Video by Edward James Hernandez | Multimedia Reporter
Some problems that students run into during their first year include — but definitely are not limited to — having a random roommate, staying away from the "freshman 15" and having to adjust to harder classes.
Roommates are a huge part of how enjoyable your first year is. In most cases, you’re sharing a room with a stranger.
For the most part, ASU is pretty decent when it comes to pairing people. But sometimes, people completely clash with their roommate. Whether it’s their strange habit of blow-drying their hair at 3 a.m. or it’s how much of a slob they are, something they do is going to get on your nerves.
Understand that you’re living in a confined space with someone and you’re not going to love everything they do. But when it becomes a problem to the point that it’s consuming your mind, it’s time to approach it.
Go about this in a delicate manner. The last thing you want to do is get in an argument with the person with whom you share a toilet. Tell them, politely of course, what they are doing that bugs you and explain why. If they are a civilized, decent roommate they will listen to your complaint and hopefully put an end to that incessant ranting about how sore they are after leg day.
Another general issue first-year students come across is the freshman 15. The dining halls have a great selection of super tasty but extremely unhealthy foods that are so tempting.
Medical studies freshman Mackenzie Youngs is being careful not to become a victim of the "freshman 15."
“I like the dining hall because it has good food, but I don’t like that the options don’t really change,” Youngs said.
All the energy drinks that many students consume during those all-nighters at the Hayden Library certainly don’t help with the weight gain.
Rather than resorting to sugar, caffeine or something sweet, head to the fruit bar or the sandwich section. Also, be sure to be drinking a lot of water. A large number of students are not used to the Mojave desert and having to drink so much water.
Adjusting to classes that have that new level difficulty might just be the hardest part of the whole transition. Now that your parents aren’t here to make sure you go to school every day, it’s very tempting to skip a few classes.
That’s scholastic suicide.
It’s critical that you attend as many classes as you can so that you can get the best GPA possible. Your freshman year will be your easiest, so it’s in your best interest to get a high GPA so you have a tiny bit of cushion when things get more difficult your sophomore year.
Psychology senior Kendall Arrington is in her second year here but is a senior in credits.
“Look up the statistics for how much each class costs you and see how much money you lose by missing just one class – it’s an eye-opener!” Arrington said. “Also, professors will announce things about exams or give examples that will be on the tests. If you miss class, you miss those and you’ll just hurt your grade.”
There will undoubtedly be other obstacles throughout your freshman year, but these are definitely the biggest. Stay focused, be smart and have an amazing year!
Reach the reporter at danielle.kernkamp@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @danikernkamp
