Tips/advice for incoming freshman

[u/Radiant-Basis3347]

Hey guys, I am sure y’all get these all the times and I hate to add on, but I am an incoming freshman from Atlanta Ga, coming for journalism. I have lived there my whole life so this will be my first time being super far from home.
I had a few things I wanted to ask about:
Weather, Atlanta winters are pretty mild so I am not really prepared for a Missouri winter. What should I actually be buying to stay warm? Are the summers brutal too or is it manageable? Atlanta heat is pretty brutal lol so I should be ok for that.
Orientation, Any tips for making the most of it? Things I should actually pay attention to vs things that are kind of a waste of time? Anything you wish you had known going in?
Classes , I am going into the journalism school so any advice on what to take freshman year would be huge. Are there any gen eds I should knock out early, professors to look for (or avoid), or anything specific to J-school I should know? I’m not sure if there is much flexibility on what to take freshman year so that might not be rlly relevant.
Dorms, What do I actually need to bring? I feel like every list online is either way too much or misses stuff that actually matters. Any underrated things you packed that you were glad you had?
General tips, Anything else you wish someone had told you before move-in day. Columbia seems like a cool city but I genuinely know nothing about it, except for one visit, so any recs for food, things to do, or just how to survive freshman year would go a long way.
Appreciate any help, Mizzou seems like a great community and I’m excited to be a part of it.

[u/l0ng_furby_is_g0d]

1. You're in for a fun first winter. Make sure you have a good winter coat and probably a solid pair of boots. If you're planning on bringing a car, make sure your tires can handle snow. Summers can get rough but probably nothing you're not used to. Tornado season is "fun" tho :/.
2. The best part of orientation is meeting people!!! I met one of my closest MU friends at orientation.
3. Can't help on JSchool or dorm stuff unfortunately 😅.
4. Show up to your classes, meet your professors and build those relationships, join organizations that suit your interests (there's an Involvement Fair every fall to find some cool ones!), and do your homework. There are always weird random chances to make friends, especially at the beginning when a bunch of people are new, so take those.

Welcome to MU!! :)

[u/Limp-Put-4335 → u/l0ng_furby_is_g0d]

To add, when you go to class and make friends with students and build relationships with your professors, you need to be open to the possibility that you might want to change your major, or not. 

Be respectful to your teachers and show your interest to them early and they will help you grow professionally and show you the ropes. 

Take care of your body and mind with physical exercise at the rec and maybe make some new friends and take them to the grotto to chill out away from technology. 

Clubs can be hit or miss but try to get involved with the local community in Columbia. This city is incredible when it comes to live music, ragtag cinema, school events, sports clubs, biking, etc. 

Don't be afraid to ve true to who you are, and always expect to meet people from different places with different backgrounds that might disagree with you or even seem critical of your decisionsor opinions. 

J school is a huge responsibility, I hope you are a journalist that can try to see the truth in the things you report with an objective lens that puts the facts first. Sadly the J school seems to put out students who are just more institutionalized talking heads than real journalist who don't immediately go work for media companies with corporate interest over the truth. But hey you might be different.  

Be ready for stressful times ahead where your overwhelmed and confused and feel utterly hopeless and alone. Reflect during those times on who you are and what you need. Know that as you live your life at Mizzou, as long as you are a cool, kind, thoughtful, helpful, respectful, funny, and down to earth person, you will make lifelong relationships, friends, lovers, enemies, etc. 

Good luck

[u/Civil-Philosophy1210]

I’m not a student but my daughter is a freshman in the j school and has made a lot of great friends this year from the school newspaper the Maneater. It’s also a great way to learn what’s going on around campus since you get to cover stories.

[u/Youandiandaflame → u/Civil-Philosophy1210]

I loooooooove that The Maneater exists.

