1. Never sign up for a 8 am class – You’re not going to go, period. We’ve all been there, hitting the snooze button over and over and over. We like to think as students we are mature enough to choose education over sleep. Get over it, we’re not.
2. Closed Classes mean someone hasn’t dropped yet – Never give up hope, there’s always a slight chance someone might drop that class. Press refresh until you’re fingers bleed orhemorrhage if you’re really desperate.
3. Parking Sucks – A good parking spot is like winning the lottery, it’s never going to happen. So plan at least a 15 minute walk across campus into your daily commute. Never park in red-lined spaces, they are for faculty and you will get a ticket.
4. Get third, fourth and fifth opinion when talking to advisers. Advisors are like confusing couples, they never know what they want. So go to a bunch until you hear what you want to…..or until you hear the same answer at least twice.
5. Register ASAP to get the classes your “awesome advisers” told you about register early, even if that means waking up before 8 am (but don’t confuse this with taking early classes) and logging on to Oasis with sleep crust still fresh in your eyes. Believe me it’s worth it.
6. Better to Take a ‘W’ then an ‘F’- So if you didn’t take my advice and drop that 8 am class and you went to all of 2 times and now you don’t know what to do. The answer? Its time to withdrawal. An F looks far worse then a W. Plus I think W’s are really underrated, they’re making a comeback.
7. Socialize – FAU is largely a commuter school which can make it impersonal. So it’s helpful to talk to a few people in your classes. Besides, you never know when you’ll need a study partner smarter then you.
8. A hookup does not equal a relationship. This isn’t high school, random sex happens. My advice? Do your walk of shame with sass and flare and maybe it won’t look so bad. If guys can get a “walk of fame” girls, we should get a “walk of flare.”
9. FAU is loaded with the same people you tried to ignore in high school. Assholes are everywhere and as much as we like to think we left them at keg parties in high school, they still appear. If you see one in particular that you know you can whip out a cell phone and duck your head down.
10. Wackados… aka “Wackadon’ts”- FAU’s very own restaurant may be conveniently located directly on campus but nothing puts on the freshman 15 like their beer battered onion rings or well, anything on the menu. The only plus side I can think of is Wackados serves beer and beer=good.
11. English is not always a professors first language. Yes, just ask anyone whose ever taken Astronomy and they describe it as “that guy teaches it and I have no idea what he’s saying.” On the bright side, it’s fun to mock their accents in class and entertain your classmates.
12. Nifty Do it Yourself Tricks: So that FAU Owl card might hold a frightening picture of you but can also work to you’re advantage. Owl cards give you access to free Newspapers on campus, so you know, when you’re painting you’re dorm you have free dropclothes. Feel free to use it to scratch the old paint off as well.
