Goodbye to the Freshman

It’s time - time for me to say goodbye to my Freshman year in college. After one year of weight gain, nervousness, and complaining throughout the semesters about my classes and professors, I have finally overcome it all and have managed to survive my freshman year in college without ever being on Freshman Warning - which is when you fail to earn less than a 2.0 GPA.

I learned that no matter what you do, it’s practically impossible to get a parking spot in the Parking Garage near the library after 9 a.m. I also learned that Outtakes and Coyote Jack's are the CVS on campus - being the only places open until 10 p.m. during the week where you can get anything from mozzarella sticks to Smirnoff.

I also learned that the Breezeway is the I-95 on campus and that it does suffer from rush hour traffic, that our Owl Cards are more important than a driver's license and carry a lot more money than our debit cards (at least for those who live on campus), and that the Social Sciences building should be called the SS building but instead we call it the SO building and it looks like a green spaceship.

But most importantly, there are three main things that nobody should miss during their freshman year:

1. Go to a football game.
2. Join a club/get involved.
3. Go to a party in the Student Apartments.
   

This entire year was fun and I will always be grateful for having the opportunity of documenting my freshman year and for having consistent readers to share it with (thanks!).

That said…Goodbye to my freshman year and hello to my sophomore year.

Freshman Experience

My freshman year is coming to an end, and after the week of finals and a summer of classes, I will no longer be considered a freshman by the University standards. I have learned an array of things this year, like: not to stress out so much about classes, that MyFau works only during office hours, and that walking down the Breezeway in the middle of “rush hour” (typically around 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m.) is practically impossible, among other things.

I remember the day when I came to terms that I had gained the “freshman 15” after my Hollister jeans didn’t go past my thigh. I spent endless hours at my second home - my unofficial FAU dorm - in room 214 of the Student Union (University Press headquarters). I fell in love with the Owls after attending a football game where the word "touchdown" only meant “get up and cheer” to me.

I got frustrated with my inability to find the second floor of the GS building after walking in circles around its perimeters, only to find out that 11 flights of stairs and a semi-long walk to the back of the building takes you right into the (hidden) second floor of the GS building. (couldn’t they put the stairs inside of the building?)

I made new friends, lost touch with others, and partied like a rock star at the FAU Apartments - and I still managed to survive my freshman year without failing any classes.

Sad as I am though, this freshman express ride has come to an end. It's been an experience of a lifetime and I will remember tons of memories that will last me until the day I die. So, in commemoration of my final days as a freshman at FAU, I have decided to make this blog a little different.

I went around and asked other freshmen questions about their first year experiences at FAU and here is what they answered - let’s call this a “Q & A with freshmen.”

1. What was the most boring class you took this year at FAU?
   “Life Science - It was so gay that I just stopped going”
   - Amanda Kushner, Freshman, Business major.
   
   
2. What’s the craziest thing you ever did on campus?
   “I tripped on acid with my friend one time. We sat in the forest the whole night and stared at the trees - it was amazing.”
   - Anonymous, freshman, Psychology major.
   
   
3. What is something you wish you would have known before your first day of classes at FAU?
   “I wish I would have known how horrible the parking situation was going to be. I literally spent 30 minutes looking for parking spots the first day of classes. That’s when I realized that the assigned parking spot I had back in High School was a complete privilege.”
   - Kareeme Shorter, freshman, Business major.
   
   
4. What kind of advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
   “Relax. It can get really stressful and stressing about things is no use -and of course, study hard!”
   -Clarissa Lowmark, freshman, Elementary Education
   
   
5. What did you hate the most as a freshman at FAU?
   “I hated gaining the freshman 15. I look like a fat tuna and now I need to exercise to look hot for summer - thanks Outtakes!”
   - Karina Da Luz, freshman, Engineering major.
   
   
6. What was one of your most memorable moments at FAU?
   “There were no memorable moments. All I did this year was drink beer, go to parties, and meet hot chicks - that’s it.”
   - Mike McKevitt, freshman, Biology major.
   
   
7. Are you going to miss being a freshman?
   “Nah. It’s time to move on. The whole freshman thing is overrated. I had as much fun as I did back in High School - the difference was minimal really.”
   - Rony Barzily, freshman, Business major.
   
   
8. Did you ever party at FAU?
   “Yeah right, this campus is so dead that a party here would practically be a miracle.”
   - Grace Welte, Freshman, Undecided.
   

What did you think of your freshman year?

Summer Possibilities

Sometimes I take my age for granted. If I would have been born a year later, I would have probably been facing the reality that I might not have ever come to FAU. In case you live on Mars and have absolutely no idea of what is going on, in the last couple months, the state of Florida has cut the budgets of schools like FAU. That means all incoming freshmen for the class of 2012 might be getting rejected from FAU.

A lot of my high school friends are in this situation right now. It’s almost summer and a lot of them still don’t know whether or not they’re coming to FAU because of our recent lack of money.

By the looks of it all, incoming freshmen for the class of 2012 will be fewer and fewer because FAU is sending out more rejection letters to hopeful students due to the state budget cuts. In fact FAU is possibly rejecting something close to 2,000 qualified students because of this problem.

Not only that, but the atmosphere of FAU wouldn’t be the same.

I’ve often complained about FAU not being the “typical” college campus. FAU is a quiet campus compared to other big universities such as UF or UCF but with budget cuts, FAU could become what Harly Sushil, a student participating in the Save our Summer Classes rally, calls a “ghost town.”

“You think the campus is quiet on the weekends now?” says Sushil. “It’s going to be a ghost town.”

Incoming freshmen are not going to have the same college experience that I had. Even though this campus is not the traditional campus, there are some signs of human activity during the weekends. But with this immense lack of money, school will be emptier, less classes to choose from, and the entire atmosphere of a college campus will be ruined.

