July 8, 2019

HELLOhokies collegiatetimes.com

July 8, 2019

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

a Collegiate Times special section

Freshmen, all 7500 of you, we’re sorry. But we’re here to help.

Over-enrollment by nearly 1000 causes uproar amid changes on campus page 3

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Weighing the pros and cons of going Greek page 7

PAGE 2 July 8, 2019

Editor’s Note:

ASHLEY LONG editor in chief

To the Class of 2023: Welcome home.

You’ve finally made it to the best place on Earth – Virginia Tech. You’re now a member of the most welcoming, spirited and united group of people to ever exist. Hokie Nation is thrilled to have all approximately 7500 of you.

Now, let’s talk about that number. I’m a liberal arts major, so math isn’t my forte, but 7500 seems like a lot more people to cram into Blacksburg, let alone the Virginia Tech

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campus. I would be lying if I told you this wasn’t going to affect your freshman experience, because it will. Lines will be longer and dorms will be more crowded, but most of all, people are going to start to blame everything on the Class of 2023 from the lack of parking to dining halls running out of chicken parm.

However, we’re here to tell you that it’s not your fault, and we welcome you with open arms. Virginia Tech is your home, whether you’re living in New Hall West or the Holiday Inn. Over-enrollment is not going to define your freshman experience, it just may add on a few challenges.

In this issue, you’ll find some helpful tips to help you combat the side effects of over-enrollment, but you’ll also find guides to help you get started in your new home.

I speak for the entire staff of the Collegiate Times when I say we’re thrilled to have you here and we can’t wait to meet our new Hokie Nation family members.

Welcome to Virginia Tech!

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HELLOhokies sneak peek

Timing tips for conquering overenrollment page 4

‘I swear I have friends’: Freshman year lessons page 5

Start jumping: Key Virginia Tech traditions page 12

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How to Hokie: Tips for incoming freshmen page 14

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July 8, 2019 PAGE 3

Over-enrollment by nearly 1000 causes uproar amid constant changes on campus Students arrive on Washington Street SW to move into their dorms for the 2016–17 school year.

TAHREEM ALAM news editor

A number of changes are coming to Virginia Tech. While some are related to the over-enrollment news that broke last spring, others include changes in tuition, expanding campus buildings and improving old facilities.

Over-enrollment With Virginia Tech’s original target number of incoming freshman students surpassed by 1,000 more acceptances, the university faced the question of how to accommodate around 7,500 new students.

The over-enrollment issue arose after more than 1,000 additional students said “yes” to their Virginia Tech acceptances last spring. With such a large number, the university had to take measures for dealing with the uptick in acceptances, including waiving the requirement for freshman to live on campus and offering incentives to have students attend Virginia Tech later than fall 2019. These incentives include scholarship-promised gap years, community college options and starting classes earlier in the summertime.

“It’s awkward to say, but this is a great

challenge to be faced with it because so many people want to be at Virginia Tech,” said Mark Owczarski, assistant vice president of university relations at Virginia Tech. “If we were forcing them to come, it would be a different kind of story. But this is not the case. Students are saying, ‘we want to be here.’”

One of the most common questions that arose involved housing for the students.

Starting in the fall, Virginia Tech will house approximately 325 students in the first three floors of the Inn at Virginia Tech and 195 students at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites hotels near the Blacksburg campus. According to VT News, the facilities will have live-in staff, resident advisors (RAs) and other forms of dorm-style arrangements and activities to help provide a “community-centered experience and safe environment.”

Moreover, the University’s response to the question of dining on campus is having “expanded hours, maximized menu offerings for efficiency and grab-and-go options.”

Regardless of the influx of students, class sizes will remain the same. However, the university will add additional sections for high-demand courses, and several of

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the colleges are in the hiring process to increase the number of faculty to teach these additional classes.

As far as Blacksburg is concerned, some say the sudden increase of students poses a massive problem for the small town.

“We have three months to find some place to house all these freshmen,” said Blacksburg Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith to The Washington Post. “A thousand people in a very small town … There aren’t places for people to go. They don’t exist.”

Tuition freeze The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors voted unanimously to freeze the tuition cost for in-state, resident undergraduate tuition at $11,420 for the 2019-2020 school year.

However, while the tuition cost will freeze, mandatory fees for resident students will increase by $71 in total.

Room and board costs for resident and nonresident students will increase by 4.6%. Finally, the total cost of tuition for out-of-state students will still rise by 2.9% at $32,835 yearly.

Construction This summer, Virginia Tech began and

ANNA FRIESEN / COLLEGIATE TIMES

continued multiple construction projects throughout the campus. Some buildings to be expanded or renovated include the new Creativity and Innovation District Living-Learning Community (CID LLC) residential hall and the 80-year-old mining and minerals engineering and materials science and engineering building Holden Hall.

Student wellness centers like War Memorial Hall, McComas Hall and Schiffert Medical Center are also being renovated in late 2019.

“This summer kicks off one of the most unprecedented periods of construction in the university’s history,” said Dwayne Pinkney, senior vice president for operations and administration, to VT News.

“These projects will not only transform the visual campus landscape, but deliver necessary upgrades to infrastructure, expand housing and wellness opportunities, and fuel interdisciplinary research and collaboration.”

@Tahreem_Alam

PAGE 4 July 8, 2019

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Timing tips for conquering over-enrollment CLAIRE CASTAGNO AND ROBBY FLETCHER assistant sports editor and sports editor

With the incoming fall freshman class expected to be somewhere between 7,500 and 8,000 students, which would top the previous record set in 2017 of 6,836 students, a lot of popular places around campus are expected to be even more crowded and cramped than previous years.

While popular dinings halls like Turner and West End as well as the Blacksburg Transit bus stops have always been crowded at specific times, this year is expected to be even more so for students. Have no fear though, as the Sports Squad has you covered through experience and sometimes pure luck for the best times to go anywhere or do anything around campus.

