Finding your way

Getting lost on campus is a common problem for freshmen. Click to hear two Towson University freshmen’s experiences.

FAQ page

As a freshman, how can I use this Web site to my benefit?
As a senior in high school, you’ve finally mastered the ins and outs of your high school: what teachers to avoid, what clubs to put on your resume and what table to sit at during lunch. Coming into college, this world is about to get flipped upside down. All the rules in high school for what makes a happy, popular student can be loosely applied to the college lifestyle, but you have much to learn on how to balance your new found freedom away from home with rigorous academics and meeting a set of people who haven’t known you since kindergarten. This Web site provides suggestions for ways to make the most of your freshman year without having to make “typical” mistakes of a first year college student.

What makes you an expert on freshman year?
As a sophomore at Towson University in Baltimore, Md., I’ve learned much more in a complete year of college than what just my general education courses provided. I spent my first two semesters at college learning the quickest ways to class (for maximum sleeping in), the best places to eat on a meal plan (for minimal diarrhea) and the most effective methods of making lasting friendships. I hope to share my knowledge with you, the prospective college freshman, because I wish it had been available for me when I was in your shoes.

As an upper classman, what does a Web site about freshman provide for me?
Having already experienced your freshman year, you are just as qualified as I am on what sort of information freshmen should have in their arsenals. This Web site serves as a mode of dialogue between curious freshman and knowledgeable upper classmen who can answer their questions about what to expect as they start their college careers.

Where should I consider living on campus my freshman year?
If you are not commuting from home, you will be assigned a dorm room on campus you will be living in your first two semesters of college. While room changes are possible, many freshmen keep their dorm assignments and roommates for the whole year, so it benefits to know how to make the most of where you live.
The old side of campus includes Richmond and Newell Halls, Prettyman, Scarborough, Residence Tower and Ward and West Halls. These are some the buildings that look more like Hogwarts than high rise apartments. While old side has its own charm, so to speak (older furniture, less space and sometimes no air conditioning), there are plenty of benefits to living a little further away from main campus. The sense of community is much stronger on old side, and if you leave your door open people are almost guaranteed to walk into your room to strike up a conversation. If you’re concerned about making friends, old side is a great place for you to be.
If you prefer being in the middle of all the action, the Glen complexes (Towers A-D) might be a better fit. Located centrally on campus, the towers not only provide quick access to most academic buildings, but offer larger rooms, even in cases of forced tripling, where an extra student than expected lives in your room for at least half of the first semester.
If you’re very lucky, you might have landed living in the Paca or Tubman Houses in West Village. While the walk to campus is a little longer, the new rooms are beyond comparison to on-campus housing.

What kinds of classes will I be taking in my first semester at college?
Your schedule is provided for you your first semester of college and is generally comprised of general education courses, or classes from the categories required by Towson University to graduate. While the classes you’re in might not be the ones you would have chosen from that category, you shouldn’t write them off completely in favor of exploring the nightlife. If you have no direction towards choosing a major, you might find your interests sparked in a basic Gen Ed. course. If you do have your major already declared, these courses will be your primary focus before you can concentrate on where your interests truly lie. Look at it as an expansion of your general knowledge before you become an expert in your future career.

Where is the best place to eat on campus?
There are two on-campus all-you-can-eat dining facilities. Newell Dining Hall, the smaller of the two, is located on the old side of campus and offers a slightly homier atmosphere. Kosher dining options, as well as a deli, grill and international food selection are available, but at more constricted hours than the other dining facility.
The Glen Marketplace, located centrally between Towers B, C and D, offers more food choices than Newell during longer hours, but the food quality is not as fresh. The Glen Micromart is a great place to spend extra meals on chips, soda and microwavable meals.
A la carte dining facilities are a great place to grab a quick lunch before class, spend extra meals or vary your diet. The University Union offers three dining locations: Susquehanna, which is built like a mall food court, Patuxent, which offers slightly higher quality meal options at a higher cost and Paws, which is located in a more bar and grille setting.

How can I keep from getting lost on my way to campus?
While the university provides maps, signs that point to the major academic buildings and paw prints on the ground leading to and from the academic sides of campus, one of the best and most abundant resources you can utilize are the students around you. While asking for directions might seem embarrassing, it’s more than likely that your classmates remember being in the same boat as you only a few years ago, and would be more than willing to point you in the right direction.

I’m interested in getting involved. What are easy ways to meet people who share my interests?
Towson University offers a multitude of official and non-official clubs and organizations to get involved with. Organizations such as the Black Student Union or the Latin American Student Organization offer ways for students deeply connected to their culture or heritage to find students with similar backgrounds. Weekly meeting clubs such as the Ballroom Dance Club or the Towson Feminist Collective could help broaden your viewpoint on subjects you’ve had past interest in, but never truly explored. Greek life offers both ways to help your community philanthropically while making friends in a setting similar to high school.

Welcome to the Sophomore Slump

As a culmination of my reporting on freshman this semester, here is the link to my interactive blog.