Yuri's Blog

Being from a small town in Wisconsin, I greatly looked forward to moving to the big city I knew little of. Of course, I was a bit sad to leave my home, friends, and family, but I was about to embark on the most important journey of discovery and self-fulfillment.

Of course, this did not stop me from scoping out all of my U of M friends to ask them all the necessities. What do I need at school? Which dorm is the best? Will I get lost? Do I need flip-flops for the shower? Do I need a shower caddy? A fan? Will someone help me if I get lost? How much money should I bring? What are the things you wish you had known and were not aware of? So, since I had these questions, I am sure some of you do too, so here are my responses:

As far as school supplies go, I would say stick to the same high school rules: at least a folder and notebook for each class. Do not go buying huge binders or anything like that. First off, it is too heavy to carry around all day. Secondly, sometimes you do not even write that many notes because your professors will print them. Just to be safe, a simple notebook and a folder are perfect. And do not waste money on expensive folders/notebooks either; we’re in college—money must not be wasted.

While I may be a bit biased, I undoubtedly believe that Territorial Hall is the best freshman hall, though I do believe the Super Block is where it is at, especially for your freshman year. And do please live on campus—the college experience is so much more personal by living with fellow colleagues. You will not get lost, trust me. The U may seem big, but it is so comfortable that you create a community on campus, so it is so much smaller than you really think. Flip-flops: yes. Shower caddy: yes. Fan: absolutely, even if your dorm has air conditioning, bring a fan.

If you need some backup on those first few days, or need just a little morale boost, I am always here for you. Comment my blog and we will chat.

Money… that is all your own preference, really. You will need enough to subsist.

What I wish I would have known when I initially moved in was that I actually had a lot of space in my dorm, so I did not over-pack (thanks Mom and Dad), and stamps and envelopes are always handy, as are pens, white out, highlighters, etc. One other thing I wish I would have known was that there is always free food/shirts/merchandise/bottled water somewhere on campus; you just need to find it. Oh, and there are tunnels everywhere on campus. Figure out the Gopher Way, and you will experience very little of the Minnesota winter.

So, congratulations on graduating high school. I know there are still a couple of weeks left, but you have made it this far and have been accepted to the U and for that you deserve great praise. I hope you heed my words and do not stress yourself over this transition. While it may seem to be something you cannot bear, I promise you, you will persevere and come out shining! After all, it is what I did. Best of luck.