By Sophia Strawser, Special to The Chronicle
We are freshmen. We moved away, kissed the parents goodbye and began our rigorous schedule. Concerning ourselves with fitting in is overrated, but performing our studies and our daily life in a way that is perceived normal by the upperclassmen is always a plus. Just from simply living the college life for a mere week's time I have gathered bits of knowledge on the Do's and Don'ts of being a freshman.
Show up early to your classes. This habit will help you with many different issues that may arise. Don't assume you are outside the right classroom; ask someone. Allowing myself ten minutes prior to the beginning of my math class, I stood outside the door that I had believed to be my classroom. Five minutes passed; not a single soul joined me. Questioning the only other person in the hallway, I asked if he was there for the same class that I was. He then proceeded to inform me that the door I was waiting outside of was a closet. Talk about an intimate class setting. Not only will showing up early leave you a margin of time in case of error, but it will also allow for you to strike up conversations with your fellow classmates whom are waiting alongside of you. Nothing is worse than scrambling to find a partner for a project, and watching every student but yourself, send that all-knowing glance across the room to their friend, locking in bondage for the project.
Get involved on campus. Obtaining membership in a club you are interested in could be the way you meet your best friend. A common bond, similar interests, weekly meetings, and clubs grant you with the opportunity to meet people who potentially are heavily comparable to yourself. Don't assume that your best friend will prance into your life. Crazy thought, but why not strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to you.
Grasp opportunities. Hofstra offers an overwhelming amount of free activities that many students ignore. Last week three comedians graced Hofstra's campus forcing laughter from an audience of nine. As much as eating forty pizzas by myself serves as a heavenly thought, it's simply impossible. I left that evening with two whole pizzas, and a collection of cookies—justified by the ab workout I had received from the comedians. Finding these opportunities gives you the chance to meet people you don't see in your classes or clubs, and they are also a time to collect as much free food as you can carry via stomach and arms.
This leads me to my next tip, do utilize the fitness center. Don't sit in your dorm mindlessly playing video games, confused at whether it is day or night. Get out, find a work-out buddy. Work out for the sake of health or for the sake of conversation. This is freshman year so we might as well do it right. Let's be involved, intelligent, and to top it all off, social.