Best Advice for Freshmen at the University of Minnesota
The best advice for UMN freshmen comes down to five things: attend Welcome Week, book your first advising appointment before your registration window opens, activate your U Card for free campus transit, join a student group through GopherLink early, and know the safety resources (Safe Walk, Boynton Health, SAFE-U) before you need them.
Do Not Skip Welcome Week
Welcome Week runs September 2 through September 5, 2026, and attendance is required for incoming first-year students. It is built to connect you to your college, your classmates, and the campus itself before the academic pressure kicks in, and it includes long-running traditions like the Pride and Spirit M photo taken with the full incoming class on the football field.
Use that week to actually explore, not just check boxes. Walk your class routes ahead of time, find Coffman Memorial Union, and activate your U Card at a light rail station or the student union activation machine so your transit pass and building access are live before your first class.
Get Ahead of Registration, Not Behind It
Every student is automatically assigned an academic advisor within their college. Your specific registration date and time, along with your advisor's contact information, is posted under the Academics tab in MyU. Advising appointments fill up fast right before registration opens, so book yours early rather than waiting until the week you are supposed to register.
- 1Check your APAS report before your advising appointment so you know exactly which requirements you still need.
- 2Use Schedule Builder (under Enrollment Tools in MyU) to explore and map out real course options before you register.
- 3Read the syllabus for every class in week one. It has your professor's office hours, grading policy, and a full calendar of what is coming.
- 4Go to office hours early, even if you are not struggling yet. It is easier to ask for help once your professor already knows your name.
- 5Know your deadlines. The last day to drop a full-semester class without a W typically falls in mid-November for fall term, so do not let a struggling class ride too long before talking to your advisor.
You Do Not Need a Car for This Campus
The Twin Cities campus is split by the Mississippi River into East Bank and West Bank, with a third campus in St. Paul. Getting between them, and around the city, is built around your U Card rather than a parking pass.
Students who pay the Transportation and Safety Fee get unlimited rides on Metro Transit buses and the METRO Green Line loaded right onto their U Card. Activate it at a light rail station or the Coffman Union welcome desk before you need it for the first time.
The Campus Connector links East Bank, West Bank, Dinkytown, and the St. Paul campus, and the Campus Circulators cover specific campus areas. Both are completely free and do not require a U Card.
Find Your People Before You Find Your Routine
The University of Minnesota has more than 1,000 registered student organizations, searchable by category on GopherLink, covering everything from academic and professional groups to cultural centers to clubs that exist purely for fun. Coffman Memorial Union's second floor is home to several student cultural centers and is consistently one of the easier places on campus to meet people between classes.
Most advisors suggest joining one or two groups your first semester rather than overcommitting before you know how heavy your course load actually feels. Student Unions and Activities, based out of Coffman, the St. Paul Student Center, and the West Bank Skyway, also runs a full calendar of events throughout the year if you are not ready to commit to a club yet.
Know These Resources Before You Need Them
Boynton Health serves the East Bank, West Bank, and St. Paul campuses with primary care, urgent care, mental health counseling, a dental clinic, and a pharmacy. Let's Talk offers free, confidential drop-in counseling, and Student Counseling Services provides ongoing individual and group support.
Safe Walk (612-624-WALK) sends a uniformed escort to walk with you anywhere on or near campus, free, 24/7. Gopher Chauffeur offers free rides through Boynton Health, and the Rave Guardian app lets friends or family virtually monitor your walk home.
The Aurora Center provides free, confidential support for students affected by sexual assault or relationship violence. The Disability Resource Center partners with students to arrange academic accommodations. SAFE-U is the University's mass text alert system for emergencies and is worth confirming your phone number is registered for as soon as you enroll.
Set Yourself Up at Home, Too
A lot of freshman advice focuses on campus, but your apartment shapes your semester just as much. University Commons is walkable and bikeable to UMN, with a few things built in that make the advice above easier to follow.
Somewhere to Actually Study
The 24-hour Academic Success Center has iMacs and free printing, so a slow campus lab or a locked library at 1 a.m. is not the only option before a deadline.
Somewhere to Reset
A 24-hour fitness center, a resident lounge with billiards and foosball, a grilling station, and an oversized hot tub give you a way to decompress without leaving home.
Roommates Without the Guesswork
Individual leases and roommate matching mean you are not financially tied to whoever you happen to live with, and you are not stuck finding a full group before you can sign.
Common Questions From New Gophers
What is Welcome Week at the University of Minnesota?
How do UMN freshmen get around campus without a car?
How do I find my academic advisor and register for classes?
What mental health and safety resources are available to UMN students?
How do I get involved on campus as a freshman?
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