Nine Things To Expect Your Freshman Year!

Your freshman year of college is full of excitement, new experiences, and growth - here are nine things to expect if you choose to spend your freshman year at Purdue!

1. Boiler Gold Rush

Before your freshman year even officially starts, you might choose to participate in Boiler Gold Rush, Purdue’s new student orientation program. During this week, you’ll get to move in to your new home, meet new and current students, and participate in so many different activities like the Boiler Bridge Bash, B-Involved Fair, and Purdue After Dark. Who knows – you might even meet your newest best friend during this week!

2. Staying fit at the CoRec

Whether you’re already a weight-lifting machine or you just want to work off the unlimited make-your-own pasta from Wiley Dining Court, chances are you’ll find yourself at the CoRec at some point during your first year. There’s fitness classes, a competition pool, a recreation pool, basketball, volleyball, wallyball, indoor tracks, fencing, and so much more to do – you can grab your friends and sweat the stress of your upcoming exams away!

                         3. Finding favorite study spots

No matter who you are or where you come from, engineering classes will require you to put in the work. In order to be as successful as possible at this, you’re definitely going to want to explore different study spots early and find what works for you! Maybe you’ll find that the fourth floor silence of HSSE library is the best place for you, or maybe the busy Amelia’s Café in Armstrong Hall is more your style. Whatever your favorite study environment is, you’ll quickly find a place for you and your study buddies to call your home.

4. Watching all the games

There’s nothing quite like campus on game day - whether the game is basketball, football,or volleyball, the vibe is indescribable.  Chances are you’ll find yourself in Ross-Ade or Mackey Arena freshman year cheering on the Boilers, and the Big Ten conference offers plenty of competition and entertainment for any game you choose to attend. Who knows – maybe you’ll get to witness another journey to the Elite Eight!

5. First Year Engineering

One of the greatest parts about studying engineering at Purdue is the First Year Engineering Program. Through this program, you’ll get the opportunity to learn all about the different engineering disciplines that Purdue offers and decide which one interests you the most. You also get the opportunity to learn the skills that will act as your foundation for the rest of your engineering career, and you’ll work collaboratively on engineering projects that apply directly to the real world.

6. Feasting at the dining courts

Chances are if you choose to live on campus, you’ll have a meal plan that gives you access to all the dining courts on campus. These dining courts offer everything you can imagine from creating your own burrito bowl at Windsor to unlimited weekend brunch at Hillenbrand. By the end of your first year, you and your friends will all know each other’s favorite dining court and meal and plan schedules accordingly.

7. Enjoying the snow

If you’re lucky, the Indiana winter will bring snow, and with snow comes so much fun. Activities include but are not limited to: skating across a frozen Krach lawn, sledding down Slayter Hill on whatever you can find to use as a sled, or throwing snowballs at your friends at any time and place. Even if you choose to stay inside on snowy days, you will be sure to enjoy the beautiful views of a snow-covered campus (maybe even with some hot cocoa for extra coziness)!

8. Joining student organizations

Purdue really values everyone’s unique interests, and with over 40,000 students on campus, if you have an interest, you’re definitely not alone. That’s where student organizations come in! Purdue has over 1,000 student organizations to allow you to pursue whatever your interest is with other people who share that interest. Whether you want to mentor local kids with College Mentors for Kids or perfect your snowboarding skills with the Purdue Ski and Snowboard club, you’re sure to find a club for you (and probably get free food at their callout too).

9. Making amazing friends

As hard as it may be to believe, your favorite memories from college will not be of the times you spent cramming for your calc exam, so it’s great that there will be so many opportunities to make amazing, lifelong friendships! You might meet your best friends through Boiler Gold Rush, student orgs, your residence hall, or even in class. However you make them, they’ll be an amazing support system and stress relief throughout your first year on campus.