From trying a fresh-from-the-oven Rand cookie to sun-bathing on Commons Lawn, my freshman year has been full of “Freshman Firsts” that upperclassmen write in permanent ink on the Freshman Year Bucklist. Here are the Top 5 Freshman Experiences that made my year!
- Line dancing on Broadway
Broadway is a very chaotic place, especially on the weekends and especially for freshmen. However, nestled in an offshooting street from the chaos is Wildhorse Bar and Saloon. Part-restaurant and part-gigantic dance floor, Wildhorse was my friend group’s go to place on Friday or Saturday night if we had no other plans during Fall semester. Though it has sadly been turned into a “Luke Combs Experience,” it was fun to learn line dances set to live performers. I didn’t expect to come to Nashville and fall in love with country music, but dancing with friends to “Country Girl, Shake it for Me” was quite fun.
- Coffee shop exploration
Coffee shops basically litter the streets surrounding campus. As someone who can’t work in the stale silence of the library, but who also finds Rand to be too hectic, coffee shops are my safe haven and self-proclaimed writing bunker. I’ve had lots of fun exploring the different cafes around Nashville, including Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, White Bison, and Grain and Berry (coffee isn’t their main thing, but it is offered.) On campus, I’ve grabbed an iced vanilla latte from Suzie’s and an iced americano from Local Java (Alumni Hall) more times than I can count.
- Crawford’s Halloween haunted house
Being an actor for Crawford’s haunted house will probably be one of my top Vanderbilt experiences out of all my four years here. I, along with my friend Drew, donned blue dresses and pink bows to become the twin sisters for the floor themed after The Shining. We decorated the halls, put on fake blood, and spent the Friday night before Halloween scaring our friends. The haunted house is a Crawford tradition, and I was happy I got to be a part of a “freshman tradition.”
- StamSweets and other Study Breaks
Because I live in Stambaugh, every Tuesday night from 9-10PM, our lobby comes to life with music, chatter, and desserts. StamSweets is our house’s signature study break event, and I’ve only missed three this entire school year. I love that I’m able to catch up with friends in my house that I might not see otherwise. We’ve also used StamSweets to observe cultural or heritage events and holidays, including LGBTQIA+ history month and Kwanzaa.
- Joining clubs
All freshmen are warned about spreading ourselves too thin and overcommitting to extracurricular activities. I definitely felt this first semester, going to a plethora of interest meetings and imagining myself one day, on the executive board of clubs I would probably laugh at myself for thinking of joining. However, the clubs I am a part of have given my freshman experience life. On club gymnastics, I’m able to exercise and go on trips to competition meets. In ASL club, I get to learn a new language in a fun, open environment. In MCL, I can create all the journalistic content my heart desires. Though it was a struggle to figure out which environments gave me fulfillment, it was worth it in the end.
These are the top 5 experiences that made my freshman year! I know that everyone’s “first of four as a ‘Dore” is different, but I hope you are able to look back on these semesters and muster up at least a few fun stories to tell future classes.