Inside you’ll find tips for new freshmen during orientation and the year ahead, as well as advice for parents of the class of 2016. Whether you’re not sure if those orientation myths are true, or you’re worried about your student’s nutrition on campus, we’ve got you covered. Be sure to also check out the Daily Illini Editorial Board’s six things for freshman to be excited about. And if you’re not a freshman, but a transfer student, there’s a story to learn from on getting involved in campus life.

From all of us at The Daily Illini, welcome to campus!

By The Daily Illini Editorial Board

Welcome! Welcome to our little nest in the cornfields. Welcome to the time in your life when no one will even blink at your public napping. (We suggest the Illini Union or the Quad.)

You’re joining a strong crew of 40,000 students, buzzing around and having a blast trying a whole slew of new things.

This year in particular holds a lot in store for you: recently renovated facilities, great bands coming to play in Champaign-Urbana’s festivals (Grizzly Bear, anyone?) and one of the liveliest presidential campaigns we’ll get to eyewitness firsthand.

Not to mention, we’ll be the first to forgo picture-taking at the Alma Mater and, perhaps, we’ll make it through a year with a clean slate for our University’s name.

There’s much to look forward to. So go ahead and check out what we’re looking forward to on campus this year:

Lincoln Hall

The Quad building has been under construction since early 2010 — and you’ll be the first to check out its gorgeous renovations.

Presidential Campaigning

It’s an election year! Campus is the perfect place to see (and partake in) the political hustle and bustle of campaigning and voting.

Naps on the Quad

You thought preschool was the only time when kids got to nap during the day! Between classes, bask in the sun and take a quick power nap before your next lecture.

The Alma Mater statue…or lack thereof

Campus tradition calls for a picture with Alma, but this year’s entering class will be the first forgoing her presence, for the time being.

Our new University President

Campus favorite Robert Easter will begin serving our campus as president in July. We’ve been bitten by the hope of a new administration before, but Easter’s track record seems to be more than just words.

Fresh off the latest scandal

This year’s entering class might be the first one in a long time to graduate untainted by scandal…fingers crossed.

Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the board, which comprises:
Samantha Kiesel, editor-in-chief; Nathaniel Lash, managing editor reporting; Marty Malone, managing editor for online; Ryan Weber, opinions editor; Taylor Goldenstein, news editor; Nora Ibrahim, opinions columnist; Kevin Dollear, copy chief; Hannah Meisel, assistant online editor; Maggie Huynh, daytime editor; Maggie O’Connor, staff writer

By Jeff Kirshman
Sports editor

It’s 5:34 a.m. The only light in your dorm room comes from your 16-inch laptop, tabs opened to Compass and Facebook.

Sleeping seven feet away from you is your roommate who hasn’t opened his books all year, not that he really needs to. How hard is Public Speaking, anyway? The ambiance of the situation begs a single question: “Should I kill that guy?”

It’s a campus-wide belief that if a student dies in the dorms, their roommate automatically receives straight-A’s for the semester, no questions asked. In fact, this is one of just many myths at Illinois. The majority of these myths, however, don’t extend past fables.

For the record, it is not true that students receive straight-A’s if their roommate dies. No one really knows where these myths came from, which is half the fun of telling them.

The Daily Illini set out to determine once and for all whether these myths are true.

Trespassing on the Morrow Plots is grounds for expulsion from Illinois

Every student that receives a campus tour with an Illinois Student Admissions Representative (I-Star), aka tour guide, is told the story of the Morrow Plots.

Created in 1876, the plots are the oldest continually used experimental agricultural fields in the United States and second oldest in the world. When the University chose to put a library next door, it was built underground to avoid blocking the crops from the sun.

What students might not know about the Morrow Plots relates to the last piece of information often provided by the tour guides — that if a student trespasses upon them they will be expelled from the University.

Tess Mody, junior in LAS, is an I-Star and said every guide receives their information from a tour guide manual containing different facts about the University. Bolded facts are required to be told on every tour, while other snippets of information are told when there’s extra time.

“‘It’s rumored that if you go through the Morrow Plots you actually get expelled from the University’ is what I usually say,” Mody said. “It doesn’t say it’s a fact in the guide manual but it’s always fun to mention. People always gasp when I mention that.”

