BY KAYLA DRAKE | A&E Editor 

The new school year has officially begun, and with it, 600 freshmen have embarked on their college careers at Lindenwood.

Hundreds of students are now in an unfamiliar environment. Some 30 minutes from home, some across the ocean from home. So here are six “survival” tips for all the freshmen out there:

1. By now most of you have probably already purchased your books, but for future reference, students do not have to buy all of their books. Professors are required to submit a book with every course. So it’s better just to ask your professor if the book will be utilized throughout the course to save money. Granted, I’m not advocating for not using books; that would disregard common sense and greatly cripple learning. What I am advocating for is making the best use of money and not just spending it where the university says you have to.

2. When students do buy books, compare prices. I typically compare prices between chegg.com, Book X-Change and Lindenwood’s Barnes and Noble. Bonus tip: Chegg offers free shipping 95 percent of the time, so now shipping prices will not stop you from ordering books online.

3. Take advantage of local diners. Three great diners are Gingham’s, Allin’s and Lady Di’s. Gingham’s is definitely the most popular among Lindenwood students, with an absurd variety of food on its menu. The downside is the smoking area (Yes, St. Charles allows smoking inside. These are cigarettes I am talking about.) rolls over like the fog in the 2005 horror film. On the positive side, it is open 24 hours a day and is thus the most popular diner among students. Allin’s is super tiny and old school. It is also within walking distance of campus. The menu is small and concise, and the servers are all like family. If you’re really wanting to get down with the locals, go to Lady Di’s, where you will be treated like family within four visits.

4. Take advantage of your resources, namely the writing and career centers. Currently these are underutilized, but hopefully with both centers switching to locations in the LARC, that will change. The writing center saves you the daunting task of finding a friend that will actually edit your paper, because they pay people, who happen to be more skilled than your friend, to edit papers. The career center will help you figure out the end game for your degree, so get plugged in right away with your career representative.

5. Go to on-campus events and get involved. Not going to campus events defies common sense because free food is offered at literally 90 percent of all the events on campus. Another benefit of getting involved is that it is a great resumé builder and is where you meet a lot of people. Who doesn’t want friends and an awesome resumé?

6. Be realistic. Surprisingly, it has taken me awhile to realize that I am not a superhuman. By that I mean in order to be a healthy person you are going to have to set boundaries. For example, only going out four nights a week, setting a curfew for yourself or setting a limit to your commitments. None of these are concrete. The beauty is that you decide your own boundaries, because you know your limits. And if you don’t know your limits, it’s OK. Neither did I. But be attentive when you are feeling worn down or stressed, because that’s a sign you are pushing your limits.

College has a learning curve, both socially and academically. Take solace in the fact that 600 other people are in the exact same curve as you.

Sincerely,

Someone who was in your position last year