Here are some survival tips from your friendly neighborhood Signal staff:
Don’t be that guy. In three years of college, I have learned that there is nothing worse than being pigeonholed, and only being known for that one thing by everyone. I know of “always wears camouflage” guy, “shorts in the dead of winter” guy, “Phillies” guy, and for a while, I was probably con- sidered “blue hat” guy. Be your own person, but don’t get sucked into the monotony of college life. Try everything, don’t be known for just one.
-Bobby Olivier
Pay attention to your program tracker forms. Start to have a mapped-out plan of your four years so you’re not worrying last minute about classes that still need to be taken or liberal learning requirements you may have forgotten about. A good start in organization will pay off in the long run.
-Jeffrey Roman
This is my third year at the College, and if you’ll accept it, I’d like to humbly pass on my baton of wisdom:
1. Green Mountain coffee will make you crazy, but Pumpkin Spice is practically crack, so you’ll drink it.
2. Dunkin Donuts is within walking distance, but prepare to get honked at by the mobile upper classmen.
3. Avoid the Library Cafe at 11:30 a.m. at all costs.
4. Don’t end up in Cop Shop.
5. Yes, we have balls. And yes, that joke has been made.
6. If there is a good show playing at the college, chances are everyone wants to go. Go early to buy tickets. I’m talking sleeping bags in the Stud.
7. Don’t leave your clothes in the washer or dryer for a prolonged period of time, unless you are prepared to have your socks fondled by your floormates/random passerby
8. Write for me.
-Katie Brenzel
As a freshman living on a floor of about 60 other new people, it always seems that one thing is inevitable: floorcest. Just because you are now living with new people of both the same and opposite sex, that does not mean that to act on the feelings you have developed for one of them. Remember, there is no escaping this person. You will see them for the rest of the year, and most likely it will be when you’re in your towel on the way to the showers.
-Hilarey Wojtowicz
It’s true: Never be afraid to be who you are. But if you don’t like some- thing about who you are right now, all is not lost! Imagine how the person you want to be would act and try to act like that on a daily basis. You’ll be awesome-er before you know it. Also, take your time eating at Eickhoff when you can. Relax on Friday nights. Work hard, but remember that even during midterms you can always afford to take a short break. The second you find yourself saying “can’t...take...break...”, staring blankly at a comput- er screen, you know what to do. College only comes once and life is now!
-Laura Herzog
To off-campus freshmen — it may not seem like it just yet, but you’re as much a part of this college as anyone else. You may not have a floor, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bond with one — my FSP class adopted me as one of their own. And there are enough clubs on this campus (The Signal, for one) to keep you engaged day and night. Just because you don’t live at the College doesn’t mean there isn’t a home for you here.
-Matt Huston
My best advice is to be yourself. I know that’s really cliché, but the worst decision you can make is to pretend to be the person you think your floor wants you to be. You won’t be able to maintain it forever and it’ll drive you crazy. If your new friends are true friends, they’ll like you for who you are.
-Caroline Russomanno
