2021 Orientation Edition

THE ORIENTATION ISSUE 2021

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Dear Freshman

Class of 2025, The whole world is opening again, and so is yours.

Maybe you’re leaving a place you’ve called home your whole life, or maybe this will be the first place you could call home. Maybe this was your dream school, or maybe it was your safety. Maybe you’re dead set on a major, or maybe you’re paralyzed by the decision.

420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com

CALDER LEWIS

Editor in Chief eic@michigandaily.com

KATIE LYNGKLIP

Business Manager business@michigandaily.com

CONTACT INFORMATION Maybe you know exactly what you’re doing, why you’re here, where you’re headed and who you are. If you don’t, luckily I know of about 45,000 people with M-Cards and no answers to those questions for you to befriend.

So take too many credits. Drop a class. Get your first B. Then your second. Raise your hand. Answer wrong.

Change your major. Do it again. Go to one club meeting. Stay on the listserv forever.

Explore Ann Arbor. Stay up too late. Get to know your dorm hall. Go to a game. Stuff yourself with cookies — you’ll earn it with trecherous quarter-mile walks from class back to the dining hall in January.

Be humble. But rememeber that there’s nothing you can’t do and no one you can’t be at the University of Michigan.

See this wide-open world of yours. It closes sooner than you think, so don’t take a second of it for granted.

Calder Lewis

EDITORIAL STAFF Madison Gagne

Sarah Chung and Allison Yih

Managing Editor mbgagne@umich.edu

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Ethan Patrick and Caroline Atkinson

Digital Managing Editor engkvist@umich.edu

While you’re at it, introduce yourself to a stranger.

And of course, don’t step on the M.

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The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2 per issue. Subscriptions for September - April are $250, and year-long subscriptions are $275. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. Subscriptions must be prepaid.

Editor-in-Chief

EDITOR | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

3

Your first week at UofM

BUCKET LIST

By Roni Kane, Summer News Editor

So far, so good. Your dorm room looks like something straight out of Pinterest.

You’ve officially met your roommate and swapped stories about your favorite high school memories. You waved goodbye to your family yesterday, spent your first night in your new home, ate a filling breakfast from the closest dining hall and… now what?

With a couple of beautiful August days left before classes start, you know you can’t spend all of them staring at the ceiling of your dorm. So, you reach into your backpack, pull out your (slightly wrinkled) copy of The Michigan Daily’s Orientation Issue and flip to “Your First Week at U-M Bucket List.” Now grab a pen, some comfortable walking shoes and let’s go!

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Take a walk in ‘the Arb’: Whether you’re

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Take a trip to North Campus: Are you a

living on Central Campus, North Campus or

Central Campus citizen who needs to learn

the Hill, the Nichols Arboretum is easily acces-

how to use the bus system? Or a North Cam-

sible and is the perfect place to soak up the

pus native ready to roam your new stomping

late-summer sunshine and fresh air. Locate

grounds? Either way, taking time to experi-

the nearest entry point online and escape

ence the many charms of North (including

the bustle of campus in favor of wandering

spots like the Wave Field and The Grove) is an

through the Arb’s 123 acres of scenic trails.

extremely worthwhile endeavor.

two

four

Familiarize yourself with downtown Ann

Go tubing in the Huron River: Don’t be

Arbor: Walk through downtown a couple of

so quick to leave your bathing suit at home

times and you’ll be surprised how quickly you

just because summer break is over! Bring an

start to feel at home in “The Best College Town

inflatable tube (or rent a kayak or canoe), lots

in America” (according to WalletHub’s 2021

of sunscreen and look up suggested “Tube

rankings). Snap a selfie in “Graffiti Alley,” scope

Routes” so you are prepared to chat with

out your new coffee and boba go-tos and treat

friends while floating blissfully down the cool,

yourself to a night of outdoor dining at one of

refreshing waters of the Huron.

AA’s lively restaurants.

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NEWS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

five

Visit the Farmers’ Market and Kerry-

town:Try something ‘fresh’ and exciting, by starting your Saturday morning with a trip to the infamous Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market. Pick up tasty, farm-fresh produce or a new succulent friend, and then enjoy a lunch at Zingerman’s while you explore the ins and outs of surrounding Kerrytown.

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Eat a picnic in the Law Quad: Though you

will undoubtedly hear the breathtaking, stately facade of the Michigan Law School compared to Hogwarts or the Ivy-laden institutions to the east, the Law Quad is ingrained with a rich history and enduring traditions entirely unique to U-M. Lay a blanket down in the main courtyard and indulge in a charcuterie board (or whatever you pick up from the dining hall) surrounded by echoes of past greatness and Gothic-style architecture.

Zingerman’s Deli. ALEC COHEN/Daily

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Spend a chill night in your dorm: Really get

to know your roomie(s) and/or your hallmates over a game of Euchre (a Michigan classic™) or the newest episode of your reality TV show of choice. Embark on a mini-adventure within your dorm and locate the nearest bathrooms, exits, printers, food serveries, garbage cans, recycling bins and laundry facilities (you’ll thank yourself later).

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Check your email for welcome weekend

events: Keep an eye out for notifications about virtual and in-person social events offered

GR G N

by your dorm, learning community, intended

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T EA

DOI

so far!

academic program(s) or for new students in general. Visit events.umich.edu/ to see all of the on-campus activities available on any given day for additional ways to start connecting with the campus community.

Locate your in-person classes: Grab a

friend, a map of campus and start walking

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Read your syllabi and get organized for

around U-M’s many academic buildings. Learn

classes: The night before your first class,

how to distinguish your “EH” (East Hall) from

familiarize yourself with the material covered

your “AH” (Angell Hall) so you’ll know exactly

in your course syllabi, noting deadlines and

where you’re headed when classes start. Also

other important dates in your planner. Double

stop to identify important campus landmarks

check that you have everything you need for a

such as the Union, the Big House and the Diag,

successful semester, set your alarm and get a

while keeping your eyes peeled

good night’s sleep. Sweet dreams Wolverine;

for potential study spots.

now the fun really begins!

NEWS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

4

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ISAAC MANGOLD/Daily

Dear incoming

freshmen

By Lily Cesario

C

ongratulations on graduating high school and embarking on this next step of your journey. You have so much living and learning ahead of you. I wish I was back in your shoes, and I hope the next four years are everything you want them to be.

The true value of your undergraduate education isn’t about what you learn in a lecture hall, it’s about the people sitting beside you. The relationships you build here will become the most meaningful part of your college experience. Seek out classes, clubs and organizations that genuinely interest you. Don’t choose your friends based on what they look like on the surface. When you meet someone, pay attention to how they make you feel.

It may not happen right away, but eventually, you’ll find your people.

Be mindful of how you make others feel too. Empathy, kindness and compassion go a long way. Know that you’re coming into college with your own set of filters and biases. Always be respectful of peo-

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ple’s time and space. *** It’s easy to look at the people around us and notice all of the ways they should change. It’s a lot harder to look within and work on the parts of ourselves that need to change. If you devote time consistently to anything over the next four years, make it your own healing and personal growth.

The best advice someone gave me was, “If you want to heal others, you are your first patient.”

We all have things we are working through. If you don’t take time to care for those parts of yourself, they’ll end up showing through in unpleasant ways. It’s better to shine a light on them now than wait for them to surface unexpectedly.

As a University of Michigan student, be careful not to let your ego get the best of you. Joining the “Leaders and the Best” can you make you feel like you’re on top of the world, but keep in mind that academia measures a very small part of who

OPINION | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

you are. Don’t think that because you’re accepted to a certain school or program, you’re better than anyone else. If everyone thought about things the same way, the world would never make any progress.

Ultimately, listen before you speak. Learn to appreciate different ways of thinking — you always have something to learn from every person you meet. At the end of the day, keep an open mind and follow your heart. If you continue choosing over and over to do what you love, you’ll end up in the right place. You may even find that what you cherish resides outside of academia. Don’t be afraid to drop out or even just take a break to follow your dreams if college isn’t for you.

Critically, know that college won’t teach you everything. It may not even teach you the most important things, but it can be a wonderful environment in which to grow and a unique opportunity to network and stay focused on your studies. Whatever path you choose, make sure it’s one that makes you happy.

Often, the most successful people are the ones who are happy with what they do.

If I had one piece of advice for ` freshman self, it would have been this: It’s OK to not have it all figured out. You have time.

If you have ideas about what you want to do, that’s great, but keep in mind that the more experiences you have in the coming years, the more your plans will change.

There will never come a day when you’ll know exactly what your future will look like. Figuring it out is a lifelong process and part of the joy of living. *** When you’re 18, everybody’s asking you about your plans for the fall. “Where are you going to school?” “What are you majoring in?” “Where do you see yourself after college?”

