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Longhorn Confidential - Thomas

Also known as: unique, wordly, chill

Class: First-year
Major: Chinese/Mathematics
Hometown: College Station, TX

Introducing...

Hey peeps, Thomas here (or T-Tom, as my friends call me). I figured I would be relatively unoriginal and start this blog off with a simple introduction. I mean, if y’all are going to be reading about my life for the next academic year, it would be appropriate to know who I am, where I came from, and how I ended up at UT!

So…how did I end up in Austin? Well, I grew up in College Station, TX (**gasp**), and believe it or not, I had no desire to go to A&M! I feel like most people who actually grow up in College Station really want to leave by the time they graduate high school…it’s just that most of them don’t get to. My parents were perfectly happy with me coming here as my mother actually went to UT as an undergraduate herself.

1/8 of the way through college already...Whaaaat?

I suppose it would be appropriate to give some advice, based on my experiences this semester. I think a nice list will do:

1. Take the time to get along with your roommate. I’m extremely grateful that I get along just fine with mine. Too many people I know are going through a tough time with theirs.
2. Get a good study schedule going.
3. Though it’s hard to do in large classes, it’s infinitely rewarding to get to know a professor. My Chinese Literature prof. and I got fairly close, and it really was nice to know that a faculty member has an interest in seeing you succeed.
4. Get to know a lot of people. Don’t be afraid to sit with someone random in the dining halls. This was something I wish I had known.
5. Get involved on campus. There’s a bazillion different clubs and such to do stuff with.
6. If it works with your schedule, join a FIG. They’re really enjoyable, though sometimes not enough people sign up for them, and they get canceled (which is what happened with me: this is something the university needs to assess. :) ).
7. Don’t screw up in your classes at the beginning of the semester. It can come back to haunt you.
8. Unless you’re just awesome at time management, don’t get seriously involved your first semester. Give yourself time to settle in.
9. Though it should be obvious: don’t party too much.
10. Don’t do laundry on Sunday.
11. Wendy’s is the anti-BevoBuck.
12. Just…go to class. Just do it.
13. Stay awaaaaaay from the fried chicken!
14. If you don’t feel well, take advantage of the health services. They’re fab.
15. Maintain a positive attitude, even when things get stressful!