It's the first day of college at SUNY Plattsburgh, a memorable day that you'll recount later on with great fondness (no matter how the day went). It'll exceed, meet or lower your prepossessed expectations and make you question things you never thought about when applying to college. It will make you examine the ground you stand on and the foundation you've created for your future academic endeavors. However, it should not be scary. It should make you feel excited for the moments ahead that will shape you into your future self. There's a lot you'll find out about going to SUNY Plattsburgh, but here are a few of the basics to get you started:

1. Fall is the most beautiful season on campus.

If your first day of school happens to be in the fall semester, you're in for a real treat! Though you won't see this much orange when you arrive on campus for your first day, it'll definitely be around the corner! Another plus is that the weather will still be nice for the time being. The scenery is so gorgeous, you won't regret leaving your dorm room for a scenic walk to your first few classes, even if you're doing it at the tail end of summer.

2. Hawkins Pond is a breathtaking sight and a great place to study, relax or just catch up with friends on campus.

"Class of 2016" seniors will remember Hawkins Pond much differently than incoming students today will. When seniors first came to SUNY Plattsburgh, the pond you see pictured looked a lot different. However, in the fall semester of 2015, SUNY Plattsburgh unveiled the new and revamped Hawkins Pond. The face-lift, which took over a school year to complete, includes a new fountain and geological features, such as rocks, greenery and a separate lilypad section of the pond. Now, it's a beautiful and perfect place for students to take advantage of a "first day of school" photo-op and compare schedules with friends.

3. Head to class early if you want a parking spot because it can be a nightmare finding one.

It's no secret that there's a lot of parking lots at SUNY Plattsburgh. However, when all of those parking lots are designated for specific groups of people on campus (faculty/staff, on campus students and off campus student lots), it can be difficult to find a parking spot in your designated category's lot. Especially when you're already running late to class, but still don't want to be fined $25 for trying to find the right parking spot so you can get to your final exam. The struggle can be real if you don't leave early to get to your classes, so make sure your first day runs smoothly.

4. The sunsets and skyscapes in Plattsburgh are colorful and unreal.

Even if you've had a rough go of it your first day on campus, nothing beats getting lost in a sunset like this (even if you're lost trying to find your night class). With vibrant shades of pinks, reds, oranges and purples, you might feel like missing class and just reflecting on the day with friends atop a campus building. Make sure you take advantage of having fun as much as going to class and participate in new clubs, organizations or activities.

5. Nightlife in Plattsburgh is buzzing on the weekends.

Whether you plan on staying in or going out on weekends, one thing is for sure: you'll never be bored. With the amount of campus activities (check out Late Night Weekends at Sundowner!), dorm events and places downtown to visit, you'll start to realize what all the commotion's about in Plattsburgh. And if your first day was awesome, wait until you experience what your first night has to offer!

6. Winter in Plattsburgh is cold, long and the most brutal season on campus.

Being the oldest residence hall on campus, Macdonough Hall is bound to get stories of ghosts and hauntings galore. What we don't know is the actual merit to these rumors, but year after year they still remain talked about. So, if you're ever feeling spooked around this dorm you might have some fears as to why. Always have a friend with you or make sure a friend knows where you are if you're ever venturing on or off campus at night because there's more than ghosts haunting Plattsburgh. There are phones lit up in blue at places around campus if you're ever feeling unsafe. They dial to University Police, whose station is located behind the college store (Saranac Hall) and to the left of the Student Health and Counseling Center.

7. There are plenty of well-lit, pretty places to walk around at night.

If you're ever feeling down, need to clear your head and just need some fresh air or something fun to do with some friends, looking at all the buildings beautifully lit up at night and admiring the stillness/silence on campus may do the trick. I know walking around campus at night may seem creepy or not at all like a fun thing to do, but trust me, when you're a senior or a graduate feeling a burning nostalgia about how beautiful campus is you will thank yourself for having explored it to the fullest extent and seen what it's like day and night.

8. Nobody understands the art on campus (*no offense art majors) and it gets weirder and stranger to look at certain pieces each semester.

Mostly sculptures and pieces made of steel and metal, the art on campus has an eclectic and to put it nicely "interesting" theme. You are likely to see most pieces remain on campus until you graduate unless you visit the Burke Gallery inside the Myers Fine Arts Building.

9. Nobody knows where they're going on the first day of classes even if they've been to that building a million times (Yokum Hall anyone?), so don't be nervous.

Though seniors act like they have it all together, in most cases they're just as anxious and unprepared as you are for the first day of classes. It's even a constant running joke for most students that even though there might be a map outlining rooms in Yokum Hall you'll never know where anything is. It's a maze and a mystery and not many (besides Communications students) can figure out the depths of Yokum.

10. After a school year of being here, you'll want to stay for the summer (or forever).

Once you've experienced a school year here, you'll want to experience life here. The first day, the first couple days, the first week or even the first couple of weeks might be hard to adjust to. Most will get past it and if you do, it'll not only feel like your university, it'll feel like your second home, your haven and your "home away from home." SUNY Plattsburgh is a community, not just a college and if you're here you'll always be part of the community and the beautiful campus encompassed by it.

Photo on number 9 taken by Anne McLean

Photos on numbers 1-8, 10 & 11 taken by Konrad Odhiambo

Check out and "like" Konrad's photos on...

his Facebook page, Konrad Odhiambo Photography

or book a session on his website, http://www.konradodhiambo.com

Welcome Back SUNY Plattsburgh students and "Hello" to the Class of 2020!