According to Section 1 302.m of the University’s Rules of Conduct: “Students enrolling in the University assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the University’s function as an educational institution and suitable to members of the academic community. Conduct for which students are subject to discipline includes, but is not limited to, the following: Unauthorized entry to or use of University, public, or private premises.”

Translation: You may not be expelled, but negative consequences will ensue.

If a professor is 10 minutes late for class, students can leave early without penalty

While it is an unwritten rule that if the person in charge of teaching a class is 10 minutes late, students can leave without any repercussion, is it physically written somewhere as well?

Section 1-501.b of the Rules of Conduct states: “Instructors are strongly encouraged to make a course syllabus available to all students prior to the deadline for an undergraduate student to add a course. … A syllabus also should include the instructor’s attendance policy, if any.”

Elyse Vigiletti is a teacher’s assistant for Rhetoric 105 and English 200 and said she would expect her students to stay if she arrived 10 minutes late but wouldn’t penalize them if they did otherwise.

“I probably wouldn’t penalize them beyond them just not being in class,” Vigiletti said. “I know it’s an urban legend and I would try to be understanding.”

Janet Keller, former anthropology professor and current associate dean in the graduate college, said there would be no repercussions if her students left.

“I’m not sure that they would stay,” she said. “I have heard the urban legend and would expect that they might be able to leave after 10 minutes, so I would expect to be timely whenever I could.”

There is a supercomputer in the Foreign Language Building’s basement

It was once believed that the reason why the FLB was built as an upside-down pyramid was because there was a secret government computer located in the basement of the building that Russians were trying to destroy. If the building was ever bombed, it would collapse around the computer and not on top of it.

“I used to say this one a year ago on my tours, but we were actually told by our supervisors that it’s completely false and we shouldn’t talk about it,” Mody said.

There is a ghost in the English Building

The English building used to be a girl’s dormitory with a pool in the basement. Legend has it that a girl drowned in that pool, and her ghost now wanders the entire building. Students and teachers alike have claimed to see the ghost, though the pool has been replaced with a computer lab.

“Everyone knows about it. Every year Halloween they bring in a ghost hunter, but they’ve never found it,” Mody said.

Other Myths

According to University spokeswoman Robin Kaler, the rumor that a student hit by an MTD bus (and lives) will receive free tuition is also false. So think twice before jumping in front of a slow moving bus. Picking up that extra shift at work might be your best bet.

Jeff is a senior in media.

By Eunie Kim
Assit. design editor

After an eventful freshman year filled with lots of unhealthy eating, I feel obliged to inform you about the dietary struggles you may face trying to beat the ominous “freshman 15.” From eating dense late night meals to navigating dining halls, here are four tidbits that would have served me well last year.

Taste of Asia at ISR

Despite the fact that I lived in the south part of campus by the Student Dining and Residential Programs, located at Euclid and Gregory, I would make the trip up north to ISR for the Taste of Asia specialty night every Wednesday. I took the idea of “all you can eat” to a new level with orange chicken, pork potstickers, makeshift pad thai and shaved ice topped with globs of fattening condensed milk and fruit. Maybe it was because I had serious withdrawal of home-cooked Korean food.

Nonetheless, “all you can eat” is a blatant misnomer for “everything you can possibly fit in your stomach” for many college students.

PAR Late Night

As an art major, second semester of freshman year was a slightly more intense than I imagined and preferred it to be. However, stress should not be anyone’s excuse for eating excess unhealthy food. Believe me, after slaving away at a charcoal drawing for five hours, two strawberry smoothies, endless chicken fingers and a giant custom-stuffed calzone sound better than heaven. Although frequent PAR Late Night visits certainly hit the spot, a nice swim at the ARC would undoubtedly be a smarter idea to alleviate your stress.

