You can read troves of generic college advice online. But you’re going to LSU, so you need LSU-specific information. Here are 10 things incoming freshmen need to know before coming to LSU.
Campus
As a freshman campus will have just about everything you need from food to events to a place to exercise. LSU’s campus is quite stunning with its many oak trees that provide shade as you walk to class or your dorm. Mike the Tiger lives right across the street from Tiger Stadium, and you should definitely pay him a visit. There’s even a 24/7 YouTube live stream of his habitat. Outside the newly renovated Art and Design Building is a nice sculpture garden with a swing you can actually swing on.
While campus is big, you’ll get to know the gist of it by the end of Welcome Week. However, campus has two Coates Halls which might seem confusing. But you’ll likely only have class in the one in the Quad (the other is near Tiger Stadium). There are also two Miller Halls, but you won’t be attending class at the Miller Hall dorm near the UREC (the other is on Highland Road across the street from the Ag Center). Beyond that, campus is straightforward enough.
Weather
Whether you’re a Louisiana local or from out of state, the weather doesn’t care. You will be subject to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) days with intense humidity. Baton Rouge also has some days with just the opposite weather. LSU had a freeze in February 2021 which led to several days of canceled classes.
Louisiana, though, has many more hot days than cold ones. So if you spend any extensive amount of time outside, you’ll want to have sunscreen on and carry a reusable water bottle. Heavy rains can also occur just about any day; be sure to have an umbrella in your backpack! Certain areas of campus are prone to flooding when it rains like much of Highland Road and several campus parking lots. 
Food
LSU has a variety of locations to eat at on campus, and the areas surrounding campus are full of restaurants too. The dining halls will be the option many freshmen frequent with one dining hall for East campus (the 459 Dining Hall) and one for West campus (the 5 Dining Hall). The dining halls serve many different meals, and you can check the menu here by selecting your dining hall of choice with the drop-down box. While the main meal changes everyday, the dining halls serve salad, sandwiches and pizza just about everyday. Checking the menu each day can help you to decide which dining hall to eat at, or if nothing strikes your fancy, you can go to the Union.
The Union is home to several more fast food style restaurants like Sonic and Panda Express. The lines can be long at lunchtime, but usually move fairly quickly.
Campus also has other dining options like the Panera Bread at Patrick F. Taylor Hall (PFT), and food trucks often park near PFT and the Dairy Store (which is where you can stop for some ice cream).
All freshmen who live on campus are required to have a meal plan which vary in the number of meal swipes and Paw Points on them. Meal swipes are mainly used at the dining halls, but starting this fall may be used at non-dining hall locations. Read about that here.
Paw Points can be used at any on campus food location including the dining halls. Additionally, Tiger Cash which can be loaded onto your Tiger Card. Your Tiger Card will then essentially be a debit card which can also be spent at many dining locations on campus and some off campus options like the Raising Canes on Highland Road. You can read more about Tiger Card funds here.
Tiger Cash can also be used for laundry on campus. (Yes, that’s not food related, but you should know it’s an option.)
Academics
As you will be attending Louisiana State University, you will have to do the main things associated with universities: going to class and studying.
You will likely take a test using a Scantron at some point. There are vending machines that sell them around campus, but don’t use those vending machines. They are available for free at the Student Government office located at the back of the Union. You can also find blue books in the Student Government office (blue books are books with sheets of paper inside often used for open-ended responses on exams).
LSU also offers Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions. SI sessions are student-led and typically occur once a week at a time selected by students in the course section. The SI leaders help students better understand recent class material. The sessions are optional and are for “historically difficult courses,” according to the Center for Academic Success.
Around the time of midterms and finals, students can be quite stressed. Luckily at these times therapy dogs are available for visits and make for a good break during exams.
Sports
LSU is known for its top notch athletes and teams. If you want to go to one of the big three sporting events (basketball, baseball or football), it’s best to buy season tickets. Typically, you will receive an email in your student email about season ticket purchases.
