Since I've been living in the dorm room setting for the last few years I've learned several key aspects of the DOs and DON'Ts of college life. My freshman year I brought just about everything I owned to my dorm and only used about half of it. Due to this, I have understood the meaning of being a pack-rat. I tend to keep EVERYTHING and throw away NOTHING. I've also have had several different roommate moments, good and bad. It all comes in the territory of dorming. So here are some hints: DO throw away papers from the 7th and 8th grade. That writing style won't do you much good in college. DO donate old t-shirts that you never wear. They may be in perfectly good condition but if you never wear them give them to someone who may need them. DO keep what's important to you. If someone wrote you a letter that at some point in your life gave you the biggest smile you could imagine, hold on to it, it may bring you that same smile again on a cold, rainy day. DO bring shower shoes. Our matinence team in the dorms are great people and do a great job, but you never know what could be tracking around on that floor. It's a matter of self-hygiene. DO NOT take over your room every time you want to be with your significant other. Of course you want some alone time and being in college, its some times more difficult to find shared free time for relationships. This does not mean your roommate should suffer. Work out ahead of time when you can have the room to yourself, with a significant other, with your roommate, or simply let your roommate have their time too! Also, set a rule of who can be in the room at certain study times and such. Your first priority for being here is to be a student. So that brings up another point. DO focus on school first. That is the reason you are here. Your friends should understand if you have a test the next day when they want you to go out for pizza with them! I am one of the first to understand procrastination so if you really do leave your studying time for testing the night before = take it! You will need it. In order to try to avoid procrastination, though, think of what you need to get done by certain times for each day. Like tomorrow I have a paper that I am going to work on with a teacher before the class starts [have I actually started that paper yet -> no, but this blog is due at midnight ] I am making sure that at least nothing will be late. But Do give yourself an earlier deadline than what was originally assigned. This way you can have it done in enough time to look over it, get your teacher, roommate, or someone to look over it as well. The more eyes to read over that 10 page paper you wrote in an hour the better! With the procrastination comes late hours - meaning lack of sleep! DO NOT overstress yourself. Working too late on papers can cause too much stress in addition to the lack of sleep that you will cause yourself for every all-nighter you pull. It's all bad - believe me! And of course you will need to keep yourself awake for every night you stay up in the lounges. DO NOT consume too many energy drinks either. You will then crash eventually and get in to even worse sleeping habits and won't be as attentive as needed in each class. Perhaps this is where I should make out the point that I have a pretty bad case of Attention Deficit Disorder. I get very easily distracted in classes! So here comes another hint. DO NOT get addicted to facebook. I am. And I tend to feed my addiction on an hourly basis. While it is a great communication device to keep in touch with old friends and to plan events and get involved with programs during a hectic semester of classes, it is also a horrible distraction (for example, considering how much i love taking pictures - i have over 140 albums). However, every time that I do check my facebook, I check my e-mail. DO check your e-mail as often as possible. When they say it is the main source of communication they aren't kidding. I get at least ten e-mails a day about events and programs coming up, in addition to e-mails from teachers and such about classes and activities that I am involved in. Which brings yet another hint. DO get involved. A lot of people tend to leave for the weekends because we are a 'dry campus'. That doesn't mean there aren't other ways to have fun. There are football games to go to - STUDENTS GET IN FREE! Campus Activities Board, is always coming up with fun events for the entire campus, not just dormers - that's right - commuters too! Campus Ministry works hard to put retreats together for everyone! Each floor in the dorms has weekly activities that you can join in on. The more the welcome - ALWAYS! 

Alright, well, I could go on and on with more hints but I think you get the jist of it! I hope you are able to gain from this and I will put more up as the semester goes along! 

Stay tuned for next week and thanks again for reading!!!

a look at my own dorm room!