Candy at 57 North

Using café credits at à la carte locations is convenient for students whose schedules do not correlate well with dining hall hours. However, one obstacle I faced was the enticing tower of containers filled with candy strategically placed next to the registers at 57 North in the SDRP. Particularly when your friends linger there, sometimes you just cannot resist buying eight dollars worth of Sour Patch watermelons. However, beware: Purchasing large containers of saccharine pick-me-ups can turn into a bad habit. If you find yourself falling into the same unhealthy rut, either share your treats with your friends, or give your candy to someone else. Most college students accept any type of free food, especially if they are drunk.

Midnight snacking

Sure, it may be comforting to store extra unhealthy snacks, like pretzels or chips, on the shelf two steps away from your bed, but I would strongly advise against it. Instead, grab an apple every time you leave the dining hall, and you could end up with a nice selection of fruit in your fridge to satisfy your midnight cravings. Last year, there were too many occasions when half a jar of my Nutella would simply vanish in the short duration of a “New Girl” episode. Snacking, especially at night, can be dangerous.

Before college started, I assumed choosing healthy foods to eat would not be an issue for me. Unfortunately, it was. I hope these warnings equip you well for a healthy freshman year full of smart choices!

Eunie is a sophomore in FAA.

By Maggie Huynh
Daytime editor

It was move-in day my freshman year. I had unpacked all of my things into my brand new dorm room and to my horror, aside from the flip-flops on my feet, I had left all my shoes at home.

Hopefully, you won’t forget to pack up your shoes like I did, but you may have forgotten to bring some of your day-to-day necessities like toothpaste or soap. Luckily, there are a ton of places in and around campus to shop for whatever you may have left behind.

The Walgreens on Green Street is probably the most

convenient spot for students to go to when they need to pick up those everyday essentials. It’s located on the same street as most of the restaurants on campus, so if you’re already out grabbing lunch or dinner, Walgreens is an easy place to stop at if you need to pick up a toothbrush or some shampoo. It might be a little pricey, but it’s an easy walk from most dorms. However, if you’re looking to fill a prescription, be aware that this Walgreens doesn’t contain a pharmacy.

If you’re willing to go a little further, there’s also a County Market located a couple streets away on Stoughton Street. It’s a grocery store, but in my experience, it’s easier to find things at a cheaper price there. While you’re there, you can also grab some snacks for your dorm room.

Off campus, there’s a Target and a Walmart that you’ll be able to find whatever you might not be able to find at the stores on campus. If you have a car, it’s an easy drive there. If you don’t, all you have to do is hop on the 1N Yellow MTD bus and there are stops that will drop you right off at any of those stores. The 1N Yellow will also take you to Market Place Shopping Center if you’re looking for a mall to shop at.

There’s also the option of shopping online if you can’t find what you’re looking for in stores.

Amazon.com usually sells at a lower price, but what’s the best part? You can get it delivered straight to your dorm without having to leave.

Maggie is a junior in media.

By Rebecca Taylor

Asst. news edtior

For many of us, the prospect of living on our own is glamorous.

Without your parents breathing down your neck, you are free to do anything you want and although that is liberating, it does come with risks.

First of all, use common sense. Even though it may seem unnecessary, lock your dorm room door.

You never know who might be lurking around the corner waiting to pop in your room and take your laptop or any of the other valuables you have laying out in the open.

That also means you don’t want to display your valuables where people can see them, whether in your dorm room, at the library or on the Quad.

When you go to the ATM, be aware of what is going on around you, especially at night.

Avoid walking or running alone at night. Not only is it safer to walk home with others, it also offers an opportunity to get closer with friends that you have an established relationship with.

And remember to stick to well-lighted and well-traveled routes. When you do arrive back at your dorm, have your keys ready to go.

Don’t let your guard down and walk confidently and with a steady stride.

Also, be aware of your surroundings; do not be distracted by talking on your cellphone or messing with your iPod.

Utilize SafeWalks and SafeRides. These services are provided to students who need someone to walk them home at night or even in the early morning hours.

SafeWalks is a courtesy service offered by the University Police Student Patrol.

They operate from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday or Saturday.

SafeRides is offered by the Mass Transit District and provides safe transportation between designated areas to students, faculty and staff.

However, there are certain restrictions with this service regarding the time, location and number of people per pick-up, and you may be instructed to wait at a nearby bus stop.