Best times to ride Blacksburg Transit Figuring out the best times to use Blacksburg Transit is an absolute must for any student living on- or off-campus. While it’s hard to ever really find a time where

A Blacksburg Transit bus waits outside Burruss Hall, Oct. 5, 2018.

the bus is completely empty on your way to class (unless you have a rare class late in the evening), you can plan out a way to get on the bus before the huge crowds come on and take all the seats. Going on a bus an hour before your class starts gives you plenty of time to get to class on time without worrying about a completely filled bus that might just drive right past you due to full capacity.

The best times of the day to use the buses

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to get on campus when you don’t have to be rushed would be the times of day when students are generally in class; buses coming to your stop around 1:30 or 2 p.m. on a school day will likely be pretty spacious because students will generally already be in classes starting around noon or 1 p.m. This also applies for later classes. Going on the bus a little after 3 or 4 p.m. also works for the same reason. If you’re ever trying to make a quick run onto campus for some food or to hit the gym when you’re not busy, it’s always best to plan around class times to have the best chance at getting a seat on the bus.

Best times to eat in the dining halls Any Virginia Tech student can confirm that during the week the dining halls, especially Turner Place, are unpleasantly crowded with busy students at times. That is the price we pay for having one of the country’s best on-campus dining services. Lines are abnormally long and can make it difficult to get in and out for a quick bite in between classes. Going at times where the dining halls tend to be less busy can be a much more enjoyable experience.

The best time to visit the dining halls are when classes are in session. Most students grab food directly before or after class, so dining halls should be avoided during those times if possible. The way to ensure you do not get caught in the after-class rush is to wait 30-40 minutes after your class ends to head over to the dining halls. By then, most of the crowd should be cleared out. Later in the evening, most freshmen and students living on-campus tend to stick with the dining halls on the residential side of campus (West End, Owens, D2) for dinner. Turner is close to empty and in perfect condition for a relaxing meal. Tapingo is also a great way to avoid lines. The app lets you order food

ALEX NAGELI / COLLEGIATE TIMES

from the dining halls online for pickup.

Just time the placement of your order so it is waiting for you when you are released from class. The theme that should be taken away from this is that planning around classes is very important. If you can master a schedule of when you eat at the dining halls, you will quickly learn that huge crowds can be avoided.

Best time to head to Lane Stadium for a game It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there when it comes to finding the best possible seats for a football game, which means you have to be prepared at all times. Planning ahead and knowing when to make the walk over to the stadium, whether you’re coming from your dorm or from Center Street, is vital to finding the exact amount of seats for your group that give you as good a view of the field as possible.

We’d recommend leaving from Center Street to Lane about 70 minutes before kickoff starts. Why so specific a time?

Well, it comes down the amount of time it takes you to regroup with everyone as well as accommodate for obstacles such as (but not limited to) bathroom breaks, large and slow-walking groups ahead of you, the loss of a ticket, and even a quick and spontaneous stop to get food. It’s generally about a 15 minute adventure getting from Center to Lane, but that trip can easily turn into a 30 minute walk. If you leave with an appropriate amount of time, you’ll definitely get to the stadium with plenty of time to spare and at least a good spot on the east stands for you and your group.

@CTSportsTalk

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Students pose for a picture with the HokieBird, April 20, 2018.

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July 8, 2019 PAGE 5

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES

‘I swear I have friends’: Freshman year lessons

H

ave you ever sat around perusing your Facebook feed — snickering at cat videos, scrolling through meme pages, stalking your ex — when you come across someone’s post and think: Wait, how exactly do I know this person?

For me, the answer tends to be freshman orientation, which coincidentally has the same number of syllables as the phrase “people you won’t see again.”

The entire ordeal lasts less than 48 hours, during which you meet other first-years, design your class schedule and receive your student ID (i.e., the sweatiest, most sunburnt and single-worst picture you might ever take).

The first day is designed to be a glimpse of your potential new college friends.

It consists of what I call administrative matchmaking: You’re assigned a group and an orientation leader with whom you spend the rest of the day participating in lukewarm icebreakers. I think the general idea is to meet your BFFs before classes

even start.

More realistically, you’ll talk to maybe three people, possibly grab breakfast with one of them the next morning, and be on your merry way. You won’t keep in touch; your knowledge of your orientation buddies over the next four years will mostly comprise where they studied abroad, which music festivals they attended and what tattoos they inked into their skin.

There’s also the infrequent self-congratulatory I-passed-my-finals-and/or-madeDean’s-List posts. Someone will probably announce their engagement. You probably won’t care about any of it, and that’s okay.

Authenticity can’t be fabricated over a coffee date or a game of two truths and a lie.

For this reason — among others — of the many pressures college imposes on freshmen, making new friends was the one that weighed on me the most. As soon as I set foot on campus, it seemed as though everyone found a solid friend group, which I have operationally defined as the same

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six or seven people who you can rely on to study with, hangout with and get drunk with.

The notion of a singular friend group in and of itself seemed weird to me. In high school, I flitted among two or three of these groups and had a good time with all of them. I had my friends from the newspaper staff, friends from choir and friends from those classes that we kept getting thrown into together. Granted, it was a smaller environment, where the graduating class size was around 500 people as opposed to 7,000. It occured to me that I forgot how to make friends, or that I never really learned how to in the first place.

My first semblance of a college friend group came in the form of my freshman roommates. I chose to go random, assuming I would get one roommate, and wound up with three. They ended up housing us in a quad in East Eggleston, and I remember looking forward to adjusting to this unexpected living situation. We couldn’t really complain; the building was

air conditioned, our room was twice the size of everyone else’s in our hall and we were right across from the bathroom.

Some people are apprehensive about random roommates, but I actually liked mine when I met them. We were all from different parts of the state; I’m from northern Virginia, two of them were from the Richmond area and one was from southwest Virginia.