Four years ago, I would have responded, “I’m going to the University of Michigan, I’m majoring in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and I want to run for public of-

fice”. Since then, I’ve changed my major at least five times, dropped out of school, re-enrolled and discovered that what I want to do after graduation is completely unrelated to what I studied. My worldview has changed dramatically. Whatever happens for you will be for the best. You only learn what you want by being open to new ideas.

Don’t be afraid to embrace the unknown.

Next time someone asks you about your plans for the future, know that it’s OK to say, “I’m not sure yet. But I’m excited to find out.” Always stay humble — you can even ask, “How did you figure it out?”

Not everyone will have an answer, but you’ll be surprised at how many people will give you their best advice if you’re willing to listen. Then again, take every piece of advice with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to the limits you accept for yourself. Listen to everyone and deeply consider what they have to say, but be

confident in who you are and what you know you’re capable of. You may even find that you’re capable of more than you originally thought. Anything you set your mind to you can achieve, even if you fail many times on the way there. *** Put yourself in environments where you are likely to fail. You’re bound to have some great professors and courses in college, but nothing compares to learning from failure — perfection is unattainable anyway. Give yourself room to make mistakes.

Instead of trying to be a perfect student, take calculated risks. Don’t aim for a specific grade in your classes; instead, try to learn the material. By taking the pressure off of trying to learn everything, you free up time to question the material and think about what’s really important. If the material feels interesting or important, you can always come back to it later.

Can’t get enough of the Orientation Edition?

Scan the QR code to jump to extended articles and online-only bonus content.

OPINION | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

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Ruthven Museum of Natural History BECCA MAHON/Daily

tips and tricks for a

hybrid semester

By George Weykamp, Summer News Editor

Classes have been online, in person, or some combination of the two for the past year and a half and many students haven’t stepped foot in a classroom since March 2020. It can be a scary feeling to try and transition out of pandemic-style learning and transition to a ‘new normal of education. This semester, classes will primarily be in person but larger lectures will still be conducted remotely. Here are some tips

online classes Make a schedule: For online classes, this is huge. If you have a class that meets asynchronously (meaning that you can watch the lecture at any time) it can be really easy to fall behind and skip lectures. Instead, try assigning a ‘fake’ time that works for your schedule that you watch your lectures every week. This will help you stay on top of things and keep a consistent schedule, and not having to watch 19 hours of lectures the night before the exam.

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and tricks on how to make this transition have the most successful fall semester possible!

Limit distractions: This is huge. If your class is online, we all know how tempting it is to zone out or go on your phone. Try putting your phone in another room or closet and turning off notifications if it’s going to be too distracting. It can also be really tempting to speed up asynchronous online lectures, but avoid doing this unless you feel you can understand the material at that speed.

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Create a study space: It can be really hard to relax and do classes in the same room, so try going to a separate room or campus study space to do your classes. Make sure to have all your study supplies (including chargers and headphones) readily available, so you can do your classes with minimal interruptions.

IN-PERSON CLASSES Budget time walking to class: Over the last year, a lot of us have had the luxury of rolling out of bed five minutes before class starts and logging into zoom. With in-person classes, we won’t be able to do that anymore. Make sure to budget 15-20 minutes to get to each class depending on how far away you are. If you arrive early, take the time to get to know some of your classmates, it’s a great way to make friends.

Pay attention: In in-person classes, no one is going to be checking if you are on your phone or what you are doing on your computer. This can make it really easy to zone the professor out and online shop or surf the web during class. Instead, try taking notes, even if you plan on never looking at them again, so you can actively engage with the material and don’t have to watch the lecture recording later.

BECCA MAHON/Daily

general tips Do work between classes: One of the best parts about college is that you aren’t in classes six hours a day, five days a week. You might have several hours between classes which is the perfect time to work on homework and study for finals. This way, you can prioritize your schoolwork during the day and have more free time to hang out with friends or focus on your mental health in the afternoon.

Go to office hours: This can be intimidating to many people new to the University, but professors and Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) are here to help you and make sure you learn the material. Some of your classes might be really big, so office hours are a really great way to get some one-on-one help from your instructor. Plus, if your class is online all you have to do is click a zoom link!

NEWS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Don’t cram: This sounds cliche, but it’s true. With all the extra free time you have in college, there’s really no reason to be pulling all-nighters to cram for an exam. Use some of the extra time you have in between classes to start studying early, so you get the grade you want without sacrificing your sleep.

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13

ANNIE KLUSENDORF/Daily

the signs of

FRIENDSHIP T

By Alexander Satola, Statement Contributor

he Office of New Student Pro-

few days an “orientation” still

I had heard that everything would

grams offers an orientation

seems to me a great dishonesty.

work out eventually, but until then

program to incoming first-year

I had experienced a mere drop of

all I could do was wait.

and transfer students. They prom-

the Michigan experience; before

ise the chance to hear valuable

me spread an entire ocean.

In retrospect, my trajectory made

advice from current students,

For me, the conceit of orienta-

perfect sense: I worked hard in

talk with academic advisors and

tion was that the end of the pro-

my pre-requisite courses, applied

register for their first semester of

gram did not signal the end of

for the interdisciplinary program

coursework.

the necessity to orient myself. In-

I had talked about in my college

stead, during college I have wad-

essays, got accepted and com-

When my parents and I arrived

ed through long periods of dis-

fortably rode out the rest of col-

for the orientation program in

orientation followed by fleeting

lege. There were contingencies,

July 2017, we did indeed have the

glimpses of the right path. Weeks

of course, but in retrospect my

chance to learn more about the

of academic struggle were fol-

strategy seemed sound.

campus and what my next four

lowed by an affirming test score;

or so years might look like here in

weeks of loneliness followed by

However, like a pathetic seafarer

Ann Arbor. However, to call those

the outstretched hand of a friend.

faced with the apparent bound-

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STATEMENT | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

lessness of the journey ahead, I

others, it will be one of the most

and disjointed that it seems im-

could hardly see beyond the hori-

consequential. And from my ex-

possible to establish a genuine

zon when I first set out. Especial-

perience, the difference between

connection with another person.

ly as a first-year student, three

an orientation of least-conse-

days of ambling around an empty

quence and one of most-conse-

In the majority of cases, I have

campus in July could not begin

quence is the people you meet

formed my best friendships in

to address the ambiguities that I

there who have the capacity to

moments of reciprocity between

held of myself and my future.

change your life.

myself and another, moments that are few and far between in

So what, then, was the point of

In general, everyone knows that

contexts where people are inter-

an orientation program if the real

the friends you make in the first

ested primarily in portraying an

orientation has been taking place

few weeks of college are bound

image of themselves — wearing

within me ever since?

to drift away at some point. The

their best mask in lieu of showing

same holds true of so-called

who they are.

For some people, orientation will

friends from orientation — a

be one of the least consequential events of college; for

CC BE

scene so chaotic

N A MAHO /Daily

But there are exceptions to the rule. While some friendships take time to mature, sometimes only a matter of minutes is necessary for me to establish a relationship of considerable depth with another person. One such person, now a great friend of mine, happened to be in my orientation group when we met for the first time on one afternoon in July 2017.

And though we met in that time and place where nothing lasts and where everyone is floundering to attach an answer to the question “who am I?” our friendship has endured to this day and will hopefully endure far into the future.

STATEMENT | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

15

Dear Freshman,

I

n preparing your expectations of college, I encourage you to simply let go.

Release expectations. I know it’s much easier said than done, but perhaps my story can show how letting go will help you settle into the whirlwind of freshman year.

ond they met. I’d long awaited my turn to graduate and start thriving amongst a fresh crowd

of people.

I had solid friends in high school, the kind that had been around so long they felt like an extension of me. We knew each other’s laughs, class schedules, family dynamics and Starbucks orders by heart. These friends will always have

people who just happened to live near me. I was eager for a change.

It’s my first night of college — I feel as if I’ve been waiting for this night my entire life. I guess it’s time for my dreams to be realized? Potential best friends number 1 and 2 down the hall invited me over. I’m elated to be making friends within the first few hours — we all click instantly, sharing endless laughs as we get ready to go to our first college party.

It’s okay to let go

I’ll set the scene: move-in day, August 2019. I’m in Welcome Week proceeded Mary Markley Residence to fly by in a haze of introducHall, AKA what I hope is the tions, discussions of homehome of my potential new towns, more names than I best friends. My body is a could remember and long concoction of nerves and nights staying up talking in excitement. I’ve placed huge Markley or going out in huge

By Natalie Bricker, Statement Contributor expectations on my freshgroups of enthusiastic freshman year. I thought the best men. Each new friend I met college experience started matched my excited energy. with finding my friends for My perfect vision of college life. Walking the hallways, I was coming true! picture each person I pass as my best friend, envisioning Then one night, potential best us together someday far in friends number 1 and 2 made the future, watching our kids plans that didn’t involve me. I grow up and telling them our found out via Snapchat, hours silly freshman-year stories. after they’d refused my inviLike I said, super high expectation to hang out, claiming tations. they had to “stay in and sleep.”

