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond during move-in. As long as you have a car, that is not a problem as everything is available to purchase in South Bend/Mishawaka. We also used Bed, Bath and Beyond service where you pick out what you want from your local store and they will have it waiting for you at the Mishawaka store. That way, you don’t have to worry about something being sold out. Remember, you have thousands of students converging on all the stores looking for the same things.</p>
<p>The first year we drove from our home which is 1600 miles away from ND. We shipped some items we couldn’t fit into the car to the UPS store on South Bend Ave. They will accept the package and hold it for you until you pick it up. I think the fee they charge is $5 per day to hold the package. </p>
<p>At the end of his freshman year, we just rented a small storage unit for the summer to store his desk chair, refrigerator, TV, basically everything but bedding and clothes(which might get mildew). Now we have a climate controlled unit that we rent. It makes it so much easier than driving. We just fly and don’t have to lug everything across the country twice a year. There are waiting lists for units so you need to contact the places early. </p>
<p>We always purchase most of his text books from Amazon and had them shipped to our home as soon as he had his schedule. He just wanted to look at them beforehand and he did not have to worry about the book being sold out at the bookstore. Also, you avoid the bookstore madness.</p>
<p>They do have that sale on campus where you can buy posters, rugs, refrigerators, etc. Some students use that sale to decorate their rooms. </p>
<p>Also, if you are needing a hotel room, you should always try to book AS SOON as you know you will need one. I book our rooms as soon as I can to hold them. I have had the rooms booked for this move in even before our daughter was accepted, in case she did get in we would have a room. And I have the room booked for move out in May.</p>
<p>Hope this helped answer some of your questions! Move-in can be such a stressful time for everyone. I can honestly say one of the reasons I am glad our daughter is attending ND is that I am already familiar with the process of moving into ND so it makes things easier for me!!!</p>
<p>We have also never purchased the linen package but someone on my son’s floor did and to their surprise, it was shipped to them in New Jersey entirely defeating the purpose of purchasing it with the impression that it would be waiting at school for them. So if you plan to purchase the linen package check first where it will be shipped. </p>
<p>I will be a junior at ND this year. Here is my advice:</p>
<p>1) You will probably get your schedule in late July or early August, if I remember my freshman year correctly.</p>
<p>2) I’m pretty sure the required textbooks for your classes will be posted by the time you receive your schedule. To see the required texts, you can either look it up on the bookstore’s website, or you can find your classes on Class Search on InsideND, and there will be a button by your classes that says “View Required Texts”.</p>
<p>3) Some of the texts can only be purchased from the bookstore, so you don’t really have a choice if that’s the case. A lot of times Amazon is cheaper than the bookstore, but make sure you’re getting the right thing. Only buy from sellers that have lots of ratings. This means that they do a lot of business, so they’re probably more trustworthy than some seller that has 3 reviews. Another thing, never get the international edition of a textbook unless the professor has specified that this is okay. The international editions often omit things, so you might end up wasting money on a book that won’t meet your needs if you buy the international version.</p>
<p>4) I wouldn’t recommend buying from the linen sale. The quality is probably not great, and it isn’t much of a hassle to go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and pick up some sheets. As a previous poster said, they have a service where you can pick everything out at the Bed, Bath, and Beyond in your hometown, and they’ll have it waiting for you in the store in Mishawaka.</p>
<p>Just another little piece of advice, someone before said something about “if you have a car”. If at all possible, I’d highly recommend either driving or renting a car if you’re flying. Pretty much everyone figures out that they’re missing some things as they’re moving in, so most people make several trips to Target, Wal-Mart, etc. the day of move-in. You will probably find the move-in process more stressful if you don’t have access to a car.</p>
<p>My son will be starting his sophomore year next year. Our move-in process last year generally went better than II thought it would - but I do worry about a lot of things.</p>
<p>We did make a few shopping runs. The stores in Mishawaka were crowded. There are a WalMart, Target and Bed Bath & Beyond along Ireland Road on the south end of South Bend. We found these stores to be not as crowded as those in Mishawaka and overall traffic not as bad down there. </p>
<p>The one advice my son did have was that he took way too many clothes last time. Of course, we are two hours away and between football games, breaks and holidays, either we were up to ND or he was back to Indy at least once a month so it was easier for us to move clothes back and forth than it would be for those you farther away.</p>
<p>For parents of First Year Students - enjoy move in weekend. It is a great experience and very well planned. You will run the gamut of emotions - know that you are leaving your child in a place with people that care about them. And understand they will likely handle good-bye better than you will. :)</p>