August 4, 2023
Adjusting to a new life in college can be downright confusing. Learning the ins and outs of this new life takes time, but for now, our returning Huskers are here to offer some advice — some Husker Hacks if you will.
Hacks for: your first year
- Make connections with upperclassmen in your major! They know all the tips.
- You don’t have to know what you want to do on day one. It’s okay to switch your major!
- Keep an umbrella in your book bag.
- Utilize your advisors! Make appointments early and often!
- Go explore local coffee shops to study if you need a change in scenery! The Mill, Reactor, etc.
- Say yes to stuff! Even if it’s not something you’d normally do, the people matter more than the activity.
- There are tons of student discounts online and around Lincoln to save money!
Hacks for: connecting with others on campus
- Talk to people in class! They’re good resources and it’s an easy way to make friends.
- Invite someone to a group discussion, study or lunch.
- Go to the residence hall things and go to every floor event — you’ll meet tons of people.
- Go to everything you can during welcome week.
- Leave your dorm door open when you’re just hanging out in your room. People will stop in and say hi.
Hacks for: move-in
- Bring a bin to put all of your shoes in! It will keep everything more organized 😊
- Only buy necessities ahead of time! Target is a short drive from campus.
- Leave your clothes on hangers and put a garbage bag over them for easy move-in!
- Bring a Sharpie just in case you need to label/relabel boxes.
- Wrap t-shirts around your breakables instead of paper or bubble wrap!
Hacks for: finding campus events
- Keep an eye on social media and the flyers on campus!
- Download the Nebraska app and check the events section! So many cool free activities!
- Utilize NvolveU and follow organizations on Instagram!
- Ask your RA!
Hacks for: excelling in the classroom
- As someone who still struggles to do this: do your work on campus, not in your room/home.
- Make a schedule and create dedicated times for studying.
- Take notes! Put your phone on silent and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
- Do the extra credit!!
- Have a planner so you can pace yourself with schoolwork.
- Read your syllabus and save all the dates in there! It’s like a roadmap for the year!
- Go over what you just learned in class right after it gets done.
- Go to class! Exam material and extra credit are discussed when you least expect it!
- From a professor: go to office hours week 1! Makes it easier to ask or help later on 😊
- Find a solid study group! It’s okay to not know everything and learn from others!
Hacks for: using on-campus resources
- Utilize the Husker Pantry for food and other necessities.
- Use the Health Center! Many services are already included in your student fees!
- Use the career advising office(s) early and often!
- Get your free student bus pass so it’s ready to go when you need it!
- CAST!! Peer tutors in all sorts of classes and located right in Love Library!
- If needed, look into Services for Students with Disabilities’ accommodations for exams and homework! Don’t be nervous to ask for help.
- Order Dunkin/Starbucks ahead to skip the lines.