I blame my expectations on On my phone, I watched them the wild college gossip that dancing at a party without returned home each break me. My perfect vision of colwith recent graduates from lege crumbled. What hapRuthven Museum of Natural History. BECCA MAHON/ my high school. They would pened to being best friends come back sharing snippets since the very first night? The of their glorious new lives, happily filled a special place in my life; they helped next day, they didn’t return my wave in with freedom, bursting with exciting shape who I was for 18 years. However, the dining hall. stories which made high school seem I knew most of them weren’t my peosmall and lame in comparison. ple. The friendships were held together All of a sudden, the honeymoon phase mostly by history and proximity. of college ended.

The part I envied the most was hearing about their new friends, who everyone High school was starting to feel stale, See page 9 for instructions on how to continue reading. seemed to be close with from the sec- my friends looking more and more like

16

STATEMENT | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

sophomore to senior year

M

y first college orientation was spent fresh off a 16-hour drive.

I traipsed through the foreign streets of Boston in hundred-degree August weather for three days on end. Every day was filled with presentations, activities and tours, all of which commenced with a “Welcome to Emerson College” presentation to the 900 students of the freshman class.

For my second college orientation a year later, my family departed from our house in Northwest Michigan at 10 a.m. in order to arrive for my 2 p.m. move-in time at the University of Michigan. That night, all the 10,000 new students gathered in Chrysler Center for an informal welcome from the administration. Despite there being less heat, less chaos and less fanfare all together, those first few days in Ann Arbor left me feeling disoriented.

Already, the sensation that I didn’t belong started creeping in.

I had transferred to the University of Michigan at the beginning of sophomore year for two reasons — my major, and financial aid.

The first school I attended was a small, private liberal arts college in the middle of Boston. It boasted a small collection of highly tailored majors in specific fields, a catalogue of successful alumni and a price tag I spent nine months trying to justify. By the end of the first semester, I had fallen in love with Boston, but I simultaneously fell out of love with my major. Plus, there was no way I would be able to convince

three years and the same fear

By Mackenzie Hubbard, Statement Contributor

my parents to cosign more loans. I was already familiar with the University of Michigan from growing up in state, and I knew that Michigan had a remarkable financial aid program and a linguistics major. It was also only four hours from my hometown. Naturally, I applied — though it was not my first time applying to the school.

My history with the University of Michigan actually starts a year earlier. I was sitting in my final high school science class of my senior year when I was called into the advising office. My advisor told me about the University of Michigan’s Go Blue Guarantee, dubbed the “Hail Scholarship” at the time. My advisor knew my family history — that neither of my parents had attended college and that my dad worked a skilled-trade job that wouldn’t allow my family to contribute financially to my college education.

The University of Michigan, I was told, was the best opportunity I had available to me.

I left that meeting feeling torn.

The University of Michigan had never been a school I even considered, not with my entire family being Michigan State fans

and one of my uncles even teaching there. My parents hated the University of Michigan for no good reason — still hate it, in fact — but I applied anyway, telling myself it was my Hail Mary school. If I got in, I would attend; if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be heartbroken.

When I got the rejection email late one January night after I’d come home from wind symphony practice, I was devastated. I told no one, though, about that feeling of disappointment.

It was a highly competitive year, I told myself. Even the most well-rounded student in my class didn’t get in, so why would I? See page 9 for insturctions on how to continue reading.

HANNAH YOO/Daily

STATEMENT | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

17

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giving yourself time I

always had very high expectations for my freshman year of college. According to movies, TV shows and my own older siblings, it is supposed to be one of the most memorable parts of your life as you go from the confines of home to the freedom of a university. My sisters met their best friends during their first weeks of freshman year and always told me to expect the same. When I was a restless senior in high school, I anticipated the start of my college experience with a sort of ache: the pain of leaving what I knew behind coupled with the joy of being somewhere new.

My illusion of a perfect freshman year was struck down when the pandemic started and showed no signs of slowing amid the hordes of anti-maskers and virus deniers.

As I packed my bags to move into my residence hall on campus, I told myself to lower my expectations as much as possible.

I wouldn’t get to have a “normal” college experience like my siblings or friends did, but I could still stay safe and grow.

By Safura Syed, MiC Columnist

In high school, I always thought that I would become a different person once I entered college, that I would go through some sort of magical transformation from a child to an adult. I wasn’t sure how exactly this was supposed to happen, but I’d seen it happen before. My friends who graduated came back from their colleges with a distinct aura about them — one of being put together, of being “grown.” I saw those changes in my siblings too, in the ways they grew into themselves after leaving the house and how confident they became. I was sure this would happen to me too, this seemingly natural maturation.

Friends and family have always told me that I would “figure myself out” in college.

When I told them that I had no idea what I wanted to do for a living or what to major in, they always told me that my life would fall into place by the end of my freshman year. With just a little effort on my end, everything would perfectly align and I would find where I belong in the world.

MIC | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

But none of that happened this year. I moved into my residence hall last August, packing lightly in fear that the University of Michigan would send on-campus students home after a week or two. During the first couple weeks, I wandered aimlessly through the halls of East Quad Residence Hall, ate lunch outside with large groups of people I wouldn’t have normally spoken to and walked across campus with strangers from my hall. These are the parts of freshman year that were probably the most ordinary, but to me, they felt (and still feel) indescribably strange. Around us, the world was burning. The virus was already spreading through residence hall buildings and there was discontent towards U-M administration, rumors of staff striking and lingering political uncertainties. And yet, all the freshmen around me had the same eager and slightly desperate desire to carve their place early for that freshman year college “experience.”

See page 9 for instructions on how to continue reading.

19

CO-OPS

guide to

I

off-campus housing

n co-operative housing, students pay a fee to become a

co-owner with anywhere between 15 and 50 other stu-

dents. The most unique quality of co-op housing is that

the 16 co-op houses run by Michigan students each have their own vibe and atmosphere. Like regular off-campus student houses, the co-ops are centrally located in three primary neighborhoods within a ten-minute walk to campus. If interested in joining one of the co-ops, students are encouraged to tour the homes to learn about their histories and then rank four that are most interesting to them.

Upon becoming a “partial owner,” students in co-ops learn values such as shared responsibility and friendship. The application opens to students later into the Fall semester but because there are only 16 houses with limited capacity, waitlists are likely.

By Lily Gooding, Summer News Editor

UNITS AND HOUSES

O

pting for an off-campus house or unit apartment is a great choice with lots of flexibility—whether you are

one person desperate for a studio and personal space or a group of seven friends looking for an affordable place to live, chances are with some dedicated research you can find a unit or house that checks all of the boxes. Of course, rent in Ann Arbor can be expensive and there will be a certain amount of adjusting to take place the following year as students learn what it means to have a landlord and pay utilities. Nonetheless, this type of off-campus housing remains one of the most popular choices for students in all grade

SORORITY AND FRATERNITY HOUSING

L

ike co-op housing, living in a sorority house or fraternity house can be a great way to meet more people and live

with fifty of your closest friends. The downside to this option is that there is not always a guarantee that even if a student

levels.

HIGH- RISE APARTMENTS

W

hen compared to the other off-campus housing options and on-campus dorms, Ann Arbor’s high-

rise apartments tend to fall on the more expensive side of

joins a sorority or fraternity, they will not necessarily get a spot in the house. However,

the spectrum, especially the

DOMINICK SOKOTOFF/Daily

n`ewer ones: Six-Eleven and

if you want to keep your op-

Vic Village, located only steps

tions open for longer and do

away from multiple restau-

not want to worry too much

rants and the Diag. Howev-

about signing a lease just

er, there is still a decent price

yet at the beginning of the

range and if students are

year, living in a sorority or

willing to forgo some of the

fraternity house can be the

amenities

solution since recruitment

each unit such as a washer

lasts weeks. For those in-

and dryer then they may still

terested in joining a sorority,

find a cheaper option. Another

the University is going on its

perk that comes with this type

included

within

third year of winter recruitment so students will have to wait

of off-campus housing is that there are multiple complex-

a full semester before figuring out where they will live for

es with similarly designed spaces so they might not fill up

the next year.

quite as quickly as other houses.

20

NEWS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

BECCA MAHON/Daily

Your Summer Job

doesn’t determine your worth I

By Theodora Vorias

spent every summer break during

itively. If you’re feeling down about

college working a part-time job in

your less-than-ideal summer plans,

my hometown. While I considered

reframing your mindset can help the

summer internships my first few sum-

break be just as transformative as if

mers, I was never confident enough in

you had gotten that dream internship.

my skills or resume to actually apply to

away during the busy academic year.

