Classes have started and it all seems to be going pretty well until you hit a deer on your way to school. Then you can’t find parking, you realize you don’t have any friends, and you don’t see any fun events happening at TAMIU. Now, if they only had a TAMIU 101 course offered this semester… Then, all our problems would be solved and we would be able to have an enjoyable time at our beloved university.
But, we don’t have TAMIU 101. Still there are these helpful tips that can help you survive. If you follow them, they will surely lead to a happy Fall semester.
1. Listen to Steve Harmon Yes, Steve Harmon is the man that fills our TAMIU inbox with weekly newsletters. Most students instantly delete his e-mails, without even bothering to see what was in them. My advice to you is don’t delete them. Steve Harmon is our campus-friendly Public Relations Director. If you ever need to know what is going on in our active campus, consult Mr. Harmon. So, check your e-mails often, because news on TAMIU events is waiting for you in your inbox. Listening to Steve Harmon can lead to an entertaining time in TAMIU.
2. Beware of TAMIU parking!
In my years as a student at TAMIU, I had never seen parking as such an enormous issue. The concern is not even about getting a GOOD parking space; it is about getting “A” parking space. To help alleviate the problem, TAMIU is already working on a new parking lot, set to be finished at the end of September. What are we going to do until then? Well, parking at eight in the morning is not so bad. But, let’s face it, not everyone is a morning person. Best advice: get to school early with adequate time before your first class begins. That way you have enough time to find a parking space and to get to your class on time. Maybe, if you drive around the parking lot enough times, you may even get a good spot.
3. Steer away from the wildlife
This one is simple. It is always best to be as far away from the wildlife as possible. If it seems like it would be fun to chase around the “javalinas,” it’s not. They will chase you, and attack you.
Besides the white tail deer and the javalinas that have made TAMIU their home, we have also added a family of skunks, rattlesnakes, and even a mountain lion. So, just be careful when you’re walking, and don’t think that you can defeat a wild animal.
TAMIU takes pride in the wildlife that lives on our campus, so I’m sure administrators will not be happy to know that someone attacked an animal on TAMIU grounds. It is best to avoid them and to act as if they don’t exist.
4. Ask for directions
To some people, the university may look like an enormous campus. It can lead to a lot of confused and lost people. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for directions. If you think it is silly to ask someone how to get somewhere, be assured that our friendly students and staff will lend a helping hand. At one point, we have all probably gone into the wrong building or wrong classroom. We have all probably walked into a different professor’s office because we lost our syllabus. No one will judge, and remember that it is always best to get to the designated location rather than not getting anywhere at all.
5. TAMIU is not a drive-thru
One of the many problems that TAMIU has is that it is considered a drive-thru university. What that means is that students come to class and leave right after. Most students don’t bother to stay and hang out with friends, have lunch by Aramark, or go to gym. They have one objective: go to class and go back home. This will probably sour the university experience. So, stay a little while longer and enjoy the campus. Have a coffee at Starbucks, study in the library, join a student organization. If work is an issue, try to get an on-campus job. This solves, the “friend problem” and gives you a chance to socialize on campus. It is up to you what kind of TAMIU experience you want to have. If you refuse to be a part of TAMIU, it will probably be a negative experience.
Do you want to have a great Fall semester, or year? Now, you don’t have to wait until they open up that course. You can follow these helpful tips and have a good time at TAMIU.
These aren’t the only tips to having a good time at TAMIU, they are only mine. So, what are yours?