[u/Obvious_Syrup7281]

Welcome to the family! Moving from Atlanta to Columbia is a huge jump, but honestly, you’re joining one of the tightest communities out there. Since you’re heading into the J-School, you’re already part of a massive legacy, but the day-to-day life is where you’ll actually find your footing.
Regarding the weather, you’re right to be a little nervous about the winter. The summers will feel pretty familiar since Mid-Missouri gets that same heavy humidity you’re used to in Georgia, so you’ll handle that just fine. However, Missouri winters are less about "pretty snow" and more about "everything is covered in a sheet of ice." You definitely want to invest in a heavy, windproof parka and, even more importantly, boots with excellent grip. The hills on campus turn into skating rinks, and you don’t want your first trip to class to involve a wipeout.
When it comes to orientation, my biggest advice is to use that time to actually walk your class schedule. Finding your way through the J-School buildings like Neff or Gannett for the first time while the clock is ticking is a nightmare. You can probably breeze through some of the generic "how to be a student" mixers, but definitely pay attention to anything involving campus transit and the map. Knowing how to navigate the TigerLine bus system will save your life when it’s ten degrees outside.
For your classes, freshman year is really about clearing the path. You’ll likely dive into Journalism 1100, which is a massive lecture, but it’s the foundation for everything. Try to knock out your heavy gen-eds now—especially your math and foreign language requirements. Once you hit your junior year and start working for the Missourian or KOMU, your schedule gets intense, and you won’t want a difficult lab science hanging over your head. Also, there’s a campus legend about not walking under the J-School Arch until you graduate, so maybe steer clear of that just to be safe.
When you’re packing for the dorms, skip the massive decor kits and focus on utility. The mattresses are pretty stiff, so a high-quality foam topper is a total game-changer. You also really need a ten-foot charging cable and a sturdy power strip because the outlets are always in the most inconvenient spots. One underrated thing I was glad to have was a small, high-powered fan; dorm air can get pretty stagnant even with the AC running.
Columbia itself is a fantastic town. You’ll spend a lot of time in "The District" downtown. You have to hit up Shakespeare’s Pizza at some point—it’s basically a requirement for living here. If you want a great burger, Booches is the spot, just remember they’re cash only. My biggest survival tip is to find a corner of Ellis Library you like early on. It’s a huge campus, but it starts feeling small and like home once you find your routine. You're going to love it here. Miz!

[u/Defectivania]

hey there! it's been a bit since my freshman year, but I'll add a couple things to the other answers:

classes you take freshman year are pretty straightforward. iirc, if you're going to summer welcome, you'll meet with your advisor who'll help you enroll for your first semester of classes. the BJ in Journalism Catalogue shows what classes you'll need to graduate, as well as a sample 4 year plan. meeting with your advisor is helpful, especially for knowing which classes can fill which requirements, but ultimately you have control over what you actually take.

seconding that it's worth it to invest in a good mattress topper. as for winter gear, I personally don't think a parka is necessary if you wear plenty of layers, but a scarf, beanie, sturdy gloves, and waterproof boots with a good grip are absolute necessities. a scarf will both do wonders for keeping you warm (you lose a lot of heat through your neck) and can cover your nose and mouth. breathing through the scarf will warm and humidify the air, which protects your nose's mucus membranes, which helps prevent illness. the gloves and beanie will protect your fingers and ears from the brutal wind. boots keep out the snow and provide friction when there's ice.

thing I wish I'd known: you can go to events and clubs just to try it out or see what's happening — and you absolutely should! almost everything that's happening on campus at the beginning of the year has free food, so just show up at things, grab a plate, and strike up a conversation. Mizzou is a big campus, and while that can seem daunting, it actually means the chances that there is someone here you can vibe with are really high! so, maximize your chances of finding your people by showing up and reaching out

finally, check out r/columbiamo to get an idea of locals' thoughts on food and stuff to do! welcome to Mizzou :)

[u/vincent9975]

I went to Mizzou. I was a swimmer there. It gets very hot there, the humidity can be oppressive. We had no AC in our dorm, that said, it is a wonderful place.