Jacquelyn Herder
It’s here again. And you know what I’m talking about. The once a year event that causes mass hysteria, girls (and some guys ... we know who you are) crying in the bathroom, freshmen struggling to understand that the glow of freshman year is coming to an end, and a whole new appreciation for the saying “every man for himself.” It gets your heart racing, your palms sweating, and makes you as jumpy as a caffeinated pre-med before an orgo test. That’s right - housing selection is here once again. Let the games begin.
Emily Maley
For juniors, adjusting to life off campus can be a major lifestyle change, but it can also prove to be a lot of fun. Finally being able to have a single bedroom, maybe a car, and a kitchen … but what to do with a kitchen? During freshman and sophomore year, walking to any of the dining halls on campus is a cinch, but it’s not quite as convenient while living off campus. Enter the invention of the Flex Plan, less costly than the mandatory full meal plan, but still quite pricey. Seriously, are undergraduate college students miraculously expected to know how to cook? According to several students who have experienced off campus life, it’s not the simplest task to learn. Many turn to the Flex Plan or Eagle Bucks, the latter of which can be used at any location on campus, including vending machines, printing stations, and dining halls. They are even accepted at some off campus attractions, such as Roggies and Campus Convenience.
Ana Lopez
I realize that the notion of the “pen pal” is just about as outdated as the notion of taking a converted VW bus cross-country – it works for decidedly indie people and your dad, but, let’s be real, it could never fit into your smartphone, 50-e-mails-a-minute lifestyle. You are so far beyond the act of putting pen to paper, you forgot what it feels like to form your fingers around a writing utensil. And why should you? With the glory that is modern technology, we have been enabled to avoid that tiresome, pointless task that is writing at basically every turn – even our signatures, the most personal of expressions in handwriting, are increasingly electronic. So why in your wildest dreams would you purposely invest in something ridiculous like stationary, stamps, and a (gasp!) pen, not with the intention of giving them as a safe birthday gift to your great-aunt Susan (the only person you know who still remembers how to write), but actually using them yourself? Why, to secure what you will find to be one of the most rewarding and delightful relationships in your life: a pen pal. Now, you must be aware that pen pal friendship (“penpalship,” if you will) is not something that can just be jumped into like a tub of Jell-O. It takes time to perfect this art and to establish these bonds. Here’s some tips to get you started on your way.
Diana C. Nearhos
Head left from the Spanish Steps, bear right at the Statue of Immaculate Conception, pass the gelateria with the little figurines, follow the winding of the road for a few blocks, take a right at the little side street, follow that, and just when it looks like you are headed nowhere, stop and take in the Trevi Fountain. Somewhere between the bends of said street, my friend visiting from the States looks at me and says, “Wow, I cannot believe how well you know your way around here.”
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