As a new crop of students begin to flood first-year dormitories, upperclassmen are handing down indispensable advice about their time at the University.
The best advice Student Council President Dan Morrison said he received was from his first-year resident advisor.
"At our first hall meeting, [my RA] said, 'When you go back to your room and start your year, don't close your door; leave your door open for people so they can come hang out or ask for help,' and this proved really helpful as the year went on," Morrison said. "I visited other halls and they were complete ghost towns - you could hear people laughing on the other side of a closed door, and it seemed really pretentious and uninviting."
Morrison attributes an enjoyable first year to his healthy hall environment because it connected him to both peers and resources.
"That type of community is something you don't get at other institutions, but we made it happen because we were all so accessible," he said. "It boils down to this: Leave your door open."
As Morrison's advice suggests, the University's Residence Life program exists in part to connect students with upperclassmen who can assist with the transition to college. During fall orientation and the first weeks of school especially, RAs serve as the primary point of contact for first-year students.
Fourth-year College student Anthony Nobles, a tri-chair for Residence Life, emphasizes the support network at the University for new students.
"My advice would be not to stress," Nobles said.
Pulling from his an experience as an RA, Nobles noted that issues often arise because "first years always feel like they've got to figure things out for themselves; usually they could simply ask their RA a question or have a simple conversation to save themselves lots of heartache," he said.
First years can also stumble because of the access to alcohol a college environment provides.
"Many first-years come to [the University] with little knowledge of drinking behavior. Some of the biggest parties of the year are in the first few weeks, and they often get in over their heads," Nobles said. "Drinking too much in the first few weeks of school can create very dangerous situations, especially before first years have a strong support network among peers."
To counteract these potential difficulties, RAs emphasizes safe drinking behavior, connects residents to resources and promotes programming opportunities for halls, Nobles said.
Fourth-year College student Natalia Mercado, a 2010 summer orientation leader, agrees that the best University experiences have multiple facets.
"Everyone told you that these four years are the best of your life and they go by really quickly; it's a clich
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