But for some reason, even with budget cuts looming and students rallying against them, I still didn’t pay attention.

Not only did I not care that much, but didn’t quite understand why it was such a big deal that summer classes were going to get cut (or that the budget was being cut for that matter) - after all, do people actually study during the summer?

Well, I was wrong. Now I am considering taking classes during the summer to speed up my education and I’ve realized what reducing the budget actually means for me. Some students might not be able to graduate on time because of fewer summer classes and some might not even get accepted to FAU for the very same reason.

In fact, according to this article from the Sun Sentinel , FAU's budget was cut by $6.3 million last fall and $3.3 million this spring.

Everyone is affected by this and I can’t believe I never realized how important and how much of a big deal this is. As a freshman, I’m affected by this because I still have three more years until I finish my education at FAU, three more years I have to face with the consequences of budget cuts, three more years with less summer classes, and maybe not even graduating on time because of FAU’s lack of money.

“This affects all of us,” said freshman Nadia Ismael. “Florida’s state budget cuts are changing the entire atmosphere of what school used to be. I’m just happy I’m transferring - I don’t think I can learn like this.”

Popular Jobs

Forget about enjoying the beach, traveling, and hanging out with friends during the summer, because thanks to our summer classes being sliced down recently – most college students are going to have to find a summer job.

Why?
Because we all need money and there are no classes to go to. (Sadly)

I had to get a job and after endless days at the mall handing out applications, I finally received a call back and got hired.

Yep, this UP blogger is no longer a member of the “college students without a job” club. As of last week, I have taken what could be one of the most popular jobs among students -- I am now a hostess at Koi Japanese Restaurant and I’m loving the tips.

So in commemoration of me finally getting a job, I have decided to make this blog all about the top five jobs that I have found to be the most popular around campus.

TUTORING

If you are extremely knowledgeable on a specific subject or just overall smart, then tutoring might just be what can take your bank account from $0.75 to a $100. This job, though boring at times, is actually a good source of money. Not only do you get to implement your own hours but also your own rate! Imagine that…you don’t have to stick to the state minimum wage of $7.15 - Now, that’s pretty rad.

Benefits:

• You don’t have to work on the weekends.


• You can tutor at the comfort of your own home.


• It only takes a couple of hours from your day.
  

Disadvantages:

• Depending on the person you’re tutoring, work might get boring.


• You’ll be sitting a lot.


• You have to repeat and explain things constantly.


• Beware of who you’re inviting into your house, some of the kids that you might have to tutor are kind of coo-koo and it might not be a good idea to invite them into your home.


• If you end up going to the kid’s house, make sure you stay quiet and out of the fights that he/she might have with their parents – they can get ugly.

BABYSITTING

If you don’t mind babies and toddler vomit, smells of poop in the air, a lot of crying and squealing, and the bonus of dirty diapers, then by all means you should give babysitting a try. This job is only for those who have patience with kids. There is no point in taking a job like this if you’re always in a bad mood and absolutely disgusted at the thought of changing a diaper. It’s also not a difficult job to get – thanks to all the websites dedicated to this kind of job, you can now easily promote yourself on the internet by putting specific times, days, and rates for parents to look at.

Benefits:

• No minimum wage here, you set your own rate.


• Kids sleep a lot - which means, tons of free time for you.


• You get to eat another family’s food while they’re out.
  

Disadvantages:

• It’s a big responsibility - if that kid breaks a bone, it’s on you.


• By the end of the night you’ll smell like throw up and spit - not a good combo.
  

EXOTIC DANCER (STRIPPER!)

Yeah that’s right, stripping is a job. If you have absolutely no inhibitions, you love to show off the twins, and have absolutely no problem in taking your clothes off in front of drunken strangers, then honey what are you waiting for? Hit up the strip club and get a job! Personally, I would never try it. But there are people at FAU that do dabble around in the stripping circle and love it.

Benefits:

• The tips at this job are even better than what any waitress could get - so get those G-Strings ready for the dollar bills.


• If you like being the center of attention, then this is also the job for you. I guarantee you’ll be getting lots of it.


• You might get famous - in the porn business.
  

Disadvantages:

• You’ll only be working nights (or at least most of the time), unless you’re on the day shifts (a.k.a the B squad), in which case you’ll be working a “regular” schedule.


• Your reputation might get hurt because of this - you’ll be labeled all kinds of things because of your job.

RETAIL

One word - clothes. I personally am a shop-a-holic. I shop whenever I have the money and I practically live at the mall anyway, so I had my share of working in retail when I was younger. The only thing is, you have to be patient with customers because as the manager will tell you: “the customer is always right.”

Benefits:

• Discounted clothes. (Need I say more?)
  

Disadvantages:

• You have to stand on your feet for more than five hours straight.


• You don’t get to leave until an hour after the mall closes.


• The pay is not that great and there are no tips. (Obviously)


• If you hate organizing your closet, then you’ll hate this job even more because you’ll be folding and folding like there’s no end.

WAITRESSING/ HOSTING

If you’re overly nice, don’t mind smelling like food, and don’t care to serve a couple of people then this is for you. The only thing is, try to have good memory for orders because sometimes customers can be really picky. For example, where I work there are these two people that get really picky about their tea - they're so picky that they bring their own and only order hot water as their drink. You have to be able to remember things like that.

Benefits:

• Depending on what restaurant you work at, sometimes you will earn more than what a regular job at the mall could pay because of tips. However there are no guarantees that you will in fact make more money. Some places will schedule college kids for day shifts on weekdays. Which means, you could possible walk away from a 7-hour shift with less than $20.


• Free or discounted food (at the end of the night of course). Personally, at my job I have the privilege of enjoying a free meal after a hard day’s work. But, a lot of jobs at restaurants don’t give out free food but will give you a discounted meal instead, so either way you end up with food in your hands…and stomach.
  

