DREW HALL

College life involves more than studying

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Posted: 8/19/08

As an incoming freshman, you'll need to know a lot more than "go to class and meet new people."

A more logical approach would be offering you advice you might actually use. For example, skipping supper - and sometimes lunch - for drinks with friends is not healthy, but well worth it.

Of course you'll soon find yourself in jail, but it'll be a good story to tell the next time you go out - if you don't get kicked out.

All jokes aside, you're about to experience something you have never imagined: Athens on a gameday.

For the love of God, please don't try to take liquor in the game in a Zip-loc bag taped to your leg. It's going to bust, and if you get caught, you'll most likely lose your tickets all season, which will just make you angry.

Don't worry. There'll be plenty of alcohol to go around after the game.

The police take gamedays seriously, and even though they aren't going to run you down and check your cup, they might the minute you step off of University property and into downtown Athens. Your fate awaits you.

There are open container laws in Athens, and even though you might have "just been picking up a littered can," leave it on the ground.

They'll still write you the ticket, and if you are underage, they'll still arrest you. There is no get-out-of-jail-free card, no matter who your parents are.

It also isn't worth fighting over who won the game or didn't when you make it downtown. When this happens, you'll receive another free ride to jail with one phone call - so make it count and prank call the University.

You'll soon learn, as most of you have already, that Athens is a party town. The weekends start Tuesday, and there are drink specials every night downtown. The University most likely will condemn you for enjoying it, but we all know you will anyway.

I know you're all still buzzing with enjoyment from your mandatory alcohol awareness classes, but let's get real.

If you made it this far, you're not dumb, so forget the study all day stuff and have a good time.

If you miss a class, that's why you've got absences to waste - if you choose to use an absence, though, don't waste it. Go do something.

Last but not least, learn to love the SLC - the main reason being the big, comfy chairs. The brown ones are better than the green ones, but they'll both do in a pinch.

After a late night out followed by an early-morning cram session, you can sleep like a baby in them.

So remember, if you sit around your entire college life, you'll have little to show besides a good job when you graduate.

And who needs a job anyway when the government will pay you more for just having kids and sitting at home?

- Drew Hall is a senior from Bainbridge majoring in newspapers.