I wish that I knew what I know now...when I was a freshman
By: Megan Harris
Issue date: 8/14/08 Section: News
With the first day of classes feeling closer than ever, returning students are preparing themselves for what many hope will be a better, wiser experience.
Most students still wandering around campus are returning sophomores, juniors and seniors. They know where the buildings are, they know the specials at the Tiger Den and they know where to find the best parking spaces on campus. Many have moved past the need for meal plans and several of the out-of-towners have made the transition from dorm life to off-campus houses and apartments.
Walking across campus, a group of upperclassmen look comfortable and confident about where they're headed. Their posture is straighter, their heads higher - they don't seem to question their surroundings or have too much to wonder about.
The freshmen, however, are a different matter entirely.
That first week, they'll be easy to spot with their colorful new binders and well-worn maps to get them from one class to the next. Looking bewildered, they usually walk faster, still unsure how long it really takes to get from the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music to the Smith chemistry building.
In an effort to ease the pain of freshmen, upperclassmen and faculty are sharing their best words of wisdom, what they wish they'd known.
Being comfortable away from home is often a difficult transition, but thanks to IKEA and Bed, Bath and Beyond, the comforts of home are just a shopping trip away. Decorating a dorm room can be accomplished with little more than a few posters and picture frames, and according to Residence Life, can make your dorm-room days a lot more pleasant.
Richardson Towers may sometimes get stuck with a negative reputation, but it is still considered, by population, to be the most popular dorm on campus.
With a 42 percent retention rate, higher than any other dorm, and 100 percent occupancy, the Towers are off to another promising start. Reports from Danny Armitage, the associate dean of Residence Life and Dining Services, show Richardson Towers to have the fewest behavioral issues, despite being the largest dorm on campus.
Most students still wandering around campus are returning sophomores, juniors and seniors. They know where the buildings are, they know the specials at the Tiger Den and they know where to find the best parking spaces on campus. Many have moved past the need for meal plans and several of the out-of-towners have made the transition from dorm life to off-campus houses and apartments.
Walking across campus, a group of upperclassmen look comfortable and confident about where they're headed. Their posture is straighter, their heads higher - they don't seem to question their surroundings or have too much to wonder about.
The freshmen, however, are a different matter entirely.
That first week, they'll be easy to spot with their colorful new binders and well-worn maps to get them from one class to the next. Looking bewildered, they usually walk faster, still unsure how long it really takes to get from the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music to the Smith chemistry building.
In an effort to ease the pain of freshmen, upperclassmen and faculty are sharing their best words of wisdom, what they wish they'd known.
Being comfortable away from home is often a difficult transition, but thanks to IKEA and Bed, Bath and Beyond, the comforts of home are just a shopping trip away. Decorating a dorm room can be accomplished with little more than a few posters and picture frames, and according to Residence Life, can make your dorm-room days a lot more pleasant.
Richardson Towers may sometimes get stuck with a negative reputation, but it is still considered, by population, to be the most popular dorm on campus.
With a 42 percent retention rate, higher than any other dorm, and 100 percent occupancy, the Towers are off to another promising start. Reports from Danny Armitage, the associate dean of Residence Life and Dining Services, show Richardson Towers to have the fewest behavioral issues, despite being the largest dorm on campus.