To you, incoming first years: Hi there. I bet you’re scared out of your mind. I promise you’re in good hands; the board is resilient and focused, and they’re going to do their absolute best to make sure you come to see this place as home. Don’t worry if you don’t manage to become best friends with your introweek family; it’s easier than you think to find other people who have things in common with you, and there will be so many chances to look for them. Climb a roof at midnight, at some point. Bike to the Kromme Rijn in the summer. I know the water looks dubious. Swim in it anyway. Don’t miss a single SSS performance, but miss as many parties as you want. Be as honest as possible with your professors when you need help; you can always talk about them behind their backs if they fail to come through. Get fairy lights at Ikea even if you never use them. Curse at the vending machine that never listens to you and chase your friends across the quad. Go for a walk in the rain and be miserable on the walk back when the rain’s stopped and you’re shivering. Do your dishes, but also don’t freak out if there’s mold growing in your week-old mug of coffee. We’ve all been there.
Don’t ever be the 20th person commenting under a clothing sale on the Facebook page; no one likes the 20th person commenting under a clothing sale on the Facebook page. Find one (1) breakfast option that you can tolerate, rain or shine, and make sure you always have it on a shelf, even if it’s something as boring as oatmeal. Make too much dinner “by accident” and share it with a friend, and ask them to cook next time instead of asking for grocery money. When - not if - you decide spontaneously to become a plant parent, start with two before you go overboard. Get used to the sunshine by the tree in front of K, but get used to people beating you to the punch and hogging the space for 5 full hours, too. Don’t underestimate the post-rain puddles near Kromhout - there’s a permanent scar on my knee to remind me of my hubris. At the first sign of lightning, turn off all the lights in your room and look out your window. On that note, tell everyone about every rainbow you see; chances are they saw it too and it was beautiful. Call your parents every week. I know it seems excessive, but to them it’s not nearly enough. Know that you don’t have to be an adult yet. Ask for help when you need it, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.
Good luck.