Just Can’t Wait…
Dearest soon-to-be freshman first-years,
Less than a month ‘til you start loving life at Vandy! I realize that you are completely psyched to be coming to school. In fact, this is probably the first time since kindergarten that you’ve been this excited to enter an academic institution. Well, I’m here to tell you that you are so so right to be thrilled!
I remember thinking how nice it was to discover that the virtual friends made in cyberspace (thank you Facebook for helping me find my roommate) actually existed in real life and that I would keep off the dreaded Freshman Fifteen hiking up five flights of stairs (the elevator is overrated) multiple times a day to get to my room in Stambaugh.
You are probably already itching to move in and start your new life of freedom. After unpacking your new supplies that you’ve bought from Ikea and Target, you’ll be all set to start your year! Here are three tips for the first few days:
- Take advantage of the free stuff: Vanderbilt University and its student organizations will throw at you freebies, ranging from t-shirts and Frisbees to pens and sunglasses, and you should just embrace the good life.
- Figure out three interesting things about yourself: something that you will do a lot the first couple of days is: say your name, your hometown, and your major if you know it. Then you will play get-to-know-you games and it is much more interesting to say, “I’ve bitten off a fish’s head for good luck as bait for a crab pot,” than something like, “Recess was my favorite subject in high school.” You and your VUcept group will get along great!
- Get lost: go exploring! Because you do not have class for a few days, you might as well get to know the campus to avoid being a sweaty mess on your first day of classes. The campus is beautiful, as you all well know, so grab a new buddy and check out your home for the next four years!
My challenge to you is this: while you are going to be bombarded with all things new about your life, don’t conform completely to the stereotypes on campus, find one or two ways to stand out on your own, and remember your own personality! Vandy already loves you the way you are (that’s why you’ll be here in three weeks!) and we hope you’ll love us too!
Sending little iloVU hearts your way,
Ann