I stepped onto the tarmac at Burbank Airport with adrenaline and anticipation running through my veins. It was the first time I had stepped foot in the Golden State, the first time I had stepped foot west of Louisiana. It was the day before NSO was set to begin.
Welcome to Pepperdine! NSO had begun, and I was in shock. Virtual tours, pictures, reruns of “Zoey 101” and YouTube videos had not prepared me for what Pepperdine was actually like.
In these past four years I have become a better version of my younger self, and I’m not just talking about the I.D. picture taken at NSO either. I’ve learned a great deal about what it is to be a Wave, and I’m here to share what I know to help make your transition easier.
1. I read this advice online before coming to Pepperdine and doubted it: Get a car if you can! Having my car shipped to me sophomore year definitely helped to make my Pepperdine experience much richer than it would have been.
2. Do not feel pressured to go abroad your sophomore year. The pressure will be tremendous, but if you are not ready or just don’t want to, remember that you can always go later and you can always go during the summer rather than during the year. Going abroad is a life-changing experience, but so is being in college.
3. Get off campus as much as possible. You have a wealth of great experiences at your fingertips in the Los Angeles area, so get out there!
4. Don’t get a credit card until you know how to handle money properly. You’ll get some lucrative offers from those credit card companies, and they will be tempting, but they’re not worth it. Don’t spend money you don’t have or don’t know how to save.
5. Dare to go on a date without marriage in mind. We are a “Ring by Spring” school, but we are also a university. While some may find the one they’ll spend the rest of their life with while in college, have fun dating, too. Pepperdine is known for its lack of dating. Why not be the class to change that?
6. Connect with your professors, particularly those in your major. Professors here love developing meaningful relationships with their students, and it’s not uncommon to be invited to their homes for dinner. They can offer you countless opportunities and help you network with the people that will take you far, such as alumni.
7. Find someone with the TA notes for Humanities 111. They are actually mostly accurate, and you will be thankful you have them.
8. Get your Convo credits out of the way before the end of semester rush. You don’t want to be that person standing outside in a two-hour long line for one measly Convo credit.
The Graphic is a place to get involved. This semester we are designating this column space to guest writers. If you would like to submit an article, email it to pepplifearts@gmail.com. We’re ready to help you get your voice out there.
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Follow Breanna Grigsby on Twitter: @Bre_Louise
