Welcome to Stanford! What is college without good-natured unsolicited advice? Take heed, and spend your time well, young Frosh!
1. Don’t forget to take care of your health
Life on The Farm contains all sorts of thrills. With the fast pace of the quarter system, it is imperative that you, the wise and proactive Stanford freshman, prioritize well and maintain your health. Maybe good health entails calling your parents each day, taking scenic runs across campus or trekking to Bing Concert Hall for a live performance. Take note of the things you are grateful for each day. Remember that health resources exist if you need them, including your friendly PHE, The Bridge Peer Counseling Center and CAPS.
2. Don’t miss the Fall Activities Fair
Build a new skillset or hone an existing one by joining any of Stanford’s 65-plus campus organizations. Will you learn to dance some spicy salsa, help build the next solar car, unlock your inner Katniss or help run a soup kitchen on the weekends? Student clubs remain a valuable resource for meeting others with similar interests. Head out to the Fall Activities Fair in White Plaza on Friday, Sept. 26, to check out what campus groups have to offer.
3. Ask for an ear or two
Having trouble narrowing down your major choices from a list of 10? Struggling with a class or a relationship? Grappling with something overwhelming? Over the next year, even the brightest Stanford frosh may find themselves in strange terrain. Seek guidance! Stanford contains all sorts of wisdom. That smug upperclassman can help you inflate your bike tire or sell you the mini-fridge of your dreams. The cool staff member or RF down the hall will listen to your woes. For more advice, seek out the Stanford Career Development Center (CDC), your professors and the numerous campus community centers!
4. Take part in quintessentially “Stanford” activities
Make interesting choices during the San Francisco scavenger hunt. Meander through the snow during your dorm’s Tahoe ski trip. FMOTQ. Design a provocative banner to proudly display at the Big Game. Jump (appropriately) when the Band plays “All Right Now.” Enroll in Dr. Dement’s “Sleep and Dreams” class. Spend a few days with Karel. Go fountain hopping when the California drought miraculously ends. Take down all opponents during Assassins. Choose level three for Secret Snowflake. Screw your roommate. Go on as many dorm trips as possible. Live up to your superlative during your dorm’s end-of-the-year banquet. The traditions go on!
5. Get to know your Stanford
Stanford would not be the same without each member of its student body. Every person in your class and community has a story that matters, and your palette broadens with each new encounter. Meaningful relationships abound! A lasting friend may be within your freshman dorm or in a class discussion section. Personal interactions can provide lessons absent from textbooks. A shared thought may lead to the next grand idea. Ready yourself for lifelong memories at Stanford. Your future begins here!
Contact Sophia Dao wrote this article at sdao “at” stanford.edu.