For many incoming freshmen, drinking alcohol for the first time is huge temptation and experience some want, but get to know your limits right away. High levels of intoxication leave you unaware and vulnerable to foul play.

But the best thing you can do is to trust your instincts.

If you feel uncomfortable in any place or situation, leave and find help if you need it.

If you are victimized, stay calm and don’t panic.

Call the police if necessary and get a detailed description of the subject with as many specific characteristics you can remember.

Also, make sure you familiarize yourself with the campus safety phone numbers and other safety resources.

It’s a good idea to keep a campus safety phone number card in your wallet, which is offered by the Office of the Dean of Students.

Rebecca is a sophomore in Media.

By Taylor Goldstein

News Editor

It may feel like you’re paying a second tuition when you start handing over cash for textbooks and think about the next seven semesters left. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. There is an easy way to sort through the mess.

While it may seem like overkill, especially if you’re not a list person like me, the most helpful advice I have for you is to break out the Microsoft Word and insert a seven columns by however many classes you’re taking. Here’s what you want across the top: IBX, IUB, TIS, Follets, Amazon and Cheggs.

Allow me to decode. IBX stands for the Illini Book Exchange, which is a website that was created by students in 2002 that allows students to buy and sell books from other students. It is sponsored by the Illini Union Bookstore, which brings me to what IUB stands for. I’ll get to that in a minute. The IBX is really useful as kind of a last resort option. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, but I always like to check. This is how the website works: You can browse and search for the books you need either by textbook or class (I suggest by book because sometimes people don’t file the book under the class or books that were previously used for certain classes begin to be used in other classes). Then, if you’re interested, you message the person through IBX’s system. The message comes through to the person like an email, and from there they email you back.

Be wary of the system, however: I have gotten emails from scammers on books I have tried to sell. Another piece of advice is to make sure to ask good questions about the books before you commit to buying, such as its condition. Also, be safe about the meeting location you choose for the trade-off. I suggest meeting at the recommended IUB lobby.

The Illini Union Bookstore is one of the three major bookstores on campus. The others are T.I.S and Follets. After two years on campus, I can’t really say for certain which I feel is generally “cheapest” or “most reliable.” That’s why I like to make this chart.

Amazon is the best advice that anyone can really give you. Textbooks can often be found at least $30 to $50 cheaper on Amazon versus bookstores.

Lastly, there is Cheggs, which is an online rental site. Renting is a great option for cheap textbooks in addition to buying used. The only time I would say don’t go rental is if the book is for a core class.

Many times, at least for me, I keep my textbooks from my major because I feel that I will want to have these in the future. Cheggs is a nice option for books in classes about Japanese tea ceremonies or

Grimm’s tales, aka books that will end up in recycling in six months.

The way it works is that you sign up and order a book, then they send you the book with a mailing label. Keep the box, and then at the end of the semester, you return the book with the box and the label for free shipping. Drop it in a UPS box, and you can forget all about the twisted Grimm folklore that ruined your childhood memories of Disney movies.

OK, so back to this table. Once it is set up, I go to all the websites and search the textbooks I need. In order to find out what you’ll need, go to any of the bookstore’s sites and search your classes. I like the IUB’s site because it is organized cleanly and easiest to use. For each place, I write the new price, used price and rental price. Then, I circle the cheapest option that is still reliable (there is a certain price that I won’t pay under on Amazon because it starts to feel fishy). Remember, like always on Amazon, to check out suppliers and read customers reviews.

You should know also that you don’t necessarily need to buy books until after the first day of class, although you should buy them as soon as possible because the bookstores run out of the used books quickly. Professors don’t usually expect students to have their books by the first day of class, but don’t be surprised if they start assigning homework out of the book the first week. The worst part about ordering used from the bookstores is that even if you check that you want a used book, if they run out, they can charge you for a new book, and you can’t get out of it. So be smart about it. Another plus of waiting is that often times books are listed as required at store sites, but it’s actually optional.

Overall, your best bet is to do price comparisons. Even though it is still a lot of money, I always feel a lot better when I can say with confidence that I am getting my textbooks at the cheapest price possible.

Taylor is a junior in media.