Disadvantages:

• Remember that pad Thai chicken you delivered to table 7? Well you’ll smell like it.


• Working hours are often not flexible, meaning you probably have to work until late at night.


• You’ll be cleaning tables full of food, drinks, and who knows what else.


• Forget about free nights and weekends (you’re not working for T-Mobile) - you’ll be working.
  

Where is my love?

Beware of dating acquaintances.

The last date I went on appeared to be a good one at first. The guy was nice, tall, and handsome. He had brown shaggy hair that fell slightly over his eyes, a tattoo on his right arm of the outline of Florida, and wore tight, skinny jeans - he could have been an American Eagle model for all I knew.

Conversation flowed well as we both sipped on our Venti, double-shot, vanilla lattes with no foam, until the fatal question he asked that brought me back down to earth and slapped me on the face.

“So, I‘m just going to get this out on the table and ask you” he said. What could it be? I thought. Was he about to ask me out on another date?

“Would you like to try some cocaine?” he said.

Whaaaat???

I couldn’t believe the words that had just slipped out of his mouth. At first I thought it was a joke, but he was being completely serious.

He creeped me out so much that the date was over before the little receptionist in my head could scream…NEXT!

As my freshman year is coming near an end, I am baffled at my inability to find anyone suitable for a date. In high school, I wasn’t the most popular girl, but I did manage to score a date here and there.

In college, not only have I not found anybody worthy of a relationship, but the couple of people I have gone on dates with have turned out to be complete losers, like Mr. Cocaine Addict discussed above.

The thing is, I don’t even know where I find all of these losers. My friends have somehow managed to score cute and decent boyfriends. While me on the other hand, seem to be hanging out at the library by myself more and more.

“You have to go out more,” said freshman Elizabeth Gosein. “Go to clubs, parties - that’s where most of the guys are”

“Yeah, but I don’t just want to hook up with some guy for a night,” I told her. “I want something that will last.”

“Sometimes there are nice guys there - you just have to look for them,” said Gosein.

But I do look for them. I look for them wherever I go - the supermarket, the library, Starbucks, school, and just about everywhere. Not only that but I’ve also made a conscious effort to look better whenever I go out, in case I bump into my prince charming.

I’ve started to straighten my hair, wear more make-up, and I am even making an effort to lose the stupid freshman 15.

So what am I doing wrong?

“You’re worrying too much,” said freshman Clarissa Lowmark. “You have to just let it go and let it come when it’s supposed to.”

What my friend was saying was true.

In fact, on a recent article on the April issue of the Cosmopolitan (pg.84) psychotherapist Bella Dishell discusses that “if your only focus is on finding a boyfriend, your run the risk of coming off as desperate, a vibe that repels guys.
But when you feel at peace with yourself - you don’t think so much about how others can make you happy - you exude confidence, which is a magnetic trait,” said Dishell. “The key to getting to that place is focusing on the thing you got going for you and nurturing your interests rather than dwelling on what you lack.”

Still desperate about not being able to find a date, I asked some of my friends (with a significant other) how they managed to find their perfect guy and this is the advice they gave me on where to find my prince charming.

• The Gym (Arnold Swartzenegger): Guys like this one love to go to the gym and watch their muscles grow. They’re usually there for hours and there’s lots of them in one place. If you’re into these kinds of guys, make sure you start hitting the gym - not only will you get in shape but you’ll also increase your chances of finding your hottie.

• Whole Foods (The Hippie): If you’re a vegetarian and like guys with dreadlocks like me, then you should go to the Whole Foods Supermarket and get some tofu. It’s the perfect place to meet the healthy, anti-animal cruelty, peace & love, beauty you’ve always dreamed of. Trust me, you’ll love being a vegetarian even more.

• Barnes & Noble (The Intellectual): Barnes and Noble just happens to be the greatest place on earth if you love guys that love books as much as the opposite sex. Guys that hang out at these kinds of places are usually really smart but kind of shy. So if you want to find somebody like that, most of the time you have to make the first move. Try to start a conversation based on a book he’s looking at - trust me, it works most of the time.

• Rock concerts (Indie Superstar): I have met lots of guys at local shows. One thing though, most “rocker” guys smoke cigarettes, so if you don’t mind kissing someone that will taste like an ashtray - you’re set! These grungy, messy hair, tattooed beauties are usually pretty outgoing and if you catch their eye, they will surely approach you. Not only that but they usually play an instrument, what’s hotter than that?

Guys are everywhere. Don’t get desperate like me to have a dating life. It’ll come…I hope.

Bathing Suits and Underwear

It happens to everyone: bathing suit bottoms become underwear, socks become scarce, and jeans become crinkly and smelly -- but sooner or later you have to face the fact that you smell. After weeks of procrastination, its time to do your laundry.

“I don’t do my laundry,” said freshman Alejandro Garcia. “I go home during the weekends and let my parents do it.”

He’s not the only one…

In fact, I asked 15 freshmen if they did their laundry and sadly, only three of them replied with a “yes.”

Laundry has never been a problem for me (not that I even know how to do my laundry) but it’s just that before I even try to learn, my mom has already taken it out of the laundry basket, washed it, and folded it on top of my bed for me.

In all my 18 years of life, I have never done my laundry and probably won’t have a chance to do it until I move out. As a freshman I am considered an adult in the real world and I don’t even know how to do my own laundry -- how pathetic.

“It’s not that difficult,” said freshman Kareeme Shorter. “Freshmen are just lazy and we’re just used to our parents doing everything for us.”

But I need to start somewhere, so in hopes of learning how to do my laundry I went around and asked upperclassmen what they would do in my situation.

These are the responses I got:

• “Do not mix colors with whites.”

