Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Getting Started
Students have a lot to take care
of before the first day of class
By John Salerno
THE BATTALION
With the first beginning of Fall
2001 classes just a few days away,
many students will find this week to be
one of the most hectic of the semester.
For upperclassmen, returning from a
three-month vacation will be hard
enough, but for incoming freshmen,
adjusting to a college lifestyle can be a
little overwhelming. That is why it is
important to get many of their day-to-
day tasks organized early, and it is
equally important to get involved with
other students.
“Right now, it’s important that new
students feel like they belong here at
A&M,“ said Cheyne Stepanski, a jun
ior international studies major and peer
counselor at the Study Abroad
Programs Office.
Stepanski is helping some of the
new international students adjust to
their living situations.
“Since many of the students don’t
have transportation, I use the study-
abroad van and take them where they
need to go, like to the store so that they
can get what they need for their dorms
to feel more at home,” she said.
Stepanksi also is helping new stu
dents settle in to their new apartments
before classes begin. But the aid
offered by the Study Abroad Office is
not for only international students.
“Although what fm doing involves
foreign exchange students, I think most
of the help fm giving is also good
advice for any incoming freshman,”
Stepanski said. “It’s important that they
get situated in their dorms early, get to
know the people they are living
with and do all their shopping
before school starts. That way,
they can focus on their classes
during the first week without
having to worry about not being done
moving in yet.”
Lorenzo Gonzalez, a senior envi
ronmental design major, said, “Talk to
your roommate before school starts
about your expectations on everything
from noise to your personality. Don’t
hold back — get things out in the open
beforehand.”
While it is important to be comfort
able with one’s living situation, it is
equally important to focus on the
things that will help make your first
week more manageable, such as figur
ing out how to get to your classes.
“In the commotion of the first day, it
can be easy to get lost,” Gonzalez said.
“Practice your bike route or walking
route to class. Go online, and discover
the on-campus bus system — it is a
great time-saver to get from one end of
the campus to the other.”
It is a good idea for students to walk
around campus Sunday afternoon and
learn where the main buildings are so
they know where they are going
Monday. Often, Fish Camp groups do
this together the day before classes so
new students will feel more comfort
able heading off to class the next day.
In addition to mapping out class
schedules, students also will want to be
able to manage their free time.
“Plan ahead what you want to do
with your free time in between class
es,” Gonzalez said. “You’ll be more
See Tasks on page 3B.
Tips for getting into a
new home successfully
By Melissa Sorola-Bilano
THE BATTALION
This semester marks the first time away
from home for many Aggies, and not knowing
what and how much to bring can cause prob
lems for some.
To help with the move-in process, the
Department of Residence Life is hosting
Freshman Welcome Day today. Volunteers will
be located outside of the residence halls to wel
come new students and help them move into
their new homes for the upcoming semester.
Ron Sasse, director of Residence Life, sug
gests freshmen come on that day to utilize the
help of the volunteers.
Sasse also recommends starting early in the
morning because it will be much cooler.
“Take advantage of cool places, and drink a
lot of water,” Sasse said.
Moving also means there will be a lot of
cardboard boxes. Instead of packing the boxes
in the trash, there will be several locations set
up to recycle the cardboard.’
Sasse said the recycling locations will be
available all week and he encourages students
to recycle to help improve the environment and
appearance of the campus.
Inevitably, students think they need to bring
almost everything from home, and often arrive
with more than they need.
Jorge Barrera, president of Residence Hall
Association (RHA) and a senior electrical engi
neering major, said to bring only necessities,
like bedding and toiletries.
“People forget how small their rooms are
and bring too much stuff,” Barrera said.
In addition to avoiding the heat, Barrera said
early morning it also is a good time to find park
ing. If there is not enough parking in the morn
ing, Barrera said coming later in the day also
may be a good idea to avoid congestion.
In the past, parking tickets have been issued
during move-in time. Barrera reminds people to
park in designated areas and not to park in bike
lanes or drive up onto the pavement.
To avoid having two refrigerators in a small
room, Resident Advisor Christina Ramirez, a
junior biomedical science major, suggests-'
roommates talk about what they are going to
bring before they move.
“It’s a good idea to contact your roommate,
so they can know who is going to bring what,”
Ramirez said.
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Like Sasse, Ramirez said it is“good to move
in during those main move-in days and to bring
possible,
seful for heavy boxes,
d pack boxes so they
parents and extra hel
A dolly can also be
but Ramirez said to try
are easy to carry.
“K lot of people bii
realize (when they get here) they don’t have ele
vators (in the residence halls),” Ramirez said.
heavy stuff, and they
CHAD MALLAM • THE BATTALION
Bringing winter clothes also is a mistake
some people make when making the transition
from home to dorm, Ramirez said.
Ramirez suggests leaving most of the winter
wardrobe at home and then gradually bringing
it back later in the semester. However, an extra
blanket and a light sweater or jacket are musts
for a cold residence hall room or classroom,
Ramirez said.
Unfortunately, theft can be a problem during
moye-in time, and Ramirez suggests having
someone monitor items that are left outside so
they will not be stolen.
Electrical appliances like toasters| and
George Foreman grills often find their way to
the dorms, but Ramirez said they are prohibited
and should be left lit hornet
I poqmpr^ates
Not only do new students have to deal with
a new room, they also have to adjust to having
a roommate.
Communication iS key to getting along with
a roommatp, Ramirez said.
See Freshmen on page 3B.
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