5 Things You Will NOT Find at N.C. State

Taari Coleman | Staff Writer

1. A quick bus ride Unless your class is an 8:05a.m., a 3:00p.m., or after 4:00p.m., the streets around and on campus will be crowded. Plan ahead: if you’re going to catch a bus, choose the one that leaves half an hour before your class is over or the one that leaves fifteen minutes before your class. You’ll thank me.

2. A parking space Like I said, the streets around campus are crowded all the time. From students to tourists to professors and faculty the parking spaces on Hillsborogh fill up very quickly. You may be able to find a spot on Vanderbilt or Brooks Avenue, but those of us that have been doing this for the past few years have thought of that and are probably idling by a curb waiting for someone to get into their vehicle and pull off. If you’re a commuter, shell out the cash for a parking pass so you’ll at least get close enough or plan a good bus route. If you live on campus, walk. At a decent pace (I like to use Poker Face by Lady Gaga) the walk from Avent Ferry Dorm to the bell tower can be made in about 15 minutes. Store that in your knowledge bank.

3. Sympathy from Administration Your professors were not born last night and have heard most of the excuses you can come up with. Some of them will humor you. Most will not. Turn in your assignments on time and show up to class and you’ll keep them happy. You can miss a lecture or two, but get into the threes and fours and you’ll end up on their crap list of lazy students. Don’t be too friendly in your emails, either. I know your professor said you could call her Maggie, but it’s definitely always “Good Morning/Evening Dr. Benson.”

4. Your first choice of anything Seriously. Whether it’s your dorm or your class or what you’re going to have for lunch, someone’s probably thought of it first and is there, waiting to throw your time schedule off by just a little and mess up your whole day. Always go in with a plan B. If you’re in the top three on a waitlist, show up to the first day of classes and see who might have dropped, but have a backup class that covers that requirement for your degree when you see the class is filled. You might think you want Chick-fil-A for lunch, but be prepared for some light snacking from Hill of Beans or a vending machine just in case it’s groins-to-backpacks in the Atrium like it gets around lunchtime.

5. A whole lot of drama Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely there if you want it and go looking for it. But at the nitty gritty, we’re all here paying at least $4,000 for an education. Most of us are just trying to make it to the end of this road that sort of leads to nowhere. It doesn’t end up mattering how you dress or how many times you went out or who you slept with and did not sleep with or how many clubs you’re in. You’re a baby fish in a stream off of a river off of the ocean. The goal is to reach the ocean and become a great fish on the way. You can make waves if you like, but it’ll only make your swim that much more of a challenge.