Freshman year is definitely exciting, and Winthrop University is a great place to spend it! However, with all of the excitement (and let’s face it– nervousness) that you feel as you pull up to our beautiful Rock Hill campus, it is super easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the things that happen on campus. It is going to be a struggle to prioritize what events you should go to in order to get the full Winthrop Experience, so here is a bucket list for your freshman year, so you don’t miss out on any of the great adventures that Winthrop and the Rock Hill/ Charlotte area have to offer!
1. Go to all of the welcome week activities (especially the Convocation Picnic).
[photo: Lauren Villano]
Welcome week is full of exciting activities, events, and shows for all of Winthrop to enjoy as they welcome the new students. Convocation picnic is the main event, with all of the clubs on campus having tables out in front of Byrnes Auditorium while everyone enjoys food and browsing all that Winthrop has to offer. Make sure you don’t miss out on any of it!
2. Go to the homecoming basketball game sporting your most festive WU gear.
[photo: Sara Griffith]
Winthrop’s main sport is basketball so be sure to show up and show out!
3. Go to at least one game/match/meet of every team to support all the sports teams at Winthrop.
[photo: Liv Paxton]
Because basketball shouldn’t be the only sport that gets some love!
4. Try out one of the group fitness classes at the west center
Zumba, yoga, cardio hip hop, water aerobics.. there has got to be one that you will enjoy (and help you keep off the freshman 15).
5. Attend as many cultural events as possible
[photo: Martha Whiteman]
You need 18 to graduate, so might as well work on knocking them out early, besides a lot of them are tons of fun like this large group art installation made in the concourse!
6. See at least one Winthrop Theatre production
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
Winthrop’s Theatre deparment is housed in Johnson Hall and has put on a plethora of great plays in its time. Last year some of the most talked about shows included The Wiz, Spring Awakening, The Heathers, and Red.
7. Go to one of the many art shows in Rutledge
Rutledge is a beautiful building that boasts a few different art exhibits each semester, and at the beginning of them they often have the artists come speak which is super cool. Go check it out (you can probably get cultural event credit, too!)
8. Go to the dollar a pound book sale
[photo: Téa Franco]
The english department puts it on every spring and it is heavenly.
9. Eat way too much ice cream and chicken nuggets in Thomson
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
Because every Winthrop student needs to stress eat in Thomson every once in a while.
10. Go to Charlotte
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
Our 20 minutes up the road neighbor is a beautiful city, might as well make the most of it!
11. Go to Winthrop’s Fall Festival on the campus green
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
Live music, painting pumpkins, and apple cider sounds like a great time!
12. Enjoy some of Rock Hill’s holiday festivities
[photo: Téa Franco]
Rock Hill is the perfect place for anyone who likes Christmas. They turn downtown into Christmasville and have an ice skating rink, Christmas Carolers, and a parade. Winthrop also puts on a tree lighting that people from all over town come to.
13. Watch the sunset on Scholars Walk
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
14. Say hello to President Mahoney on campus
President Mahoney loves to walk around campus during the day, so make sure to say hello to the man who runs our awesome school!
15. Read the school newspaper to keep up to date on what’s happening on campus
[photo: Téa Franco]
Keep in the know on all of the things that happen on campus, so nobody can ever judge you for being a freshman who doesn’t know anything.
16. Explore downtown Rock Hill
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
Our historical little city has an even cuter historic downtown area. Spend a day browsing the stores.
17. Go to Food Truck Friday
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
Another fun thing that happens in downtown Rock Hill is Food Truck Friday, where you go downtown and have tons of food truck options to chose from while you listen to live music. They only run until September before they stop for the colder months, so make sure you make it a pount to get there before they stop for the season.
18. Waste time in Hardin Gardens
[photo: Téa Franco]
It’s the prettiest place on campus.
19. Check out some of the tables during common time
[photo: Téa Franco]
You never know what they have to offer!
20. Catch a movie in Dina’s Place
Nothing better than watching “Finding Nemo” in a theatre filled with college students!
21. Enjoy a day at winthrop lake
There’s nothing more relaxing than a day at the lake.
22. Take cliche pictures at Amelie’s
[photo: Maggie Claytor]
A cute little bakery in downtown Rock Hill that was an old bank is the perfect place to take instagram worthy pictures.
23. Go ghost hunting in Tillman
[photo: Ariel]
Winthrop is old, so it’s obviously haunted and the best place to go for some ghost action is Tillman Hall.
24. Have as much fun as you can squeeze into one year!
Freshman year is going to fly by, so make sure to cease every moment!
[Photo: Maggie Claytor]
Happy freshman year, WU Collegiettes!