Every year, Southern Miss welcomes in a whole new flock of golden eagles. These students walk onto campus eager to begin a fresh and exciting life with tons of new friends and teachers who know nothing of the awkward, embarrassing beings they were in their early high school years.
In the midst of the excitement and nervousness, it can be easy for newcomers to forget some of the essentials when they were quickly packing their belongings as their parents insisted on hanging onto them for dear life. Looking back on my freshman year, there are many things I wish someone had told me I would need during the next four years. So, I am here to help the new kids out with my list of top seven things to remember to pack for freshman year.
1. Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, razors, soap, etc. Stock up on all of these items while your parents are feeling generous. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather spend $5 on a drink at Brewsky’s than on a new bar of soap. (But only $5 non-alcoholic drinks for you underage hooligans).
2. An old pair of tennis shoes. Bar tar stains, mud from Red Bluff and rain are the last thing you want to ruin your new pair of back-to-school shoes.
3. Bulletin boards. These next four years will be some of the busiest, most hectic years of your life. You are going to need somewhere to jot down reminders and post flyers for events you need/want to attend.
4. Headphones. The library can get really loud during finals week, your roommate’s voice (no matter how much you love them) will at one point in time make your ears bleed and walking to early morning classes can be really boring without a little music.
5. Power strips and extension cords. You will probably only have three to four accessible outlets in your room. These come in handy when you want your phone right by you at night or need to charge your laptop as you are furiously typing a 10-page paper at 2 a.m. in your bed.
6. Emergen-C. I never spent more time with a cold than I did freshman year. The lack of sleep, the new germs and the bad eating habits you acquire all shut your immune system down. Take your vitamins, drink water and keep a packet of Emergen-C in your bookbag.
7. Everything black and gold you have ever bought or been given. The Southern Miss spirit never stops on this campus and you should be well-prepared for the lively events that take place on our campus.
There are also a few quick things you don’t need to get:
- T-shirts. You will get plenty. Trust me.
- Your cool card. You rip that thing up during GEWW, anyways.
- Anything red and blue or maroon and white.
- Too many books and movies. You won’t have as much free time as you think.
- Any negative thing you have ever heard about USM, Hattiesburg, the South, college, etc. You have joined the biggest, the best and the most welcoming family in the collegiate world. Take pride in that.
With that, welcome to the class of 2018, and Southern Miss to the top!
