Josie, left, is pictured smiling with her brother Ty, right.
Josie Hinson is a Brunswick, GA, native who is currently majoring in Early Childhood Education at VSU. When she begins her junior year in the Fall, she won’t be the only Hinson attending VSU. Her younger brother Ty has also chosen to attend VSU – he will even be representing VSU on the football field (Go Blazers!). As Ty’s high school graduation approached, Josie knew exactly what she wanted to gift him with. Having two full years of VSU experience under her belt, Josie decided to create a personalized guide to freshman year with 25 rules, which she refers to as the “Hinson Handbook,” so her brother could stay on track and avoid all of the classic rookie mistakes.
Here is some of the advice Josie had for her brother:
(Look alive #VState22! You’ll want to pay attention to this.)
Rule #1 | Go to class.
Don’t be “that guy” who fails because he misses too many classes.
Rule #2 | Communicate.
Your professor can’t help you if he or she doesn’t know what’s going on.
Rule #3 | Avoid 8 AMs.
They stink and everyone is grouchy.
Rule #5 | Sit in YOUR seat.
It’s rare that you’ll be officially assigned a seat, but everyone has a seat that they typically sit in. Don’t be the guy who steals someone’s seat.
Rule #7 | Dryers cannot be reserved.
Please do not try to “claim” a dryer as your own by sitting a hamper on it. That’s not how it works. You can, however, sign up for a laundry alert system, and you won’t have any problems.
Rule #9 | Be resourceful.
RateMyProfessor, Quizlet, and GroupMe = the Holy Trinity of college. Use all three religiously.
Rule #11 | Always go where there are free food and cute puppies.
No further explanation is needed for this one.
Rule #14 | Find a friend.
You will probably have a class that you struggle in, despite your efforts. A solution for this? GroupMe. You’re not the only one struggling, and you can work with someone to rise above the struggle.
Rule #16 | You will sustain no permanent damage.
It’s ok to make mistakes. We learn from those. Just make sure your mistakes stay in Valdosta and don’t follow you throughout your life.
Rule #17 | Cheddar rounds are a treat, not a daily snack.
The freshman 15? Yeah, it can be found at Zacadoo’s. They take FLEX, they are super reasonable, they are good people, and they let you walk through the drive-thru. You have been warned.
Rule #20 | You control you.
You can’t control how much homework a professor gives, but you can control the time you set aside to complete it. Focus on making the best decisions for your well-being and your VSU career will be unforgettable.
Rule #21 | Be on time.
I missed many extra credit opportunities because the opportunities were announced during the first 5 minutes of class … while I was in line at Einstein’s Bagels. Bagels (although tasty) are not worth it.
Rule #22 | Email correspondence matters.
The perfect email is grammatically correct, to the point, and polite. Some teachers have specific ways they like their emails to be structured, so be receptive to their requests. They control your grade after all.
Rule #24 | Do things that make you happy.
It’s easy to get caught up in a routine of all work, no play. So, make a playlist of songs, get into a show on Netflix, or whatever it is that you can look forward to.
Rule #25 | SLEEP!!!
Please sleep. All-nighters happen, but when they do, just be prepared for the small breakdown in Jennett Hall that will follow once you get past your first class and realize you still have to function the rest of the day. *This is definitely one of those “been there, done that” moments, but you get the point.*
