The Towerlight (Aug. 23, 2016) by The Towerlight

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August 23, 2016

TU SURVIVAL GUIDE The Towerlight's guide to surviving campus and catchin’ ‘em all.

Photo Illustration by Jordan Stephenson/The Towerlight

August 23, 2016

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August 23, 2016

Welcome to TU 2016

Brought to you by New Student Programs.

Thursday, Aug. 25 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Library Carnival Albert S. Cook Library New students and their families are invited to stop by Cook Library to test their skills for prizes and refreshments or simply to enjoy the cool air conditioning. In the library, students can pose for carnival themed photos with their new friends. Outside the library, under the “big top,” students can learn about the library through Pokémon themed carnival games. Librarians will be on hand to answer student and parent questions as well as give library tours as requested.

3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Family Send Off Union, 2nd Floor, Potomac Lounge After a long day of helping your student get all settled in, stop by the Unionfor some free food, a cash bar and the opportunity to meet with campusadministrators for a chance to relax before the journey home.

6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Residence Hall Community Meetings Residence Halls With living on campus, comes new policies that all residential students must know and abide by. All students living in residence halls MUST attend their floor’s community meeting. New residential students should check with their Resident Assistant (RA) upon moving in to clarify exact times. 6:30 p.m-8:30 p.m. Freshman Commuter Welcome University Union, PAWS Pavilion As a commuting student, it can be a little more difficult to get connected to other students and start the process of building new and lasting friendships. Come join us for the opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow commuting freshman students and enjoy refreshments.

8:30pm-10:30pm Hypnotist Stephens Hall Auditorium Do you believe in magic? What about hypnotism? Come watch the world of hypnosis unfold before your eyes as you and your friends are taken on the psychological journey of a lifetime. Please note that this is a ticketed event. Arrive early to ensure that you get a seat.

8:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Charm City Trivia Night Union, Chesapeake Ballrooms Do you consider yourself a knowledgeable person? Do you like answering random questions about the world around you? Do you want to have a good time with friends? If you answered yes to any of these questions, come join us for a night of trivia and fun with Charm City Trivia and get a taste of what Trivia Thursdays will be like during the semester. 9:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Glow in the Dark Arcade West Village Commons, Ballrooms They say party starts when the lights go out. Join us for the opportunity to play your favorite games in the dark. Games include corn hole, darts, foosball, ping pong and shuffleboard. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. Friday, Aug. 26 9:00am-4:00pm Transfer Sessions – MANDATORY for ALL Transferring Students SECU Arena As a transferring student, there is certain information that is required for you to know. In this session, transfer students will attend convocation and complete all the mandatory Title IX sessions that are federally required for them. Boxed lunches will be provided. 9:00am-10:00am Walk to Convocation As the lead up event to the New Student Convocation, members of Towson’s community have come together to demonstrate our engaged campus and show off our Tiger pride. 10:00am-11:00am Convocation SECU Arena New Student Convocation marks the official welcome and beginning to a student’s academic experience and is a required event for all new students. 11:30am-1:00pm Freshman Lunch University Union There’s no better way to stay fueled throughout the day than with food. Come grab some lunch on the go before heading to your academic advising sessions.

11:30am-1:00pm Transfer Lunch Towson Center There’s no better way to stay fueled throughout the day than with food. Come grab some lunch on the go before heading to your academic advising sessions. 12:00pm-6:00pm Burdick Hall Open Hours 1:00pm-4:00pm ORIE 305 Various Academic Buildings Every freshman student is assigned a first-year advisor to help guide them through their academic transition from high school to college. During this meeting you will meet your first-year advisor, review your first term class schedule, learn about the CORE curriculum and develop a plan for academic and personal success. ORIE 305 locations are listed on your academic schedule. 1:00am-4:30pm Transfer Information Sessions – MANDATORY for ALL Transferring Students SECU Arena As a transferring student, there is certain information that is required for you to know. Transfer students will learn through Social Action Theatre, Diversity and Inclusion, StrengthsQuest, and Academic Achievement and Library presentations. 4:00pm-5:00pm Taking Care of Business Across Campus Need to talk with a campus office before classes begin? Here’s your opportunity! New students are encouraged to use this time to visit various offices to make sure their paperwork is turned in and/or to get their questions answered. 5:00pm-7:30pm Commuter & Off-Campus Living Cookout

University Union PAWS Pavilion Off-campus and transferring students are invited to join Off Campus Student Services for a high-energy, fun-filled, block-party themed cookout. Learn about amazing events and resources on and off campus, meet your fellow commuters, and enjoy novelties, entertainment and free food too!