Lesson No. 1: You are going to meet people from all walks of life during your time here at Tech. Don’t be afraid to make friends with them; there are few better ways to grow as a person than to hang out with those who are different from you. You can learn a lot about yourself, as well as others. Even if you don’t stay friends, you won’t regret knowing them.

As I got to know my roommates, I thought they seemed perfectly nice, like vanilla ice cream or a black dress — nice, but maybe missing something like a dash HOME / page 10

PAGE 6 July 8, 2019

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Beginner’s guide to Tech’s ‘Effect’ traditions DAVIS CARBAUGH sports editor

Whether you’re packing into Lane Stadium with 66,000 other Virginia Tech fans or simply walking across campus, the Maroon and Orange Effect shirts are essential items for any Hokie’s wardrobe.

The Maroon and Orange Effects are a new tradition in Blacksburg, but it is certainly a favorite amongst students.

Every year, the Virginia Tech Student Government Association designs Effect shirts for the upcoming sports seasons.

While the shirts are primarily used for football, all Tech sports have Maroon and Orange Effects.

The Maroon and Orange Effect events are football games in which all Tech fans going to the game wear the same color. Lane Stadium is then one solid color, thus giving a maroon or orange effect. This makes the Tech home stadium an even more daunting atmosphere for visiting teams.

Over the years at Tech, every Hokie

has their favorite edition of the Effect shirts that they wear the most or believe bring good luck to the teams. Collecting the shirts over the years is a fun way to remember your time at Virginia Tech.

The Orange Effect will take place on Sep. 14 against Furman in Virginia Tech’s third game of the season. This will likely be a noon kickoff, so the short-sleeved shirt should be appropriate for the weather.

In the following week’s game against the Duke Blue Devils, a White Effect will take place at Lane Stadium. The White Effect is a relatively new add-on to the Maroon and Orange Effects and has become another student favorite over the years.

This year’s Maroon Effect game is the homecoming game against North Carolina on Oct. 19. Since the game is later in the fall, the Maroon Effect t-shirt is a long sleeve this season.

When it comes to basketball season, any of the Maroon and Orange Effect shirts are good choices to wear to games. Recently, the men’s and women’s basketball teams

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Marching Virginians hype up the crowd at Lane Stadium before the Hokies enter the field to face Miami in the Maroon Effect game, Nov. 17, 2018.

have started blackouts and whiteouts. These games usually take place against big-time ACC opponents at Cassell Coliseum.

The shirts are inexpensive and sell out quickly at the bookstore and Dietrick convenience store. That being said, incoming freshmen should secure their shirts at

orientation or as soon as they move in. The Maroon and Orange Effects are a tradition like no other and the shirts are an excellent way to show school spirit around campus. @Davis_Carbaugh

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July 8, 2019 PAGE 7

Weighing the pros and cons of going Greek CALLIE FENTRESS lifestyles staff writer

Virginia Tech is a growing school full of countless opportunities, among which lies an impressive selection of sororities and fraternities. Tech boasts a plethora of Greek organizations, including 23 fraternities and 21 sororities, which can be overwhelming to someone unsure of whether becoming a sister or brother to a number of complete strangers is the path they want to take upon entering college. Although formal recruitment does not occur until after winter break, it is important to start thinking about the process realistically before considering the reasons for joining.

life and still have a difficult time making friends or feeling like they fit in. Just like in middle and high school, the unfortunate reality of any social group is that divides happen and cliques often form.

If you choose to rush, it is important to not set expectations because everyone’s recruitment experience is different.

Greek life is not just about friends, however, it is also about the experience of being a part of something larger than yourself. Each Greek organization has a philanthropy that is unique to them for which they raise money throughout each semester. A few of these causes are breast cancer awareness, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Make-A-Wish

“For someone coming to Tech

without the comfort of a high school friend group, meeting new people and finding your place can be tough.

Foundation, among others. Actively working to support a good cause and participating in events where you can see the benefits firsthand can be extremely rewarding and can provide a sense of purpose, especially to someone still unsure of where they fit in.

While Greek life can be an exciting new adventure to embark on, one major factor to consider is cost. Each semester of membership can be up to 500 dollars depending on the organization, not to mention initiation and other new member fees which can range from 600-800 dollars.

College is a huge expense as is, and the harsh reality is that many people cannot afford the price of membership. If this is the case for you, an alternative option to typical Greek life would be service and honor organizations.

There are numerous factors to consider when deciding if Greek life is right for you, ultimately coming down to what you want to get out of the organization. Remember to keep an open mind and understand that while Greek life can be the best thing to happen to some, the experience varies for everyone. As with any big decision, be realistic, talk to those currently involved and jot down a pros and cons list to help you figure out if going Greek is the best option for you.

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AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES The former Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity sits at the entrance to the Oak Lane Community, July 3, 2019.

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A practical pro to going Greek is that it opens doors to numerous career and networking opportunities around the world, and teaches the importance of sisterhood or brotherhood and philanthropy. Increased access to administrators, faculty and other students means that members are able to utilize the knowledge, experiences and connections these resources provide, which can relieve some of the stress associated with searching for internships and jobs. Some organizations also have Facebook pages designed to provide access to brothers or sisters within the organization from all different career paths so that current members can get a realistic preview of potential future careers.

For someone coming to Tech without the comfort of a high school friend group, meeting new people and finding your place can be tough. Aside from connections, one of the most sought-after benefits of joining Greek life is the promise of automatic friends. The experience of rushing alone is sometimes enough to bond a group of people together for life, not to mention the rituals, philanthropy, socials and close-knit family aspect of both sisterhood and brotherhood from an organization.

