50 Things We Learned From Freshman Year

The first few weeks of college are stressful as hell. Most of us have never lived alone, let alone lived alone in a different state. The structure of your day-to-day life also shifts dramatically. But don't worry, you will get through this confusion and emerge victorious.As sophomores (as of this weekend), we like to consider ourselves sage guides to all things Brown. We've compiled a list of 50 things that our first year at this school taught us. Learn from our mistakes, take in our pearls of wisdom, and most of all, remember you are a freshman and it's okay to mess up sometimes.

1. Don’t buy BSA bedding unless you need to make a great Halloween costume.
2. No one knows which one’s margarine or butter at the VDub. But who really cares if you’ve been putting margarine on your bagels all of first semester?
3. There’s a lot of fun stuff to do at Brown all the time.
4. If you live in Andrews, you don’t actually need to leave the building to go to Commons.
5. No one really knows why there’s an illustration of bell peppers in the Rock’s computer cluster.
6. Time management sucks.
7. If you’re taking an architecture class, start building your model early. Like during shopping period early.
8. You will make the most amazing friends.
9. Even if you think you’ll get a hit by a car, you (probably) won’t. (Blognonian is not liable for any bodily harm or injury.)
10. Open curriculum is ~amazing~.
11. Providence has a lot to offer, so you should explore it. Get off the hill!
12. Eating Andrew’s pizza everyday is not a sustainable lifestyle, but you can sure try if you have the right attitude.
13. Over 70 degrees? Go outside because nothing gold ever lasts, Ponyboy.
14. 25live is the most poorly designed website, ever.
15. The shuttle will save your frozen ass.
16. Binder!!!!! Go to Dave Binder on Spring Weekend!!! 
17. Why yes, the meal plan is awful. Plan accordingly (see below).
18. Don’t be on the three-a-day meal plan. Don’t. Some of you may think you need it. You don’t.
19. Sometimes, classes are really hard and you do really poorly, but you’ll survive. It's freshman year, after all. 
20. The Metcalf Research Building’s fire escape is climbable if you’re daring/tall. 
21. Go outside on a spring night and there’s a 100% chance you will spot a bunny.
22. There’s a 60% chance that bunny will try to sell you drugs
23. VDub waffle + ice cream + sprinkles
24. Microwave + VDub Waffle Batter + sprinkles = mediocre-but-good-for-a-dining-hall cake.
25. If you strut into Andrews Commons and fill up a pitcher without paying, no one will question it. It's all about confidence. 
26. You can borrow computer chargers in the rock (for free!) (what?!)
27. The RISD Nature Lab has live jellyfish who are just dying to be your friend.
28. Samosa burgers at the Ivy Room are sooooo gooood.
29. Play drunk Bananagrams with your hall. You won’t regret it.
30. Sometimes skipping a large lecture class is ok.
31. Sometimes skipping all of the large lecture classes for an entire month is ok, too, though I don’t recommend it.
32. Don’t be afraid to cry all over your friends; they’re here for you.
33. The Blue Room water faucets are supposed to be pulled, not pushed. That one took me a while to figure out.
34. Don’t stress about being super professional when emailing professors; they’re hot messes just like you and me.
35. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies (CPBB) at Blue State are SO delicious and can be made vegan.                                                        
36. Unless it has a service-dog vest, all on-campus dogs are fair-game for petting.
37. Be super nice to the workers at Chipotle so they really ladle on the beans.
38. Also be nice to them because why not?
39. Tons of these trees are climbable as hell.
40. Do power poses in the mirror before big interviews or exams 
41. No one gives a shit if you’re pooping in the next stall over.
42. The RISD Museum is super cool, so visit! Even better? You get free admission!
43. You will find the high school students on tour absolutely adorable, even though you are the same age as them.
44. Yeah, remember how you promised yourself in high school that you would get your life together in college? That was cute of you.
45. Things are going to get weird. Often.
46. Communicate with your roommate. Set ground rules early. 
47. If your friend’s parents are in town and ask you to come to dinner, do not turn that opportunity down.
48. 9 A.M. Principles of Econ is a bitter pill we must all swallow.
49. Muffin + Drink of your choice + Cape Cod chips < $7.30 at the Blue Room
50. You’re super lucky to be at the happiest campus.