Hey! Kylee here. I am a rising junior this year at Naz and I wanted to share with you seven things that I couldn’t live without during my freshman year. So let’s get started! 

1. A HAMMOCK

I cannot stress this enough! Naz is beautiful all year round, but nothing is as visually appealing when it’s warm on campus, the sun is shining and you find the perfect spot for your set up. All your stress melts away as you swing side to side in a hammock. Yes, you may be that only person that’s hammocking but who cares, everyone else is just secretly jealous. Plus they’re great for outdoor social distancing hangouts.

Hammocking in between classes was the highlight of my day! This isn’t an ad but I highly recommend buying a $20 hammock from Amazon and just chillaxing outside this fall.

2. Some piece of Naz swag

The area surrounding the college is a melting pot of students, RIT, U of R, St. John Fisher. What better way to assert your dominance than with a winter beanie or a comfy hoodie. You have to make your mark at the local Wegmans that Naz students are the best.

3. A wax warmer

As residential building guidelines stand, you can’t have candles and for good reason. But wax warmers are allowed and they are honestly better.

4. Cookies

Cookie dough bites from Wegmans, Insomnia Cookies on University Avenue that are delivered on late nights all nice and warm, the double chocolate cookies from the dining hall, all of them contributed to my success as a first year.

My friends and I getting our cookie dough from Wegmans our freshman year. We made late night trips for these all the time!

5. Taking walks

It sounds too simple but it’s true. Take a walk to the canal, around Pittsford, around campus, with your friends, by yourself and it will change your day for the better. You never know what you’re gonna see, maybe a white squirrel or you’ll stop for Pittsford Dairy. The campus wildlife is crazy. I for one have gotten very up close and personal to some beautiful hawks, kissed a few frogs and have met some very friendly dogs.

Just the one of many photos I have with some of the wildlife on campus.

6. Blue light glasses

It’s funny how I used to hate wearing my glasses. I got contacts right before high school after I had been dealing with glasses for six years, then somehow after years of hating them, here I am promising you that you should get them. I’m not sure about the science behind blue light glasses but since I’ve been spending a lot of time on the computer doing school work, they have drastically reduced my fuzzy computer eyesight and screen headaches.

7. Lastly, a Best Buddy

On campus there’s a club called Best Buddies that encourages forming meaningful friendships with individuals with development and intellectual disabilities.

This is one of the most kind and funny Best Buddies on campus named Jake. He works at the dining hall and always has a goofy smile on! 

I have made so many friends through the club and loved seeing so many smiling faces at me as I walked through campus. I think that this club really shows you how special it is to be at Nazareth College and it makes campus really feel like home.