• “Don’t wash colors with hot water.”

• “Wash only the towels and underwear with hot water.”

It was all so confusing. My head hurt with all of the do’s and don’ts of laundry. Who knew it would be so difficult to wash my clothes.

So instead of giving you a “How to” guide on your laundry, I am going to give you a “How To” guide on how to prolong the horrible and annoying task of doing your laundry.

Hey, we might as well take as long as we can to do it. After all, we’re college students.

WARNING: The advice I’m giving on how to prolong doing your laundry will only work for a maximum of three weeks. Eventually you will have to do your laundry.

1. Only wear underwear when needed: Yeah, that’s right. Underwear is not that necessary. Unless you have your period, you can easily get away with not wearing underwear with those really tight, skinny, jeans you love so much. Trust me, your butt will look better and you will be saving clean underwear for when you really need them.
   
   
2. Tide to Go was created for a reason: Try not to spill things on your shirts and pants so that you won’t have to wash them, but if you do, use Tide to Go, and it will be the answer to your prayers. Just spray that little sucker directly on the stain and within minutes you’ll be clean again!
   
   
3. Dryer Sheets can save your jeans: To avoid washing so many pairs of jeans more than twice a week, put a dryer sheet in your pocket and carry it throughout the day. It’ll give your jeans that freshly washed scent and it’ll allow you to wear them more times throughout the week.
   
   
4. Forget about socks: One thing that’s really annoying to wash when you're doing laundry, are the millions of pairs of socks you probably own. We live in Florida buddy, it’s not like it snows here, that’s why flip flops and sandals are the official shoe of Florida.
   
   
5. Bathing suits are in: If you feel uncomfortable not wearing any underwear then by all means wear your favorite bathing suit as your new piece of underwear. They’re easier to clean, you can shower with them, and they would probably still go with your outfit.
   

Freshman under House Arrest

No, I’m not under house arrest…but certainly close to it.

My name is Irene and I am grounded - for a month to be exact. (You can stop laughing now.)

My friends have all taken the liberty of making me the practical joke of the day by laughing at me every time they see me, still in awe that I can actually get grounded at the age of 18 - well, it is possible…just ask my mom.

“You’re grounded for a month,” my mom said angrily once she found out I had wrecked the bank accounts.

I was in shock. I couldn’t breathe and I could feel my heart palpitating its way to my mouth. I pushed out the only words I could come up with.

“What do you mean?” I said. She gave me one cold look and replied, “It means, you can’t go out with anyone for a month - that’s what it means.”

And so for the past week my life has felt like something that was taken out of a scene from Groundhog Day. Every morning I angrily stumble out of my bed, take a shower, blast music in my car, get stuck on I-95, go to school, politely decline invitations to go out, come back home, do the dishes, do my homework, and repeat the cycle all over again the next day.

Long gone are the days of my so-called “college freedom,” of enjoying a curfew of 1 a.m., parties on Friday nights, and Sunday afternoon lunches with friends. Not to mention the fantastic Easter week sales that I’m going to miss thanks to my newfound lack of freedom. (Bye bye, Old Navy...)
“Don’t worry, I get grounded too,” embarrassedly admitted Karina Da Luz, a fellow freshman whom I’ve known since high school. “I think it might be because we don’t have any brothers or sisters.”

True, we don’t have any other siblings, but I thought grounding was more of a cultural thing. Ever since I was in high school, it always seemed that among my friends, I was the only one who ever got grounded. Sure, their parents got mad at them occasionally but never really grounded them.

I don’t blame my mom for being angry at me after what I did with the accounts though. Thanks to my poor judgment and my inexperience with money, I spent $330 more than what I had in my account. Now I owe the bank money, don’t have a job, and have absolutely no way of paying my mom back.

But grounding me? Isn’t that a bit extreme? No one even gets grounded anymore.

I was determined to prove that getting grounded was in fact a cultural thing - that maybe it was a “Hispanic” thing. I talked to eight other Hispanic freshmen who lived at home with their parents, asking if they still got grounded while in college, and to my surprise, they didn’t.

“Grounded? Is that a trick question?” asked Ana Valles, a political science freshman who was part of my survey. “I haven’t been grounded since I was in middle school, much less in college.”

At least she answered the question. All of the other freshmen I asked took the liberty of making me listen to their laughs and ridicule me for being the only person in college they knew was grounded.

I was wrong, it's not a cultural thing. In college, nobody gets grounded anymore - except for me, of course.

I now have to endure 20-something more days in my house while fellow freshmen are out and about clubbin’, partying, and enjoying freedom while I sit in my house watching reruns of Scott Baio is 46 and pregnant and eating buckets of ice cream.

I can’t wait to come back to the world of freedom, but for now VH1 is definitely my best friend.

Let's be Safe

Help - I’m scared!

I usually don’t pay attention to the emails that I get from FAU and on most occasions, they’re just one click away from the “Trash” icon in my email account. But just a couple of weeks ago, I received an email with an alarming subject from FAU that read: “University Timely Warning,” which of course…I just had to read.

The email said that there was another rape reported on campus.

I don’t live on campus, but when I read this email, not only was I scared for my own safety on campus, but for all of my friends and fellow freshman who live in the dorms.

In high school, nothing like this ever happened. Probably the “scariest” situations were the daily fights that erupted between students during our lunch hour. They usually lasted about five minutes and were more of a show than anything else - nothing too serious.

This is not the first time that FAU has gone through something like this. There were three other reports of sexual assault last year and one already this year according to an article by WPTV News Channel 5

“In the beginning of the year, I didn’t really pay attention to those stories because I was so caught up on living-on-my-own kind of thing,” says communications major Nadia Ismael. “But now, I’m actually scared for my safety and I’ve become obsessed with locking the doors in the dorms - I’m considering moving back home because of this situation.”