Now, the whole automatic friend group gig may sound right up your alley, but it is important to consider that not everyone has the same experience, and sometimes finding your “home” doesn’t mean you’ll truly feel at home. Some people join Greek

”

PAGE 8 July 8, 2019

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Dorm life: Learning to value the small things HEATHER TROBRIDGE lifestyles staff writer

People always say, “the more the merrier,” but this year’s freshmen are definitely pushing the limits with that statement. While some students get to live the “suite life” at the Holiday Inn, the rest will be stuck in Virginia Tech’s dorms. We got lucky –– my friends that go to other schools couldn’t fathom having a sink in their room and how much easier that made life, but a dorm is a dorm all the same.

Converting to a new way of living is often challenging; it can be hard for a lot of students to leave home and start anew at school. Living in a dorm, trying to find a roommate and sharing a space with someone else may seem daunting (especially when some may have more than one roommate this year), but there are plenty of pros to living on campus your first year.

Learning the land Nothing helps you figure out a school as large as Tech than having

to walk from a dorm like Pritchard or West Ambler Johnston all the way to New Classroom Building.

Taking the time to get your steps in and walk all across campus your first year is super beneficial; while your freshman year classes may be easy to find in Squires and McBryde, eventually you’ll have a class in a building you briefly remember seeing a sign for when you were rushing to class on a rainy day. Walking to everything builds character and familiarizes you with campus.

Convenience is everything The one thing I miss about living on campus is being next door to a gym and right by one of the dining halls.

Not being tied to a rigid Blacksburg Transit schedule or having to pay for a parking pass was something that I took for granted freshman year.

Enjoy the luxury of waking up 30 minutes before class, not having to beg a friend for a ride to campus, getting to go back to your dorm for a power nap during the hour between a class or having to fight for a spot in the Squires lot for a club meeting;

you’ll miss having everything at your fingertips when you move off campus.

Improving yourself Living with another person is hard.

It can feel impossible at times, but honestly, some of the things you can learn about yourself while in close quarters with your fellow Hokies can really help you down the road. You may realize you’re loud and need to work on keeping your voice down while someone is working. You may realize you keep your space a mess and need to work on picking up after yourself. Along with the negative, you may also learn some positive or helpful things, like what times you study best or tricks on how you can keep a schedule on track. Your dorm experience can teach you more about yourself and make you more self aware than you first realize.

Dorm friends, best friends It goes without saying that leaving your door open on move-in day is the most popular piece of advice someone can give to an incoming freshman.

Everyone is in the same boat; go out of your way to say “hi” to your hallmates, and these relationships can turn out to be some of the best and longest that you create throughout college. There are very few opportunities to bond over shared showers, hot hallways and midnight fire drills so enjoy these experiences while you have the chance.

Dorm living may have its pitfalls but the memories and connections that you make will stay with you throughout your days at Virginia Tech. You’ll always look back fondly at your dorm building once you move out, regardless of how gross the inside may have been. Pretty much everyone has to do it, so pack your shower shoes and get ready for move-in day.

@Heather_Tro

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July 8, 2019 PAGE 9

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Choosing to make Virginia Tech your home

W

hat is Home? Home is where the heart is, where the people you love are or wherever you make it. Home is where one feels a comfort beyond any other. It’s where one can breathe easy and be themselves entirely, never second guessing. Home is where the best memories are made and the stories of your life are told.

In the summer, many potential college students are spinning. Their time of simplicity is dwindling; a choice has to be made and a step must be taken. The pressure builds when options multiply: beautiful campuses, diverse academics, generous scholarships, abounding opportunities and of course a plethora of food choices. How is one to press pause on what seems to be the biggest decision in their present life and really choose?

I offer two comments on this decision making process.

Firstly, the ultimate choice you make will never break you; it can only make you. Incoming Hokies should shake their

“Virginia Tech is my home, and I

surely hope it’s yours too, but no matter where your feet take you, rest assured knowing that you are in for the ride of your life.

”

shoulders out and release the tension that they’ve imposed upon themselves. The weight of the world is not on their shoulders as they take their next steps in adulthood.

Thousands of people are going through this same decision making process. Though it may be daunting, taking a step forward is much more promising than standing still.

Progress is being made. No matter where you end up, any house can be made a home with a little hard work.

Secondly, this is where you are choosing to spend the next four years of your life; that future should be put into significant perspective. This isn’t simply choosing a

name of an institution for the sake of pride and conversation. Several years and thousands of dollars later, the name of your university won’t hold as much weight as the education and the quality of the experience you’ve made there. You are choosing where you want to live your life.

It shouldn’t be a matter of making yourself fit; rather, it should be a matter of choosing where you will thrive. You are making the choice of where you are going to make an impact. How will you change your future campus/future home? The second you find your authenticity slipping away, you know you’re in the wrong place. It’s when

a sparkle in your eye is lit, a giddiness bubbles in your chest and you begin to imagine yourself with a backpack strutting across campus; that is when you’ve found your home.

Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” — that I may serve — but it also emphasizes that “This is Home.” Now, it may not be everyone’s home, but the people who reside in Blacksburg can feel that kindling of a fire inside their hearts to make it so for those who attend. We serve our community and one another to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement, to make anyone who comes to feel like they can kick off their shoes and stay a while.

Virginia Tech is my home, and I surely hope it’s yours too, but no matter where your feet take you, rest assured knowing that you are in for the ride of your life.

KAYLEY MANARCHUCK • opinions columnist • senior/philosophy and neuroscience

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from page 5

of sprinkles or a decorative scarf. I knew we didn’t have to be the best of friends, but we got along well, and I genuinely enjoyed their company. I felt that I was lucky with how our living situation turned out.

We went our separate ways, and I came home for the summer feeling reasonably happy with how freshman year turned out. I took a mental quiz: Grades? Good. Friends?

Acquired. Weight gain? Minimal, muscle only. Final score: 2 out of 3. It seemed I was a little off on the friends part.

About a week after moving out of the dorm, the summer boredom started to sink in.

