Welcome to Tufts! I'm so excited for all of the first-years to be starting out on the Hill. I am not the only senior who wishes he could go back and relive the last three years of college again.
Everyone feels like they've got the key to success at Tufts, and I'm sure that you've been overwhelmed by information and advice. And if you haven't yet, it is only a matter of time. There is so much going on at Tufts that it is hard to take it all in.
A few years ago the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate put together a list of things the upperclassmen wished they had known as first-years. While there are many, many more things to take advantage of at Tufts than what is presented below, here are a few of those recommendations. Hopefully they'll help you make the most of your time here.
Take advantage of the incredibly long add/drop period. You will have more than two months before the deadline to drop classes. Shop around. Liberal arts students: Register for five classes so you have the option to drop one.
Get into Boston. So many students are attracted to Tufts because of its proximity to Boston, but once they're here they get so busy on campus that they rarely venture past Davis Square. You can find a list of free or discounted things to do in Boston on TuftsLife.com at the Cultural Ticket to Boston. See a show, laugh at a comedy troupe or check out a museum or gallery.
Take an Experimental College class. The ExCollege is a really unique opportunity for you to take a class that wouldn't normally fit within a traditional department at a university. Many of the classes are taught by people with extensive experience in their respective fields. You may have a Massachusetts assistant attorney general teaching constitutional law or an entrepreneur teaching about alternative energy technologies. And they are a great connection for opportunities outside of Tufts.
Even if you aren't registered for a class or are on the waitlist, go to the first class and talk to the professor afterwards. Chances are you'll get into the course.
Talk to professors during office hours. And if you go to the Tower Café with a professor, it's free. You never know if you'll hear about an interesting research opportunity with the professor.
Order used books. The Tufts bookstore offers used books if you order them early enough, but Amazon.com, Half.com and Getchabooks.com are reliable and offer great values.
Take advantage of all of the resources available at Tufts libraries, including a huge music library, DVD rentals, free computer rentals and lockers at Tisch Library.
Free stuff is a college student's best friend. Tufts has a ton of free stuff, including any on-campus performing arts show, free condoms at Health Service, free use of expensive software in the Eaton computer lab, weekly movies at Film Series, five free sessions with a personal trainer at the fitness center and free arts and crafts supplies at the Crafts Center in the basement of Lewis Hall.
Book a plane ticket, Amtrak or bus ticket now before prices go up. The academic calendar and final exam schedule are already available online. Don't expect to be able to get transportation if you try the week before Thanksgiving.
I hope some of these tips will help you make the most of your time at Tufts. You will each find what works for you, but if you put into place any of these suggestions, you are sure to make your tuition money go a little further. Above all, remember why you came here, but don't be afraid to find other things you love about life on the Hill.