Unfortunately, Ismael is not the only one considering moving back with her parents because of the situation. There are other freshmen who want to move out of the dorms because of safety issues.

But whenever a rape is reported at a college campus, students get flooded with vague and useless advice. On the same WPTV News Channel 5 article FAU's Police Deputy Chief Keith Totten advises that “the most important thing that we always have to stress is, don’t put yourself in a compromising position and always have a friend close by who know what’s going on.”

Thanks, that really helps!

Police might as well be telling us to put on T-shirts that say "Don't rape me" because of how pointless their advice is.

So, forget about the "don't put yourself in a compromising position," advice and take a look at these pointers to feel safer on campus.

Night Owls: They are a service at FAU that offers to accompany you to any location on campus whenever you are alone or don’t feel safe. I've personally used them before and they have even waited until I get inside of my car to leave - plus it doesn't hurt that they also have direct communication with the Police Services Department in case of an emergency. Night Owls can be reached at (561) 297 - 6695

Code Blue Phones: You might have a cell phone, but what if it happens to die just when you need it. The Code Blue phones are located at various points throughout campus and there’s absolutely no way you can miss them. Use them in case of an emergency or when in need of information. They are direct lines to FAU Police Services dispatch.

Rape Aggression Defense: This program offered by the FAU Police Services Department and is designed to help women improve their self-defense skills and improve their chances for avoiding or survive assault encounters. For more information call (561) 297 - 3500

And in case these services are still not enough, I also have some tips for commuter students as well as resident students on how to be safe on campus and avoid dangerous situations:

Never Walk Alone: If you have a late night class and parked on the fifth floor of the Parking Garage, ask one of your friends to walk you or offer them a ride to their car. It’s harder to take down two people than just one person walking alone in the dark.

Have your keys in hand: It might not be cool to have your keys in hand 45 minutes before you actually even get to the elevator, but hey it might save your life. Some students like to take their time looking for their keys when they finally get to their car. Avoid dangerous situations by having your keys in hand and ready to open the door of your car. Don’t waste so much time looking for them.

Lock Your Doors: Seems like a “no brainer,” but as soon as you get in your car, lock your doors immediately, and try to not take a long time to get out of the parking lot or parking garage. Always have your phone on and in hand and make sure you check your surroundings.

Take a different route: Take different paths to get to your car or class. This will prevent offenders from following you and getting used to knowing where you're going to be at all different times.

Bombarded With Break Bonanza

Spring Break - defined as the one-week long recess from classes by the dictionary - is one of the most highly anticipated holidays for a freshman during the spring term. It is the time when we finally get to relax and shake off some of that stress from school and it is also the time to find out what a real college spring break is like.

Michelle Hetherington, a sophomore at FAU explains that her first college spring break experience wasn’t a boring one.

"My first spring break in college was a crazy one," says Hetherington. "It was the first time I could do what I wanted and I chose to go to Key West for the week and have fun with some friends - I don’t think I slept for five days straight."

If you recall your high school days, spring break may have been a little different. It probably involved lots of sleeping, visiting some distant relatives with your family, and going to the nearest beach with some friends and getting a tan on a sunny day - nothing too crazy.

But in college there are many more options than just visiting long distance relatives. The choices range from going to music festivals to volunteering your spring break away. Here are my top ten things to do on spring break.

1. Langerado Music Festival: If you are looking for a cool alternative to your spring break, then Langerado might just be it. This four day festival, held at Big Cypress Indian Reservation in the Everglades on March 6-9, will be featuring acts from the Beastie Boys, R.E.M, Matisyahu, and more. Not only do you get to listen to great music and sing along with your favorite artists but you’ll still get a tan and socialize with all kinds of people at the event.



2. Hike to Save the Environment: Get your camping gear ready because this is for you. The American Hiking Society, an organization that focuses on protecting hiking trails, is planning a trip during spring break to the Big Cypress National Preserve to perform trail maintenance in the hard-to-reach areas of the swamp. Only six to twelve volunteers are needed, so if you want to get involved sign up quickly.



3. Caribbean Partying: Sun Splash Tours, a website that will help you plan out the perfect spring break trip, is offering several great deals on tours and group deals to quick getaways in Cancun, Barbados, Jamaica, etc. They’re inexpensive if you go with a group, but still affordable if it’s just you and some of your friends. All you need is a bathing suit, some sunblock and you’re set for your college spring break.



4. Learn how to surf: I know it seems like a crazy idea because Florida is so flat and we don't really have big waves to surf on, but you can still learn. Florida Surf Lessons is a great little surfing school in South Florida that focuses on teaching people of all ages how to surf. It’s fun, it’s a new experience, and you can finally brag about knowing how to surf.



5. Check out some art: There’s an Antique and Collectibles Show running from Feb. 29th - March 2nd at the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fair Grounds. The show will feature some of the best antique pieces for you to look at and you can have fun with friends and family.



6. Make a Kid Smile: There will be a Walk Now for Autism fundraiser on Sunday, March 2nd in West Palm Beach. It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s for a good cause.



7. Go Medieval with theFlorida Renaissance Festival: The yearly festival will be in South Florida until March 9th. Go back in time and dress up in your favorite medieval garb and enjoy the jousting knights.



8. Watch a movie in your car: Drive-ins still exist and if you just don’t want to get out of your car to watch a movie, then make sure you go to the Swap Shop Drive In in Sunrise. It might be a bit of a drive, but it’s completely worth it and you won’t have to deal with people talking in the back.



9. Plan a Road Trip: You don’t need lots of money to get out of the state of Florida for a week. Go along the East Coast if you can and see what you can find. There are a lot of cool places you can visit along the way and it’s a great way of bonding with your friends.



