9 Things That Happen During Quad Day At #ILLINOIS

40,000 people. 1,300 Registered Student Organizations. One Day. One Quad. One hashtag: #ILLINOISwelcome.

You feel unprepared.

Pro tips: bring snacks, water and use the bathroom before you go.

You get your first lesson in navigating through big crowds.

This will come in handy later if you eat at the dining halls, rush a fraternity or sorority or attend a football game.

You become overwhelmed realizing these 40,000 people are now your classmates.

Don't worry. They're usually more spread out. Except football games. And graduation. And anytime there is free stuff.

You get sweaty. Very, very sweaty.

Did we mention it's really hot? Stay hydrated. It's not a sprint.

FREE STUFF!!!!!!

Pens, sunglasses, bookmarks, magnets, notebooks, i-card holders, pencils, cups, food, frisbees, candy, coasters, pamphlets, calendars, post-its...

You see clubs for literally everything. (Okay, almost everything.)

Examples (yes, these actually exist):

Hot tubbing,

Chinese food,

gaming,

robots,

African businesses,

racial justice,

concrete,

inner peace,

car problems,

bankruptcy,

capital markets,

insects,

Disney,

dingoball,

Harry Potter,

coffee,

drones,

railroads,

squirrels,

Korean pop,

meat science,

people who love October.

And 1200 more.

You make new friends!

And maybe they're into zombies, inner peace and railroads too.

You give your email address to 30 different organizations, which is about 27 organizations too many

(flash forward to senior year: still getting the emails)

You celebrate because you know that surviving Quad Day is your first big Illinois milestone.

Take a cue from #ILLINOIS alumnus Nick Offerman.