Would you rather have a foam party or golf carts on campus?
See how you compare to your fellow Mercer students and Take the Quiz!
Would you rather have a foam party or golf carts on campus?
See how you compare to your fellow Mercer students and Take the Quiz!
Starting college is pretty scary and fun at the same time. You are free of your parents(in most cases) but this is the first time you have no idea what the heck is going on. Here are 10 things you may want to know going into your first semester.
You may have the perfect schedule that a person has ever seen...No Friday classes, no classes before noon and they all get out before 3 PM. But that doesn't mean, "party every night" cause eventually that will catch up with you.
Oh the library, its a great and magical place where you might actually do homework instead of napping or watching Netflix....but good luck getting a seat there.
"You have 2 months to do this paper," says professor.
*inside your head* Omg I have so much time. I'll start it after I finish my season of New Girl on Netflix.
*night before it is due* OMG I can't believe I pushed it all the way until the last minute.
Trust me, it happens. You might learn after the first time or you might not.
Registration for your first semester is pretty easy. Usually, you do it at orientation so counselors are actually in the room to help you. But for the next semesters that are coming up...it's not so easy. Perfect teachers and ideal time slots will never be found, young freshmen. Hell week=registration week.
On-campus or off-campus housing is pretty nice. Just keep in mind: roommates will fight, even if it's just a little one they will happen.
FRIED CHICKEN DAY...good luck finding even floor space to stand.
Get to know your professors. They are there to help you but keep in mind they really don't care if you fail. But they will help you if you show interest in not failing their class. Retaking a professor the next semester isn't a good idea cause they will remember you.
First month of school is the Club Fair overload. Everyone is trying to recruit new members with anything money can pay for. Snow Cones, free t-shirts, popcorn, cotton candy. Keep in mind...recruiters for these clubs will jump outta nowhere to see if you want to join their club.
Try and keep in contact with your high school group of friends. "But I'm too busy to text them," you might say. Well, you text that girl from your Chemistry class every day and your sorority sisters, so you have time for them. Your high school friends are going through generally the same college experience, so reach out to them.
So actually Hell Week is here. Good luck finding a seat anywhere. But take a deep breath, take your time and actually study. Winging your exams in high school was easy, but college is very different.
I've been in college for four years now. I spent half my time as a commuter and half as a resident so I've experienced both sides of the housing spectrum. One thing I've learned comparing the two is that my struggles as a commuter far outweigh anything I went through while living on campus. Commuters have to deal with the problems school brings along with a slew of other issues; I've filled up my gas tank in the worst kind of weather conditions and napped in random places in public more times than I'm proud to say of. This is a list of some of the most challenging aspects of being a commuter.
Some commuters are lucky enough to live only a few minutes from campus, but I live 50 minutes away so I've napped in some really strange places. There's one secret spot on campus that is my go to, but I can't give that one away just in case I need it this finals week.
There is nothing I hate spending money on more than filling up my gas tank. I have a car with pretty decent gas mileage but it feels like I fill the tank more than once a week.
I tried to buy some chips the other day for lunch and my connect card only had 14 cents on it; I dug through my wallet to find some change but that moment was pretty embarrassing. I hate begging for someone to swipe me into the dining hall, but my friends usually have too many meal swipes left anyway. They're saints.
The moment you tell them you're a commuter, they make that "oh god I'm so sorry face" and you don't really see them much after that. I get it though, it's easier to be friends with people who are convenient as opposed to the ones who are either working, in class, or driving home when you want to hang out.
For one, the parking lot you need to parking in is probably full, so you're stuck waiting for someone to leave then following them slowly to their car to take their spot. It's extremely awkward and I hate it but it's absolutely necessary. For some reason, my school made up of 60 percent commuters decided to put the parking garage in east nowhere instead of the parking lot everyone uses the most. I get that it would have been difficult to build on that lot because there would be nowhere for commuters to park during construction but I'm still bitter about it.
Someone's gotta pay for all that gas.
I decided to join a sorority and there are some nights where by the time I've finished my 50 minute drive home I just collapse into bed and pass out with my regular clothes on. I'm super glad I joined because it keeps me on campus instead of just driving home after class but the exhaustion is real.
