Alice Dai, 2020
OVERVIEW OF EAST CAMPUS
COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS
Because all first-years live together on East Campus, as you make that transition to college life it’s comforting that you can turn to anyone in your dorm or anyone in the first-year dining hall and know that they’re going through the same things as you. Shared experiences in Writing 101, first-year seminars, and Marketplace brunches create a sense of solidarity and community that is foundational to the Duke experience. Just a five minute bus ride from the Gothic style West Campus, the Georgian style East Campus showcases beautiful red bricks from its residence halls to the library, auditorium, and recreation center.
The first year feels like a summer camp filled with wickedly intelligent 18 year-olds. There are bunk beds, too many ice cream socials, and friends who don’t yet know about your obsession with socks. But this camp doesn’t end after a few weeks.
Upperclassmen's Guide
Make Your Best Duke
Duke has endless opportunities to choose from. How can first-years make the most of their early days on campus? In this guide, upperclassmen share some advice on how to make a smooth transition to life at Duke.
- Bring rain boots, a winter coat, and flip flops. Durham has an average of 220 sunny days per year but those others can be unpredictable. You’ll experience all four seasons here.
- Get to know your professors. Go to office hours, attend free lectures, or set up a VLearn-date. Faculty will become some of your closest mentors on campus.
- Keep a calendar. Think about color-coding it for your different clubs and commitments as the busy semester sets in.
- Even if you know what you want to major in, explore courses that interest you. Use your liberal arts requirements to sample something new.
- Get to know your bus drivers. You’ll appreciate it when you find them transporting you safely between East and West each day.
- Find a study spot outside of your dorm (the nearby bed will just tempt you with naps).
- Take advantage of the vast network of advisors and mentors available to you. Academic advisors, faculty in residence, peer tutors, career counselors, directors of academic engagement, and more can help you work smarter not harder. Each first-year dorm even has a dedicated resource librarian.
- Pack a sleeping bag. Every Duke student should have one of these when basketball season rolls around. You may find yourself sleeping out in a tent for tickets!
Contributors: Mackenzie DeLoatch, 2020 & Emma Calhoun, 2020
