Upperclassmen offer 10 tips for survival on the Farm.
1. Remember to lock your bike. Alex Neil ’11 suggests “locking yours to a bike rack, not just to itself. Mischievous people have been known to put free standing bikes in trees, especially if they’re near a doorway on a Friday or Saturday night.” A bike in a tree may be hilarious until you have to get it out. In the meantime, develop other good habits: go to office hours, work out, check your e-mails, get off campus once in awhile, do laundry and return dining hall dishes.
2. Dress up and participate in Stanford traditions. Band Run. Fountain hopping. Gaieties. Scavenger Hunt. Full Moon on the Quad. Mausoleum Party. Frat parties. Hiking the Dish. Sports events. Big Game. (We’re probably one of the few schools that can go to football games for free.)
3. Do not complain about IHUM too much. Instead, try taking a random class to balance it out. Ask upperclassmen, professors or advisors for suggestions and advice. Use and abuse CourseRank. It will be worthwhile and make for interesting conversation.
4. Try out all the dining halls and campus eateries. “My freshman hall would have what affectionately became known as ‘Ricker dinner’ once a week where we’d ditch our normal dining hall in favor of Ricker Dining,” Erin Inman ‘13 said. “Although we may have thought we were getting better food, in actuality we were just taking the time to slow down and truly enjoy our meal and our friends.” If you’re still not satisfied, there are plenty of fruit trees around campus.
5. Blow the bubble as big as you can… by noticing the little things that Stanford has to offer, such as Green Library and its media collection, 5-SURE, speaker events, the Marguerite, FLiCKS, Career Fair (grab some free stuff!), Cantor, sunshine and many patches of grass.
6. Find a good study place. Try different niches at Green and lounges in department buildings. “It’s a good idea to take advantage of the abundance of California sunshine during the beginning of the school year before winter rolls around,” said Lilly Sath ’12. “It’s always great to kill two birds with one stone when you can study outside on a field and soak up some sun at the same time.” Hint: once it turns into a good nap spot, it’s time to find a new one.
7. Take pictures. Do not be mistaken as a tourist.
8. Get involved. In absolutely anything that you want. No rush if you haven’t found your thing right away. Try a broad range, but be careful not to over-commit. Your roommate and dorm mates will hate you less when they are not woken up at 7 a.m. by the perpetual pounding and shouting that accompany roll-outs.
9. Make friends. Really, you have no excuses. “Really [put] yourself out there and [get] to know the people who will surround you for the next four years of your life,” Brittany Ueno ’12 said. “I wouldn’t say to try and befriend everyone everywhere, but having a close-knit group of dorm friends or just someone to talk to you when school gets rough is essential during the first year away from home.” And hang onto your frosh FaceBook. You never know when it will come in handy!
10. Remember that Stanford accepted you. And that you chose Stanford. Take care of yourself, be appreciative of others, and take absolutely nothing for granted. Try walking to your classes for at least a whole day to slow things down. You are just beginning your part in one of the greatest legacies. No pressure.