Summer break can also provide the time and mental space for discovering new passions. Especially for students earlier in their college career, the ex-

As college students, we often feel

tra time that summers provide can be

pressured to look at summer break

used to explore new majors or career

as a time to make money and gain in-

paths. Though it may feel most perti-

dustry experience. However, there are

nent to figure those things out during

so many more possibilities that can

the school year, being out of class can

come out of a well-utilized break from

allow for a more thoroughly thought-

classes. The fact that the word “break”

out plan for choosing what to study

is what we call the months between

and what career to pursue. Even if

school years isn’t for nothing. The

those new passions are only hobbies,

pressure and stress college students

they can still have major benefits.

When COVID-19 canceled my sum-

face are greater than ever before. So

Hobbies and recreational activities

mer study abroad program in 2020, I

often, college requires students to

can improve our mental health and

was left with no backup plan and end-

make sacrifices. When trying to juggle

help us identify the ways that we best

ed up back at the same part-time job. I

a heavy course load, extracurriculars,

cope with stress. I often feel guilty

remember feeling embarrassed about

part-time work and a social life, it is

about not having enough hobbies be-

still working at the same place I had

easy for the parts of ourselves that

cause I get too busy with school and

since I was a teenager. That embar-

seem less productive to fall through

work. Working a part-time job over

rassment led me down a rabbit hole

the cracks. Leisure reading, making

the summer afforded me the time to

of disappointment, self-criticism and

artwork or other hobbies and person-

pursue my interests outside of the

a devaluation of my worth. Reconfig-

al projects become victims of wishful

classroom, which may not have been

uring my perception of what summer

thinking. Summer break is a great op-

possible had I landed a full-time sum-

break is and can be has allowed me

portunity to reconnect with the parts

mer internship.

to reflect on those experiences pos-

of ourselves that all too often fade

See page 9 for instructions on how to

any. I wasn’t too upset with the prospect of working at a fun, low-stress job with coworkers that made it all worthwhile. However, as I progressed in my college career, I became acutely aware of my peers who were scoring prestigious summer internships at large investment banks and federal agencies.

OPINION | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

continue reading.

21

finding your

not internal but external. The social and financial pressure to achieve a college degree, combined with the rising prevalence of a “hustle culture” among Generation Z, has created a perception that college needs to be an “allout” experience — do it big and get it done fast. But for many people, including myself, this approach to college only leaves us feeling burnt out and can cause us to miss out on what might be a more fulfilling four years.

own pace

By Mary Rolfes

W

hen I was getting ready to start my freshman year about five years ago, I was gearing up for an all-out sprint. I had loaded up on Advanced Placement credits and mapped out every class I was planning to take. My goal was to finish everything in three years — maybe four, if I tacked on a master’s degree. I sought the simplest and most straightforward path to the finish line and perceived college primarily as a means to an end. Once I achieved it, I could slow down, but until then, I had a race to finish.

I leaped into my first semester at breakneck speed. My course load was maxed at a full 18 credits, each one selected to optimize my degree completion. The next semester would be 18 credits, too, and in the future, I hoped to overload. My eyes remained on the prize, and my energy was devoted to getting there as quickly as possible. Was there a better way to fulfill this requirement? Which classes would help me complete two — or three, or four — objectives at once? Essentially: How could I get this done as quickly as possible?

Clearly, this fast pace certainly wasn’t something I could maintain for four years — I hadn’t even made it through one. So I had to reevaluate. Given the aforementioned pressures to wrap up a college degree as efficiently as possible, it can be a nerve-wracking and lonely experience to pause and rethink your path entirely.

Sometimes you might even worry that in re-navigating you’ll be undoing your progress or walking back steps you’ve already taken. But when you reach one of these points — as most of you inevitably will — know that you are not alone. Many other first-year students will likely be alongside you in rethinking their path, and there are a wealth of resources available to help you

However, by the end of my first year, I ran into the problem that any runner who starts out too fast in a long-distance race will: I burnt out. Although my path to the finish remained clear, it was no longer a path I was excited about nor that I had the energy to follow. Hitting this wall also forced me to remove my blinders and evaluate my experience so far, and I wasn’t happy with what I found. Rushing through my first year caused me to overlook many of the things that are supposed to make college worthwhile — the “college experience,” as many people might refer to it.

I also came to the realization that the forces pushing me forward at a fast pace were

22

ALEC COHEN/Daily

OPINION | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

discover what’s best for you. Try to think of these moments of re-planning as pit stops, rather than roadblocks — and with each one, you are moving forward on your path, in one way or another.

When imparting wisdom onto a new freshman class, upperclassmen and recent graduates are often asked, “What advice would you give your freshman self?” But I think this is an unfair question. If I could go back in time, I certainly would love to give some advice — and maybe a few warnings — to my 18-year-old self. But this advice would be tailored to what is best for me and would have the impossible advantage of knowing the future. Your college experience will be uniquely your own, and it is still unwritten. Your’s may contain lots of pit stops and side trails, or it might be relatively straightforward. You may benefit from a slower journey, or, if driven by your own wishes and not external pressures, a brisk pace might be better for you. You may come in with some idea of what your ideal experience would be, but the best way to navigate college is something you must discover by doing. I guess there is one thing I would tell my freshman year self that could benefit anyone: Don’t hesitate to rethink things, especially if they’re not working out the way you had hoped.

See page 9 for instructions on how to continue reading.

Fr e rT im e

n Y e ear m sh

By Julian Barnard

T

here is no perfect freshman schedule. Every University of Michigan freshman is a wholly different creature, with wholly different sleep needs, socialization styles and academic commitments. My freshman schedule, for instance, centered around 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. At 11 a.m., my friends and I got our late breakfast, and at 4 p.m., we all finished up with classes and were able to get dinner, play Mario Kart or watch a movie. Everyone will have different preferences. That being said, there are a couple of broader strategies for utilizing your time that could be helpful in crafting your freshman year experience.

u Ma o n gi ng Y

The most important thing I learned from my freshman year is the value of spending your free time deliberately. During the pandemic especially, people had a hard time figuring out when they were off the clock. This can easily happen to college students in non-pandemic circumstances, as well. When your workspace is your living space is your sleeping space, the lines between when you are relaxing and when you are being productive start to blur. Being able to definitively say “for the next two hours, this is ‘me’ time” allows your rest to actually be rest, rather than just a stressed-out haze. Your energy is the currency of having a good experience. When you invest your energy — mental, physical, etc. — invest it deliberately.

When choosing your classes, you shouldn’t be extreme in your first semester. Don’t overcommit, don’t under-commit. Take a chill 16 credits, including one class that is completely unrelated to your specialization but looks interesting to you. Regardless of your confidence in your ability to be the next Bill Gates, you are doing a disservice to yourself and your brain if you don’t have the mettle to take that class about the symbolism of flowering plants in Eastern Europe. To this day, my favorite class was an introductory paleoanthropology class that I took the first semester of freshman year. Sitting in my chair and learning about the dietary habits of orangutans was a nice respite from learning about the filibuster in my political science courses. Being too busy with classes deprives you of the stimulation of friends and clubs, but not being busy enough allows your brain to mildew.

Extracurriculars are fantastic because they are so easy to join and so easy to drop. I’m technically a member of more than five clubs!

Isn’t that crazy? Clubs are a great way to discover new passions, meet new friends and occupy a curious mind with new and interesting activities.

If you are prone to procrastination, as I am, one of the most valuable assets you have is your phone timer. Setting a timer for 15, 30 or 60 minutes of solid work can do wonders for your productivity if you have a bad brain as I do. Your brain is a machine, a resource and a muscle. It can be fatigued, recharged and maintained. Your brain wants to help you, but it needs the appropriate structure to achieve the results you want.

We have talked about downtime, class choice and micro-scheduling, but in the end, you should do what works for you. For instance, I had a completely different work schedule, academic focus and extracurricular interests than my good friend Nick, yet we both managed to thrive during our freshman year. Pay attention to what works for you, pay attention to which people you most enjoy spending time with, pay attention to the best methods that keep you happy and healthy and pay attention to which subjects have your attention most unexpectedly rapt.

See page 9 for instructions on how to continue reading.

OPINION | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

23

A

2018 report from the American College

B

Health Association found that over 40% of U.S. college students had “felt so de-

ut when Li initially approached the University of Michigan’s Counseling and Psychological

pressed they had difficulty functioning.” A Reu-

Services shortly after her panic attack, she was

ters Health report found that suicidal thinking,

placed on a waitlist and didn’t get to speak with a

self-harm and extreme depression more than

CAPS counselor

doubled between 2007 and 2018.

A

NAVIGATING

Content warning: This article mentions suicide.

s students struggle to meet the next deadline while applying for summer internships and

working part-time jobs, a proverbial straw often breaks the camel’s back before we finally decide to seek help for our mental health. Because many of us have never been taught that taking care of

MENTAL

HEALTH

our mental health is a priority, we invariably arrive at lines that should never be crossed: a realization, a breakdown, days spent immobile in bed, terrible thoughts.

