Freshman year is the time for students to assert their independence by staying out late, eating poorly, and attempting to manage their daily finances - until the Dining Dollars run out and they have to call home.
Never again is "irresponsible responsibility" so easily accepted as in those precious few months of the first year in college.
Easing into campus life and the habit of getting to classes, even those lectures that we love to convince ourselves are alright to miss on those really snowy days, can take a reasonable period of adjustment.
"Adjusting is easier if you come to orientation; it's a large campus and there's a lot of people," said freshman Jack Lee, a biological physics major. "But as long as you know what you're doing you're alright."
Lee said his high school prepared him adequately for the university's potentially overwhelming atmosphere.
Other students felt similarly about the adjustment being an individual conscientiousness.
"You can be successful, you just have to know how to handle things; be organized and pace yourself," said Ruqyyah Ikhlas, a physical therapy major.
According to Ikhlas, the most challenging part of her career as a UB student so far has proved to be keeping the buildings straight and remembering how to find them.
Those students living on South Campus also have to factor a commute into their schedules, which may initially be cause for confusion.
As many others, who after a year of living on South Campus have eagerly moved to the Ellicott Complex or the Governors residence halls remember it, Lee said the commute as anything but convenient.
"The commute is lengthy; preparation is key," said Lee.
Ikhlas, however, disagrees.
"The commute from South to North is convenient because the bus is right there and they run every seven minutes or so," said Ikhlas.
A major part of the adjustment process for a freshman's career at UB is whether or not they allow the size of lectures to be a hindrance to their learning. It is quite commonplace to see a few students deep in REM at the back of any given lecture hall on any given day.
According to Brandon Setegn, an undecided major living on South Campus, the size of lectures are in no way an impediment to his education. Most students say that since it's the responsibility of the student to make certain that they understand whatever is being taught, the size of lectures is not off-putting. In fact it can be a plus since more students can get into the classes and fulfill their course requirements.
As far as the other aspects of campus life are concerned, the freshmen seem to be satisfied. Tom Neider, and undecided major, said that the food is "a lot better than [he] expected." His only complaint is that maintenance issues aren't taken care of expeditiously.
