Entering Cougartown: Helpful Hints and Tips to Survive Your Freshman Year at BYU

Are you a freshly graduated teen or child prodigy stuck anxiously in that awkward limbo summer between your last year of high school and your first year of college? And as such, are you currently panicking about the impending tidal wave of change (read: college) that you are about to sink or swim in? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, you have come to the right place. This is the place.

Hi. My name is Jenny and, as a second year (cough, your elder), I am entirely qualified to teach you all important life lessons about BYU. This is me on my third day, where my adventurous spirit took me to an inevitable misadventure. Karaoke night at The Wall.

Day 3 at BYU: I am filled with excitement and feel the need to awkwardly 

point my toe with Cosmo Cougar. These things do happen. 

I will be your spirit guide. Get excited. 

On Dorm Rooms

I know it's insanely exciting to think about having your own space to occupy. You're likely wondering about how you should decorate it, how much space there will be, and how best to utilize the space you get, so those are the questions I will be addressing. 

How Should I Decorate My Dorm? This is entirely up to you and what you want. My best advice is to consider your dorm room your first home. What environment do you want to create for your first home? Somewhere peaceful? A happy place full of memories? These are the questions that really matter. It is easy to get caught up in wanting a pinterest dorm, but I know from experience it is more important to be thoughtful about the atmosphere you create than the image you create. Bring pictures of Christ and the temple. Hang up photos of you and your friends that you can smile at when you're feeling homesick. Use bright colors to make it aesthetically pleasing and not so prison cell-esque. Be careful about the music and images that you allow in it. Be courteous of your roommate, but also be mindful of yourself. It's okay to ask your roommate to use headphones--this is your home too. 

One simple trick to make your dorm feel homey and comfortable is a rug. The floors are hard and not very pretty. Mirrors make the room look bigger. Getting a full length mirror was possibly the best decision of my life. Also, feel free to email your roommate beforehand and coordinate. Dorm rooms can be very cute if you do so.

My freshman year dorm. That is confetti on the floor, as

 this picture was taken after my roommate's birthday.

How Much Space Will There Be? Most dorms are pitifully small. Fortunately enough, the dorms at BYU are quite big, as you can see in the picture. I would highly recommend pushing the two beds together, because it makes the room gigantic and allows you enough space for a mini trampoline (not shown), but you will need to work that out with your roommate. Bottom line: you will have enough space, so don't worry about that. I lived in Helaman Halls, for reference. 

How Can I Best Utilize the Space I Get? Storage items will be very useful to you. The dorms at BYU definitely have space to allow for storage ottomans or shelving units, like the ones at the foot of Megabed in my picture. My roommate and I got those from Target. There is even an overhead ledge (the one you must risk your life on a rocking chair to dust every cleaning check) that you can use for extra storage bins. Store things under your bed. Don't buy any large items or items that you want for a specific place (closet) until you see your dorm room first. I understand wanting to be prepared, but you are going to buy things you don't need or that don't fit if you try to buy everything before.  

On Friends

You may be worried about making entirely new friends. Don't be. You will make friends. Especially at BYU, where everyone is unnaturally personable, you will make friends extremely quickly. Worry more about what kind of friends you make. Yes, every person I ever met at BYU was nice to me, but not every person I met was good for me as a close friend. Friends need to be encouraging and have similar values as you. Not everyone at BYU necessarily loves or even likes the church. I had some people justify breaking important standards with logic like, "It's about the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law," or even, "Let's not be like the Pharisees." I'm trying to say this in a way that doesn't offend people but... if the honor code is important to you, make your close friends people who also value the honor code. Not everyone does. 

If talking to new people scares you, you're just going to need to get over that. I had to. Here's a tip: just try and get to know them. Make the conversation solely about them. It makes people like you, and it's easier to keep up a conversation when you get people talking about themselves. Then they'll start coming to you and asking you about things. I don't know, I'm socially awkward and it worked fairly well for me. Gold star for me. 

On Schoolwork/ Classes

Go to class. Trust me, you will regret not going. You're paying a ton of money for this experience, so learn something. Check the class syllabuses and mark important dates in your planner. Get a planner. Check the syllabus again because it literally tells you everything you will need to know to be successful in the class. Study only the material you need to know, not everything. It amazes me how many people study everything for hours and hours and hours and then wind up angry at their mark because they studied the wrong things. Use your TAs. Go to review sessions. Make friends with classmates and get some numbers in case you have a question or need help. Participate in class--raise your hand even when you don't really want to! It makes the teachers like you, and you will get more out of the lesson. 

Study Tips

These differ depending on what kind of learner you are. Some people are better with hearing (acoustic learners)--this means you will want to take good notes during lectures. Looking at your paper will help you 'hear' the lesson over again. You can also toy around with putting things to music or using TV jingles to increase your memory. 

Maybe you are a visual learner--use pictures that are designed to help you remember key points. Maybe doodling on notes will be helpful to you. 

Some tips that are helpful across the board: mnemonics will increase your memory, study ahead of time, look over all your notes before you take a test. Don't ever plan to take a test on a late day. Always plan to take a test on the first or second day. It will make you feel awesome.  

But actually. Go to class. 

On Roommates

Be courteous and establish good communication early on. When you meet your roommate for the first time, it is probably a good idea to talk about what each of you wants for the school year. Make goals together about keeping your room clean, eating healthy, or reading the scriptures together nightly--whatever is important to both of you. It is tempting to try and establish a best friendomship right away, but I recommend maintaining boundaries on sharing or loaning items. My roommate is awesome, but she lost 4 pairs of my headphones. She is talented. 

You're probably going to be fine, but even if you do get someone you positively can't stand, you can switch your living situation at the end of first semester. Nobody panic. 

BYU Specific Things

Go to FHE.

Go to Tunnel Singing.

Rent a Puppy.
Disco Skating
80s dancing in Salt Lake

Jamba Juice is in the Wilk and is on the Dining Dollars Blue meal plan.

The MOA Cafe is excellent (Shout out to Joey. Thanks for always knowing my order).

Hike the Y at nighttime or at sunset--the view is as killer as the hike.

Bring a frisbee or basketball or croquet set... this will help you make friends.

The Dollar Theater is in walking distance.

Never turn down Cafe Rio. Never turn down in general.

Go to the Divine Comedy shows.

Go to at least one Vocal Point show.

Humor U is humorous.

The weather is out of control. Absolutely mental. I am from California and am in no way biased. 

There is a very pretty pathway up the stairs from the duck pond. Be forewarned: couples flock to this place.

Participate in all ward activities. 

If you can get a ride, the hot springs are fun. 

Don't trespass at the football stadium. It is "the most alarmed and protected place in all of Provo." Oops.

Learn the fight song and attend football and basketball games especially. 

Find out what "Enter to Learn. Go Forth to Serve" means. 

General College Advice

"Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone." 

You will grow up in college. Growing pains hurt. 

Try new things. Learn new talents. 

Help other people, but secure your own oxygen mask first. 

Good luck to all incoming cougars. You will do great!