Your First-Year Survival Guide!

To survive or to not survive your first year … that is the real question …

Yay, high school is over! But now college? What do I bring? What will I eat? Will I make friends? Will I like my classes? 

First, stop stressing! I got you. Get your pen and paper ready, it’s time I let you in on some secrets to surviving your first year at Whitman College. I’ll give you the inside scoop on res life, friends, classes, food … and whether these tips will help you survive or not.

Res life:

Bring everything that makes you feel at home. Your room is your safe space and the place where you can hunker down after a long day of classes. So bring your plushie, favorite snacks, family photos, and anything else you feel will make it easier for you to relax and just breathe in your room.

Friends:

Yes, you will make friends. Whitman is a very small friendly campus with a tight-knit community. We welcome everyone and encourage all types of friendships. Pretend you’re holding a Pokemon ball, pick someone and capture them. If your friendship doesn’t work out, try again. There’s a community and a close friend here for everyone on campus.

Classes:

This is a liberal arts college with diverse areas of study. You have the freedom and flexibility to explore different subjects for the first two years you’re at Whitman. By the end of your second year, you’ll know what major keeps you interested and you’ll have the support of great professors.

Food:

On-campus, we have Cleveland Commons–our amazing dining hall with food prepared by a chef! Off-campus, we have small restaurants nearby. If you can’t cook, trust me those are your best bets—you’ll become a regular. Now if you’re Gordon Ramsey’s prodigy, Safeway and other grocery stores are in close proximity for you to live your best chef-life. Also, our food pantry on campus offers food items for those who aren’t able to buy groceries.

Now that I’ve covered the basics to college life, do you think you will survive life at Whitman? Don’t be timid or shy. Something tells me if you follow these steps or reach out to resources on-campus, you just might.

Bertine Rose Lakjohn is a junior from the Marshall Islands majoring in Environmental Studies–Sociology. If Whitman ever has a hot chocolate shortage, I will be the main culprit.