6:00pm-9:00pm Hillel’s Shabbat Union, Patuxent Lounge Join Hillel, the Jewish Community on campus, in celebrating the Sabbath. 6:45pm-8:00pm First Look Get Involved Fair SECU Arena Curious about getting involved on campus? For the first time ever, Freshmen and Transfer students have their own, personal fair! Interact with 100+ Towson University student organizations, check out student group performances, take pictures with new friends and your favorite TU athletes and grab some FREE FOOD. Prizes will be available for the first 500 students. 8:00pm-9:00pm Roar Rally SECU Arena Join us for the BIGGEST spirit event of Welcome to TU! Introductions from Towson University Athletes and the first debut of the 2016 Football Promotional Video. Root for other students or compete yourself in Tiger Challenges, with prizes for the winners of course. Live DJ and MC who are determined to up your snapchat followers. 9:00pm-11:00pm TU Takeover University Union The night is still young, and there is no need for it to end! Join SGA in playing various games, inflatables, and arts and craft activities throughout the Union. Giveaways and food too! Saturday, Aug. 27 10:00am-5:30pm Success Starts Here Across Campus Learn what it means to be a successful student at Towson by attending these required educational sessions with your residential floor. If you miss them, you will be required to make them up at a later date. Students MUST bring their OneCard! 8:30pm-9:30pm NPHC Stroll Off Freedom Square You may have heard of strolling, you may have even seen it before. But nothing compares to seeing it live. Come join us in discovering who runs the yard at Towson University.

8:30pm-11:30pm Live Band Karaoke West Village Ballrooms Are you a person who loves singing along to the lyrics of songs? Do you enjoy making people smile, laugh and clap? Do you love being on stage? Come join us for a fun night of karaoke with a live band as your instrumentals!

9:30pm-11:00pm Everybody Dance Now PAWS Wouldn’t it be amazing to just dance the night away? Come join us for dancing with friends as the night slowly comes to an end. Light refreshments will be provided.

10:00pm-12:00am Movie Night Speakers Circle Come unwind, relax and laugh with friends at the outdoor showing of Neighbors 2!

Sunday, Aug. 28 12:00pm-5:00pm Academic Advising Open House Lecture Hall Come to the Academic Advising Open House where your questions will be answered and you can gain a better understanding of academic requirements here at Towson University.

12:30pm-4:30pm Where’s My Class? Freedom Square Join your Orientation Leaders for class location tours. Tours will depart every 30 minutes from Freedom Square. 5:00pm-8:00pm Set It Off! Tiger Plaza All new and returning students are invited to join us for food, music, performances, games, and prizes! 5:00pm-8:00pm Hot air balloon rides Towsontown Garage Field

7:30pm-9:30pm Residence Hall Community Meetings Exact times vary. Awll residential students, both new and returning, should check with their Resident Assistant to clarify exact times. Attendance at Community Meetings is expected.

Opinion

August 23, 2016

Editor-in-Chief Cody Boteler Senior Editor Sam Shelton Associate News Editor Sarah Rowan Arts & Life Editor Sports Editor Jordan Cope

A warm welcome from us at The Towerlight CODY BOTELER Editor-in-Chief @codyboteler

Assist. Sports Editor Staff Writers Lauren Cosca Kristin Helf Ryan Permison Hailey Miller Alaina Tepper Christine LaFrancesca Bhavisha Dave Billy Owens Theresa Schempp Nick Mason Jessica Ricks Desmond Boyle Chris Wells Senior Staff Writer Nilo Exar

Hey y’all, welcome to Towson—or welcome back to Towson. And welcome to The Towerlight, an independent, student-run newspaper that works to bring you all the news about and from Towson University and the surrounding community. This issue is our back-to-school survival guide. Inside, you’ll find all of our tips and tricks for making the most of your time at Towson. We’ll teach you who’s who, how to navigate campus,

where to get the best food and more. The Towerlight is your best guide to what’s happening on campus. You can pick us up in print every Tuesday on racks that are around campus. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. We’re online every day at thetowerlight.com And, for exclusive content directly to your mailbox, you can subscribe to Towerlight Today, our daily online newsletter that comes out Monday through Thursday. If you want to get involved, you can shoot me an email at editor@ thetowerlight.com, or you can come