One night, as I was scrolling lazily through my Instagram feed, I came across a photo of my former roommates. It was one of those OMG-I-miss-my-friends-and-college-town sort of posts that every freshman (girl) feels compelled to make. It wasn’t unusual, except I wasn’t in it. What was more odd — I specifically asked one of them if she wanted to take those end-of-year photos. You know, the ones usually taken outside your dorm or in front of iconic spots on campus.

I distinctly remembered her response: “Nah …”

At which I laughed and responded, “Okay good, me neither.”

Truth be told, I always thought those kinds of photos — mainly the ones by the sign in front of your dorm — were kind of lame. I asked to be polite, and to continue a tired tradition, but felt relieved at her rebuff.

When I saw that photo — multiple times, as all three of them posted variations of it — I couldn’t believe that this actually happened. I was simultaneously humiliated and annoyed.

It seemed that overnight the roommates who I regarded as friends wanted nothing to do with me. They were suddenly besties, while I had been shunted literally and figuratively out of the picture. I can’t say I was completely blindsided. I’m a firm believer in intuition; when you live in a single room with three other people for a year, the vibe changes every so often. Even the slightest oscillation is magnified tenfold, becoming as tangible as a pinprick. As the school year progressed, I sensed that my roommates grew closer to each other than they had to me, though I didn’t think too much of it.

With that being said, their outright dismissal admittedly stung a little. It would have been one thing if they just never spoke to or interacted with me all year. I have a relatively thick skin; rejection was something I could handle. Rejection ex post facto, however, was uncharted territory.

Which brings me to Lesson No. 2: There

FILE 2017

is no point in being passive aggressive when you can just be aggressive. Or at least honest. If certain people rub you the wrong way, don’t waste your time — or theirs — pretending to be friends.

Three years later, some of my close friends who knew my former roommates still ask me about them, as they continue to hangout without me.

It usually goes something like this — Friend: Neha, did you see (your old roommate’s) Instagram?

Me: Yep. Friend: I still don’t get why they would do that, it just seems so rude …

Me: *shrugs* Honestly, some things are just beyond our control.

On the other hand, college may seem like a chance to reinvent yourself, which it can be.

That doesn’t mean that everyone is going to automatically love you. In fact, some people may hate you. And even if they do — who cares?

Lesson No. 3: It’s better to be heartily disliked for who you are than to be admired for who you pretend to be. The word “likeable” is just a euphemism for “boring.”

Yes, my former roommates handled things in a way that was immature, petty and in bad taste. For what it’s worth though, before things soured, some of my fondest and most memorable moments of freshman year came from East Eggleston 321. I’ll miss snarfing down Oreos, quoting Vines, making trips to the drugstore and complaining about our annoying hallmates. The spontaneous fire drills, not so much. I would wish the three of them good health, happiness and success, because that’s all any of us can really ask for.

Hence, Lesson No. 4: It’s best not to burn bridges. But if you think the ashes and debris have potential, by all means — light the match.

In retrospect, I never quite found my big friend group in the traditional sense, but I have made a lot of friends. I even live

with two of them, and they have become like sisters to me. I started working at the Collegiate Times, joined a fraternity and became a research assistant in a lab, and I’ve met some really great people along the way.

Which brings me to Lesson No. 5: Not belonging to a particular friend group doesn’t make you a pariah. Though it can get a little lonely at times when all of your friends already have plans with their own groups, I see more value in having a few close friends who will always be there for you.

So as you start the next chapter of your life at Tech, try to keep an open mind. If you

make a ton of friends your freshman year, that is fantastic. If you don’t, there is nothing wrong in that, either. Freshman year doesn’t determine the course of your social life; friends will come and go over the four years.

Most importantly, stay true to yourself, and don’t force things that aren’t meant to be. I promise you will find yourself, your place and your friends.

NEHA OGALE • opinions editor • senior/psychology and neuroscience

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From sluggish to self-realized: Confessions and lessons from a former party queen

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rouched in the grass behind an apartment complex hosting far too many parties to keep track of, one of which I had run out of crying, I stare faceto-face with a slug. As I observed the small creature, I couldn’t help but wonder how fragile it was in this big world. One speck of salt from one of these college students’ tequila shots could take the small fellow out.

Quite frankly, no one would particularly care as they aren’t the prettiest or most prominent of organisms like the bees that everyone has been raving about lately. These realizations only made me cry harder as my friends found me and inquired what was wrong, only to have me frantically yell at them to be careful to not step on the little guy.

I found myself in that unlikely position that Friday night during my sophomore year because of a stream of even more unlikely events that began my freshman year of college when I tried to be the good, partying college student everyone expected me to be.

In fact, they have led me to this point as a junior, sitting in my room alone on a Friday night writing to myself with a cup of chamomile tea and the same boy band tracks playing on repeat. It sounds pathetic on paper and almost elicits a laugh, but this is what brings me joy, as Marie Kondo would say later when I binge-watch “Tidying Up” until I fall asleep.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m not the stereotypical college student that loves to party every weekend until the sun comes back up, though it took me a long time to accept it. I tried to play the part. The desire for a picturesque, Hokie-centric freshman year kept me put.

Under the impression that partying was the key to an Instagram-worthy, Pinterestperfect and real-life VSCO-filter freshman year, I felt that I had to partake in the shenanigans my peers were. I was bearing through the week awaiting Friday night to go out, make friends in the girls’ bathroom that I would never meet again, add a boy on Snapchat that I would never message and then end the night in the lounge with people that I didn’t really like eating Taco Bell that would make me feel awful later.

Then, once I was alone, I would let out my exhaustion and cry from the stress of being in sensory overload. Being an introverted, shy kid trying to fit into the role of a typical,

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ARMAHN RASSULI

socially accepted freshman had tired me out, mentally and physically. Eventually, I realized I wasn’t going to be that alumni that would rave about all the crazy things I did back in the golden days of college.