I can't concentrate on anything at home so I usually do my homework while I'm on campus, but it would be nice to be able to walk from the library straight to your room.
Every semester I get the same email from ResNet telling me "you can win a free iPad by taking this survey" but to qualify you have to be a resident. It's like danging a carrot in front of a horse's face.
It's already difficult enough working around everyone's class schedule, but then you have to factor in the days you're actually on campus and available to do the project. By the end of it you're all just emailing one another and hoping for the best.
There is nothing worse than adding extra time to an already annoying commute.
You need everything for all of your classes because why would you want to walk all the way back to your car in east nowhere then back to civilization?
No email, just pure and utter disregard for everyone and everything.
There are a lot of struggles commuter students face, but I wouldn't trade home-cooked food, my own bed, and snuggling with my cat every night for anything.
Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:
Jim & Pam's wedding, the proposal of Michael to Holly and his departure from the office "the goodbye episodes"
byu/vlamm inDunderMifflin
When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.
This tradition is meant to drive away bad spirits of the past, but honestly, it's more like a free concert...your friends should really be paying you for your services if you decide to do this on New Year's Eve.
It's been sitting there since what, 8:00? You snooze you lose, and besides, no one's paying attention to you anyway.
If you were in Spain, everyone would be doing just this. One grape for every month of the year. It's supposed to be lucky and stuff.
It's really not that odd-- families in Ecuador burn scarecrows every year on New Year's Eve. It's a symbol of diminishing the negativity of last year. Perhaps preform this one outside though, just to be safe of course.
We can thank the Irish for this bright idea, they use bread specifically though. Who knows why this is a tradition, but it certainly seems like it could be incredibly soothing, don't you think?
This isn't lucky or symbolic of anything, but it'll give you something to do at the stroke of midnight and you'll look god damn cool doing it.
rotary telephone
Photo by Vinicius "amnx" Amano on UnsplashWell, she did give birth to you. Midnight on New Year's Eve seems as good a time as any to thank her.
According to South African tradition, it doesn't necessarily have to be a coffee table. It could be a futon, an ottoman, an armoire, really any piece of furniture that's old. It's for luck of course.
Channel your inner Beyonce, or Mariah, or whoever your Pop Star Diva Queen is and belt that tune. It'll be fantastic mood music.
May as well start the New Year off by working on your inevitable resolution to drop some pounds. Why waste a single moment, you're likely forget the resolution by February anyway.
Another foreign tradition, this one is practiced by Germans. The kick of it is, you've got to do it while holding a lit torch. Again, who knows why this is a tradition, but its certainly sounds like a fun little challenge to ring in the New Year.
And by shot, naturally I mean a snapshot. Perhaps a group photo, a selfie, or even an unfortunate snipe of your best friend. You'll feel loads better knowing you'll have something to always remember the first moments of 2025 by.
I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.
Leslie Odom, Jr. (a.k.a. Aaron Burr in " Hamilton") released a Christmas album this year, and his cover of "First Noel" warms my soul.
There's just something so merry about Burl Ives's version. Plus, it's a classic.
I'm sure some will say it's sacrilegious to like any other version but Judy Garland's, but the notes Kelly hits are on point.
I mean, y'all knew I had to include this song, right? One of my best friends and I send each other all the Vines of this song.
No Christmas playlist is complete without Michael, and this is one of the best on his album.
One of my few complaints about Taylor is that she only released one Christmas album, and that was almost ten years ago. But her cover of "Last Christmas" is definitely a hit, in my opinion.
I'm pretty sure everyone has their favorite cover of this holiday classic, but in my book, Josh Groban is king. Have some chestnuts, y'all.
Of course the Bing Crosby version from the "White Christmas" movie is my preferred version, but Spotify no longer has it, so Idina's cover is my second favorite.
He has the voice of an angel.
"The Polar Express" is one of my favorite Christmas movies, and this song absolutely puts me in a holiday mood.
I love all things French so obviously my playlist has a French carol.
So what songs do you have on your Christmas playlist?
Songs About Being 17
Grey's Anatomy Quotes
Vine Quotes
4 Leaf Clover
Self Respect
1. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society
2. Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook
3. Kristen Haddox, Penn State University
4. Jennifer Kustanovich, SUNY Stony Brook
5. Clare Regelbrugge, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign