<p>This is a question for all current Stanford students</p>
<p>Matriculating student here. Just curious as to what kind of advice you would give incoming freshmen or things you would have known prior to your freshmen year.</p>
<p>Classes to take? Classes to avoid? Places to go? Things to do? Thoughts on Stanford life in general?</p>
<p>Thanks
-pewpewpew</p>
<p>These are thoughts from freshman D home for the holidays…</p>
<p>Get additional Cardinal dollars for use at Jamba Juice, Tresidder and other places to eat not covered by meal plan dollars.</p>
<p>Don’t be afraid to change your meal plan after the first two weeks. It’s really easy.</p>
<p>Go into Palo Alto at least once your first term. It’s like five minutes on your bike.</p>
<p>Go to as much as possible during NSO, even if you aren’t really interested in the topic. It’s a way to meet new people.</p>
<p>Try to get to as many sporting events as possible, not just football.</p>
<p>Explore the other dinning halls, they are all good at different types of food. The atmosphere is different in each. It’s worth the walk or bike ride.</p>
<p>Sign up for a lot of things at the activities fair and actually go to the events.</p>
<p>Don’t be afraid to meet the people in your dorm. You need to put yourself out there. If a door is open, stop by and say hi. Have a conversation. Tell them a joke. Anything is better than nothing. You have to make the effort.</p>
<p>Don’t take a class just because you think it will fulfill a requirement. You have 4 years for that. CourseRank is your best friend.</p>
<p>The Academic Director is a great resource. USE HIM/HER!!!</p>
<p>Take a lighter load your first quarter. You need time to adjust and figure everything out.</p>
<p>You will need warm clothes at Stanford. Just because it’s California, don’t think it’s all sunshine and flip flops all of the time. Winter is still winter. </p>
<p>On a scale of 1 to 10, Stanford is a 25- just so you know.</p>
<p>I hope this helps. D is unbelievably happy at Stanford and can’t wait to go back.</p>
<p>Do you meet many east coasters? Does Stanford get the prize for being more costly application?</p>
<p>D’s roommate is from NJ. Her core group of friends (including her) include 2 from CA, 1 from East Coast, 2 from midwest and 1 international student.</p>
<p>All applications cost money but if you don’t apply, you don’t stand a chance of admission.</p>
<p>I say meet people and learn why and how they got into Stanford. Many people here are very special and incredible.</p>
<p>Dont feel stupid or you don’t belong and those types of thoughts. Everyone has struggles and it is hard adjusting from being the best in high school to being regular or maybe even below average in some of your classes and activities. Everyone was smart and the best and brightest in high school or back home.</p>
<p>Take a light load freshman fall. Best time to have fun meet people and adjust to college. College is very different from high school and you dont want to be swamped with work then. You have plenty of time to be busy with school work. Believe me.</p>
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<p>Not true. Not everyone here is smart, and I’m not just talking about athletes or legacies or minorities or whatever. There are some really stupid people here. It’s shocking. I’ve heard (or noticed) the same at other top schools too. Even at Caltech, which has probably the most merit based admissions system. </p>
<p>And though I consider myself smart, I wasn’t even close to being the best/brightest back home. For example like academic related awards (best students in math, english, tutoring, etc.) were given out to probably like 200 students in my graduating class over all four years of high school. I didn’t get one award.</p>
<p>Hey pewpewpew,</p>
<p>I thought this was actually a really important question, so I posted it on the Stanford Class of 2014 Facebook group; maybe those who don’t frequent CC can give their advice there as well.</p>
<p>Hope you don’t mind :)</p>
<p>Rolandic7</p>
<p>Sounds great, Rolandic. I’ll check out the thread there too! :)</p>