to our office, on the third floor of the University Union. This semester, we’ll have a fair bit of political coverage because of the historic election we’re living through. You can expect to see a fair number of political columns. Each week (hopefully) we’ll have a “Roll Call” column. You’ll be able to tell the author’s political identification by the button that appears with the column banner. It’s a donkey this week. If you consider yourself politically savvy and you want a chance to write for the column, please, let us know. It’s as much of a commitment as you

want it to be. We’re going to work as hard as we can this year to bring you top-notch journalism. It’s going to come to you in print, online and in video form. We’re going to bring back weekly roundups, where you’ll see one of our reporters reviewing the week’s news. We’re dealing with some budget issues at The Towerlight, just like news organizations all over the country are. But, I promise, pay cuts don’t mean a cut in our commitment to bringing the most important news to our readers. Here’s to what’s going to be a great year.

Photo Editor Chris Simms Assist. Photo Editor Alex Best Staff Photographers Cody Boteler Mark Dragon Sam Shelton Stephanie Ranque

Proofreaders Tyisha Henderson

Trump can still win We can all change MATT TEITELBAUM Columnist

Kayla Baines Sarah Rowan Alaina Tepper General Manager Mike Raymond Art Director Jordan Stephenson

Webmaster Lola Akinleye Circulation Staff Shawn Halerz Nilo Exar

8000 York Road University Union Room 309 Towson, MD 21252 business: (410) 704-5153 editorial: (410) 704-5141 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com

The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University on Tuesdays. The Towerlight is owned by nonprofit Baltimore Student Media Inc., BaltimoreStudentMedia.com. The Towerlight’s advertising deadlines are firm: Wednesday noon for space; Friday noon for art. Cllassifieds appear onlline and in print and are self-service at TheTowerlight.com/classifieds. We encourage letters to the editor and online feedback. Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorials express the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper. The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2016 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.

Please Recycle!

Donald Trump is in trouble. After a slew of controversies, which included but were not limited to a feud with the parents of a dead soldier and a joke about what “second amendment people” can do to stop Hillary Clinton, Trump’s support in polls has dropped to its lowest point since before he secured the Republican nomination. So it begins. Liberals all across America are cheering at the death of their nightmare candidate’s historical, and at times downright baffling, march toward the world’s most powerful office. Scores of even-keeled people who tremble at the thought Trump’s fingers hovering over the nuclear launch buttons are breathing a great sigh of relief. Not so fast. Make no mistake, Trump is still in this thing. He can win. Hear me out. While it’s true that Trump is well behind in the polls, there are still 10 weeks to go before the election takes place. In April of 2016, as Trump’s dominance over the Republican primary field became ever clearer, it was thought that he would be a non-starter with a national electorate. Just a few weeks later, he was sitting at a virtual tie with Clinton in May before leading her slightly after the Republican National Convention in July. While you could say that August polls are significantly more predictive than July polls, September and

October polls are going to be even more so. It is simply too early for those who don’t want a President Trump to start holding anything back. There’s a term in presidential politics, the “October Surprise.” In past elections, the odds of winning have seemed bleak for one candidate just a few months before the election until something shifted dramatically in the last few weeks leading to the big day. This election may be no different. Another Clinton email leak, a surprise recession, a terrorist attack or perhaps even a better than expected showing by Trump at the presidential debates would turn things around. For now, smart money is on a solid Clinton victory. The key words there are “for now.” Things will likely stay this way until the first presidential debate on September 26. That will be Trump’s earliest chance to turn around his flailing campaign. He’ll get two more debates after that in October. Any given election can be flipped on its head in a matter of hours, let alone a matter of weeks or months. Just ask former presidential candidates John Kerry or John McCain, who led over their opponents in the polls within ten weeks of the election only to lose in November. Be patient. No matter what side you’re on this election, don’t stop fighting until the fat lady sings. That’s not how campaigns work, especially at the presidential level.

ourselves for the better Hello, Tigers! It’s me again, your fancy, fearless (except for possums), fried-dough lovin’ feminist. I’m brushing the figurative cobwebs and literal crumbs off of my laptop to begin another year of sometimes fun, sometimes infuriating but always factual femformation. Get it? It’s information but with “fem” because, you know, feminism. …sorry. Anyway, I had a hard time deciding where I wanted to begin. This summer was absolutely jammed packed with important news. This news ranged from Brock Turner’s incomprehensible, irrational and infuriatingly lacking punishment for committing rape (hell no) to Simone Manuel becoming the first African-American woman to win a gold medal in an individual swimming competition in the Olympics (hell yeah). As you can see, this summer held some amazing highs and devastating lows for feminism. I’m going to address as much as I can this semester, but first I’m going to do something that I promise not to do that often and talk about myself. When I looked back on some of my articles from last year, I found myself cringing here and there and wishing I had said things differently.

