8 Things You Should Know Before You Start College入学应知八件事

麦肯纳·米勒

Advice for getting your first semester of college off to a good start.八條建议，助你顺利开启大学第一学期。

By McKenna Miller

Setting off for your first semester of college can be scary， and even the most eager aspiring first-year will have questions. Although colleges do their best to make new students feel welcome， there are some issues that won’t be addressed in the orientation package. Here’s a little guide to some of the more practical matters of getting your college career started right.

Every college has different rules on what you can bring

It is essential that you check the list of approved and prohibited items from your college before you move in. Rules vary from school to school， and you may want to hold off on buying that mini-fridge/microwave combo1 until you make sure you can have them in your dorm. Even things you might not think about， such as power strips2 or halogen lamps， might be prohibited by your university. Make sure you check the college’s specific requirements.

You probably shouldn’t take your whole closet

Dorm storage space is one thing that many incoming freshmen overestimate. Depending on the size of your wardrobe， it might be a good idea to consider leaving everything but the necessities at home. Besides， you might find you don’t need as many clothes as you think—most college laundry facilities are easy and inexpensive. Many colleges even offer free use of washers and dryers. It’s a good idea to do some research before you start school to see whether or not you need to stock up on quarters. Some colleges even have high-tech laundry services that will text you once your clothes are ready. Be sure to do a little research into your college’s laundry facilities before you pack for college.

You might not like your first roommate （and that’s not the end of the world）

For your first semester of college， odds are you’ll have a randomly picked roommate. And while it’s completely possible that you will be the best of friends， it’s also possible that you might not get along. This can be uncomfortable， but remember that with classes， clubs， and other campus events， you probably won’t be in your room very much anyway. By the time the semester is over， you’ll most likely have found a friend to room with for the next term.

First semester classes might not be that great （but they’ll get better）

For your first semester， you’re probably taking a first-year seminar， some gen-ed classes， and perhaps a big lecture hall 101 type course3. Some of the big， mostly first-year classes aren’t the most engaging， and first-year students are frequently taught by graduate students rather than the college’s professors. If your classes aren’t what you had hoped for， keep in mind that you will soon be in smaller， more specialized classes. Once you pick your major， you can start with the major-specific classes as well. Even if you’re undecided， you’ll have a wide range of classes to choose from， with everything from upper-level science courses to creative fine art studios. Just remember to register as soon as you can before the classes fill up！

Know where you can get good food

Food is an important part of the campus experience. Most colleges have multiple dining options， and it’s a good idea to try them all your first semester. If you want to know the best place to eat， or if you need vegan， vegetarian， or gluten-free options， you can always check the college’s website， or just ask your fellow students. Don’t forget to try outside the college， too—college towns almost always have good， cheap food.

There are tons of things to do （and it’s pretty easy to find them）

The last thing anyone should be worried about is being bored on campus. Almost every college has a host of student clubs and organizations， frequent campus events， and other activities. They’re not hard to find， either. Colleges usually have a list of registered student organizations， and there are often fliers and posters all around campus for things to do and clubs to join. Some clubs even have their own social media sites， which could help you not only learn about the clubs， but also contact current members.

Plan out your academic career early （but don’t be afraid to change it）

In order to make sure you have all the credits you need to graduate on time， it’s a good idea to plan out your courses early. Don’t forget to plan for general education requirements and classes you need for your major. But keep in mind that your plan won’t be written in stone. Most students change their majors at least once during their college careers. So， while it’s a good idea to have a plan for your academic career， keep in mind that you’ll probably end up changing it.

You can get good grades and have fun

A common fear when starting college is that there will be time for either studying or having fun， but not both. The truth is that with good time management it is possible to get good grades in all your classes and still have time to be in clubs and go have fun. If you manage your schedule well， you may even get a decent amount of sleep， too.                                     ■

開启大学第一学期可能很恐怖，甚至最期盼、最有抱负的第一学年也不会一帆风顺。虽然学校尽其所能让新生感到备受欢迎，但总有入学教育没能解决的问题。这份小指南将告诉你顺利开始大学生涯的实用事项。

各大学对可带物品规定不同

入住前务必检查学校允许和禁止的物品清单。规则因学校而异，别急着购买迷你冰箱与微波炉组合，先确认学校宿舍是否允许使用。大学可能还会禁用电源板或卤素灯等，这些你可能想不到。一定要核对学校的具体要求。

可能不该带上全部衣物

很多大一新生都高估了宿舍的存储空间。根据衣柜的大小，最好只带必需品。此外，你可能会发现需要的衣服没有想象中那么多——大多数校内洗衣设施操作简便，价格低廉，在许多大学甚至还提供免费使用的洗衣机和烘干机。所以不妨在开学前看看是否需要备些25美分的硬币。一些大学甚至提供高科技洗衣服务，清洗完毕后会短信通知。打包出发前，一定要了解清楚学校的洗衣设施。

你可能不喜欢第一个室友（这可不是世界末日）

第一学期可能随机分配室友。你们也许志趣相投，也许无法相处，后者可能让人不舒服，但请记住，你还有课程、俱乐部和其他校园活动，反正也不会常待在宿舍。到学期结束时，你很可能已找到下学期的室友了。

第一学期的课程也许不那么好（但会越来越好）

第一学期，你可能会有一年级的研讨课、一些通识课，也许还有大班基础课。通常一年级的大课并不吸引人，授课教师也常常是研究生而非大学老师。如果课程没有之前想得好，请记住，你很快就能上专业性更强的小班课了。一旦选好专业，可以从专业课开始。即使定不下来，也有很多备选课程，从高级科学课程到创意美术工作室，一应俱全。要记得在课程报满之前尽快注册！

知道哪里有美食

食物是校园体验的重要组成部分。大多数学校提供多种就餐选择，所以不妨在第一学期全部品尝。想知道最佳就餐地点，或需要纯素食、素食或无麸质食物，可以随时查看学校网站或问问同学。同时可别忘了去校外试试——大学城几乎总有物美价廉的食物。

活动很多（很容易找到）

根本无须担心校园生活无聊。几乎每个学校都有许多学生俱乐部、社团、频繁的校园赛事和其他活动。要找到这些活动的信息很容易，学校通常都有一份登记的学生社团名单，校园里也常常张贴各种活动及俱乐部的传单和海报。有些俱乐部甚至有自己的社交媒体网站，不仅能帮你了解俱乐部，还能联系现有会员。

提前规划学业（不要害怕改变）

为确保拿到所需学分按时毕业，建议提前规划。别忘了根据自己的专业需求做好通识教育的选课规划。但请记住，规划并非一成不变。大多数学生在大学生涯至少换过一次专业。因此，虽然建议你提前规划学术生涯，但别忘了，规划最终很有可能改变。

学习娱乐两不误

新生常担心学习和娱乐不可兼得。但事实上，管理好时间，不仅可以在所有课程中取得好成绩，还能得空在俱乐部里玩乐。如果安排得当，还会有充足的睡眠时间。              □

（译者单位：北京师范大学）