Freshman Year Hacks

These tips aren’t big-picture suggestions, like “discover new passions” or “experience new things.” The tricks I’m about to tell you are tangible ways to make yourfreshmanyeara lot easier—“hacks” that will simplify your life and make yourfreshmanyearschedule a lot less hellish than mine was.

Don’t go to every class.

You will realize from the very beginning that some classes just aren’t worth going to. I’ve had math classes where the teacher basically copied down definitions and examples straight from the textbook and economics precepts where the preceptor didn’t even know which section we were on. I’ve seen people run to class just to make it through the door on time, only to fall asleep five minutes later or play "Candy Crush" the whole time.

If the class only includes material from the textbook and you’re short on time, just read the textbook on your own. If you’re too tired or too hungover to fully concentrate in class, you’re not going to get anything out of it, so you might as well sleep in. It’ll save you time and energy, which you can use to learn more efficiently later.

Don’t buy bottled water.

They give you a water bottle on the first day offreshmanorientation—don't lose track of it. There are filtered water dispensers all over campus, including at late meal. There’s cold water and fancy lemon-flavored water in the dining halls. Spend your late meal dollars on something you can’t get for free.

Make sure to stop your door with a magnet or an eraser when you’re going to the bathroom.

I’ve had the misfortune of locking myself out of my room 17 times. To be fair, I was living in a single, and I’m exceptionally careless, but many of my friends have had this problem as well. Now, every time I leave my room to go to the bathroom or take a shower, I stop the door with a button magnet (included with my dry erase board) or a rubber eraser, so I definitely won’t lock myself out. Only do this for 20 minutes at most—you don’t want people snooping around in your room. And know that each time you do this, you're gambling that fire safety won't choose that 20-minute window to conduct a surprise inspection.

Make as many friends as you can in the first semester.

In the beginning, everyone’s eager to make friends. People introduce themselves, shake hands and exchange phone numbers. They’re willing to sit down with strangers at dinner and just start making conversation.

But as soon as friend groups start forming, it becomes a lot harder to meet new people. After winter break, groups are solidified, and people mostly hang out with the friends they've already made. It’s no longer common for people to sit with strangers in the dining halls. People start hanging out in flocks, and it becomes increasingly harder to become close friends with new people.

So take advantage of your first few weeks to make as many random new connections as you can,before you begin to identify others and yourself by group affiliations.That kind of opportunity won’t come again in your time at Princeton.

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