Opening Statements

The first day of classes can be daunting with the fear of the unknown; however, as an experienced first day of CSU attendee, I am here to help. 

The best recommendation for the first day is to make sure you plan to leave your home quite a bit earlier than anticipated because anything can happen. 

But before you leave, it is important to check your schedule on CAMPUSNET one last time to make sure that the room assignments were not changed overnight.  A quick check on the internet can save you the aggravation of going to the classroom only to find a note that says it has been moved to another location.

The leaving early is also important when it comes to unexpected traffic, issues finding a parking spot where you had planned to park, and possibly getting a little confused as to where you are and where you are going.  Oh, and try to remember a map of the campus, just in case.

The parking situation does not have to be an issue for you if you choose to utilize the parking that may not be so close to where you are going.  With the South Garage between 21st Street and 22nd Street on Prospect Avenue that is almost always pretty empty, you can find a spot by just bringing your hangtag and swiping your Viking Card to get in and out. 

There are also three garages in the campus core and a ton of surface lot parking on the north side of Chester Avenue.  Students coming in for 9:45, 10:00, or 11:00 classes may find that the surface lots are full as well, so remember that South Garage to avoid all the stress of parking.  It will be nice out in August anyways, so you use it as an excuse to enjoy the sunshine just a bit more.

Once you arrive at your classes, everyone will be pretty chill.  Most professors, especially those teaching the typical intro (a.k.a. freshman) classes, spend the first class meeting going over the syllabus and telling you which books to buy. 

So your supplies should basically include a folder, some paper, and a writing utensil.  And the student planning on doing well will have his own planner either from CSU or one of his own choosing to make sure all deadlines are met, especially on the big assignments.

You can go buy your books that day after class at the CSU Bookstore, the Barnes and Noble Bookstore, or anywhere online that you can find them.  But, you can also buy them ahead of time at the CSU Bookstore and return them after classes start if your professor decides that they will not be used as long as you have not opened any plastic packaging and still have the receipt. 

That benefit cannot be said for buying books online despite the fact that they are generally cheaper.  Regardless, you can see what books your professor has claimed he wants everyone to have by looking on the CSU Bookstore website even a few weeks before classes start whether you plan to buy the books there or not.

The first day should be fun and exciting because it is before the schoolwork sets in, so try to enjoy it.