Dear Future Rutgers Freshmen

By Haley Leonard-Schumann on April 4, 2016

So, my freshman year at Rutgers University is coming to a close, and looking back on it there has been so much I have learned inside and outside of the classroom since I started college. A lot of the past ten months has been trial and error, and just trying to figure out where I fit here, and I wish I had someone that told me all of the things I needed to know about being a freshman here before I started, and that’s why I’ve compiled this list for you.

1. The “Freshman 15″ is VERY real.

I know this does not only pertain to Rutgers students, but the notorious freshman 15 is something you should think about when you reach for an extra bowl of ice cream or order a burger for the fifth time this week at the Livingston Dining Commons. We have fitness facilities on every campus, make it one of your goals to use them regularly.

2. The buses

I was extremely intimidated by the buses when I started school here; I was so afraid of getting on the wrong bus and missing a class. The buses aren’t that difficult. There’s even a tab in the Rutgers app dedicated to the bus schedule – which is not always very accurate so you’ll find that it goes against you at those times that you slept through your alarm and you have an exam. There is also bus etiquette here at Rutgers, you wait until everyone getting off at your stop is off of the bus and then you get on and even if you are a part of the Scott Hall rush hour don’t be the person that pushes his/her way on the bus.

3. Football

Sports are a very big thing here at Rutgers, but Rutgers was the birthplace of college football, so there is an extra push on football. So as a student you get to sit in a magical area known as the student section – this is where all of the excitement during games occurs. You have two ticket options as a student, you can buy a season pass for $99 that guarantees entry to all home games (not recommended)  or there is a lottery that you can enter the Monday before each game and I have yet to know anyone that has entered the lottery and has not gotten a ticket, so do the lottery it’s free and you will most likely get a ticket

4. The Dining Halls

The Livingston Dining Commons is definitely the nicest dining hall on campus, Brower probably comes in second place. Just know that you will most likely have extra meal swipes at the end of the semester, for freshmen living on campus you can choose from a 210 plan, 255 plan, or 285 plan (per semester) and meals do no rollover. Unless you eat super frequently I do not advise the 285 plan, and if you do eat super frequently I advise reviewing my first point.

5. Parties

Rutgers is known for being a party school – we are the largest university in our state and we love athletics so what’s more American than throwing parties in the mix? Nothing, exactly. Whether its dage or thirsty Thursday (or any other day for that matter) you will most likely find a place that you can party. As a person that enjoys the party scene, but chooses not to drink I soberly witness what alcohol can do to people. So have fun and just be responsible – and keep in mind that anytime someone vomits on the bus the bus driver has to stop the bus and everyone has to get off and wait – no matter where or what time.

6. The Rutgers Chant

You’re going to need to know this for the football games – R-U RAH RAH R-U RAH RAH HOO RAH HOO RAH RUTGERS RAH UPSTREAM REDTEAM REDTEAM UPSTREAM RAH WOO RAH WOO RUTGERS RAH

7. RUSCREW

Yes, the infamous RUSCREW, far from a myth. You will find multiple times in the semester where you just have a moment of, ” WHY RUTGERS WHYYYYY?!” This is when you don’t get housing, or something of that sort.

8. Registering for Classes

Come November of your first semester you will be welcomed to the wonderful world of registering for classes. This is probably just a stressful as finals because you are always going to find that you cannot get a specific class or all of the courses you need don’t fit into one schedule. Just remember schedules are made primarily by seniority so the people with the most credits sign up first and by the time it gets to the freshmen the open classes have dwindled down to classes like World Mythology (that don’t count towards the core curriculum.)

9. Expos

While I’m on the topic of courses I am going to tell you about one of the most difficult courses at Rutgers – and it’s mandatory! This does not pertain to every student because if you pass the AP Lit exam you can test out of Expos, but for the rest of us, we have gone through the torture of Expos. No matter how great of a writer you thought you were before college this course will prove you wrong. The readings will bore you half to death and between rough drafts and final drafts you will most likely have a paper due every week. We’ve all been there so good luck – you can get through it!

10. Housing

For everyone living on campus, housing is a BIG DEAL. The coveted campuses of Rutgers are College Avenue and Livingston while Busch and Cook/Douglass are not as desired. So it is also very difficult to get dorms on College Avenue and Livingston – luckily I was able to live on Livingston this year. However, aside from the suburban atmosphere, it is not much different than other campuses – no air conditioning so be prepared to bring fans with you. Although, you will not have to worry about this until the end of your freshman year much like football housing is based on a lottery. So come late February/ Early March you will sign up for the housing lottery and receive a lottery number – and this is where the RU Screw comes into play. Your sophomore year you will be given the option of living in a suite, double, or very slim shot of living in an apartment, but it is very likely you will end up in a double again. If you are living in a double and you know who you want to dorm with whoever has the lower lottery number between the two of you will use that number. For example, if I have 4000 and my roommate has 10000 we are going to use my number. Just know that housing cannot be guaranteed and you have a greater chance of getting housing if you sign up already having a roommate.

You can consider yourself warned, but on the plus side there are millions of things to do here at Rutgers. Congratulations on becoming a Scarlet Knight!

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