Summer B is well underway, with many UF freshmen about two weeks into their college careers. The summer semester is a good way to ease into college life, but some of you may have noticed it isn't the easiest thing in the world.
Here are a few pointers to help you avoid looking like a lost freshman - including some lessons that we upperclassmen had to learn the hard way.
First, don't be the drunkest person at the party. Maybe you drank a little in high school, took a few shots and played a round or two of beer pong. Now you're eager to show everyone just what a drinking champ you are.
Bad move.
If you drink everything in sight within the first five minutes of arriving to try to show off, you'll probably end up vomiting, creepily hitting on much more sober people and crying about a public urination citation by 11 p.m.
Just take it slow and trust me: You'll end up getting plenty drunk without making a fool of yourself.
Speaking of partying, adjusting to your nonexistent curfew can be tough, too.
Just because you don't have a curfew doesn't mean you have to stay out until 2 a.m. every night, and the first time you miss some crucial pop quiz in an 8 a.m. chemistry class will be enough of a lesson to get the point across.
This is also probably the first time you've had to do your own laundry. Everyone's ruined a pile of clothes when they absentmindedly threw a red shirt in with a load of whites.
Just make sure you separate lights, darks and whites, and make sure not to let your nice clothes run in the dryer for too long. And if you're just too lazy to drag your laundry hamper all the way down stairs, it's perfectly okay to wear your bathing suits as underwear. When the semester ends, don't rush to sell your books back to the bookstore. They'll give you $20 for an economics book that ran you $120 just two months ago.
Try to sell them online through Facebook, Amazon, TextYard or even Craigslist. This way you can set a reasonable price, and get back way more money than any of the bookstores will give you.
Also, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with Gator football. Not knowing your football around here is considered an act of treason by some, so don't be left behind when the season gets underway this fall.
And finally, for the love of all that is good, don't wear an entire outfit only consisting of Gator gear you just bought at the bookstore. Just don't - unless you like being the obliviously overenthusiastic freshman everyone is noticing.
