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| Kendall and members of the Ag Ed Society |
I remember the day I
got my acceptance letter to the University of Kentucky like it was
yesterday. It was my job to bring in the
mail, because I was the first person home in the afternoons. After I submitted my application, I
practically ran to the mail box every day, shuffled through the mail, and then
walked, disappointed, and without a letter from UK, into the house. Finally, after about two weeks of that awful
routine, there was a white envelope with my name written in blue ink. The butterflies took flight in my stomach and
my hands started shaking as I removed my letter from the mailbox and painstakingly,
broke the seal. I took a deep breath as
I pulled out the single sheet of paper and opened it… and screamed and jumped
as soon as I saw the word, “Congratulations!”
Being accepted into a prestigious university is a
milestone in our lives, and I’m sure your reaction was similar to mine. The best part about this milestone is that
you get to have four years of this life changing experience! However, it can be intimidating as you make
the transition from high school to college.
UK will send you great (and very detailed) information about what you
need to do in order to schedule classes and choose a major, but most students
have a lot of questions that only other students can answer. So, I have decided to compile my advice to a
new freshman and answer some of them.
Kendall’s Tips to
Freshmen
1.
Send in your
housing information as soon as possible!
If you want a specific dorm or roommate, it is essential that you beat
the crowd and get your application in early.
2.
Most of the students
who live in dorms live on South Campus.
From the dorms there, it takes about ten minutes to walk to K Lot
(Commonwealth Stadium- most of you will park here) and about eight minutes to
walk to the College of Agriculture.
3.
If you want to
apply for a Living Learning Community, there is a separate application from the
original dorm application!
4.
As soon as you
get your roommate assignment, contact them!
Start the process of getting to know each other early, so that way you
will already have at least one friend when you move in. You can also coordinate things like microwaves,
fridges, dishes, etc., so that you won’t have two of everything!
5.
Campus can be
big, but never fear! There is a dependable
bus system AND you can rent a FREE bike.
6.
If you live on
campus, you get at least five meals a week on campus. Make sure you try Ovid’s, which is located in
the library!
7.
If you are
living on South Campus in the dorms, you want an R3 parking pass. Make sure you buy your parking pass at 12:01 a.m.
on June 1st, because they run out of the good ones quickly! If you can’t get R3, you will want to get a K
Lot pass. And YES- you do need a pass if
you are planning on parking on campus- they will ticket and tow cars without
passes!
8.
Make friends
with the upperclassmen in your major.
They will be able to give you great advice about which classes you need
to take and can be good resources when you need help.
9.
Create positive
relationships with your professors! On
the first day of class, introduce yourself.
Participate in class, sit near the front, and ask questions. This will help in many ways, as you will
secure references and they may recommend opportunities to you.
10. Buy a good umbrella and keep it in your backpack! It does rain here, and if you have a lot of
walking to do, I promise that you will want one!
11. Join some clubs!
This is where you will make a ton of friends and begin to build your
resume through service and leadership opportunities!
This
list could on and on. College has taught
me so much, but I will say the most important lesson I have learned is to
simply enjoy the opportunities I have been given. While four years of college seems like an
eternity, I promise it will fly by. This
is one of the best times of your life, so make sure that you enjoy every second
of it.
So,
you’ve been accepted. Now, it is up to
you to make this experience the best it can be for you, because no two college
experiences are the same. I have given
you some basic information that you need to know before you come to UK, but
remember, the most important is to simply enjoy every second of this wonderful
journey you are about to embark on. Your
time as a UK Wildcat may have started at the mailbox, like mine, but one thing
is for sure: it is the adventure of a lifetime, and it will take you far beyond
the mailbox. Congratulations all new
Wildcats, and we cannot wait to see you on campus in the fall!
Kendall
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