10. Go Camping: Just because you’re not 10 years old anymore doesn’t mean you can’t go camping. Florida Camping offers help in finding the perfect camping site for your needs. So grab a tent, cook some s'mores, and enjoy nature.
    

Remember, we’re in college now and part of our role in college is to start making our own decisions. Whether you want to camp out at a music festival for four days or party it up like many other students during spring break, it is still your choice to decide what you want to do. Don’t get caught up in what you think you should do for the class free week.

Virgin Nation

It happened every Monday morning in class. There were always little notes and whispers going around the room recording the many “hook up” stories that happened during the weekend.

In high school, most students took the liberty of bragging about how many people they had gotten "to know better" over the weekend. The reality is that it was all about a social status and whether you were "cool" or not - and bragging about sex was definitely the cool thing to do back in the day.

In college, most students would be considered non-virgins. We assume that everybody’s experienced. But many of those so-called "sexually experienced" seniors in high school are college freshman virgins and actually remain virgins throughout their freshman year in college.

So in hopes of trying to find out a small average on how many freshman virgins are at FAU, I took the liberty of conducting a survey of my own.

I went around the Breezeway on the Boca campus and asked 12 freshmen one of the most embarrassing questions you can ask in public: Are you a virgin?

To my surprise, nine of the freshmen openly admitted to being virgins and to not having encountered any sexual behavior whatsoever. In fact, three of them even went as far as to say they wanted to remain virgins until marriage... Whaaaatttt????

What I also found interesting about the survey was that four of the students were pre-med majors and two of them were engineering majors. I guess those long hours studying take away from their sex lives... good thing I'm a communications major.

But the bigger question is, why remain a virgin? I thought that was all college students thought about...

Rony Barzily, a freshman that was part of the survey, admits that she's waiting for the right opportunity to come up.

"It's not like I'm planning on waiting until marriage," Barzily says. "It's just that I haven't been in a serious relationship and I'm waiting for the right guy to lose my virginity to."

Hey, on the bright side, at least FAU is one of the safest places to lose your virginity in because according to a study done by Trojan condoms in October,
FAU is number one for being the most educated University in sexual health.

Thanks to our friends at Trojan and the FAU Today and Beyond Wellness Department - our local sexual health center - located above the Breezeway in room 222, who focus on teaching students about sexual health and of ways of being safe when it comes to sex.

"I'm not worried about being a virgin," says Clarissa Lowmark, another freshman part of my survey. "The time will come and I feel like I've learned a lot about sex while being in college anyway."

Fake ID consideration

Throughout your life, there are three important birthday parties you ought to have:

1. Your sweet sixteen

2. The day you finally turn 18

3. The day you are legal to drink : 21

When I got out of high school, I thought 18 was pretty much phenomenal. I could get into some clubs and still manage to not break the law. But now that I’m in college, I’ve learned that it’s not so wonderful to be 18 anymore.

I'm still considered a baby among upperclassmen, I still can’t go to certain bars or clubs, I can’t buy alcohol - much less legally drink it - and I still have to wait three more years until the glorious day of my 21st birthday comes around.

And now, I am considering getting my first fake ID.

Apparently, I’m not the only one trying to get a fake ID, either. According to a 2007 survey done by College Humor - a Web site that specializes in poking fun at everything college-related - 19 percent of freshman girls obtained a fake ID along with 26 percent of guys.

Even some of my very own friends are joining the club of fake ID ownership. On a recent vacation during winter break, they paid some guy $100 each for fake IDs. Their licenses now read that they’re 22 years old and that they’re from Texas (both originally from Florida). But hey, they look real and that’s all that matters.

“We can get in anywhere,” said one of the students. “We can buy liquor, go to clubs and bars, and nobody knows that we’re only 18 - it feels like we’re 21 already and it’s great.”

Even some of my upperclassmen friends have asked me on numerous times if I have a fake ID and they always seem so shocked and disappointed when I gently reply with a simple “no.”

It also turns out that you don’t even have to pay people to get you a fake ID. I can do it on my own, because according to this Web site, all I need is a scanner, a computer, laminator, tweezers, a razor and I’m set to start my new life as a fake 21-year-old.

There’s also a downside to having a fake ID, though. It’s not all glory and bar hopping on Friday nights. Keep in mind that getting a fake ID is considered to be a misdemeanor offense and in some states - like Florida - it’s even a felony.

According to Florida law, if you're caught with a fake ID, you can be fined $10,000, sentenced to serve up to 15 years in prison, and can be convicted of a felony. Which means that job you have been studying for in college would be practically gone with a record like that.

If you want to get a fake ID like I do, just be careful with the consequences you might face. Even I have to realize that this could get me in serious trouble and as much as I would like one, I will have to seriously think about it before I actually get one.

Paying for College

The planning for a college education.

Tuition: $3,000
Meal plans: $1,598
Books: $500

Initial reaction to your bank account statement...priceless

It was difficult to get into college, but it’s harder to stay in college. Reason being? Books.

There are a lot of things that you have to pay before you come to school: tuition, room and board, meal plans, etc. But the one thing that I’ve found to be extremely expensive in college are textbooks.

They are one of the most important things that a student needs (besides caffeine, of course) and they seem to be one of the most difficult things to obtain simply because of their costs.

The first time that I signed up for classes, I registered for 16 credits. I ordered all of my books online and specifically asked for used books. To my surprise when I was ready to pay, the bill added up to $500.

Something that I found quite surprising since in high school, the books were given to us to borrow for the entire year...for free. I don’t think I ever bought a book while in high school and if I ever did, I definitely never spent $500 on them.

So why are college books so expensive?

Well, according to MakeTextbooksAffordable, a Web site that focuses on campaigning to reduce the costs of books, textbook prices are increasing because of the inflation rates in all the finished goods.

