CZEREPAK: Advice for your 1st month at Rutgers
Column: Luke's Light
Hello! My name is Luke Czerepak, and you may not know me yet, but I am a sophomore in the School of Engineering. I wanted to write a quick list about what I experienced as a first-year and how I believe it can benefit you this fall.
Here are two things you should do and two things you should not do to adjust to campus life this fall.
Do: Make friends
Rutgers is a very unique school, but the fear felt at the beginning of starting something new is universal — everyone around you is also terrified. You may be on the bus, in class or in the dining halls, and could encounter that feeling of not knowing people and feeling lost and alone — but you are not. You might be on your own, but nowhere near alone.
In my experience, I had three friend groups my first year: one from my residence hall, one for classes and one for the intramurals and clubs that I was a part of. I do not suggest you have to have them split like I did (and, by the way, I did not plan on it). They just never interacted with each other.
But remember, no matter what major you are, try to make at least one or two really good friendships and have one solid friend group. The tip behind this is they will help make your experience better.
Do not: Procrastinate school work
Please, please, please, put school work first and everything else second. If you want to be successful come this fall and be proud this winter, you must maintain your GPA.
Grades matter, and there is not going to be someone watching over you pushing you to keep up your grades — not even the professors.
So here is a quick reminder about academic probation, Rutgers will put you on academic probation should your GPA drop below a 2.0. Now, this may seem easy to avoid, but understanding college work can and will at some times be long and time-consuming is essential.
Do not fear. There is help if you need it. Here is a tip on two of these services that helped me: class TAs and free tutoring. That is it. (Oh, and a quick side note: Become friends with TAs. You will not regret it).
Do: Go out reasonably and experience something new
Take it from someone who is so excited to get back to school that I signed up for early arrival. Your first year is going to be a wild ride, so please throw your hands outside the vehicle at all times, and do not stop trying new things!
This is Rutgers. This is a big school, and let me tell you, there is a lot to do. A few things I want to suggest checking out are greek life, intramural sports and extracurricular clubs. If you are looking for places to hike, head over to the Ecological Preserve on Livingston campus. Or how about plays, live music and farm life? The Cook and Douglass campuses got you covered.
Come this September, check out Busch campus for athletic games like football, but also some science-oriented clubs like the Astronomical Society.
Most importantly, make sure you check your email. It will be spammed with lots of random sign-up sheets, so grab some friends and go out and do it. You are definitely going to enjoy college more if you dedicate some time to socialize, but do not let it consume you.
Do not: Neglect your health and basic hygiene
This one is serious, and therefore the last and most important tip. The number one way to have a bad time in college is to be in the hospital or in your residence hall sick for the whole semester, like one of my friends last fall.
At Rutgers, some say that with every September comes "frat flu" season. It is not a real virus, but it still affects you with a cough with a runny nose and sore throat. Now, yes, it can be coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but most of the time it is not, and it will suck having it.
Your goal, come this fall, is to go out and buy a first-aid kit. This kit will come in handy at the weirdest times and can be a lifesaver. Just in case you do not have this stuff, do not worry. There are medical places on campus that can help you. Just remember to schedule a meeting with them beforehand, or they will turn you away.
One last thing: Rutgers has more than 30 different places to eat on campus, with the four main ones being the dining halls. Doing all of these things makes your college life better, and it makes those lives around you better.
Luke Czerepak is a sophomore in the School of Engineering majoring in aerospace engineering and minoring in economics. His column, "Luke's Light," runs on alternate Fridays.
*Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.
YOUR VOICE | The Daily Targum welcomes submissions from all readers. Due to space limitations in our print newspaper, letters to the editor must not exceed 900 words. Guest columns and commentaries must be between 700 and 900 words. All authors must include their name, phone number, class year and college affiliation or department to be considered for publication. Please submit via email to oped@dailytargum.com by 4 p.m. to be considered for the following day’s publication. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.