F

or rising LSA junior Abigail Li, which is a pseudonym to preserve her anonymity, that

line came in the form of a panic attack she experienced as a freshman while walking down a street in the fall of 2019. “I couldn’t breathe,” she recalls. “I felt my heart just racing through my chest… So I was like, ‘Maybe I should go talk to someone about being so anxious all the time and

until two months after she had initially sought help. “(CAPS) didn’t provide me help when I needed it,” Li says. “And I was left alone to face that

situation

on my own.”

being randomly just sad and having no motivation to do things.’”

W

e often feel we have to trudge on, until we can’t anymore. And, while it is always

important to be proactive about one’s mental health, it then becomes absolutely necessary to ask for help.

24

C

APS counseling is not a long-

term solution to mental health issues, nor is it intended to be. While there is no set amount of times a student

MIC | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

sions on average and they can only attend more than five sessions under certain, mitigating circumstances. As a result, CAPS’s purpose during sessions is to provide students with mental health resources they can use in the future, like breathing exercises and therapist databases.

“I

t was CAPS that told me that they wouldn’t be able to help, which is, I guess, very, very

counterintuitive, compared to how they advertise for CAPS,” Li says. “People say, ‘Oh, if you need

couldn't “Ibreathe

“

can see a CAPS counselor, clients attend 3.5 ses-

was told explicitly that CAPS could not help her because it does not offer long-term care, but it could instead offer her a list of mental health resources, which she requested. CAPS never followed up with the list.

RESOURCES L

i doesn’t share her experience in order to discourage

students from seeking help from

ON CAMPUS

CAPS, but rather to emphasize that CAPS is a “first step” — not the solution — in a U-M student’s mental

By Jessica Kwon help, go to CAPS,’ and CAPS, in turn, told me, ‘Oh, we can’t help you.’”

health journey. Many students at the University who seek mental health help share this same, frustratingly familiar story. You go

D

uring the last winter

into CAPS and there’s the wait time. Or the

semester, Li underwent

disappointing lack of resources. Or even the

hospitalization for a mental health-related concern and because the hospital was required to provide

T

here are, however, alternative resources to CAPS for mental health help on cam-

pus, including several which are also costfree.

patient aftercare, Li was obliged to schedule an appointment with CAPS. She

See page 9 for instructions on how to continue reading.

alleges that during the subsequent appointment, she

MIC | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

25

LEARN A GERMANIC LANGUAGE

Learn more at: lsa.umich.edu/slavic

POLISH

CZECH

DUTCH

BOSNIAN CROATIAN

GERMAN

SERBIAN

RUSSIAN

UKRANIAN

SWEDISH

Learn more at: lsa.umich.edu/german

26

STAND OUT BY LEARNING A SLAVIC LANGUAGE

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27

Lett

e

ARTS ARTS DIRECTOR DIRECTOR

the

“

r f r om

Dear YOU, First of all, welcome to Ann Arbor! I’m sure I’m not the first person to say this, and I won’t be the last, but I do like the image of the city welcoming you in. Its tiny cafes, hole-in-the-wall concert spots, and strange and intriguing stores seem to pull you close, wanting you to become part of this organism that lives and breathes through the people scuttling through it. It’s a town filled with characters and kind people.

There are constantly friends, flyers and random clubs asking you to step in and join them. Whether it’s reading your poetry at an open mic night, playing guitar for a room full of quietly observant people, or going to see a portfolio exhibition at the School of Art & Design or School of Music, Theatre & Dance students’ work, Ann Arbor is constantly drawing you in.

It’s that tricky college experience of knowing when to let adventure find you, and when to go out and look for it. Somehow, art always seems to carry some kind of adventure with it. Sometimes it’s quiet and comes with self-explorational territory. How does all this art thrown at you your freshman year change the way you look at the world? What is that one book that changes the way you look at yourself? Sometimes, it’s the kind that new friends you met an hour ago drag you into. “There’s a concert down the street! You wanna come?” are some of the most wonderful words I’ve ever heard, and the most wonderful I’ve ever spoken.

Words of welcome, words about art — stick with Daily Arts, we have both.

— Rosa Sofia Kaminski, Summer Managing Arts Editor

28

ARTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

DOMINICK SOKOTOFF/Daily

Three Essential Ann Arbor Restaurants

By Kai Bartol Ann Arbor has plenty of claims to fame. You may have already heard about the city’s flourishing arts scene and vibrant nightlife, but I believe it’s the city’s plethora of excellent restaurants that make it so special. Given the convenience of a meal plan, many freshmen miss out on seriously amazing restaurant experiences. In order to keep you from sleeping on Ann Arbor’s excellent food scene, I’ve assembled a list of three essential restaurants every U-M student must visit at least once. Each one holds an integral role in the community, satisfies a different food niche and serves downright amazing food.

Y

ou’ll hear a lot about Frita Batidos when you get to Ann Arbor.

It’s a student favorite for one reason and one reason only: delicious food. This restaurant, inspired by Cuban street food, has a menu so simple it can be stripped down to two things: fritas and batidos. Fritas are spicy chorizo hamburgers adorned with sunny side up eggs and shoestring fries. Batidos are rich, Caribbean milkshakes that come in many fruity flavors, sometimes with a splash of rum. Together, the combination of the savory fritas and tangy batidos create a new favorite restaurant. Frita Batidos currently offers socially distanced indoor and outdoor seating as well as takeout options.

Pacific Rim

by Kanas

Zingerman’s Delicatessen

Frita Batidos

Z

ingerman’s is perhaps Ann Arbor’s most famous restaurant.

Its Reuben sandwich constantly tops the charts as one of the best sandwiches in the U.S., and a visit from former President Barack Obama in 2010 seems to only confirm that claim. While Zingerman’s certainly lives up to the hype (their Reuben really is incredible), the atmosphere and location in historic, beautiful. Kerrytown are what makes the restaurant special. Occupying an entire block, Zingerman’s is a deli, café, grocery store and outdoor meeting space all rolled into one. While you’re there, take a walk around Kerrytown and check out the farmer’s market and quirky shops in the area. Zingerman’s is currently closed for in-person seating and only accepts advance takeout orders.

ARTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

O

ne cannot talk about Pacific Rim without talking about the craftsmanship of its head chef, Duc Tang. Born in Vietnam, Duc spent his childhood bouncing between many different Asian and Western cities. The cuisine of Pacific Rim represents Duc’s familiarity with a variety of cultures by combining traditional Asian recipes with western culinary techniques. The result is a bold, unique menu and a fine dining experience unrivaled in Ann Arbor. Pacific Rim currently offers socially distant indoor and outdoor seating as well as takeout options.

29

Ann Arbor’s The Ark

By Madeleine Virginia Gannon

I

n the mood for a classy concert? Look no further than Ann Arbor’s music club,

The Ark. Located at 316 S. Main Street in the heart of Ann Arbor, The Ark is an easy hop, skip and jump away from campus. Boasting an intimate concert space with tables, bleachers and a bar, a concert at The Ark feels like an exclusive event. Seats are mere feet from the stage –– if you want up-close and personal, The Ark is for you. What’s more, tickets can be as low as $20, making The Ark a student-friendly space.

Offering over 300 shows a year, one can find both local artists and national stars on The Ark’s stage, such as Darlingside, Pokey LaFarge, AHI and more. For fans of folk, The Ark also hosts Ann Arbor’s annual Folk Festival: Catch your favorite bands on the big stage of Hill Auditorium and the “small” stage at The Ark year-round.

What started in 1965 as a church program to provide a creative space for both students and the arts quickly grew into a world-renowned music club and an Ann Arbor landmark.

For newly-minted Wolverines, The Ark is a must on any bucket list.

The Blind Pig

By Kaitlyn Fox

T

he Blind Pig is one of the most intimate music venues on campus.

Located in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, The Blind Pig typically

brings in small, new artists; however, many of their past performers have gone on to become major stars, including Iggy Pop and MC5.

A standing-room-only venue, “The Pig” holds just a few hundred people, which makes every show a unique and intimate experience. In fact, many artists who perform at The Blind Pig will hold meet and greets before and after the show, offering a rare opportunity to connect with the talent coming to Ann Arbor. The Pig is also extremely affordable — tickets rarely go for more than $30, more often keeping to $10 or $15.

The Blind Pig has been around since the ‘70s, and legendary artists like John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix have performed at the venue. Though it started as a concert venue and cafe, The Blind Pig has stayed true to its music roots while evolving into having more of a nightclub feel. Aside from its concerts, The Pig is also the perfect place for dancing, as local DJs in the Ann Arbor area perform frequently.

Due to its smaller size, The Pig often invites indie artists to perform, but don’t let that deter you from exploring its diverse calendar of performances. Ann Arbor is typically left out from artists’ tour destinations, but The Pig has welcomed several rising artists and is a great option to enjoy live music close to home. Be sure to check out their calendar to catch a show.

