This year, more students than ever are sharing the memorable experience of going to class on the UC Berkeley campus for the first time. While many newcomers are still reeling from the crash course that is GBO week, there are still some time-tested tips for life on campus that may have been overlooked in the whirlwind of dining halls and visiting the top Berkeley landmarks. To quell any first-week jitters, here’s some advice to help get you through your first few days of classes and adjust to being here in person.

Map your way around

Getting lost is a common worry for people new to campus. The good news is, it’s harder to get lost than you may think. Many of the buildings have distinct features that can help you orient yourself. For instance, Evans is a particularly memorable eyesore, while Moffitt may be the only library in the world that could be mistaken for a modern tech office on one side and a parking deck on the other. In a pinch, remember that the Campanile is at the center of campus: Just find a place where you can see the tower!

Best advice for the navigationally challenged? Use the walking or public transportation mode on Google Maps to plot your way from class to class ahead of time. Particularly, when it comes to finding the right staircase to take in Dwinelle or locating classes in out-of-the-way areas such as the lower levels of Moffitt Library, it’s good to have a route scoped out before you have the stress of trying to find a class on Berkeley time.

Find your study zone

While many people prefer to retreat to their residence halls, a local cafe or boba shop to study, there are great on-campus study locations.

Most students haven’t even been to half of the 24 libraries on campus, and while some of them are purely reference libraries, many boast comfortable work spaces with Wi-FI access and plenty of electrical outlets. If the popular Moffitt Library or Kresge Engineering Library are too crowded for you to feel in the zone, check out the large and quiet C. V. Starr East Asian Library or Valley Life Sciences Library. If something compact and cozy is more your speed, check out the small reading rooms in Doe Memorial Library. If you’re a night owl, Moffitt and the Berkeley Law Library are convenient options that stay open late. Check out the libraries list for hours and locations and explore until you find the perfect spot!

Libraries aren’t the end-all be-all of study spaces — while they may represent the different academic facets of UC Berkeley, there are also community centers around campus that represent the wide range of backgrounds of the student body. Spaces from the Multicultural Community Center to the Gender Equity Resource Center to the Transfer Student Center have been carefully carved out by generations of students before us to ensure there are always places for underrepresented or marginalized Berkeley students to hang out, study and find community.

Know which bathrooms are the good ones

The difference between what you’ll find when searching for a bathroom on floor C versus floor D of Dwinelle Hall is like night and day. This is a helpful tip that applies to everyone but particularly people seeking gender-neutral or wheelchair accessible bathrooms. Through trial and error, you will find out which bathrooms are catalog-worthy (for example, the lovely gender-inclusive facilities on Moffitt’s fourth floor) and which are best avoided (the single sad excuse for a women’s restroom on Moffitt’s third floor). Still, scoping out the bathrooms nearest your classrooms is a great way to help mitigate unfortunate situations, especially during the between-class crunch. Checking out past issues of “Best of Berkeley: Campus edition” can help give you an idea of which bathrooms are hidden gems, while restrooms.berkeley.edu provides a great and easy-to-navigate map of gender-inclusive and accessible bathrooms.

Plan out what and where to eat

While high schools and workplaces usually have set meal breaks, in college, you make your own food whenever your schedule permits. Make sure to plan out time to eat at some point in your day, and if you’re low on breaks, take note of which professors are more likely to chew you out for eating in class. Knowing where you can grab a quick bite on campus — be it from the Free Speech Movement Cafe (a great spot for a late coffee if you’re pulling an all-nighter on a CS project), Yali’s Stanley Hall Cafe, Golden Bear Cafe or one of the restaurants located in MLK — can be a lifesaver if you’re low on lunch options.

When in doubt, ask a Bear

Whether you’d rather seek help from an upperclassman, a GSI, a professor or staff member, there are plenty of people around you on campus who are happy to help you find your feet if it’s your first time on campus. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for advice, or even just directions. Being on campus for the first time can be a daunting experience, but it’s one we’ve all shared at one point or another. There are plenty of people willing to help you at the beginning of your campus adventure!