Pro-Tips for Freshmen

As we wind down the semester, I’ve begun reflecting on my time as an undergraduate student at The College of Saint Rose. These past four years have honestly been the best of my life, and I am so thrilled to have made so many wonderful friends and memories here. However, there are some things I wish I knew when I first started as a freshmen at Saint Rose. To all of the prospective students look at Saint Rose OR students who have sent in their deposits to attend Saint Rose, here are some pro-tips that you should definitely follow when you first start out at Saint Rose!

1. If there are free things being given away, take advantage of it! – Something any college student can tell you (and most people in life) is that free is always wonderful. At Saint Rose, we have lots of events that occur throughout the year that have lots of giveaways! Some examples of free things you can acquire are pizza, t-shirts, stress balls, PENS, sweatshirts, gift cards, iPads, and anything else you can dream of. Make sure to attend events hosted by the Student Events Board; they ALWAYS are raffling off really awesome prizes.
   

   The Student Events Board put on LOTS of events that offer free things!
   Picture taken from Google

   
   

2. OPEN YOUR DOOR – This applies to your dorm room door. When you first move in to your brand new dorm, you MUST keep your door open at all times (unless you’re changing or sleeping, obviously). This “opens the door” for making new friends and new connections! (Yes, I am hating myself for that pun too).
   

   Keep your door open – you’ll never know who you’ll meet!
   (My Freshmen dorm)
   Photo taken by Genevieve Diller

3. If you are assigned a class you are weak in for your first semester, SWITCH OUT – This happened to me when I first came to Saint Rose. I was placed in Pre-Calculus my first semester of college and struggled so hard. My math skills are not that strong, and I would have preferred to have taken math a little later in college. If you are placed in a class you do not want to take right away, switch out in the first week of classes into a class you are more comfortable with.
   

   Me and my friends Freshmen year! We had a blast 🙂
   Photo taken by Genevieve Diller

4. Stay Organized – Have a planner, have calendars, do your homework on time, and always remember this: you are here to be a student. You are paying thousands of dollars to go to school. Make it count!
   

   Lauren, Hazell, and I have been such good friends since Freshmen year. It goes to show that the friends you make during that time can last a lifetime. <3
   Photo taken by Genevieve Diller.

5. HAVE FUN! – Be adventurous! Do something out of your comfort zone! Make as many friends as possible! Most importantly, make memories!!!! These are some of the best years of your life – treat them as such!
   

   College is an adventure! Embrace it!
   Photo taken by Genevieve Diller

I am so grateful to the friends I have made at Saint Rose and to the relationships I have fostered. This college is my home, and I am so excited to spend another two years here.

Good luck to the incoming Freshmen class! Best Wishes!