At a tier-one research university full of econ bros, political activists and long dining hall lines, The Tufts Daily — that’s us — tries to do the impossible: create a guide that will help you survive four years at Tufts University.
- Live downhill, go to Carm for lunch. This one should be obvious. Downhill dorms yield close communities in ideal proximity to many of Tufts’ dining locations and with easy access to Davis Square. However, ever since Carm changed its dietary restrictions, there’s been some magic in those gluten-free recipes.
- Do not go to Kindlevan right after classes get out. The line is simply not worth it, and you will have to make awkward eye contact with everyone you know in the SEC while you wait alone for upwards of 20 minutes. Just wait until the line dissipates to order your Tropikale.
- Fill your water bottle BEFORE you get to Cummings.
- This should go without saying, but wear shower shoes. Foot fungus is real, and ’the dogs’ should not be fully out in communal showers.
- You will need to be on Tufts Tickets early if you want to see the Tufts Dance Collective or Burlesque performances.
- Take the 96 bus from Davis. Buses in general are underrated, especially if you live on the Medford side of campus.
- As a rule of thumb, if you need to be on time, don’t take the T. Alternatively, take the T, but budget an additional hour into your trip. Sections of the Green Line and Red Line have been slowed, and it can result in painful, seemingly arbitrary delays. Also, they occasionally catch fire.
- Utilize the career-related resources available to you. Tufts has a plethora of opportunities that most undergrads don’t know about. To avoid this common mistake, meet with the Career Center and (if you’re interested in research) the Office of Scholar Development.
- You should also use the academic resources available. Tisch Library has subject-specific librarians who are familiar with different subjects and curricula and can lead you to sources, data and even a thesis statement, using their content expertise. You should also use the services provided by the Student Accessibility and Academic Resources Center, such as its writing fellows and course tutors.
- Do a pre-orientation! Even if you don’t become best friends with your pre-O group, it’s a good way to get to know classmates that you otherwise might not encounter through your siloed interests at Tufts. Plus, you never know, you might just end up a former editor in chief of the Daily living post-graduation with a friend you made during TWO.
Bonus piece of advice: Join the Daily!
