Freshman Vol. CXXVIII, No. 1a
Edition Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885
Welcome Week 2012
This special issue of The Signal brings you… a removable campus map, a TCNJ.edu sampler guide, a glimpse at some people you will definitely come across during your time here, tips for avoiding being identified as a freshman and more.
Brendan McGrath / Managing Editor
Whether you’re in Travers, Wolfe, ABE or Norsworthy (clockwise from the left), we here at The Signal are excited to welcome you to the College. We’ve been here for more than 125 years, and we’d like to share some of our accumulated knowledge of the school with you.
Welcome Week (time of your life) By Amy Reynolds Features Editor Leaving home for your freshman year of college can be really scary, especially when you’re unsure of what exactly to expect. Thoughts rushing through your head may be “How am I going to meet new people?” or “What if I don’t fit in?” And that’s exactly where Welcome Week fits in. Not only is it really fun and jam-packed with activities like karaoke, get-to-know-you-games and the one and only Play Fair, but it’s also the time when you’ll meet your best friends for the next four years and longer. “During your first few days of college, you can’t be afraid to open up to new people,” said sophomore economics major Matthew Scapardine. “It may be a little hard at first, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run.” There’s no question that everyone’s least favorite part
of Welcome Week is getting woken up at 7 a.m. every morning just for breakfast, but the rest of the day is so much fun. Completely exhausting, but definitely worth it. Welcome Week is also a great opportunity to find out about what The College, besides academics, has to offer. If you’re interested in joining a club, getting involved in a fraternity or sorority, or studying abroad, Welcome Week offers great info sessions to give you all the details. For most people, Play Fair is the most exciting part of Welcome Week and also the most anticipated because no one knows exactly what to expect. Basically, Play Fair involves the entire freshman class, and some would describe it as speed dating for friends and it’s definitely a ton of fun! Although the thought of leaving your family and all your high school friends still might be a little nerve-wracking, one thing an incoming freshman has to know is that, once you’re past all the awkward conversations that con-
sist of “Where are you from?” “What’s your major?” and “What kind of extra-curricular activities do you do?” you will have met so many of your new best friends. However, Welcome Week can feel a little like summer camp, and some people may not enjoy it as much as others. Sophomore biology major Justin Shaffer said, “I didn’t really enjoy Welcome Week all that much. It was a little awkward and at times a little boring. But once you get past all that, you really get to know a bunch of great people.” For most though, Welcome Week makes the transition into college so much easier and less stressful. “Welcome Week made me go from dreading college to embracing it. It was the ultimate bonding experience with my floor during the hurricane and with the rest of my class during Play Fair,” said sophomore History and Special education major Diane Iannacone. “I wish I could come back for it every year.”
College cheat sheet: your quick terms list The C-Store: Meal points work here. It’s right by one of the entrances to Eick. There’s a sign in front of it that says “Convenience Store.” Don’t call it that. Doc-ed (sounds like docked): This means being written up for a violation of student code and it’s an unpleasant experience. Eick (Eickhoff Hall): The dining hall that doubles as an upperclassmen dormitory (all of those windows you see when you look up are dorms and maybe the best ones on campus). Hassan: Craving a $5 pizza? Call Hassan any time on Tuesday or Thursday – Sunday nights and he will drive to you with one of his famous pizzas. With a group
of friends? He’ll probably have enough in his SUV for everybody. The Loop (Metzger Drive): The big circular road that runs around campus. As freshmen, you won’t be driving on it often, but it makes for a great run at just under two miles. Loop Bus: This yellow bus will pick you up outside the student center and drop you off at the Quaker Bridge Mall, AMC theatres, the Hamilton train station, downtown Princeton and two strip malls (with Target, Panera, Cheeburger and so much more). It runs on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It makes not having a car much more bearable.
The Towers: Pretty self explanatory, but 2/3 of your class will live in Travers and Wolfe. If you live in these halls, remember, don’t use the elevator unless you live on floor five and up. Seriously. Meal Equiv: From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day, many students (and nearly all residential freshmen) get up to $6.50 worth of food that is not deducted from their meal points. This works at the Stud, Rat, Library Café and Kineticart. The Rat (The Rathskeller): Basically a small pub on campus. You can get all types of grilled and fried food, and when you turn 21 you can buy beer here too. In addition to being home to possibly the best food on campus, The Rat
has quality music almost every Friday. The Stud (Brower Student Center): This oddly shaped building brings you a bookstore, a food court, plenty of seating and pool and ping pong tables. The true treasure of this building lies in the basement, where you can find us, The Signal staff, working hard to provide you with this wonderful newspaper. T-Dubs: Late night snack? Head down (or, in the case of ABE and Norsworthy resdients, head over) to the basement of the Towers. Burritos, burgers and Ben & Jerry’s are just a small sample of the variety of food T-Dubs offers in exchange for meal points. There’s also an assortment of candy.