College Days: Introduction & Free Stuff

Now that I'm starting my sophomore year of college, I've realized that I've learned a ton of stuff about how college works.

I'm by no means an expert, of course, but I do think that I've had enough experience to offer some advice.

In the following weeks, I'll address these topics:

• Free Stuff
• Textbooks
• Food
• Professors
• Classes & Studying
• Roommates
• More to Come!

As I think of more things to talk about, I'll make more posts about them. This is just a rough draft/schedule of things I'd like to share.

Let's start with our first topic:

FREE STUFF

Now, the first thing I learned in college is that there's always some sort of free event going on, and usually this event will give out free stuff.

What sort of free stuff, you ask? Let's see:

• gift cards
• shirts
• team support banners
• car air fresheners
• posters
• USB drives
• PENS
• stickers

And, of course, everyone's favorite:

• FOOD

So, how do you go about acquiring these free things? GO TO EVENTS.

I'm not sure about your school, but mine has these things called "Broadcast Emails" (which you will come to hate within the first two weeks of attending the school). They're sent out multiple times a day. Once a week, however, they send out one detailing all the events for the upcoming week. As those event days get closer, they send out emails detailing just that event.

On Monday, for example, you guys saw my awesome wax hand (right?) that I got for free at our "Back to School" bash thingy. (Next year, I'm totes getting the street sign.) I also got a free eyeglass cleaning cloth, and some coupons for Huddle House (not that I'll ever use 'em, but hey. Free. With a free fried mushroom.)

Seriously, if you attend all the events your campus puts out, you have a chance of scoring some pretty sweet swag. ("I'VE ALWAYS WANTED SWAG!!") 

Get out there and DO THINGS, PEOPLE! Don't sit in your room all year, avoiding your room mate and/or the sun! If you get out and do things, you will make friends. If you make friends, your school year will certainly be better. (I've made so many friends by going to events and stuff already. More than I made the entire last year. It's weird.)

Just remember: Don't hang around like a vulture. Swoop in and get some stuff, swoop out, and repeat.

Do you have any other tips for scoring free stuff? What's the best freebie you've ever gotten on campus? (I say shirts! Less laundry to do!) What would you LOVE to see as a freebie? Tell me in the comments!