Not only that, but the cost of all of those shiny, new edition books we are required to have actually cost 45 percent more than the previously used editions.

So what are we poor college students supposed to do if we don’t want to be broke for the rest of our college careers, work three jobs, and still not have enough money for books or a life?

Well, here are some pointers on where to get books for cheap and how not to be broke because of them.

1. Don’t buy your books before the first day of classes. This is a classic mistake most freshmen make. Because we want to be prepared for the first day of school, we like to buy things ahead of time but sometimes the books are not even required or of much use in the class, so make sure you get to class first and see what the professor says before you go out and spend all of your savings.

2. Bribe your friends for their old textbooks. If you don’t have nice enough friends that will just give you their old textbooks for no cost at all, then usually a nice meal, a 12-pack of beer, and a pack of cigarettes will do. Trust me, that’s still a lot cheaper than buying all of your books on your own.

3. Borrow books for service hours. This is something that not a lot of freshmen know, but you can actually borrow some of your books in exchange for service hours. You can do this by going to the Multicultural Affairs office, located above the Breezeway on the Boca Raton campus.

4. If all else fails and you must buy the book, then seek out the used and oldest version of the book that you can get away with. It will be cheaper and even though it might be a little different from the newest version, usually the difference is minimal and you can still pretty much figure out the context of what you’re reading.

5.If that’s still too expensive and goes over your budget, then you can always go online to Web sites like Amazon or even eBay, sometimes they’re a lot cheaper than buying them at the bookstore and they are delivered to you, so you don’t even have to move a finger...well, except to click on it.

I Want to Sleep

If you saw me on a daily basis, you would know that as soon as you asked me how I am I would reply with: I’m tired, I’m sleepy, and I want to go home.

The thing is that on most days, even if I go home, I don’t sleep. I get distracted on Facebook, watch E! News and completely disregard time and end up going to bed at around 2 or 3 am.

And no, pulling all nighters are not an excuse this early in the semester.

In fact, according to a 2001 Brown University Study, only 11 percent of college students get their beauty sleep. Unfortunately, I think I’m part of that other 89 percent that doesn’t.

In high school, I used to sleep a lot. I went to school at around 7 am, got home at 3 pm, took a nap and went to bed at around 10 pm. I always had energy in class, kept up with my homework, and I actually enjoyed the time that I spent in school.

But in college, things are a little different.

7:00 a.m.: Go to school

6:00 p.m.: Get home

1:00 a.m.: Homework

3:00 a.m.: Sleep

This shows that on average, I’m probably sleeping somewhere around four hours a night... not good.

Not only do I look like crap the next day, but it’s not a healthy thing to do. I’m not 100 percent alert in class, I can’t pay attention for long periods of time, I’m tired and grumpy, and I’m not enjoying my time in school as much as I should.

So in response to my lack of sleep, I thought I’d put together a few causes and solutions to get us 89 percent back on track.

• Problem: We’re partying too much. Yep, I know I’ve said this an endless amount of time, but partying is a factor in our lack of sleep. It certainly does wonders for your social life, not to mention the free amounts of alcohol from those new friends you made, but partying seven nights a week is not healthy.


• Solution: Cut back on the partying and leave it for only Fridays and Saturdays. Forget about partying on Sundays. You will be hung over on Monday and won’t pay attention at all in class and you will basically lose the money that you’re paying for your education.
  



• Problem: Spending too much on Facebook or related websites. I know I’m not the only one that spends hours lurking other people’s profiles and reading the little newsfeeds.


• Solution: Unless you really need your computer to do research or write a paper, my suggestion is to turn your baby off. I know it’s hard, but love hurts sometimes. If you keep wasting time online, you’ll never get anything done and leave everything for the last minute.
  



• Problem: Overwhelming amounts of work. Yes, we do have to study after all... that’s what we’re in college for. But we cannot let ourselves lose so much sleep over homework.


• Solution: Two words: time management. Don’t let your homework stack up over the weeks and do it the day before the test. Write yourself a personal schedule in which you make time for afternoon naps, homework, and an early bed time. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it is possible to go to bed before midnight.
  

Hope these tips helped. Please, do yourself a favor and hit up your sheets more often. Trust me, they miss you.

Freshman Rumor Control

Attention!

This is the freshman rumor control—a compilation of all the things that I’ve found to be true (or false) since I’ve been in college.

1. Freshmen are virgins: TRUE

Well I guess American Pie was wrong (whatever happened to getting laid on prom night?) because according to an article on CollegeHumor a Web site that dedicates its time to cover all things college, a whopping 46 percent of college freshmen are virgins. In fact, 38 percent of incoming freshmen lost their virginity on campus – no wonder everyone wanted to have a single room.


2. Freshmen fail College Algebra: TRUE

According to an article on Red Orbit only half of FAU students pass freshman level math courses, which is lower than the state’s passing rate of 62 percent.

The problem that I see with math classes at FAU is that, often times the classes are too big and for some reason the material is more difficult to understand. Not only that but the pace of the class is too fast, making it harder to fully focus on what’s been taught. Slow it down FAU!

3. Freshmen are alcoholics in the making: TRUE

You might be failing college Algebra, but damn you’re good at making that shot in beer pong. Yep, according to ABC news 45 percent of college freshmen are heavy drinkers. Alcohol is easily the most accessible thing to get on campus so it doesn’t surprise me that we’re the next generation of alcoholics in America.

I personally have friends who keep alcohol in their dorms and drink at least a couple of beers before the night is over – and that’s nothing compared to Friday night parties, where there’s no limit as to how much you can drink.

Partying is fun, but we have to start learning how to hold off on the shots…and the beer pong playoffs.