30

ARTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Local Music Scene The Co-ops

By Rosa Sofia Kaminski

W

Canterbury House

By Rosa Sofia Kaminski

T

he Episcopal campus ministry of Ann Arbor, Canterbury House is a place that emphasizes welcoming all. A tiny, intimate concert venue,

this is where you go to see friends jam. There are couches and chairs and

elcome to the cool kids’ party. The co-ops (short for cooperative housing, read: afford-

able hippie vibes) are covered in creative murals, with wide welcoming porches filled with people kicking back on a smoke break from the crowded interior.

a kitchen stocked with tea, and students regularly scattered around the

Moving inside, you’ll find it packed with people, often

room. It has the feeling of someone’s living room, just a bit cozier than

dressed to some funny theme (check out Owen’s “‘70s

your typical college house.

Porn Party.”) The live music, performed by the hottest stu-

The place has a rich history, with 1960s counter-culture stars such as Joni Mitchell and Janis Joplin having played the venue. Nowadays, it hosts regular jam sessions from jazz students and other musical peers and serves as a relaxed setting for such musicians to cut their teeth and play for others. They have also recently hosted University of Michigan alumni such as Theo Katzman and Joey Dosik (both of Vulfpeck fame) and Michelle Chamuel (a performer on “The Voice”).

dent bands on campus, ranges from funk to pop-rock, but at bigger co-op events is always danceable. After coming to a couple, you can easily find familiar faces. They verge right between concert and party, truly getting the best of both worlds (nothing matches aggressively dancing to Stevie Wonder covers and feeling the crowd surge with you). These functions are Ann Arbor encapsulated, and I guarantee you’ll have to

This is a venue I would think of as more communal than any of the others. Just across the street from North Quad Residence Hall, it truly is a hidden gem. Due to its minuscule capacity, you get the chance to talk to other attendees and meet new people who are into the same stuff as you.

Meeting new people, listening to music — does it get better than that?

exit through the window at one of them.

With quieter areas such as the porches and the kitchens, there are spots to talk to other partiers and get to know the environment around you. After coming to enough of these, maybe you’ll even end up wanting to live in a co-op one year.

ARTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

31

An n

L

s e r

WEBSITE: https://www.vaultofmidnight.com/ INSTAGRAM: @vaultofmidnight

By Brenna Goss, Daily Arts

ocated in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, Vault of Midnight

ooksto

is an incredibly fun store, filled with comic books, action fig-

ures and other related items. The staff is highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about what they sell, and they are equally friendly to comic book aficionados and newbies. In addition to allowing regular browsing, Vault of Midnight also runs a Book of the Month subscrip-

tB

“

Vault of Midnight

p e n de n de

“

Ann Arbor is home to an incredible array of independent bookstores. From comic books to antiques, this city has it all.

r o 's In b r A

tion service that sends subscribers a discounted copy of the staff’s favorite book that month, and it is hosting an online comic book versary and ramps its operations back up after a tough pandemic year, its owner, Curtis Sullivan, is full of optimism about the future: “I think (brick-and-mortar bookstores) are extremely vital, and I’m so confident in a good local business’s ability to stick around.” Sullivan, an Ann Arbor native, is “elated” to operate this bookstore in his hometown, a place where there’s “the college, and a vibrant local community, and just so many visitors from all over the world.” That

JARETT ORR/Daily

enthusiasm is evident in all Vault of Midnight’s operations.

ISAAC MANGOLD/Daily

convention in July. As Vault of Midnight approaches its 25th anni-

Literati Bookstore

WEBSITE: https://www.literatibookstore.com/ Instagram: @literatibookstore

S

ince its opening in 2013, Literati has become an extremely popular bookstore among students and community members alike. It stocks

a large selection of well-known and recently released fiction and poetry books on its main floor; in the basement, visitors will find collections on history, science, religion, sociology, social justice and more, while the second floor houses bargain books and a children’s section. Located just a few blocks from the University of Michigan’s campus, Literati is many students’ go-to stop for newly released novels and casual reads, as well as required books for some humanities and social science courses. Literati also hosts an author speaker series and a book club, which currently remain virtual even as their storefront has opened back up for browsing.

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ARTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

ISAAC MANGOLD/Daily

The Dawn Treader Book Shop WEBSITE: https://www.dawntreaderbooks.com/index.html INSTAGRAM: @dawntreaderbooks

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awn Treader is a beloved, eclectic used bookstore that has been located only a block away from campus for nearly fifty years. Accommodating

over 70,000 titles in one store, the space is crammed full of tightly packed bookshelves that create a cozy, homey atmosphere. You could spend an entire day at Dawn Treader, discovering new among the old. With books ranging from $0.50 to thousands of dollars and covering an entire world of subjects, Dawn Treader is a favorite among both casual readers and scholars. Manager Africa Schaumann says that’s the “best part” of Dawn Treader — the number and diversity of people who “bring their passions with them” into the store.

Fans of fantasy and science fiction will be particularly thrilled with Dawn Treader’s extensive fiction collections, and history buffs will love the rare manuscripts on display. As Schaumann (rightly) says, “People need books … I think the experience of holding a book, reading a book, smelling a book — all of that really does something for the human spirit that isn’t entirely explainable, but is definitely necessary.”

BECCA MAHON/Daily

West Side Book Shop WEBSITE:

https://www.westsidebookshopa2.com/

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hen West Side Book Shop opened in 1975, only a quarter of its one room was filled with

books. Today, rare and used books are crammed onto shelves and stacked in piles in three different rooms. Stepping inside feels like stepping into the past, and book lovers will feel right at home in the welcoming environment the owner, Jay Platt, has cultivated. Platt, an antiquarian bookseller, has built an impressive collection and has spent 45 years bringing his passion for history onto our modern campus. Students interested in rare and antique books or the book trade can look forward to West Side’s annual antiquarian book fair in October, which has been held in the Michigan Union since 1976. When asked about the future, Platt says, “I feel like I’ve been an important part of the community … I still love it here. I’m not going to retire anytime soon.”

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Good things to come:

Finding the art that changes you

Ruthve n

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ory. BE

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AHON /Daily

By Lizzie Yoon

In one moment of Donna Tartt's "The Goldfinch," the often misguided Theo Decker looks out at the Nevada landscape and sees a rich, red sky rolling out on either side of him.

In Nevada, the dry desert air, isolation and boredom swings people and relationships to the extreme. Everything feels somewhere between more and too much: sunbaked, overwhelmed and sharp-edged. The landscape was so foreign, after finishing the novel, it made me feel like I had lived more.

Nevada was a romantic haze — a heady mix of wild, untapped and exhausting.

The first year of college is similar. There are so many new things: residence halls, professors, parties, friends, Ann Arbor. It's easy to feel sensory overload stumbling home during Welcome Week or shivering on the way to Mosher-Jordan Dining Hall. Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan and its many different people will help scrape you raw and develop your yet unknown adult self.

If you're like me, raised in a cabbage patch of literary and narrative inspiration, you might see life as storyboarding. Every moment is a scene, chapter or episode: Things fit into categories and genres and it makes life exciting and bearable. The highs are glorious and the lows are narrative necessities.

But sometimes change is quieter and experiences in life don't line up with the hyper-lyricized prose of Pulitzer Prize-winning authors. Sometimes desperate hopes for change and an unobservant eye let college life pass you by without radically shifting your world. Sometimes, the blue Ann Arbor sky just exists instead of rolling out like a sonata above you.

So, given a desire to change, what's the solution to stave off apathy and create memorable memories? How do we open ourselves up to experiencing the world?

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ARTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

“

Ultimately, the biggest piece of advice for incoming students is to practice creativity and sensitivity. Be open-minded. By consuming the right art, the kind that makes your skin prickle and gut clench, you start to internalize new ways of perceiving.

Though science fiction and fantasy help exercise the highs and lows of human emotion and imagination, they are ultimately escapist and uninterested in appreciating our present. Self-help books similarly are not helpful for a different reason. They're mercenary: trying to sell a lifestyle, superimposing values and virtues without input from the individual. They may be helpful, but they lack the fundamental artistry necessary to nurture the spirit.

To practice looking at the world differently, I present "slice-of-life," coming-of-age stories and personal essays. They make genuine attempts to observe things as they are in the angry colors of emotion and adolescence. The elusive and aspirational fictional intensity helps stretch our empathetic and emotional muscles.

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Tove Jansson, a Finnish writer, wrote "The Summer Book" following the death of her mother, approaching change and growth as small things that happen without us noticing. Her novel isn't grand like Tartt's, but it's honest about the limited and sometimes mundane time we have on Earth.

Finding the right art that makes you look at the world more creatively helps fend off complacency and an uninterested mind. But it's not enough to watch a movie or read a book and hope for change. We live in a world where the thoughtful practical application of our emotional and mental transformation is paramount.

For incoming U-M students, approach your first year with openness. Be kind to your classmates and expect kindness. Be okay with slipping on ice and messy crying in your residence hall room. Buy instant scone mix and make baked goods for a 4 a.m. dance party. Be goofy and smart and intellectual and dorky.

