Coming to Duke, or any college for that matter, can seem daunting. You know you’re about to be inundated with tons of new faces, new professors, and tons of new opportunities. Freshman year really is going to be a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences, so here are ten things I wish I knew before coming to Duke.
1. You don’t have to work the summer after freshman year.
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“What are you doing this summer?” I now dread this question. When everyone’s talking about how productive their summer is about to be, it’s easy to feel pressured to do the same. Especially around recruitment season, everyone seems to be getting summer internships in consulting, investment banking, or tech.
I wish I understood before I got here that only the people who have plans to work after their freshman summer are talking about it. Tons of students are actually going home for the summer and spending time with friends and family… you’re just not hearing about it. From one of these students to another, don’t succumb to the peer pressure of finding a job or internship related to your major. If anything, many upperclassmen wish that they did something more fun their summers after freshman year. Just because you don’t get a “head start,” your freshman year doesn’t mean that you’ll never get an internship later on during your college career. That being said, if you’d rather spend your summer interning, by all means, go for it!
2. You don’t have to join a sorority to have fun.
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Formal recruitment becomes the talk of East Campus starting in January after winter break and the weeks following it. For some, the appeal of participating in formal recruitment boils down the desire to be a part of party culture on campus. This is because a lot of students attribute Greek life to partying at Duke, and even though the two can go hand in hand, going out is not exclusive to Greek organizations. So if you’re afraid of missing out on Duke’s social scene, don’t be. Reality check: you can still go out if you’re not in a sorority! You probably managed all of first semester being unaffiliated. And, you’ve probably made friends that are in different sororities on campus.
SLG’s (Selective Living Groups) are also a great alternative to Greek life, and if that isn’t your vibe either, Duke has many clubs and activities that allow you to have fun and expand your social circle.
3. You should build relationships with faculty.
via: Success Magazine
It can be really easy to get lost in the crowd in some of Duke’s intro-level classes. It’s important for you to introduce yourself to your professors and go to their office hours. You can even Flunch them!
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I didn’t realize how critical knowing your professors is. You’re eventually going to need recommendation letters for research opportunities and internships, and you want the people writing your letters to know you well, both inside the classroom and out. And who knows, your professor might be the one to connect you to your first employer or to introduce you to a network of people that can help you in your professional development.
4. Everyone at Duke deserves to be at Duke.
via: Unroll Me
You’re not a real Duke student unless you’ve gone through the “I’m the dumbest person here” crisis. Everyone at some point in their Duke career is going to feel unworthy or incapable of keeping up with Duke’s social and academic demands. In these moments —as cheesy at it sounds— know your worth. Know that you were accepted for a reason and that your contributions matter.
5. You have to make a conscious effort to make (and keep) friends.
via: The Independent
“College isn’t actually a love-fest in which everybody is included in everything,” Julie Zeilinger states in her book College 101: A Girl’s Guide to Freshman Year. My advice is to talk to everyone! During O-Week, try to branch out and talk to people you wouldn’t ordinarily gravitate towards. You never know who your next best friends will be. Besides, you’re all in the same boat! Everyone is just as desperate for friends as you are so don’t be scared to say hello or sit with someone new on the bus.
6. F.O.M.O. is real —but don’t let it bother you.
via: Use FOMO
For those of you who don’t know, F.O.M.O. stands for “fear of missing out.” I can’t tell you how many times I forced myself to go out when I wasn’t in the mood, just because I was scared of missing “DSig’s biggest party of the year” or yet another Wednesday Night Shooters.
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Even though time goes by quickly in college, it’s not worth putting yourself through an exhausting night out when you’re already burnt out. Remember you have four years here, and your freshman year is only the beginning! You will have plenty of opportunities to explore Duke’s social scene. There is no reason to try and cram it all into your first year.
7. You will run out of food points (make! upperclassmen! friends!)
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I cannot stress this point to you enough. All freshmen are put on the same dining plan with meal swipes for Marketplace, the freshman dining hall. This dining plan is supplemented by a truly tiny (borderline unlivable) amount of food points. You will tire of Marketplace and you will drain your food point supply relatively early on in the semester if you aren’t careful. The key to dealing with this to make upperclassmen friends! Their dining plans give them an abundance of food points to spend and usually, they are more than happy to sponsor broke freshman at West Union.
8. Basketball culture at Duke is SO MUCH FUN.
via: The Kicker
During your time at Duke, go to Countdown to Craziness at least once and tent for the big UNC game. If walk-up line still exists next fall (this year’s walk-up line caused a ton of controversy, but that’s a different story), I would try it too. Tenting and walk-up line are great ways to bond with people that were once acquaintances to you and to get closer with your tent mates. The ordeal that is sleeping out in the cold with random checks at any hour of the night really forces you to bond with those around you. You know what they say… misery loves company!
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Duke Basketball culture also extends to games other than the Duke-UNC rivalry. I recommend going to as many games as you can. Nothing beats the adrenaline rush you feel in Cameron Indoor when your team is playing. It’s such a great atmosphere that everyone partakes in and gives you a chance to wear your cutest Blue Devil gear.
9. Pursue things that you’re interested in.
via: Live Bold
You’re going to notice right away that Duke has a lot of Econ and Pubpol majors. Just because everyone’s talking about the hell that is Econ 101 and Pubpol 155, you don’t have to take them your first semester. Duke gives its students so much freedom to pick from a variety of classes. Use this first semester (and second too!) as a period of academic exploration. Take classes that intrigue you. Take classes that are out of the box. You might just stumble upon your passion. Most importantly, don’t take classes just for the sake of knocking out a major requirement. You have three more years to do that.
10. College will fly by.
This is going to sound really cliché, but time really does fly when you’re having fun. Take advantage of every moment because, before you know it, it’ll be over in the blink of an eye.