By Torie Abbott

1. Nobody Makes You Attend Class

Unlike high school, students do not have to report absences or present some sort of excuse. Also, the university will not call your parents if you miss a couple classes. Some classes do have stricter attendance policies than others; I had one class that had attendance built into the course’s grading scale. Each specific college at Baylor has its own specific attendance policy, but most of them require that you attend 75 percent of all class sessions. Now, that does not mean that you should skip class or miss the maximum number allotted. You will be told 100 times, and I promise it is true, that there is no substitution for attending class. Even though the temptation may be there, being present and taking your own notes is the best thing you can do to learn and assure yourself that you have all the material. Many instructors also reward those who have a good attendance record at the end of the semester. With Baylor’s new grading system, good attendance could be the difference between an A and an A-. So, there is a definite bonus for those who dedicate themselves to making it to that Monday morning 8 a.m. every day of the semester.

2. Meal Plans are Actually Pretty Great

When I was a freshman, I remember having an intense love/hate relationship with the dining halls. In high school, eating in the cafeteria was the worst. Off-campus was the way to go. Unless your high school, like mine, did not allow students to leave campus for lunch. In that case, you were stuck bringing your own lunch or eating the dreaded cafeteria food. Let me assure you of one thing, the dining halls blow cafeteria food out of the water. Honestly, though we like to complain, most of the food is pretty great. I guarantee you that it is better than most things you will make on your own. It may seem expensive, but since you can pay for the whole semester up front through your semester bill, it is super worth it. And trust me, as an upperclassman, you will miss the convenience of having a dining hall downstairs.

3. You are Going to Struggle…

…And that is OK! There will be times you are homesick. There will be times you feel alone. There will be times you are overwhelmed with class. I do not tell you all this to discourage you or make you scared. I tell you this to assure you that it happens, and more importantly, it is worth it. There were a couple times my freshman year that I missed my family and the simplicity of high school, but college is great. And student life at Baylor University is truly special. It might seem cliché, but there is a place for everyone in the Baylor Family. Go to Late Night (a super cool resource for freshman to go to and see all the clubs, organizations and employment opportunities at Baylor) on the first Friday of classes and see all that Baylor has to offer. You might just find your place at this great university!