Those are moments that make up a life.

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Getting Getting to to know know the the theaters theaters of of Ann Ann Arbor Arbor

By Matthew Eggers

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s a student of the University of Michigan, you will learn many things: any class before 9 a.m. is unethical, parking on Central Campus is impossible if you don't have money and can’t parallel park and ALWAYS check www.ratemyprofessors.com before taking a class. But as a Theatre and Drama student, I had the luxury to learn about “the big three.” Of course, I don’t mean Weezy, the Barbie and Drizzy Drake, but rather the three big theaters of the School of Music, Theatre & Dance: the Arthur Miller Theatre, Mendelssohn Theatre and Power Center for the Performing Arts.

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ow, this is not going to be an article in which I recite each of the architectural intricacies of these buildings, even though the Mendelssohn's plaster cyclorama is a sight to behold. No, I will instead talk about the highlights that make me so excited each time I get to step inside.

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tarting off on North Campus, there is currently one major theater that hosts a portion of the SMTD 10-show season: the Arthur Miller Theatre.

Named for the U-M alum and my high school English class’s worst enemy, the Arthur Miller is an absolutely gorgeous, adjustable theater that can go from traditional proscenium to a more modern thrust stage.

Able to hold an audience of as many as 250 people and housed inside the Walgreen Drama Center, the Miller is like the final evolution of your starter high school’s black box. Beyond this theater, North Campus is now home to all of the departments in SMTD, with a new building entirely for dance on the west side of the complex. Most students you meet will say that Central Campus is the place to be, but there’s just something exciting about the walk from the Duderstadt Center to the Moore Building. If you haven’t

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taken that cottagecore-adjacent walk, I highly recommend it.

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oving on to Central Campus, we have the quaint vibe of the Mendelssohn Theater. Mendelssohn and I have a complex relationship. It’s not that I hate this 620-seat theater – rather, it’s just not the theater for me. Yet faculty revel in this history; the Mendelssohn is attached to the Michigan League, which was constructed to function as a Women’s Union for U-M students. The velveteen chairs and wooden detailing make me feel comfortable and moody. If anything, the Mendelssohn is the best place to go to see a show and escape the tundra that is Michigan winter.

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ast but not least, we have the supreme, the Power Center. Reigning in all her glory, the Power Center is a 1300+-seat vision of concrete splendor. Located just a skip away from the Mendelssohn, the Power Center is decked out with rehearsal rooms, a scene shop and even a ghost in the rafters. Yes, supposedly, a ghost is known to meander on top of the dizzying spiral staircase at stage right. Nevertheless, the Power Center hosts a variety of theater, whether it be STMD or even that of MUSKET, one of the student theater organizations in Ann Arbor. The Power Center is absolutely stunning, and every time I get to walk through its backstage doors, it feels like a cozy weighted blanket.

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s a rising sophomore, I’ve only gotten to know these theaters in the context of the pandemic.

Still, even six feet apart from my peers, I can still see why these theaters have enchanted so many students in the past and, hopefully, you. So don’t be afraid to buy tickets to see the theater this fall because they’re are ready for an audience, and so am I.

ARTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Gameday Guide

By Lily Friedman, Daily Sports Writer

Clothing

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ven with freshmen sometimes moving in large groups, it can be confusing deciding where to go on your first game days. Before joining any clubs or organizations, many freshmen like going to fraternities for tailgates, many of which are on big streets like Hill, Oxford and Oakland. Frat tailgates are outside, so dress for the weather, and make sure you eat before at dining halls or bring snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day. Dining halls don’t open until nine on the weekends, so if you’re out early for a noon game, plan accordingly and get cereal or other food the night before. And if you didn’t think ahead, East Quad dining hall can become a necessity for food or restrooms, as it’s close to many of the tailgating spots. After tailgating, people typically walk to the Big House, so get ready to be on your feet for most of the day.

Weather

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ne unexpected thing about game days is that Michigan is hot in the summer. Very hot. And in the late fall, it can flip entirely and turn frigid.

Where to go

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There are water stations located on Hill Street and other large streets on the way to the Big House. They definitely come in handy when it’s 90 degrees and you’re sweating around thousands of people you don’t know.

Adversely, if it’s cold, bring warm clothes to tailgate in. Even if the warmest Michigan sweatshirt you own may not be the most desired tailgating attire, it’ll be worth it to stay warm, especially if you want to brave the cold and stay at the Big House for even part of games later in the season.

o some, finding a perfect outfit for game days can be stressful.

You don’t know many people yet.

You probably will take pictures, and you may be worried about what’s normal. The best part about game days is that everything is normal.

People start planning their game day attire far in advance, which is great, but I’ve learned two things.

First, people in your dorm will have clothes that complement your outfit and help it come together at the last minute. Secondly, it doesn’t matter what you wear. If you’re comfortable in whatever crazy (or not crazy) Michigan clothes you have, that’s perfect.

While the MDen is a great place to buy any shirt, sweatshirt or other piece of clothing you may want. An old sweatshirt or plain T-shirt does you just as well if you’re happy with it.

So enjoy your first game days as a Wolverine. While you may not instantly know the people around you or the ins-and-outs of football Saturdays, there’s a sense of community that you’ll find rooting for the same team as thousands of other people around you, so enjoy it.

MILES MACKLIN/Daily

SPORTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

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ichigan football is the heartbeat that pulsates fall Saturdays in Ann Arbor. And with a return to normalcy imminent, the upcoming football season should look, and feel, relatively normal. ailgates will dot the campus, commencing in the early hours of the morning. Legions of fans, 110,000 strong, will flock to the Big House, packing a stadium like nowhere else in the world.

true freshman set to dictate Michigan’s ceiling.

Junior Cade McNamara, who saw limited action last season for the Wolverines, and Texas Tech transfer Alex Bowman are likely to round out the quarterback competition.

hoever draws the start in the opener against Western Michigan will have plenty of options around him on offense. Hassan Haskins, last year’s leading rusher, returns to anchor a talented backfield n recent years, though, the mystique of gameday has that includes speedy Blake Corum and Donovan Edbeen numbed by a perpetually disappointing on-field wards, the second crown jewel of Michigan’s incomproduct. For a program steeped in college football lore, ing freshman class. Out wide, senior Ronnie this era of Michigan football operates as a Bell has established himself as a go-to shell of its past self, starved for a reoption, while Cornelius Johnson turn to times of dominance that span, Daily Sp n and A.J. Henning will have to e ort re just keep growing further away.

G sW step up to replace lost proed r r duction from Giles Jacka ust six years ago, Jim son, who transferred Harbaugh returned out of the program in to Michigan a savior, the offseason. an alum destined to

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revitalize one of the sport’s sleeping giants. Now Harbaugh, still chugging along entering his seventh season, stands at a crossroads. The 2020 season marked a nadir in his tenure, the Wolverines stumbling through a listless 2-4 campaign, again plummeting from national relevancy.

n the other side of the ball, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, a projected first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, returns from a broken leg to lead an upstart Wolverine defense. With the likes of Kwity Paye, ALLISON ENGKVIST/Daily Ambry Thomas and Cam McGrone all lost to the NFL, it will be up to a host of talentet Harbaugh is back, fresh off ed yet mostly unproven players to a contract extension, given one last fill voids and earn playing time under new chance to orchestrate a turnaround. There are defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. signs he has the Wolverines heading in the right direction.

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A revamped coaching staff reflects a concerted effort amongst the program to grow younger. Harabaugh bolstered the roster by inking a top-15 recruiting class, headlined by quarterback J.J. McCarthy, a wonderkid already billed as the final lifeline to Harbaugh’s reign.

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s for the 2021 season, the most pressing question looms under center, with McCarthy’s readiness as a true freshman set to dictate Michigan’s ceiling. Junior

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s Michigan looks to climb back to both relevance and supremacy, in what is perhaps Harbaugh’s final stand, there is certainly no shortage of intrigue surrounding the Wolverines in the upcoming season.

And after last year’s dud, is there anywhere else to go but up?

SPORTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Michigan Men's Basketball looks to build on last year’s

ALLISON ENGKVIST/Daily

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SUCCESS

By Daniel Dash, Daily Sports Writer

hen John Beilein abruptly left Ann Arbor for the Cleveland

the team’s MVP during a radio show appearance this past season,

Cavaliers in May 2019, few believed the Michigan men’s bas-

lauding his leadership and attention to detail. Without Brooks in the

ketball team wouldn’t miss a beat under first-time head coach Juwan Howard.

lineup, the Wolverines lost at Minnesota and at Michigan State.

