Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming to UM

Get the smallest meal plan allowed.

Make friends with people in your orientation group, especially ones of the opposite sex.

Never buy school merchandise (clothes and hats) from the bookstore on campus, unless you like long lines and inflated prices.

Leave your door open for the first week so people on the floor feel like they can talk to you. Walk around to others' rooms and talk to them.

An up-to-date video game system will make you plenty of friends in a hurry.

If you're a light sleeper, bring earplugs, because the freshman dorms are usually pretty loud late into the night.

Bring a long Ethernet cord so you can use your laptop in bed.

The air conditioners don't always do what you want, so be prepared to make wardrobe or linen adjustments.

Bring plenty of quarters to wash clothes, because, for some reason, there are no change machines in the laundry rooms.

Don't buy the posters they sell on campus in the first couple weeks. Prices plummet later in the semester when they're desperate to get rid of inventory.