What You Need to Know before FDOC
The first day of classes (now commonly referred to among students as FDOC) can be a little nerve-racking. It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious before the first day of classes, especially if you’ve never set foot in a college classroom before and don’t know what to expect. Here are some general tips that will hopefully help alleviate any first-day freak-out.
Map out your class locations in advance
Some buildings on campus are not particularly easy to find, nor easy to identify—what do you mean Pearson Hall, Bromfield-Pearson, and Eliot-Pearson are three different buildings in three different places? Before FDOC, take a stroll around campus using Google or Apple Maps to find the buildings where your classes will be. You’ll get a chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Tufts, and you can get a sense of how long it will take you to travel from point A to point B. Knowing where to go ahead of time can prevent an awkward late arrival to your first class.
Carry a water bottle
The trek up and down the hill is no joke. Neither are dehydration headaches. Make sure to carry a water bottle around to hydrate periodically during a long day of classes. Most buildings have water refill stations for reusable bottles. You can also grab some H2O from both dining halls– put those meal swipes to use!
NEVER buy your textbooks before classes
While it’s always a good idea to be prepared, it can save you money in the long run if you wait to buy your textbooks until you know for certain that you need them. Professors often change their syllabi over the course of the semester, so they may end up choosing not to use a particular book. This is a very unfortunate event if you’ve already dropped $50 on it (I’m totally not speaking from personal experience).
You can find PDFs of some reading passages online, or go through Tisch library to try and find a copy of the book you need. If there’s no free option, Amazon has a huge variety of books for relatively low prices. Having Amazon Prime can also be a lifesaver when you need it quickly.
Try to avoid having too many classes back to back
You may think that because you could sit through 7 hours of classes back to back in high school you can do the same in college. I thought this way my freshman year, and by the end of my four-class-in-a-row-with-no-break Tuesdays, I was burnt out. Having breaks between classes lets you recharge – you can grab a snack, talk with a friend, work on some homework, or spend a few minutes asking your professor for clarification on a topic.
Explore your academic interests
The add/drop deadline exists for a reason! If you’re unhappy with a class after the first day, drop it! For A&S students, there are so many classes that fulfill foundation and distribution requirements, so you’re bound to find one that you enjoy. You can search on SIS by requirement and it will show you all the classes that meet it. Check out the class descriptions and find one that piques your interest. As long as you end up with at least 12 credits total for the semester, you can add, drop, and swap to your heart’s desire.
You’ll likely have introductory or foundational classes for your major. These classes can seem difficult at first, but as long as you have the passion and dedication to do the work, you will succeed. However, if you find yourself lacking enthusiasm for a required class, it may be a sign that you’re not pursuing the right major for you. This is totally okay and very common! You have until your sophomore spring to declare a major in the School of Arts and Sciences anyways. Connect with your pre-major advisor and explore different academic pathways, and I promise you’ll find one that sticks!
Take it all in!
With that being said, college is what you make of it. Stay engaged and focused in your classes– after all, you’re here because you love to learn. Starting off on the right foot for FDOC is a great way to ensure you’re locked in for the rest of an amazing semester. Good luck, jumbo!