I wish I could say I stopped when I realized I hated partying then, but I kept trying to make myself love it until finally, in the fall of my sophomore year, I didn’t have it in me to keep going. That night when I befriended the neighborhood slug, I realized that the partying had come to take more of a toll on me, and subsequently the people around me, than I enjoyed it. From then on, I found myself going out less and less. I completely stopped in February after I went to a party where people started line dancing and decided that was the last straw. Of all things, it was finally line dancing that made me give up.

Going out should feel like a choice, not something you’re pressured into doing. What I wish I had understood earlier was that I wasn’t expected to party just because I was a college student. There are plenty of other students who opt out of that aspect of college, and still enjoy their time here to its fullest.

Likewise, there’s nothing wrong with partying. I don’t look down upon people who do like to do it because I enjoy it myself from time to time as well. However, as I remind myself when I put avocado on my toast, everything should be done in moderation.

Partying is fine until it becomes the purpose of your life, leads you to dangerous, immoral behavior and excuses wrong doings under the notion that it was the alcohol, drugs or party.

That’s the problem with college. Once

you step foot on some campuses, excessive partying is the norm, binge-drinking is something to boast about, drug-usage is praised and any mistakes you make under those influences are void. There is no accountability for these actions as it is expected, even encouraged as a college student.

The reality is we have a problem and we know it. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, college drinking results in 1,519 student deaths, 696,000 assaults and 97,000 sexual assaults.

The detrimental impacts of reckless partying are evident.

In fact, they occur right in front of us. Our university has a drinking rate of 56% while the average for American universities is 42%.

Blacksburg itself is known as Virginia’s most drunken town with 18% of adults admitting to drinking excessively, while Virginia as a whole has a rate of 17.4%. We just look the other way.

If that isn’t enough, just check Instagram or Twitter. There are countless pages dedicated to chronicling college partying.

Intoxicated brawls, public indecency and embarrassing moments are permanently available on these accounts for all to see, and often people’s faces are clear to identify, if their friends haven’t already tagged them endlessly in the comments. A legacy to Virginia Tech for your children suddenly isn’t the only thing you’re leaving behind, but also your dignity.

Just as we can’t expect partying to stop, we can’t expect these problems to go away if we don’t acknowledge them. The first step to alleviating a problem is to fully recognize it, its severity and all its impacts.

College partying is inevitable. We’re young adults tasting our first bouts of freedom and in some cases, our first stouts of beer. There’s nothing wrong with that. The problem is that we succumb to the stereotype that society has constructed of college students who are reckless, mindless and morally irresponsible from alcohol, drugs and partying. We let it become the focal point of our lives and our identities, robbing ourselves of our depth and individuality.

We’re here in college with an opportunity to learn that some can only dream about, master a subject and become the world’s next professionals. Yet, we become so engrossed in a party culture glorified by social media, film and television that paint college students so poorly. We feed right into it, allowing it to influence wrongful actions, limit our livelihood and overshadow our capabilities.

We can change the party culture. We’ve already started taking the steps, literally.

The walk-out against sexual assault, which sadly is a prevalent component of reckless partying, exemplifies that our tolerance for wrongful behavior has run short. We expect better, and we’ll do something about it if our standards aren’t met.

College partying doesn’t have to live up to the portrayals of the subpar movies in the deep, forgotten corners of Netflix. How you spend your weekends as a college student should be as you please without any pressure or expectations placed on you by others.

Whether you want to watch a movie and go to bed at 9 p.m. or stay out partying until 4 a.m., one does not make you better than the other. After all, come Monday morning, we’ll all be in lectures wondering what we need to get on the next exam to pass the class, not what the person next to you did over the weekend. What does matter is the responsibility we hold as a community to promote and maintain healthy standards. We have to learn how to party responsibly and encourage others to do the same so that we can reduce the statistics and in turn the amount of lives that are hindered at the expense of a “good time.”

DONYA MOMENIAN • opinions editor • junior/economics science

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Start jumping: Key Virginia Tech traditions ROBBY FLETCHER sports editor

Football season is arguably the most cherished part of going to a school as sports-oriented as Virginia Tech. There’s truly nothing like the atmosphere of Lane Stadium, especially if it’s your first time at a game. In fact, you ask any person who has been to a game and they’ll most likely tell you everything about their first time at the stadium and how special an experience it was to them.

The thing is, there are football traditions at every university with a team, but there is something about Tech’s traditions that just feel different or particularly special to the student body. Every game feels like an event of such large magnitude that even someone who isn’t especially into football would admit enjoyment at the experience of going to a game.

If it is your first time in Lane Stadium this coming fall, then you’re probably wondering what some of these traditions even are.

They’re easy to figure out after a game or two, but a quick introduction to the biggest

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES President Tim Sands encourages a stadiumwide chant of “Go Hokies!” to spread excitement throughout the stands, Sept. 9, 2017.

ones never hurt. So, without further ado, here are some of the most significant football traditions you’ll come across at Virginia

Tech (in no particular order because they all are absolutely awesome in their own ways).

Enter Sandman Generally considered a favorite of students and fans alike, the team’s entrance onto the field to Metallica’s 1991 classic “Enter Sandman” is unlike anything you’ll ever witness, and it never fails to amp a crowd up before kickoff.

This is a relatively new tradition, starting up in 2000 when Virginia Tech introduced a scoreboard called “Hokie Vision” after the 1999 season. When it was introduced, Tech decided to create a highlight video to put on before games to show off the new scoreboard. “Enter Sandman” was ultimately picked over a few classic rock jams, most notably “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses.

The song choice became a hit, and a few games into the season, the tradition of students jumping up and down like lunatics became a staple of every Virginia Tech football game to this day. Most generally consider this to be the highlight of any football game, especially primetime games under the lights. It’s a truly unique experience watching thousands of college students jump around as the players make their way onto the field.

