You’ve heard about how memorable your freshman year will be, but no one’s really told you exactly how to make it that way.
As a freshman, there are some experiences you absolutely must have. Without them, you may just waste a whole year of your life.
#10 – Eat at the BYU Creamery.
First of all, since most freshmen do not have transportation, eating at the creamery provides amazing food, within walking distance.
“They have really, really, good ice cream,” said Cherea Davis, 23, a senior from Spokane, Wash., majoring in pre-dental hygiene. “Especially Earnestly Chocolate-they keep the caramel chunks big.”
Davis also recommends the Creamery as a great place for dates.
#9 – Eat at Dining Services.
If you ask any past freshmen, they all say the same thing. If at all possible, get the Dining Plus meal plan.
“If you eat at the Morris or Cannon Center too much, you need to give your immune system time to adjust, because your body will do some crazy things,” said Luke Lee, 24, a BYU graduate from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Travis Campbell, 23, a junior from Vancouver, Wash., majoring in exercise science, was a resident assistant for two years at Deseret Towers. He suggests making sure you go with Dining Plus so you can stay on campus more. He said you could also save up your money to buy a pizza.
“Cafeteria food just doesn’t taste good,” he said. “You get sick of it really quick if that is your only choice.”
Kim Wilson, 23, a senior from Boise, Idaho, majoring in history education, has a different view. She said every freshman must experience cafeteria cooking, so they will appreciate mom’s good home cookin’.
#8 – Tunnel Singing.
From 10 p.m. to midnight, every Sunday night, you can find a cadre of freshmen singing hymns in the tunnel just South of the Marriott Center. You may be thinking “weird” right about now, but you can be assured that it will become one of your normal Sunday night activities.
“The guys will mostly go during the colder months as an excuse to snuggle with the girls they go with,” Campbell said.
Another ritual during tunnel singings is the famous “it’s that time again,” where the singing stops, and freshman boys proudly announce their mission calls.
#7 – Flunking Your First Test.
“First of all – don’t do it, and second of all – if it happens, remember it is water under the bridge, and don’t take it personal,” Lee said.
Lee said you must consider that you are at a school with people who all got A’s growing up, so if you get a grade lower than you are used to, do not let it get you down.
“Just study smarter, and harder,” Lee said. “It took me four years to learn that.”
Most freshmen encounter their first not so pretty grade in American Heritage, the killer class for all freshmen. Lee said he recommends going to talk to your teacher for extra help. He said they respect that a lot.
#6 – The Balancing Act.
As a freshman you will have a lot of things flying at you from all directions. You will be trying to get good grades, trying to stay on track spiritually, trying to get into a group socially and trying to adjust to life without parents.
“One of the most important things is to remember why you are at school, and to not take advantage of being away from home,” Davis said. “Remember what your parents have taught you.”
She also said she recommends taking this time to figure out who you are and to strengthen your testimony.
“Make sure you surround yourselves by those who will be good influences on you,” she said. “There are a lot of good Mormons who do bad things, and just because this is BYU doesn’t mean that everyone is a good influence.”
Campbell said to get as much studying as you can done during the day, because inevitably, at night, you are going to want to stay up late hanging out.
“If you don’t have your studying done, you will choose hanging out over doing your homework,” Campbell said.
Lee said looking back he did not know how to balance, and he learned the hard way.
#5 – Homecoming and Other Dances.
As freshman, it is vital that you go as a group to Homecoming.
“It is very worth going to, especially at the state capitol,” Lee said.
He said whether you go as a group, or as individual couples, make sure and go with someone you could have fun with.
“It is not like you are going to marry the person, so go with someone that you can be yourself around.”
Whether the dances are school sponsored or not, they are a good deal, and they have good standards, Lee said.
#4 – Creative Dates.
Let’s face it, one of the things all freshmen look forward to at BYU is a huge selection of people of the opposite sex, mostly single, undoubtedly Mormon and all willing to go on fun dates. So the creative juices have to get flowing if you want to conquer the dating scene.
Wilson said all freshmen have to go to “Nutty Putty Cave” in Payson, is a great way to get down and dirty on a date.
It is recommended that you go prepared with flashlights, and lots of people, because it can be dangerous.
Davis said her most memorable dates were going up the canyon, having picnics and roasting hot dogs and s’mores on an open campfire.
Ice blocking at Rock Canyon Park is also a favorite of many, as well as tandem biking and home videos.
Although all the secrets cannot be divulged, make sure you do something that has never been done before if you want a second date.
#3 – Hiking the Y.
“Hiking the Y is one of the first dates the guys always go on,” Campbell said. “It is something they feel like they have to do.”
He said some freshman are so passionate about doing it that they leave at midnight, the night before their parents are coming to pick them up from their freshman year, so they can said they did it during their freshman year.
If that is not enough information to convince you to do it, then who knows what is?
#2 – Football Games.
Just imagine 60,000 adrenaline-high fans packed into one stadium. Where else would you want to be?
“Football games are a vital freshmen experience,” Lee said. “You’re wasting your time being at BYU if you don’t go to the football games.”
Campbell said he suggests going with your ward to buy your All Sport passes, so that you can all sit together.
And the #1 experience every freshman should have…drum roll please…DORM LIFE!
Whether it is the floors, the friends, the food, or the fun, all freshmen should live in the dorms.
Campbell said most boys find they fit in best through ward activities, hall prayer, floor meetings, ward prayer, going to church and fulfilling their callings.
“Be an active part of your floor so you actually feel like you know the people you are surrounded by,” Campbell said.
Lee said he loved living in Deseret Towers his freshman year.
“My best friends throughout my college years, I made my freshman year in the dorms,” Lee said. “About 30 of us still keep in touch, 15 of us still see each other regularly, and three to five of us talk on almost a daily basis.”
So if you want to make your freshman experience all that it can be, do these ten things. You will be happy you did.
