SATs don't do the laundry: welcome to college

The word "college" brings to mind images of professors in bow-ties, animal house style fraternities, imposing architecture, crammed full dorm rooms and crowds at the big games. A new Hopkins student will find all of those things here, but look further. The college years will have a deep impact on the way you perceive the world around you, people and nature.

Being a college student also requires a great amount of self-reliance. No longer are your parents right behind you, looking over your shoulder. It all comes down to you: who you are, who you want to be, who will you become.

For all intents and purposes, you are an adult. Not only can you buy cigarettes and dirty magazines, you can be tried under full penalty of the law. From here on out, every decision will be your own --- when to study, when to work, when to party, when to eat, when to sleep, when to shower. And please, do remind your neighbors to shower if they start to neglect themselves.

Johns Hopkins University. The name sounds big, but as you meet more people, the place becomes more friendly and tight-knit. Make an effort in the first couple weeks to meet anyone you can. The friendships you make now will hopefully stay with you throughout your college years. You will discover many people from various countries, religions and races. Some of your peers will be among the smartest people you have ever met. You might look at others and wonder how the hell they got past the first grade. But don't ignore or pass over anybody. Whenever you have the opportunity, talk to someone new and expand your horizons. Everyone has something to share, though sometimes it takes a little digging to find it.

Don't be intimidated by professors. They are here to educate and help you through any difficulties you might have. Go to the office hours of the professors you like most and have conversations with them. The result will be that they like you more and you will learn more. This next piece of advice is over-given, always ignored and still absolutely true: don't leave all your papers and studying to the last minute. Not only will your grades suffer, but your body can break under the intense stress that bad time-management can produce. Also, the dorms are germ-breeding grounds and it is easier than you think to catch something nasty. There's nothing worse than being sick as a dog alone in your small, depressing dorm room. Trying to get enough sleep is key, as well as investing in a multivitamin which can help you keep your energy up during long and tedious study sessions.

In fact, one of the keys to a good college experience comes down to figuring out how to put your time to the best use possible. At every turn there will be clubs, sports, lectures, classes, parties, concerts, plays and homework: You have to decide which are your priorities and then stick to them. Balance your studies with activities you really enjoy. If you love to act, join the theater, if you love to help others, do some community service, if you love to throw discs, join the ultimate Frisbee team, if you love to write, well, join the News-Letter. Find the activities you like and join them as soon as possible: It's the best way to make new friends and find people with similar interests. At the same time, don't ignore your classes and spend all your time banging down fraternity doors. What are you paying $35,000 dollars a year for anyway? Six-packs are cheaper without the education attached.

You will make mistakes. You will stay awake until 4 a.m. before a 9 a.m. class. You will forget to set your alarm. You will twist an ankle running to class. You will forget your books. You will ask a question that was just answered by a professor. You will fall asleep in the front row. You will lose your JCard and find it with all your credit gone. You will eat too much cafeteria food. You will miss practice. You will leave 10 papers until the night before. You will walk around Baltimore at night by yourself. You will waste time on the Internet, playing video games, and watching TV. You will drink too much. You will lock yourself out of your room. You will lose your toothbrush.

When it comes to picking courses, don't just take the required classes, but try something new and interesting that you might know nothing about. A class in philosophy might change your entire worldview. A class in physics might shed light on a process you never understood before. A class in the writing seminars might teach you to express yourself in ways you haven't dreamed about. There are a world of possibilities out there, and only four years. This is a fresh beginning. So have an open mind, take a deep breath, step out onto the quad and realize that you are finally in college. Pick up that Frisbee on the ground and throw it as far as you can.