The K-State campus is home to thousands of students with unique backgrounds and experiences. While college isn’t the same for any two people, most students pick up a few pieces of advice or tips during their time at K-State. Here is what advice dozens of K-State students have for incoming students.
1. College goes by really fast, even if you don’t think it is going to.
2. Laundry really isn’t that scary.
3. When the Nestle Toll House Break-Apart Cookie package says, “Don’t Put in the Microwave,” they aren’t kidding. Don’t do it.
4. When you have a chance to do something fun, do it. Always do it.
5. Get over any preconceived notions about Ramen Noodles. It is delicious and you will eat it. Lots of it.
6. Push yourself to try new things in the first semester, especially.
7. Buy student athletic tickets when you can. They get a lot more expensive after you graduate.
8. Start looking for internships now. Don’t wait until it’s actually time to need one.
9. You will make friends, even if you don’t know anyone right now.
10. Keep applying for scholarships each spring. There are year-round scholarship too.
11. Avoid scheduling classes before 9:30 a.m. if you can help it.
12. On-campus jobs make great student jobs. They are flexible, and you don’t have to travel far.
13. Be smart about being stupid.
14. Don’t be nervous or worried about what strangers think about you.
15. Living with someone you don’t know, or even someone you do know, is hard. Be nice to your roommates.
16. Participate in an intramural sport.
17. Take chances.
18. Sometimes, go to bed before midnight.
19. Take advantage of the 100-level classes.
20. Get as many A’s as you can your first year. Rallying at the end isn’t fun.
21. Find a mentor.
22. Join greek life. Seriously.
23. Don’t go home every weekend.
24. Make friends with people who are different than you.
25. Don’t try to climb the ladder in your dorm room really late at night. You can and will hurt yourself.
26. Always have extra socks. You will lose them in washing machines, and you will never get them back.
27. Pet mice are not good to have.
28. Fish are not good dorm room pets. They don’t do anything.
29. Invest in a pair of waterproof shoes and an umbrella.
30. Lock your dorm room door when you should. You know when you should.
31. Live on campus for at least a year.
32. Chose a major that makes you happy, not what someone else wants you to do.
33. Go potluck with a roommate.
34. Get to know your professors.
35. Watch people pour your drinks if you go out.
36. Pizza Shuttle pizza is great. Do the “shuttle drop” before you eat it, though.
37. Stay in Manhattan for at least one summer while you are in college.
38. Eat Call Hall ice cream at least once a semester.
39. Go to a women’s basketball game; they are free.
40. When you hear “booms” during the day or at night and it isn’t raining, it’s probably Fort Riley practice bombing. It’s okay. It means your safe.
41. It’s really easy to get pulled over on Manhattan, Anderson and Bluemont Avenues around campus. Drive especially careful around there.
42. Make friends on your dorm floor.
43. Make friends in your classes so you can study for tests together and get notes if you miss class.
44. Even though you don’t have to go to class, you still need to make an effort. At least 90 percent of the time.
45. Go to Pillsbury Crossing at least once. Wear flip flops and shorts, and take a picnic lunch.
46. Dorm room closets are tiny. Only bring the clothes you know you’ll wear. Share clothes, too.
47. Find something you are passionate about and go after it. Who cares what it is.
48. Take a class just because it is fun.
49. Start networking when you get here. Don’t wait until your senior year.
50. Remember your online presence. Don’t put anything online you wouldn’t want your grandma to see.
51. It may seem a little uncomfortable now, but K-State will feel like your real home very quickly.
52. Don’t listen to the negative people.
53. Long-distance relationships are really hard. Dating at all freshman year isn’t really a good idea.
54. Don’t feel the need to get a pet in your dorm room. It never works out.
55. Don’t worry if your roommate doesn’t like you. They probably don’t like anyone.
56. Don’t do anything that makes you lie to the most important people in your lives.
57. Don’t feel pressured to hang out with your high school friends.
58. Pick a major. Don’t stay open option past your freshman year. Make a decision.
60. Men: do your laundry. The “sniff test” doesn’t work.
61. You need to wear flip flops in the shower. Always.
62. Find the Willy Wok line in the Derby Dining Center. It’s delicious and kind of hidden.
63. Use your resident assistant in the dorms. They know things, and they are there to help you.
64. Don’t get too worked up. You’ll eventually know where buildings are, how to use K-State Online and where to get the best Wi-Fi connection.
65. Go to the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art on campus. It’s free, and they have some cool stuff.
66. Don’t leave your clothes unattended in the laundry room.
67. Become tolerant of people and things that are different than you.
68. Don’t take notes on your computer if you get distracted easily. Tumblr and Pinterest are not good ways to spend class when you could actually learn something.
69. On the other hand. it’s hard to take notes by hand in class when a lot of professors talk really quickly. Take your laptop, if you can.
70. Stay aware of the world outside of campus.
71. You can’t text and drive here. It’s like, a $168 ticket.
72. Never undervalue people.
73. Pulling all-nighters aren’t as glamorous or awesome as they seem they might seem. Avoid them.
74. Bad attitudes are toxic. Put yourself in positive situations.
75. At least look in to every opportunity that interests you at all.
76. Don’t forget to take care of your mental health, too. Don’t get too stressed out.
77. Don’t wear your letterman’s jacket or high school class ring. Don’t even bring them with you.
78. Take lots of pictures.
79. It’s okay to skip class occasionally, like when the weather is really, really nice or you just turned in your 30-page final paper.
80. When emailing your professors, be professional. Tell them who you are and what class you are in.
81. Use Career and Employment Services, even if you aren’t looking for a “real job” yet. They can help you find part-time jobs, help you with your resume or help you practice for an interview.
82. Consider biking places instead of driving everywhere.
83. Everyone in high school probably told you college was really hard. There are difficult classes, but there is also a lot of hype about how hard it actually is.
84. If you had a 4.0 grade point average in high school, it’s okay to get a B or two, or three in college. College is a balancing act, and sometimes that means not getting an A in a hard class.
85. If you were super involved in high school, being super involved in college is different. There are more opportunities, and there are more things pulling you in different directions. It’s best to limit yourself, especially at first.
86. It’s okay to quit things if they aren’t “your thing.” There is no reason to force yourself to spend time or money doing something you hate.
87. Go to Tuttle Creek State Lake or Pottowatomie State Lake (everything is free there). Go camping, hiking, swimming or stretch out in your hammock.
88. Learn the Wabash Cannonball and other sport cheers.
89. Eat at the good local places around town including outside Aggieville.
90. It’s okay to say “no” to things if you don’t want to do them, or to quit things you don’t like anymore.
91. Don’t be afraid to get a tutor if you are struggling in a class.
92. If you are sick, go to the doctor. Don’t just “tough it out,” because it will never get better.
93. Take advantage of what Hale Library has to offer. They have books and cameras and programs and everyone is really nice and will help you out.
94. You need to check your K-State email at least once a day, if not more. If you don’t want to use your K-State email, have that address forwarded to another one you will check often.
95. Take advantage of coupons and K-State student discounts. Lots of restaurants and stores have them. Coupon booklets are usually handed out in the fall, so watch for them.
96. Study or travel abroad, even if it’s for a week. Go somewhere and experience a country different than America. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.
97. Get used to walking as a freshman. Your car is going to be far away from your dorm, and it’s quicker to walk to your classes. You’ll get awesome calves.
98. Explore other cultures and traditions. Do as much as you can to learn about the world outside Manhattan or Kansas.
99. Try to stay on top of your homework as much as possible. Trying to dig yourself out at the end really isn’t fun.
100. Have fun.
