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Freshman Survival Tips

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Health and Wellness

  1. Exercise. Exercising can be a great form of stress relief and an easy way to stay healthy. Check out the Campus Recreation Center, walk to a few classes each week, and dance around your dorm room during study breaks. Tech also offers intramurals and club sports for every level of athlete.
  2. Don’t wait until you’ve caught the plague to go to Stamps Health Services. In a residence hall, there’s a special time of year when nearly everyone gets sick. Illness spreads widely and quickly when students are sharing bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. Remember to make an appointment at Stamps when symptoms develop.
  3. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Even after drinking three coffees, chugging a Red Bull, and taking a cold shower, a student is not at their best without sleep. Rest is necessary to rejuvenate the body and the mind. Young adults should get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Remember to relax, unwind, and catch some Z’s.
  4. Clean your clothes. The daunting task of laundry intimidates many freshmen. Thankfully, all Freshman Experience residence halls have laundry facilities within walking distance. Grab detergent, your BuzzCard (with a few dollars of Buzzfunds), dirty clothes, and some study material to pass the time. (If you’ve never done laundry, take a few tips from Real Simple.)
  5. Wear shower shoes. Community bathrooms are a new experience for college freshmen. Wear flip-flops in the shower for foot protection. Invest in a shower caddy to hold soap, toothbrushes, and any other bathroom items. 
  6. Mental health is important. Find campus activities to get involved in and remember to take breaks. Hang out with friends, explore Atlanta, or take up a new hobby. For professional support, check out the Counseling Center, which offers group workshops and various counseling services. It is located on the second floor of the Smithgall Student Services (Flag) Building.
  7. Dining halls. Tech offers a variety of dining halls to fill all nutritional needs. The dining halls include Woodruff (West Campus), Brittain (East Campus), and North Avenue (East Campus). The Freshman Experience includes unlimited access to any of these locations. Alternatively, dining points or BuzzCard funds can be spent at retail dining locations including Subway, Chick-fil-A, Dunkin’ Donuts, Highland Bakery, Blue Donkey, and Starbucks. New for fall 2017, the West Village offers options for the west side of campus. West Village is home to a Starbucks, Panera Bread, and several quick service dining options.

Safety and Transportation

  1. Lock your dorm when you leave. Residence Halls can become a very comfortable place for students. Mid-semester, students grow complacent and begin to leave their dorm rooms unlocked, but valuable items are often left within these rooms; so remember to lock the door upon leaving.
  2. Keep your BuzzCard with you at all times. Think of the BuzzCard as an ID, debit card, and universal key all in one. Students who misplace their BuzzCards should visit the BuzzCard Center at the Barnes & Noble in Tech Square. Lost or stolen BuzzCards can be deactivated online.
  3. Remember that you live in a city. Lock all bikes with a U-Lock and register them with the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD). Don’t walk or study alone at night. Always keep an eye on valuables; and if you see something, say something, Call GTPD at 404-894-2500 (save them as a contact in your phone) to report suspicious activity.
  4. Buses, Trolleys, and MARTA. Oh my. The transportation system at Tech may seem overwhelming, but it makes getting around campus easier. Check out these maps to plan daily routes. Tech has a few different transit options including the Tech Trolley, Midnight Rambler, Red, Blue, and Green Stinger Buses, the Emory Shuttle, and the Weekend Grocery Shuttle to Atlantic Station.
    • Take advantage of the Georgia Tech app to see when buses will arrive, since at times buses and trolleys may be delayed. Remember that there are only 15 minutes between classes.
    • The Stingerette is available as an after-hours transportation system for Tech students and employees. This ride-request shuttle services Georgia Tech-operated living accommodations, academic buildings, and facilities within campus boundaries and the MARTA Midtown Station. Service is provided from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. Call 404.385.RIDE(7433) or go to stingerette.com to request a ride.
    • MARTA is another form of transportation to get around Atlanta. The Tech Trolley will take students to the Midtown MARTA station. Unlike Georgia Tech transportation, MARTA is not free. Visit itsmarta.comfor more information on routes and costs.
  5. Parking. Students choosing to take a car to Tech should use this link for more information on purchasing parking permits. Click here for parking permit info.
  6. Safety in numbers. You’re always safer when you’re with others. When you’re walking, driving, or taking transit at night, try to do so with a friend when possible. You can also download the free LiveSafe app to send your location to friends when they can’t be there in person.

