first-year
Resources
Dear First Years,
We are so excited to welcome you into our community at Brown. You should be proud of yourselves for making it here because you
deserve it. While we wish you the best in your time here, we know from experience that adjusting can be difficult. Your classes are
probably harder, your social life might feel frantic at times, and
things as simple as where to get a nice shape-up might be a mystery to you. We've been there before and we've got you now.
That's why we made this guide. We know that everyone's experience is different in their first year, but there are some things we wish we knew (or didn't have to scramble to find out). So we've put together this guide with the hopes of:
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Informing black first-years of resources, people, and spaces that have helped black students feel equipped, safe, and supported in their time at Brown.
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Creating an archive that documents how black students have navigated their time at Brown.
The black upperclassmen have come together and pooled these
resources not as a substitute for the support with which we will
provide you interpersonally but as a formal and practical source of
knowledge. We gift this to you and hope you find great use of it.
Sincerely,
Your Upperclassmen
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Where can I get my hair done?Suzie's Barberhop
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Who are the best Deans to talk to?Maitrayee Bhattacharyya: Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Vernicia Elie: Assistant Dean for Financial Advising Andrés Fernández: Associate Dean of Students Marquis T. Gatewood: Associate Dean of Students (Say "Dean Last Name" in person)
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Where is the best place to eat?Flames $$ Garden of Eve Caribbean $$ Monrova $$ Soul Full Fried Chicken $ Food For The Soul $ La Sonrisa Restaurant $$ Merengue Restaurant $$ Sue's Restaurant $
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Do you have any advice?"Follow your heart in everything that you do." "Don't be afraid of being alone" "Be selective about what you do, and find things you want to commit to." "Don't be afraid to take time for yourself. Even if you have to leave here to do so, take the time." "Be patient and gentle with yourself." "Your other identities, like queerness, don’t isolate you from the black community at large."