By Johnathan Hettinger
Assistant copy chief

Arriving at the University as a freshman can be very intimidating. With thousands of courses, it can be extremely difficult to choose the best ones.

Going into registration, many students don’t know which classes to take, and advisors have so many students that they can only be so helpful. In order to combat this problem, I compiled a guide to selecting classes.

Choose the classes you want

Waking up for an 8 a.m. class every Monday, Wednesday and Friday can be annoying and not having class on Friday can be fun, but the most satisfying thing is loving classes and being ecstatic to go to them.

In my experience, you will find life a lot more enjoyable if you like your classes than if you like your schedule. Fun classes are more memorable than sleeping in until 10 every day of the week.

Don’t be afraid to drop classes

Dropping a class can help you a lot. If you really don’t like a course or just don’t mesh with the professor or the class requires more work than it’s worth, just drop it.

Dropping a class can help save your GPA and it is easy to replace courses with second-eight-week courses.

Ask around

As a freshman, you may not know many people in your major, but as college progresses, find older major mates and ask them about their experiences with certain classes or professors. For now, use ratemyprofessor.com.

Although there are many conflicting reports about professors on the site, it gives you a general idea of what to expect from him or her and whether you want to take a class from that professor.

Graduation requirements

Check your major’s graduation requirements. This may seem simple, but, with close attention to requirements, it is easy to graduate in four years or less.

Have fun

College is supposed to be fun. Don’t overload yourself every single semester. It’s good to take a semester with a lower amount of hours so you don’t get overwhelmed. Make sure you build time for activities.

College is a one-time experience. Plan accordingly.

Johnathan is a sophomore in media.

By Nathaniel Lash
Managing editor for reporting

They say it’s not alcoholism until after graduation. The “they” here refers to, as you will no doubt discover, a plurality of the students on this campus. Not all, of course, but most, and that’s enough to make alcohol a force to behold on this campus.

If you didn’t know this when you applied, know this now: The U of I has a drinking culture.
The bars that line Green Street attest to this. Each bar, you may find, has its own “unique” atmosphere for getting people drunk. From Brother’s to Joe’s, The Clybourne to The White Horse, there’s a drinking niche for all drinkers here, young and old. This is naturally due to the significantly lower age of entry into bars than you’ll find in other areas: 19 for Champaign, 18 in Urbana. The supposed rationale here is that it’s a forgone conclusion that students are going to drink, and that for whatever reason, bars are a safer locale for drinking than a small dorm room or an apartment “rager.”

But be forewarned, getting into a bar with some 21-plus-year-olds isn’t a full ride for wanton binging — police still raid the bars on a fierce hunt for underage drinkers. That makes any trip to the bars an endless trial of not knowing whether this will be the night you’re ticketed. It’s relaxing, in a way that is not at all stressful for underage drinkers.

If you choose to “join everybody else,” drinking can be more than just fun. It can be dangerous. When you drink, you should pace yourself, and always stay hydrated. Drinking requires responsibility, and acting a little bit like an adult.

Such a rationale may be difficult when looking at our campus from outside. The University makes headlines across Illinois in mid-March for what out-of-state students may not have heard of: Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day. This dawn-till-dusk festival of drunken debauchery doesn’t have any official stats on how much alcohol is consumed through its duration, but it stands to reason that it’s a lot, even more so with a campus that ranks relatively high on the drinks per capita.

Unofficial probably plays into the University’s consistently high rankings as a “party school.” Depending on whom you ask, in 2011 Illinois ranks as high as No. 4 (Newsweek), to a sobering No. 11 (Princeton). It’s hard to take rankings to heart, but walking down Green Street between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. on any given night, or the Saturday morning stench of a Six Pack bathroom, the rankings make a little more sense.

There are many opportunities for students to binge drink for arbitrary reasons (“It’s Sunday!” is my personal favorite), so take note of — and be prepared for — this campus’ sopping wet, alcohol-saturated culture.

Nathaniel is a junior in media.

By Daryl Quitalig
Photo editor

You’re down on campus, and chances are you don’t have a car. Fortunately, this campus has a bus system ready to take you where you need to go — the trusty Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, or MTD.