Skipper The legend of Skipper goes all the way back to the days when Virginia Tech was a military school then known as VPI.

In 1964, when VPI’s biggest rival was fellow in-state military school VMI, the Keydets constantly taunted VPI students for their lack of a cannon used during games.

“Where’s your cannon?” was a common taunt used against VPI as VMI fired their cannon “Little John.”

The taunting inspired two cadets, Homer Hickam (whose life was the basis of the book and film “October Sky”) and Alton B. Harper, to make a cannon of their own to be fired at games. Thus, Skipper was born, and it’s introduction was legendary. When VPI played VMI again, they tripled the charge of the cannon, and its blast was so strong that it blew the hats off cadets and shook the glass in the press box windows in Roanoke’s Victory Stadium. You’ll hear Skipper now when the team enters the field as well as when the team scores.

Key Play The key play is a simple one to figure out, but it’s nonetheless a very important tradition students do at Tech.

Every third down play for Tech’s defense is considered a “key play” regardless of the score or the amount of time left in the game.

It’s as easy as taking out any keys you have on you and shaking them around before the opposing team’s offense gets ready for the play.

While this tradition didn’t start at Tech, it has been a staple for every football game since the 1980s.

The Lunch Pail The lunch pail is an incredible team tradition that honors defensive players who take the blue-collar approach that is often synonymous with Virginia Tech football since Bud Foster’s tenure started in 1987.

The original lunch pail was acquired in 1995 by the mother-in-law of co-defensive coordinator Rod Sharpless, and was once owned by a coal miner. It’s an iconic tradition given to a defensive leader every week, who is tasked with taking care of it when the team travels, and it’s arguably one of the coolest examples of football tradition at Virginia Tech.

These traditions are what make Virginia Tech football such an incredible spectacle and a huge part of campus life. Hopefully this article helps give a little taste of what to expect at your first game in Lane Stadium. @RFletcher_VT

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How to Hokie: Tips for incoming freshmen Three attendees at Gobblerfest take a selfie on the Ferris wheel, Aug. 31, 2018.

BREANNA KNOTTS lifestyles editor

Once high school graduation comes and goes, the overwhelming stress of college being less than three months away will likely hit you like a brick wall, as it did to me. The pressure of starting completely fresh can be daunting, especially if it is your first time being the “new kid,” but at a gigantic university instead of grade school.

The most common stressors during this transition are finding a roommate, making friends, moving into a dorm and moving away from loved ones. There is no secret or

easy way around any of these troubles, but there are some tips and tricks that can make these difficulties easier and make for a less stressful summer.

Join the Virginia Tech Class of 2023 Facebook page Facebook may seem a bit outdated today, but I can promise you that meeting new people all starts on this page. If you were like me and haven’t used Facebook since middle school, I recommend updating your profile picture before you join.

Basically, it is the trend to post a few pictures of yourself and write a paragraph

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describing your likes and interests. The majority of people include their social media tags as well with the hopes of people messaging them to consider rooming together or to become friends.

It can be so easy to follow a template of the hundreds of others who post, which will not make you stand out. I encourage you to pick your coolest pictures that showcase your hobbies and traits that make you unique, and maybe include a joke or two that will draw attention to your post.

Reach out to people There is no shame in messaging first when you come across a post of someone who you feel like you could genuinely vibe with. It is important to understand that the anxiousness that you feel is what everyone else is feeling.

Everyone is hoping people will react to their post and follow their social media just as you are.

When it comes to finding a roommate, do not be embarrassed to put yourself out there and introduce yourself. You should never pass up a potential roommate because you are nervous of their reaction. It’s more than likely that they will be excited that someone has shown interest in them.

Join Snapchat group chats The most fun way I met people the summer before my freshman year was joining as many Snapchat groups as I could. People will often post about them in the Facebook page and members of the group will comment their Snapchat usernames.

Once someone creates the chat, everyone gets to know each other and it is a very easy way to make friends. It pays off on your first days in college, as you will without a doubt see familiar faces around campus from these group chats.

I encourage you to not be a bystander and actually participate in the conversations.

This way, people will recognize you once the semester begins and you will likely find people in your major with similar interests

as you.

Seek advice It can be scary transitioning to college without someone to talk to. Many people already in college are open to sharing their personal experiences and answering all of your questions. If you don’t want to wait until orientation, you can talk to anyone, no matter the university, about your concerns.

Once you get to orientation, you will be assigned a leader whose job is to answer your questions. When you get here, use them to your advantage and don’t be shy. Also don’t be afraid to reach out to your orientation leaders to grab a cup of coffee after you start school – they can be great resources to have when you’re new to campus.

Be yourself From experience, I can tell you that it is way too easy to start acting like someone you’re not. It is difficult in general to be yourself fully through the phone, but it is not difficult to stop yourself from lying about your interests or preferences to fit a profile.

The worst result of not being yourself would be committing to rooming with someone who is not anything at all like you, which is why it is so important. If you act yourself, you will find someone who accepts you for you who can easily turn out to be your best friend.

The summer after senior year is supposed to be the time to make the best memories before you leave your hometown. Don’t stress too much, as there are plenty of resources specifically for you to make the transition as smooth and fun as possible.

Don’t be afraid to show your true colors and put yourself out there. It may be uncomfortable at first, but use these few months to push yourself because it is all rewarding once August is here.

@BreKnotts

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Freshman year standards overshadow growth

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fter the nonstop stress and anxious anticipation of high school graduation, college is supposed to be the reward. As your parents and commencement speakers have reminded you, your arrival at Virginia Tech is the product of over 12 years of hard work, the light at the end of a tunnel filled with countless all-night study sessions, lastminute essay writing and plenty of tears.

Your family and friends are no doubt excited for you; if they’re anything like mine, they’ve jokingly warned you not to party so much that you forget to check in. Before I began my freshman year, my aunt told me, “You’ll have so much fun from the second you get there, you won’t even get the chance to miss your parents.”

