A Glimpse Into Your First Month at Purdue

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Purdue students are almost done with week four of classes! Including the time spent at Boiler Gold Rush, new students have been on campus for a month now. While I am a sophomore this year, my first month at Purdue occurred a year ago. Let’s recap my first month at Purdue West Lafayette and how you can make the most out of yours!

My BGR Team Leader Group

Boiler Gold Rush

Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) is Purdue’s orientation program. Last year when I was a new student, I had such an amazing experience that I returned to be a team leader this summer. BGR week includes some of my favorite Purdue traditions such as the fountain run, jumping the tracks, and drinking Den Pops! As an out-of-state student, I was worried about adjusting to college life and making friends at Purdue. BGR eased all of those fears. I made so many friends through my orientation group and my orientation leader made me feel very welcomed at the university. Since BGR takes place the week before classes start, I had more than enough time to adjust to campus, find where my classes were, and feel confident starting the school year at a place so new to me.

Classes Begin

I was so excited to take classes at Purdue for the first time! While it was quite an adjustment for me to jump from 30 students in a high school-sized classroom to lecture halls with 100s of students, I was so excited to take the First Year Engineering courses. Engineering 131 allowed me to learn more about the other engineering disciplines, and calculus and physics allowed me to understand the fundamentals of engineering. While college courses are difficult, I utilized many campus resources for academic support. I often went to the free Women in Engineering tutoring sessions offered every weeknight, and I would attend office hours and supplemental instruction sessions when I didn’t understand the course content. While my first semester classes challenged me, it was easy to find success when I was willing to ask for help.


My Intramural Volleyball Team

Joining Clubs

There are more than 1,000 clubs at Purdue so everyone can find one that’s right for them! During my first month at Purdue, my calendar was booked with club callouts every other night. Not only were they such a great way to figure out what clubs I was actually interested in joining, but callouts also provided an amazing opportunity to meet other freshmen with shared interests. During my first month at Purdue, I joined the Society of Women Engineers as a general member, became involved in the Women in Engineering Program, and started running with the Healthy Celebrations Run Club.


Football Games

Nothing feels more like college than going to football games! With Purdue being a Big Ten school our game days are unmatched. Our student section is always packed and there is so much energy in Ross-Ade every game, with thousands of students cheering on the Boilermakers. I look forward to football games every weekend, as they provide the perfect opportunity to hang out with friends and wear my favorite game-day gear. As we inch closer to fall, I am so excited to bring out my Purdue overalls and watch Purdue football have an amazing season!


My first month at Purdue was a rollercoaster of new experiences and I can’t wait for you to experience yours! Campus is always busy and there is never a dull moment in West Lafayette. I loved my first month at Purdue and wouldn’t change any of these experiences for the world!



Maddie French, CompE '27

WE Link Leadership Team


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