Academics

  1. Georgia Tech will be more challenging than high school. Every student at Tech is smart. Once freshmen accept this fact, it’s easier to cope with the rigorous academic environment. Stay focused and study hard, but remember that grades don’t define a person’s character.
  2.  Find locations and study groups that work for you. Every student is unique and their study habits vary accordingly. For a silent study experience, visit the upper floors of the Library. Note that The Price Gilbert and Crosland Tower renewal project, known on campus as Library Next, will begin its first major phase of construction in late July. This phase will focus on the Crosland Tower renovation and includes the removal of the connecting bridge, stairs, and walkways between the two library buildings. Learn more about the full scope of the project and what to expect at librarynext.gatech.edu.
  3. Use your resources. Georgia Tech has a lot of options when it comes to academic support. Talk to professors, schedule an appointment with an academic advisor, and check out the Center for Academic Success in Clough Commons. Sometimes it takes a village to earn that A.

Social

  1. Join an organization that you’re passionate about. Check out OrgSync to explore the hundreds of clubs that Georgia Tech has to offer. Find something of interest and get involved
  2. Go to sporting events. Many Georgia Tech sporting events — including baseball, softball, women’s basketball, volleyball, and tennis — offer free admission to students with BuzzCard.
    • For football games, students can purchase reserved season tickets or opt for free single game tickets. Purchase tickets here. These seats are located in the North End Zone. Students have the option to register and sit with an organizational group, the SWARM, or individually. The SWARM includes priority seating and T-shirt and costs an additional $20.
    • About 2,500 free single game tickets are available for each home game. Online registration begins a few days before every game. Free tickets are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. These seats are located in the South End Zone.
    • Men’s basketball tickets are free with BuzzCard but are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis with the first 900 students admitted.
  3. Greek Life. For women, the Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC) hosts formal recruitment each fall semester. Formal Recruitment is a highly structured process that takes students to each CPC sorority, and registration is required. Register by Aug. 17, 2017, for Fall 2017 rush.
    • There are also two associate member sororities that do not participate in the formal recruitment process. The associate member recruitment process takes place a few weeks after formal recruitment in the fall and during the second week of school in the spring.
    • For men, the Interfraternity Council hosts rush each fall, and There is also an opportunity to rush for a fraternity in the Spring semester. Georgia Tech also offers fraternities within the Multicultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council.
  4. Go to campus events. Tech offers many opportunities for freshmen to get to know each other while becoming acclimated to campus life. For example, R.A.T.S. Week is a collaborative effort across campus divisions, departments, and organizations to showcase the many opportunities at Tech. Events will occur during the first week of classes so be sure to check a few of them out.

Personal

  1. Call your mom. It’s easy to get caught up in freshman year. Between a full schedule of classes, new friends, extracurricular activities, and the adjustment to living on a college campus, there may be little time left for parents and siblings. However, it is important to take a few moments to catch up with family. FaceTime is a blessing!
  2. Discover the real you. College is a great time for students to explore aspects of themselves that they may not have in high school. Every freshman should do at least one thing that scares them. Georgia Tech offers students a unique opportunity to learn, innovate, and mature. Take advantage of it.
  3. Time flies when you’re having fun. Freshman year will be over in the blink of an eye. Make a photo album, keep a journal, or just take amazing mental notes of each new experience. Get ready for a great year!

 

The original link to this story can be found here.

Status

  • Workflow Status:Published
  • Created By:Kayleigh Haskin
  • Created:08/18/2017
  • Modified By:Kayleigh Haskin
  • Modified:08/18/2017

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