Debunking some of the most famous campus myths so you don’t look silly this semester.
Freshmen enter college with certain expectations of how their first year is going to be. Coming to college can be the best time of your life and there is so much excitement in moving to a new place and living on your own. You might think every weekend there will be a party or you have to raise your hand during lecture to go to the bathroom. Many of these ideas are wrong so we are here to uncover some of the common college myths every freshman believes in.
Curfew
Unlike other universities (cough cough, ORU) TU does not have a curfew for any of our students. Sure, sometimes if you are walking around campus at 3 a.m., a campus security officer might approach you to proffer an ID or escort you thinking you are homeless. Nevertheless, your time is open and as long as you do not stumble into the residence halls after quiet hours creating chaos, you are fine to be a moonlight walker.
Frat flu
Frat flu has been around for a millennia now and it is the equivalent of a campus epidemic. As a freshman, Victory night and White Tee parties sound like the most exciting times of your life or maybe your college career, but watch out for those sneezers. If you hesitate to pick an outfit, a full hazmat suit could never do you wrong (except maybe cause a heat stroke).
Roommates
Nothing is better than cohabitating in a studio sized room with someone you have never met before. This is prime time for best friends to be born, except…their music is too loud, there are dirty dishes in the sink that are not yours and there is a culty club meeting happening on their side of the room with illegally lit candles. That is A-Okay! Roomies don’t have to be friends. This can also teach you to pick ‘em carefully! If you keep having issues, use that trusty roommate agreement your RA has waived in your face a little too much.
Skipping class
It’s possible you have heard that skipping class is no big deal. When your classes are so spaced out and you are an average over-involved TU student it is hard to always bring your A-game to class and make it on time. It is not your fault that the Starbucks and Chick-fil-A lines were too long! Jokes aside, try to be there and if you can’t, communicate it with your professor. Attendance typically is not mandatory, but keeping up with the course is your best strategy.
Sleep
Sleep deprived students are sadly common on campus. A rule of thumb is “Anytime is nap time.” Free time between classes? That is why there are chairs everywhere. Good luck taking a nap in the Union during lunch time. Bring earplugs for maximum napping efficiency.
Laundry
If you think that getting your mom to do your laundry was hard, imagine getting yourself to do it. Thankfully, you won’t have to pay for it. Laundry on campus is free and detergent is available for purchase at the Union markets. If there is one thing you should take away from this, it is to not use dish soap as detergent. Overflowing a washing machine isn’t a great look, unless you want a foam party.
Professors
They may seem intimidating at first. Introduce yourself at the end of class the first day and befriend them. Regularly attend office hours, they love that and so should you. They are also human. They won’t hesitate to give you an F on an essay you barely put any effort into, but they do have a soul. Remember that.