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ickinson and Brooks will be joined by the nation’s top-ranked

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ut so far, that’s exactly how the beginning of Howard’s tenure has unfolded. Under the tutelage of the AP National Coach of

recruiting class, headlined by McDonald’s All-Americans Ca-

leb Houstan, Moussa Diabate and Kobe Bufkin. Houstan emerged

the Year, the Wolverines secured an outright Big Ten title during the

as one of the class of 2021’s top 3-point shooters after reclassi-

2020-21 season and finished with a 23-5 overall record, includ-

fying from 2022, while Diabate is one of the nation’s most athletic

ing a 14-3 mark in conference play. They earned a No. 1 seed in the

frontcourt prospects. Bufkin, an in-state product from Grand Rap-

NCAA Tournament for the first time since Howard’s Fab Five days,

ids, saw his stock steadily rise as one of the country’s top combo

but Franz Wagner’s game-winning 3-point attempt fell short in the

guards. The trio will arrive in Ann Arbor this summer as the Wolver-

Elite Eight against UCLA.

ines’ first McDonald’s All-Americans since Daniel Horton earned the

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honor in 2002.

hough Michigan didn’t reach the Final Four, the Wolverines’ success was an undoubted leap in Year 2 of the Howard era. Seniors

Isaiah Livers, Eli Brooks and Austin Davis served as the program’s bridge between Beilein and Howard, while transfers Mike Smith and Chaundee Brown also played key backcourt roles.

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esides Brooks, all of Michigan’s scholarship seniors — along with Wagner — will pursue professional opportunities instead of

using the COVID-19-induced extra year of eligibility awarded by the NCAA. That’s no small loss, as the team’s departures accounted for 48.9 points per game of production this past season.

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ut that doesn’t mean the Wolverines are taking a step backward.

Michigan is set to bring back reigning Big Ten Freshman of the

Year Hunter Dickinson, who averaged 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds en route to All-American honors. The Wolverines will also welcome back Brooks, the only senior to exercise the extra year of eligibility. Michigan associate head coach Phil Martelli crowned Brooks as

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our-star guards Frankie Collins and Isaiah Barnes and threestar forward Will Tschetter round out the recruiting class. A

pure point guard, Collins’ 44-inch vertical will make him one of the Big Ten’s most explosive ball-handlers as a freshman. Barnes is a high-flying 3-and-D prospect from Howard’s hometown Chicago, while Tschetter led the state of Minnesota in scoring with 33.6 points per game as a junior. The Wolverines also dipped into the transfer portal to add Coastal Carolina graduate transfer DeVante’ Jones, the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year. He and Collins will battle for starting point guard duties leading up to the season tipoff.

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ll told, Michigan’s roster will look very different when it takes the court this winter. But led by Dickinson, Brooks, senior

Brandon Johns Jr. and the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, expect the Wolverines to contend for another conference title along with Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan State and Maryland.

SPORTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

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Michigan Women's

Spo rt

tl i g h o p S t s

By Max Wadley, Summer Sports Editor

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he Michigan women’s gymnastics team brought some new hardware back to Ann Arbor at the end of last season: a national championship. A blue-chip gymnastics program, this was the first time the Wolverines won the national title in program history.

Michigan is in good shape to remain amongst the best teams in the country. Phenom Natalie Wojcik, the reigning Team MVP, is back for another season. Wojcik is one of the most talented Wolverines on the team and has recorded a perfect score of 10.0 three times in her career: once in 2019 on vault and twice in 2021 (one on beam and one on vault). The star finished with a score above 9.900 on 16 routines and should have another dominant season next year.

Michigan coach Bev Plocki is returning for her 32nd consecutive season as head coach of the program and has built the team into a consistent national contender over her tenure. Plocki has captured 24 Big Ten Championships — the most of any coach, in any sport, in Big Ten history — and should have the Wolverines in contention for the national title again next year.

BECCA MAHON/Daily

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SPORTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Women’s Basketball

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he Michigan women’s basketball team is coming off the best season of coach Kim Barnes Arico’s tenure in Ann Arbor, go-

ing 16-6 overall and 9-4 in the Big Ten, and making the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in the program’s history.

Despite a series of stoppages due to COVID-19, the Wolverines have begun to establish themselves as a blue-chip program in the world of women’s basketball and have the potential for another strong campaign next year. Forward Naz Hillmon, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, will be returning as a centerpiece of the team. Hillmon is the most dominant post player in the country and averaged 24 points and 11.4 rebounds a game last season. Also returning for Michigan is wing Leigha Brown, who was second on the team in points per game with 18.2. The former Nebraska transfer was a cornerstone of the offense last season and provided a mid-range and long-range threat that scrambled defenses.

In addition to Hillmon and Brown, guards Amy Dilk and Maddie Nolan will also be returning to the court for the Wolverines. Center Izabel Varejao, who did not play last year due to COVID-19 protocols, will also be hitting the court. With plenty of experienced talent and a wide range of depth, Michigan will be poised

MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily

Softball

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fter a tough loss in the NCAA tournament regional competition, the Michigan softball team will rely on the winnin-

gest coach in NCAA softball history, Carol Hutchins, to push for another shot at the national title.

to make another historic run next season.

Last season, the pitching combination of Alex Storako and

Field Hockey

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Meghan Beaubien left opposing offenses swinging at empty

fter a heartbreaking overtime loss to North Carolina in the NCAA Championship game this past season, the Wolver-

ines will be returning to the field with a vengeance this fall.

One of the most dominant teams in NCAA field hockey history,

space as the team went 38-8 overall and 36-6 in Big Ten play.

With Beaubien having graduated, the team will have to find another pitcher to pair with Storako to make up for the loss of Beaubien’s skills.

Michigan won the Big Ten Championship last year and only lost

The Wolverines will also have to replace the slugging power

two games in the regular season.

of seniors Taylor Bump and Lou Allan, who led the team with

Goalkeeper Anna Spieker will be returning for the Wolverines after her incredible 2020 season, where she allowed only 6 goals in the entire regular season. Spieker was a key player in the shoot-out win over Louisville in the NCAA tournament semifi-

12 and 11 home runs, respectively. Lexie Blair, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year who batted .406 and led the team in runs with 42 last year, will have to carry the load offensively for Michigan next season.

nals, and will be poised to dominate in the goal once again. Also

Hutchins will have to rely on her coaching talents in order to

returning is lead goal-scorer Sarah Pyrtek, who led the team

lead the Wolverines back to the NCAA tournament and have

with 17 points last season.

them competing with the best teams in the country. Michigan

Returning for her 22nd season is coach Marcia Pankratz, who led Michgian to its first and only national championship back in 2001. Since returning in 2009 from a brief coaching hiatus, Pankratz has won three Big Ten Championships with the Wolverines and should be able to lead them to another one this year.

has dominated the Big Ten conference, winning 10 conference championships since 2010, and the coaching staff has a proven track record of producing dominant teams. Only time will tell, however, if the Wolverines with the departure of talented seniors will be able to return to form next season and advance to their first Women’s College World Series since 2016.

SPORTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

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42 MILES MACKLIN/Daily

SPORTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

• Nov. 27: The Wolverines take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the regular

• Nov. 23: Thanksgiving recess starts as the weather begins to become cold

• Early November : Men’s basketball season begins

NOVEMBER

• Sept. 25: Parents weekend in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines take on Rutgers in the Big House

• Sept. 11: Michigan football prime-time game at home against Washington

• Sept. 4: Michigan opens football season at home against Western Michigan

SEPTEMBER

Michigan Athletics 2021-2022 Timeline • Dec. 20: Last day of final exams

• Dec. 10: Classes end

• Dec. 4: Potential Big Ten Football Championship game in Indianapolis

DECEMBER

MILES MACKLIN/Daily

• Oct. 30: Scary hours for the football team as they face off against Michigan State in East Lansing the day before Halloween

• Oct. 18-19: Fall break commences as students take the time to rest up for the rest of the semester.

• Early October: Hockey season begins

OCTOBER

• August 30: Classes begin in Ann Arbor

AUGUST

APRIL

GRACE BEAL/Daily

SPORTS | THE MICHIGAN DAILY

• Apr. 28: Last day of exams

• Apr. 19: Classes end

• Apr. 7-9: Frozen Four takes place at TD Garden in Boston

• Apr. 2-4: Final Four takes place at the Superdome in New Orleans

• Mid-February: Baseball and softball teams begin their seasons

FEBRUARY

By Josh Taubman & Max Wadley, Summer Sports Editors

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ANNIE KLUSENDORF/Daily

• Mar. 25: NCAA Hockey Tournament begins

• Mar. 17: March Madness begins

• Mar. 13: Selection Sunday for the men’s NCAA basketball tournament

• Mar. 9-13: The men’s basketball team competes in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis

MARCH

• Jan. 10: CFP National Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

• Jan 5: Classes restart in Ann Arbor

• Jan 1: Potential Wolverine football New Year's Six bowl game

JANUARY

Begin your U-M Journey Before Arriving on Campus.

Michigan Online is your destination for free online courses taught by leading U-M faculty. Explore courses now to help you prepare for your on-campus experience this fall.

Learn more about Michigan Online and our courses at online.umich.edu/content/new-students/