We '14s came to Dartmouth young and nave, unsure how to approach the incredibly complex Big Green way of life. We did many silly things during 10F, like drunk dialing our parents, passing out before EBAs arrived and sneaking pocket shots of Bailey's into our coffee before finals. (Were we ever not drinking? Debatable.)
Now with an entire term behind us, we '14s are pulling ourselves out of the frat basements and into the staggeringly bright daylight. We're going to face reality like actual human beings, and maybe try to get our grades back to what they were in high school. With some help from my friends, we're going beyond the DUHs sleep, studying and flair to come up with a list of Dos and Don'ts to get you fellow freshmen through Winter term.
Do: Floor Bonding
Floor bonding rocks. Whether you're having a dinner party, ordering EBAs at 2:09 a.m. or stealing the downstairs couch, there's nothing like getting to know your floormates. Try bonding with them at least once (that means you, Tormie), and if you find you're still not meshing, try bonding with a different floor.
Need to study and/or hate noise? Anywhere in Little! Feeling crazy? Brown 1! Like to party? Berry 1 and 2! Really like to party? French 3! Feel like dressing up and going clubbing? Sorry honey, you came to the wrong Ivy.
Do: Late Nights
Every now and then feel free to throw on your onesie/flair, pick up some late night Collis and wander through the stacks, effectively driving all of the hardcore premeds crazy.
Not ready to end the night at two? Solution: theme parties! You don't have to be drinking to have fun: think Gatsby, TDXmas, AD New Year's and Beta's Halloween party. (Side note: can we throw in a few more of these?) Picture CEOs and Office Hoes at SAE, or we could just dress up like Pokemon and drink Four Lokos again at Sig Nu. Moral of the story: You're missing out on the Dartmouth experience if you're not having fun at least once in a while.
Do: Explore
Believe it or not, there is more to life than Collis pasta (shocking, I know). Frankly, there's more to life than Hanover, but you're stuck here for four years (if you're lucky) and you ought to get to know the town. Things we're obsessing over @ now: Yama, Boloco, Murphy's, the little secret garden somewhere around schoolhouse road and finally, Alumni Gym it's huge and awesome and you can do tons of stuff that doesn't involve a treadmill, just try picking up squash or an impromptu boxing match.
Don't: Leave Your Room Unlocked If You Live On The First Floor
Bad things do happen. Tonight may be the night that a drunk, disoriented floormate urinates in your dresser or decides to crash in your bed. Plus, you never know when you might get a surprise visit from S&S or HPo, so it's best to be prepared.
Don't: Sleep in Strange Places
Strange places include (but are not limited to): your closet, Novack, a frat basement, Hanover Police Department, the roof of Baker library, a classroom, your roommate's bed, Agora, anywhere in Vermont and President Kim's lawn (though I'll admit it's well-manicured and looks quite comfy). It's not worth it, no matter how much your roommate sucks.
Don't: Pretend to be a Pledge
It's extremely embarrassing when you're found out ten minutes later because you let someone open your lunch box and/or you don't actually know anyone in AD. Also, let's get real: only Kappas can pull off the bows.
Don't: Get Good Sammed (duh)
There are some things even a Tanqueray and tonic can't make better, and explaining this one to your parents is one of them. As is getting your stomach pumped, and/or having to hire a lawyer.
Assuming we follow the recommendations listed above, there's only one thing we can reasonably expect from term number two: one hell of a good time.