Beyond football, LSU has many other teams you can watch and cheer for. The track and field team has had many top 10 athletes running, throwing and jumping at Bernie Moore Track Stadium. LSU also has club men’s and women’s rugby teams. While I’m still not sure how rugby works, it sure is fun to watch. Additionally, LSU’s swimming and diving teams have boasted Olympic athletes that you can watch for free at the Natatorium during their season.
If you’re looking to play intramural sports, you can check out the available options on the UREC website. If you’re just looking to have some fun but not be a part of a team, take up pickleball with some friends or roommates. The UREC has equipment for a variety of sports that can be checked out using your Tiger Card.
Safety
Student safety is an important concern. Some classes conclude after dark, or maybe you hung out with friends in a dorm across campus one evening. General business senior Lloyd Passafume recommends walking with someone at night or if you’re alone to “let your roommate know when you should be back.”
LSU also has on-demand buses running after dark on weekdays from 5 p.m. to midnight. You can request or schedule a ride through the TransLoc app. LSU Tiger Trails also offers routes running Thursday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. for those who stay out late. You can check out all of the Tiger Trails routes here.
Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Project
The LSU Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Project are a part of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The two help put on several events and programs during the year, according to their website. Both also offer spaces to work and meet others. The Women’s Center is on the ground level of the parking garage behind the bookstore. The LGBTQ+ Project has a space in room 175 of Coates Hall.
Both the Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Project can offer students information or refer them to others to assist with a variety of needs. The Women’s Center also provides free menstrual hygiene products as well as safe-sex supplies to those who request it. Read more about what the Women’s Center offers here.
myLSU
myLSU is where students can access a variety of online services and tools as well as login to Moodle and your student email. The search box will be the easiest way to find what you’re looking for. The most important things on myLSU are your degree audit and a link for signing up for next semester’s classes. Your degree audit shows you how far along you are in your degree path by indicating which classes you have credit for and which you still need to take. Signing up for classes is fairly simple. First, by accessing the “schedule booklet,” you can see which classes are available at what time and how many students can take the course. Then you go to the “schedule request” at your designated time and input the course codes.
The housing portal can be accessed through myLSU in order to apply for on campus housing again for your next year (at the specified time) and to put in work orders. Once in the housing portal, click on the “Work Order” tab and input the details necessary to fix that clogged sink, broken AC or whatever issue needs addressing. The desk assistant in your dorm can also input work orders if needed.
Baton Rouge
As you’ll be living in Baton Rouge, you should explore the city at least a little. Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana and is home to the State Capitol building and grounds. The Capitol grounds have lovely gardens to walk through and make for a great background if you’re looking to take some photos. Downtown isn’t the most exciting, but you can certainly find a tasty restaurant or attend an event at the Raising Cane’s River Center.
The Electric Depot on Government Street is a former power plant that now has several businesses operating out of it. There’s a coffee shop, a spa and a bowling alley/live music venue with food and drinks. For even more to do, search for the latest “This Week in Baton Rouge” on the Reveille’s website.
On-campus jobs
At some point during your time at LSU you might consider looking for an on-campus job. Many different jobs are available ranging from Desk Assistant at your dorm to making smoothies at the Smoothie King in the Union to lifeguarding at the UREC. The Career Center will tell you (at least on its website) to go to Handshake.com. But for a number of on-campus jobs you don’t need to use Handshake. For instance, if you want to work at Student Media, you apply through the Reveille’s website. For any on-campus job, though, do a quick online search of the job you’re interested in before heading to Handshake.
For those who are uncertain about working an on-campus job, that’s understandable. It can be difficult to juggle working, going to class and having a social life. However, LSU students can only work a maximum of 20 hours each week at their on-campus job. Every on-campus job understands you have class, so no need to worry about class and work overlapping. Your on-campus job can be a great way to meet new people, gain experience and earn some money.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Matthew Perschall

Students eat an early lunch on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, inside the 459 Commons Dining Hall on Campus Lake Road in Baton Rouge, La.