The stereotypical portrayals of movie characters’ college antics, marked by spontaneous late-night adventures and ragers almost always broken up by the cops, only heighten the excitement for thousands of incoming freshmen. College will be great, they say; you’ll instantly find friends who get you, and you’ll have something to do every weekend. Best of all, this “fun” starts nearly the second your parents pull away for that long drive back home.

There’s some truth in all that. I definitely had my share of spontaneous outings my freshman year courtesy of my roommate, who is far more outgoing than I could ever hope to be; and if I had looked hard enough, I probably would have found something to do every weekend if I didn’t want to be stuck in my dorm room. You can always check out Weekends Well Spent if you need help on that front. However, unlike what my friends, family and the movies had promised, college wasn’t great for me from the moment I arrived. In fact, my first two months in Blacksburg were miserable at times.

Don’t get me wrong — I wholly believe that my decision to attend Virginia Tech is the best I’ve ever made, and my Facebook friends can attest to the unabashed pride in my posts about school. It’s just that after years of looking forward to college, anticipating independence, new buddies and an entirely new environment, what I found when I got here was a bit of a letdown. It wasn’t the town; Blacksburg is lovely, and the locals are incredibly kind. It wasn’t being away from home and my parents (sorry, Mom and Dad). As much as I did miss them, I enjoyed getting to set my own schedule and doing my own grocery shopping. Rather, my biggest

disappointment upon entering college was the loneliness I quickly felt.

Nobody talks about the loneliness, even though a 2017 survey found that 64% of college students reported feeling “very lonely” within the previous 12 months.

Despite being surrounded by thousands of other new students in the same situation as you, there is oftentimes a disconnect where you believe you’re the only one who hasn’t instantly clicked with a group of new friends, the only one doing laundry on Friday nights and the only one who is desperately homesick by Labor Day. If this is where you find yourself, don’t look at social media. That will only make it worse; scrolling through your Instagram feed, you’ll see Lizzie from high school, who has already joined a sorority and met her “besties,” or Tim from your neighborhood, who has been to 20 parties by the end of the second week of classes. Here’s the thing — social media is where everybody puts real and metaphorical filters on how they’re feeling, creating a brilliant facade to conceal what’s truly going on. Remind yourself that most people aren’t going to get an Instagram account just to tell their followers how miserable they actually are.

If you let yourself indulge in the temptation to compare yourself to your acquaintances from high school, you’ll only feel more alone, and the sadness will simply spiral from there.

The hard truth about college is that there will be moments where you wonder if you made the right choice. Later, you’ll look back on those moments and chuckle at yourself for ever questioning your decision to be a Hokie.

Understand that a large part of college is learning how to be comfortable and happy being on your own. Know there will be times where the stress of it all feels overwhelming, and those are the times where I would encourage you to seek out the wonderful resources of Schiffert Health Center or Cook Counseling Center.

I won’t sugarcoat it — with your freshman class being the largest Virginia Tech has ever seen, there will be issues regarding overcrowding. The first few weeks of classes may not be the smoothest as staff and students alike adjust to the new pressures on the school’s infrastructure. But I would encourage you to use the challenges you encounter as opportunities to grow and push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

If you can’t find a single spot at Turner, ask

FILE 2016

someone if you can join them at their table — you might make a new friend. If you end up having three roommates instead of the single you’d originally pictured, hone your conflict-resolution skills as you learn to live peacefully with others in a small space. Accept that private moments are a luxury now that you perform personal-hygiene routines in a synchronized ballet with your hall or suitemates. If, like me, you are a liberal arts major who gets stuck with a class at the Math Empo, do the best you can, take advantage of Tech’s tutoring services and use the class as a chance to prove to yourself that you can conquer math.

Of course, the biggest stressor that adults can’t prepare us for is the struggle many college students face as we try to figure out exactly who we are. With college being the first lengthy time away from home for many freshmen, the pressure to discover who you can finally be free from parental supervision can feel crushing. If you have friends from home coming to Tech with you, you might feel tempted to stick with your old crew, doing the same activities you did in high school. The temptation is understandable; college is scary enough on its own, and more terrifying when you consider switching up your usual routine and trying something new. But I’ve found that when you don’t even attempt to experiment, you end up watching everyone around you discover new sides to themselves — new interests, new talents, new friend groups — while you’re left behind and growing stagnant. That’s a feeling you want to avoid.

To get even a taste of that electric exhilaration college movies portray, you have to let go of the familiar. With around 800 clubs and

student organizations at Virginia Tech, there is a group of like-minded souls for everyone.

If your roommate is a total mismatch, there are plenty of other students in your dorm, on-campus organizations and in your classes. My best memories from freshman year were all made while I was doing something I’d never done before, hanging out with new people, or trying my hand at a new skill like writing for the Collegiate Times. It might be scary, but I promise the reward is worth the risk.

Looking back on how unhappy I was when I first came here and comparing it to the joy I feel now, I am able to treasure the friends I’ve met here and the adventures I’ve shared with them. My highs wouldn’t feel nearly as hardearned or appreciated if I hadn’t powered through the lows to get to them.

Rely on upperclassmen who have walked the path into this university before you. Follow their breadcrumbs to find the shortcuts to classes and dining halls, though we’ll beg you to avoid the temptation to Tapingo Jamba Juice on a daily basis. We’re all waiting to share how many times we’ve changed our majors, had a midnight freakout at the library or insisted our parents let us FaceTime the pets for the 12th time that week. However, we’ll also tell you all about jumping to “Enter Sandman,” singing along to concerts at Burruss Hall and watching a beautiful Blacksburg sunset from the Pylons.

Benefit from our mistakes and listen to our advice (on most things) — we don’t bite.

LEXI SOLOMON • opinions columnist • sophomore, national security and foreign affairs, Russian

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