I remember back in my freshman year when I first tried to use the bus system after move-in. I had no idea how to get from Forbes, where I lived freshman year, to the Quad. I asked around and was told to wait at the corner of First and Gregory, take the Yellow North or Illini North and that would get me to the Quad.

The people I asked were nice, which is great about Illinois, but I didn’t want to rely on others every time I wanted to ride the bus to get to wherever I needed on campus.

Walking around Quad Day amidst signing up for all the potential clubs I wanted to get involved in, I grabbed my share of free frisbees, water bottles and enough pens to last me the whole year. I then spotted the area for the MTD, which was handing out bus schedules along with the other common freebees.

These schedules were not your small pamphlet or even just a poster like ones you would see in Chicago on the “L,” the subway system for those of you not from Chicago or the suburbs. It was a highly detailed booklet, thicker than some of my course packets freshman year.

I took one of these books and saved it for later. I told myself to budget some time later that day to read the booklet and generally understand how the system works. I took about 15 minutes to skim through the booklet, to get the main points of how the system works.

I knew campus would be the most important, and that if I were to go anywhere else, I would have the book laying around to have a reference back to.

The Illini is the main campus bus. It runs north to south. Main points coming from the north: Unit One, Green Steet between the Engineering Quad and the north side of the Main Quad, the Illini Union Bookstore (IUB), “Frat Park,” Forbes/Garner from First Steet, the ARC (Activities and Recreation Center), the Art & Design Building, Huff Hall (the location for not just some classes, but also for the volleyball matches, gymnastics meets and wrestling meets), BIF (Business Instruction Facility), UGL (Undergraduate Library), Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, ISR (Illinois Street Residence), McKinley Health Center, LAR (Lincoln Avenue Residence), and then PAR/FAR (Pennsylvania Avenue Residence/Florida Avenue Residence).

From here, it circulates backward to what I’ve recited.

This is a great bus line to get around campus, but realistically, if your destination is more than two or three stops away, odds are there’s going to be a faster route to get from point A to point B on campus.

As I’ve mentioned, the Yellow passes through campus from Forbes, then arrives at the west side of the Quad at the IUB, it makes one stop at Green Street and Wright Street before heading north to Illinois Terminal, the mall and then also toward Walmart and Meijer.

The Gold also passes through campus from Forbes, but instead of going to the IUB on the west side of the Quad, it passes the UGL, followed by the Krannert on the east side, before heading off campus to Lincoln Square Mall (and beyond).

For you folks that live at the other corner of campus at PAR/FAR, you can take the Silver as one of your options. After picking up in front of PAR, it passes Allen Hall, advances toward the UGL before arriving at IUB, followed by the Illini Union before it heads toward Loomis Lab and then off to Lincoln Square Mall.

Another option for those of you at PAR/FAR is the Teal. It begins similarly to the Silver, but after passing Allen Hall, it will pass by the east side of the Quad, making a stop at Krannert. It continues on to the Union before heading off campus and circling back.

These are probably the top five buses you’ll need for transporting around campus. The Illini is the safest bet, but since you can ride any of the buses (it’s part of the fees you pay to the school) you have the ability to get off at one stop from one bus to get on another bus — when you’re comfortable of course. It’s not necessarily fun to ride the bus for the full trip unless you were planning to do that as part of your graduation bucket list.

After teaching you some of these basics, I remind you to get one of those bus schedules. They’re not only there on Quad Day, but every bus should have some located in the front.

At minimum, I’d budget some time to at least read through the book. If you have some more time to spare, I’d ride some of the lines as well.

The best way one learns is through experience, isn’t it?

Worse comes to worse, I know for a fact that the “Maps” application on the iPhone can give you bus routes of the MTD, so definitely utilize that. We generally have our iPhones, as in those of us with an iPhone at least, on us at all times, so that just means we have the bus schedule on us at all times.

One last thing you definitely should do is definitely keep this book handy. It’ll be useful for knowing exact arrival and departure times, and for some routes that are off-campus, like the malls, movies or Walmart, if County Market isn’t your place.

Did I mention that you can also text a code to the MTD and they’ll tell you the approximate times of the next bus to arrive at your stop? It’s quite convenient.

Daryl is a senior in FAA.