<p>With final exams about to start I thought it might be useful for students/parents to provide some thoughts/recommendations for new students beginning this Fall. How did you find the first year? Easier or harder than expected or about what you expected. Any tips for students starting in the Fall? Any VIP things they should consider doing? Any VIP things they need to avoid doing? This could cover just about anything so feel free with any comments about anything. I'm sure there are a lot of perspectives out there. The first year of college can often be the most difficult for many students. Lets try and see if we can help the new students become most successful in their transition from HS students to UD students. Go Blue Hens.</p>
<p>It would be easier if my daughter would reply but she has no interest in participating in on-line forums.</p>
<p>My thoughts / recommendations?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Give the random roommate selection process a chance. On paper, my daughter and her roommate appeared to be polar opposites. Different majors, different interests, different tastes in music. But by November, the similarities emerged and now they are getting sentimental about their freshman roommate experience.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t sit in your dorm room complaining about being bored. There are so many activities going on night and day. Go to a club event and check things out. If it’s not your thing, move on and try something else. Take a walk on Main Street and people-watch.</p></li>
<li><p>With everything going on, don’t get distracted from the reason you’re in college. That cumulative average will be important when interviewing for jobs or applying to grad school. And it’s a lot easier to maintain a 3.0 than to fall below and try to get back to a 3.0.</p></li>
<li><p>Attend UD sporting events. Grab your dorm mates and go to south campus for a football game. You’ll get a t-shirt and learn some colorful chants. Don’t forget about the other sports. Someday, you’ll be watching a game or competition on TV and you’ll be able to say “I saw them while I was at UD!”</p></li>
<li><p>Stay aware of your surroundings. Don’t put yourself in a potentially bad situation by wandering alone after dark.</p></li>
<li><p>If you got straight-A’s in high school, expect to put a lot more effort into doing the same in college. It’s an attainable goal, but you’ll probably find yourself studying and working on projects while other students are out having fun.</p></li>
<li><p>Meal plan. Make note of the date where you can change your meal plan arrangement between meals and points. See what works best over the first couple of weeks and make an adjustment if needed. And watch out for that all-you-can-eat trap. The freshman 40 is a real phenomenon…</p></li>
<li><p>Enjoy your time at UD. There will certainly be times where you’re stressed and wishing you were somewhere else. But trust me on this - you will look back on your college experience as four of the best years of your life.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>How did you find the first year? </p>
<p>I thought my first year was going to present many challenges, and boy it sure did. As long as your son/daughter isn’t a slacker and is going to put in the time to work for their grade then it won’t be too much of a nail-biter. There are going to be times where you want to have a mental breakdown, and there are going to be times where you will celebrate getting that B on that one hard test. It all depends on how you go into your freshman year. If you look at it like something horrible like I did at first, then it will be horrible. Be open to the new experiences and stop being so hard on things. A lot easier said than done, though.</p>
<p>Any tips for students starting in the Fall? </p>
<p>Socially, if you go out every weekend to get drunk, at least learn what your maximum capacity and DON’T destroy the bathroom with your fluids. It sucks to wake up on a Sunday morning and see that the one person just destroyed it -.-</p>
<p>Also, the showers aren’t visibly disgusting until you start thinking “oh my gosh, everyone one this floor showers in this. Think of all the bacteria.” That’s when it starts to get bad. Shower shoes and a caddy are a must. Don’t even think of not wearing shoes into the shower.</p>
<p>Accept the fact that you’re going to do more than just pee into a toilet when there are other people in the bathroom. Otherwise you’re going to have a seemingly awkward year with your floormates.</p>
<p>Any VIP things they should consider doing? Any VIP things they need to avoid doing?</p>
<p>Avoid playing loud music past quiet hours, it angers many people. If you’re one of those “I do what I want, when I want and don’t care what other people think”-type of people, it’s not going to be a particularly easy year with your RA or other floormates.</p>
<p>Avoid trashing the floor lounges. It’s not your bedroom, and the cleaning people aren’t your parents.</p>
<p>Learn how to do your laundry before you leave for school.</p>
<p>I made a whole list during the year, but I forgot it somewhere.</p>
<p>Hopefully this helps at least one person :D</p>