As this summer has now come to a close once again, us upper classman come back to a campus we have come to see as home. However, for all of you incoming freshman, this campus may seem terrifying, overwhelming, or simply mystifying.

That being said, there are a few things all of your freshman should read.

First off, do not party yourself out in the first week of being on campus.  Every year us upperclassman see and hear just how many dozens of freshman get transported by ambulance off campus in the first week for having drank too much alcohol. I know being away from your parents and family for the first time in your life can be very exciting, but when it comes to indulging in the excitement that freedom affords, you must pace yourself.  You will have four great years here filled with amazing memories, as long as you don’t burn yourself out in the first few weeks here on campus. The next piece of advice I can give from my experience is to not let this new sense of freedom distract you from the true purpose behind your enrollment; get an education.

I can’t tell you how many people I have seen drop out of this University because they could just not handle to school work.  This is not high school anymore, missing one or two assignments, or getting a bad grade on an exam will hurt your grade more than I can say, as will missing classes.

The last piece of advice from this senior, enjoy yourself.

Although you do not want to shake off your other responsibilities, these next few years have the potential to be the best you’ve experienced so far in your life.

In my personal opinion, the best way to get the most out of this time is to join clubs, sport teams, or any other one of the numerous organizations on this campus.  Being a member of a fraternity, the men’s rugby team, and being on this school’s newspaper has shown me just how important being a member can be.

It is very easy to get bored on this campus after a few weeks or months and these organizations will give you friends for life.  It is not that one needs these organizations to make friends here, although it is much easier when one is involved on campus.

Your friends will keep you honest in your school work and ensure you are almost never in a bad mood. So there it is from someone who has lived on this campus for the past three years. I leave you with this, don’t party too hard too fast, do your school work,  join something, and don’t mob the village quads looking for parties the first weekend (the 8s are where it’s at).