The Closing

So this is my second-to-last night staying in my freshman dorm, and it feels really strange. I have only somewhat dared to start packing yet, which is sort of worrying, but I still have all of tomorrow afternoon!
Anyway, it has been a crazy year, and I can hardly believe that I am pretty much done with my first year of college.  I'm glad I chose the school I did, even though it is sometimes not what I expected (or too much as I expected).

For all my friends (who probably don't read this) who are going to college next year, I give you Wild Card's Top Ten List of Things You Should Know For College:

1. Be nice to your roommate.  You're going to have to deal with them all year.  If you wind up not getting along and having to switch to a different room, then that's how things go, but that should not stop you from being nice to them.  If you're switching rooms because of drama, deal with it as amiably as possible, and talk to them about it.  It could be that they don't know their stupid habit is annoying you, and if it's something that can be eliminated, then they'll know that they should work on it.
2. Don't keep too much unsealed food in the room.  You will get mice, which will stick around long enough for you to grow fond of and name (ours is named Indy, because we live in Jones Hall - Indiana Jones).  Anyway, the mice can get all over your bed and poop where you may or may not want it (this hasn't happened to me, but Indy made two attempts on my bed today, which leads me to wonder where else he's been).
3. Be familiar with your hallmates. From experience, there may come an awkward moment when a group member in a class says, "Hey, since we live across the hall from each other, want to work on the revisions together?" Do not be that person, as I was, who does not realize who their hallmates are until halfway through spring semester.  Also, if you need to tell someone to shut up because you have a final or a midterm or whatever, they'll probably listen to you more if you know them.  (this may not apply if they're drunk.)
4. If you do not want to drink, you do not have to drink.  There will always be the people who will watch Stargate, Dr. Who, or Star Trek with you on a Friday night without alcohol.  Though these people are what are generally called 'nerds,' the difference between these people and the people who get drunk at fraternity parties every night is that the nerds will remember the stupid puns they made.
5. If you really want to join a social Greek organization, consider not going Greek right away.  If it's something that you feel is part of the essential college experience, and you couldn't bear to rush as a sophomore, I'm not telling you to not go Greek right away - just that maybe you can make friends without the help of the social organizations.
6. If you really think social Greek organizations are dumb - go through rush just to see what it's like.  I came into college saying that social sororities are stupid, and that I could never hang out with someone in Greek life.  After going through rush, I do have a better understanding of what it's like to be part of a social Greek organization.  I didn't get a bid, I don't really want one, and I'm probably not going to go back for one, but I'm glad that I went through it.  The biggest thing I learned is that yes, there are the sororities that are better known for being ditzy or more of the 'party house' (I geeked out about DnD at this house... there's a reason I didn't get asked back), but there are also the houses that are super down-to-earth.  Part of the reason I didn't want to go through rush is because I thought I would be the only non-blonde and certainly the only nerd there, but my host at the first house I went to turned out to be a huge Star Wars fan. (That made stuff a lot easier.)
7. If you're interested in going Greek but don't want to do something social, there are probably going to be honor societies and service fraternities (like Alpha Phi Omega).  If it's an honor society, you're going to have to work up your major GPA and probably not going to get in your first year, but that's always an option.  Additionally, service-based organizations are easy ways to bond with people because you can easily say that you can HELPED PEOPLE TOGETHER! HUZZAH!
8. In the realm of academics, do study.  You'll probably have entire spans of afternoons free, which are there for you to keep your grades up.  If you don't keep up your GPA, you may be asked to not return to the school.  College is not there for you to get drunk all the time.  If drinking is your thing, don't be dumb about it.  Doing Tipsy Tuesday, Wasted Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday, and the regular weekend drinking is perhaps the stupidest thing you can do for your GPA (it also puts you on the fast track for being an alcoholic).
9. In terms of group projects, DO YOUR WORK.  If you can't make it to the group meetings, LET PEOPLE KNOW.  Don't be that one kid who shows up late or not at all without a good excuse.  Good excuses include work, sports you can't get out of, class, or a paper that is 20% done and due in the morning.  Bad excuses include everything else.
10. Talk to everyone.  You meet so many new people in the first three weeks of school than you might in the entire rest of the year put together that it's easy to get kind of confused and mixing up names and faces and phone numbers, but it'll be worth it.  Everyone else is going to mix up some faces and names and stuff, too, so you're not alone.  You'll have friends, and if you wind up not hanging out with a lot of people you hang out with in the beginning of the year, you'll probably wind up with a few people that you're on good terms with in case you wind up in a group project together or something.



I'll probably make more of these lists at some point, but here's some tips for now.