4. Most freshmen live on Campus: FALSE

When I first got accepted to college, the first thing that came to my mind was: “Let me see the dorms, I want to live on campus!” But after seeing the residential life at FAU, I had to think twice about where I wanted to live my first year of school.

It’s not that FAU is ugly, is just that most people don’t live on campus. Most students are commuters and prefer to live in the comfort of their homes, which makes it difficult for FAU to have a traditional “dorm life.” In fact according to FAU’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Analysis only nine percent of the student population lives in the dorms, which is not much compared to other big state schools.

Besides the fact that FAU is practically dead after Friday classes are over—leaving students that do live there with nothing to do. I rather live at home.

5. Freshmen gain 15 pounds: FALSE

Apparently, I was the only freshman who gained 15 pounds during the first semester – I really have to stop going to Wendy’s – because according to a report by CBS in 2006 called “Healthwatch” only six percent of freshmen gain 15 pounds. In fact the famously called “Freshman 15” are in reality an average weight gain of about six to seven pounds.


So there you have it, my official rumor control for all freshmen at FAU. Hope I’ve helped clear some doubts.

Pill Pill Poppin'

When I was back in high school, I was really good at reading textbooks and instantly memorizing all the facts. I could read a chapter and still manage to remember everything I had read the next day. But in college, things are a little different.

For one, I can’t concentrate at all and I’m actually starting to think that I have some kind illness or that I just simply suffer from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) — like everyone else.

Second of all, whenever I read something, it feels like I’m not reading it at all. I’ll spend hours at the library trying to concentrate and I still can’t remember what a paragraph is about.

Some of my friends, who also suffer from concentration problems, have turned to drugs such as Adderall — a drugs that’s supposed to help you concentrate and keep you awake for hours — or other stimulants for the mind such as Focus Factor to keep them focused, and as a freshman in college, I have actually never been exposed to those kinds of things, until now, and they sort of freak me out.

In high school, some students did suffer from things like ADD or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) and were prescribed Adderall to help them with their respective disorders. In college, it seems everyone takes it for the hell of it - not just to concentrate but as an actual drug.

The thing is, there are so many other things students could do to help them with their concentration when it comes to school work or when it comes to cramming for an exam. What ever happened to good old Redbull or simple cups of Joe? Back in High School, that was cooler than popping pills.

Students are not realizing of the effect of what Adderall or other similar drugs can do to them. Not only are they getting their bodies used to constantly have a substance in them to "help" them study or "help" them stay awake, but they can easily use Adderall as a step stone for illegal drugs.

My point is that there are other ways and other things you can do to do well in class and to cram up when it’s final’s season.

1. Study ahead. Read your lecture notes everyday after class. It’ll help keep the material fresh in your head and you won’t have to study as much when the test comes around.

2. Sit up front in all of your classes. Sitting in front of the teacher always prevents you from sleeping and it helps you be more alert during class discussions.

3. If you really feel like you need some sort of stimulant to try to stay up and study for longer hours then hit up your local Starbucks and get yourself a good cup of coffee — caffeine is not great for your system either, but hey, it’s a lot better than becoming the local "pill popper" of your floor.


If you are taking Adderall and don’t have ADD then take a look at this video and tell me if you act anything like these freaks.

RateMyProfessor is a fraud!

At the beginning of my first semester at FAU, one of the first things I remember students telling me to do was to go on RateMyProfessors - a Web site that’s supposed to encourage students to rate their teachers — to check out the professors I would have and to get an idea of what their classes would be like.

Well, I checked it out.

It didn’t work.

For those who don't already know, I took an astronomy class last semester and completely hated the class. It wasn’t as easy as I thought, and the teacher, for the most part, couldn’t speak English and could not be understood no matter where you sat in the auditorium.

Most of my friends and the people I know who have taken the class would agree with me that this class sucked and it was a complete waste of time and energy. But when you look on RateMyProfessors this is what it says about my former professor from hell:

“Really easy going teacher, I really loved his lecture and the quizzes and exams were too easy. Too much extra credit in exams,” said an anonymous student.

There is no such thing as "too much extra credit," and that’s when I realized that RateMyProfessors isn't as accurate as I thought it was.

For one, students have different perspectives of a professor. We can’t all possibly have the same opinions about a teacher. That anonymous student loved his class but I completely hated it. Are the ones who love it the only students who know about that Web site?

Second of all, I’m beginning to think that RateMyProfessors is also a way for teachers to promote their classes by writing the ratings themselves and praising their work. For example, everyone who has ever taken astronomy knows for a fact that Mr. Martinez doesn’t speak perfect English and that he makes very obvious mistakes.

Now look at this review of the class on “ RateMyProfessors:

"He is very understanding and will curves the grades when need. He likes to she his kids do well."

Call me crazy, but I don’t think a student would write such a "great" review with such bad grammar. Please...

The point is that RateMyProfessors is not an accurate source of information for anybody to use. But it is even more useless for freshmen because we don’t know anything when we first start classes. We’re freshmen, and we think that Web sites like that are the coolest thing since MySpace. We get tricked into thinking that it actually works.

But if you get really desperate and want to know what a class will be like without using RateMyProfessors, here are some tips to help you out:

1. Plan your next semester’s schedules ahead and pick a random professor that you’d like to take the class with. Then, either sneak into the class one day and see what he/she is like, or personally meet him/her during office hours and try to get a feel for what the class might be like.

2. Ask around, call your friends, talk to random people in the breezeway and ask them if they’ve taken the class that you want to take. Most of the time they will either recommend a teacher or tell you who not to take.

3. If you like surprises, then you can always wait until you go to class, check out the teacher yourself and see if you like him or her. If you don’t, then drop the class before the end of the drop/add period, which is usually the duration of the first week of the semester.

I hope you found these helpful and I wish you all luck with your spring semester schedules. I know I’ll definitely need it.