This article serves as my promise to further educate myself on the opinions I share with you all and to more deeply understand that the way women as a whole experience the world vastly differs from woman to woman. While I feel confident overall about the material I produce, I must admit that I am still learning. I will never stop learning. There will be things that I say that you may not agree with and if that’s the case, let’s discuss them. I firmly believe that we all learn best through discussion, even though at times it may be uncomfortable. I think that’s a good motto for starting up new classes, too. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion when you disagree with something someone else says and don’t close up when someone disagrees with you. I say this because a lack of communication or understanding can too easily turn into hate. If we open up to each other, if we voice our opinions and explain where they come from, maybe we can learn a little more about each other. Maybe that will loosen up some of the hate that binds us down. This semester, let’s all be willing to change ourselves for the better. And of course, remember that you’re at college, so be sure to love yourself and go have a damn blast. Ready? Set? Go!

Opinion

August 23, 2016

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August 23, 2016

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Opinion

August 23, 2016

Letters from Towson leaders TU President Kim Schatzel welcomes students

Many of you have asked me how I’ve enjoyed my first Maryland summer. Aside from the recent heat wave, I’ve had a delightful and productive three months since our spring commencement. As we approach autumn, I look forward to seeing many of you around campus—which I hear is absolutely beautiful with the changing leaves! Next week we will welcome more than 22,250 graduate and undergraduate students to our classrooms. At Convocation this Friday, we’ll launch 4,840 new students into college life, including both first-time freshmen and transfers from other institutions. More than 6,000 students will call TU their home-away-from-home, 700 of whom will be the first to live in our

two new beautiful, apartment-style residence halls in West Village. We have a great deal to accomplish this semester. At the top of that list are two national searches: one for Vice President of Inclusion and Institutional Equity, who will advance our priority to be a more diverse and inclusive campus, and another for the Vice President of University Advancement and Alumni Relations. Your participation in these searches is so important, so please be ready to contribute when we hold our campus forums. The energy and excitement of the new semester will continue during Presidential Inauguration Week in September. I hope to see you at events that will be held throughout

the week, as we celebrate Towson University’s proud history and promising future. I am honored to follow the visionary leaders that have skillfully guided TU’s evolution over the past one-hundred and fifty years. Later this fall, we’ll be developing plans to create a world-class career center that will engage our students throughout their TU experience, from internship to retirement. The center will enhance our career advising and job placement programs for students following their graduation and well into their careers. It will also help forge a stronger connection to the business community and underscore TU’s impact on the workforce and economic development of our state.

USM Chancellor Bob Caret offers best wishes

Additionally, I wholeheartedly believe we can competitively advantage our graduates if we continue our work toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive campus where all of our students can thrive and, most importantly, learn to support others to thrive. We will be talking more about our ongoing efforts in this area in the weeks to come. I would be remiss if I didn’t offer one piece of advice to those new freshmen who will be living away from home for the first time. Call home! Your family misses you. In some cases, they have made a substantial investment of time, energy and resources for you to be here. So call them to say “Thanks.” Maybe stop in the U Store a few times this semester and pick up a “Thank

You” card. You have no idea how much it would mean to your family to get a card with a handwritten note from you inside, instead of a one line text message. I’m also a mom; trust me, I know. I am excited about the many opportunities for TU to realize its potential as the state’s fastest-growing university and the largest in the greater Baltimore region. I look forward to working with our alumni, partners, and supporters to build a better and stronger foundation to ensure our future success. There’s already much to be proud of at Towson University, and there are great things ahead. Kim Schatzel President

Introducing TU student leaders SGA President Taylor James

File photo by Casey Prather/ The Towerlight Former TU President Bob Caret, now University System of Maryland Chancellor, poses in his office. As Chancellor of the University System of Maryland—and someone with a strong, 40-plus-year connection to Towson University—it is my pleasure to welcome students back to the TU campus for the start of the Fall 2016 semester and the 2016-17 academic year. I’m sure excitement, and probably some nerves, are especially present for our freshmen, and that returning students are eager to renew acquaintances and embrace adventures that lie ahead. It was my honor to serve as president of Towson University from 2003 to 2011. Thanks to a dynamic collection of leaders on campus and partners throughout the state, the university during that time continued its rise as a true star in the University System of Maryland. I was delighted in my early days as Chancellor to recommend

Dr. Schatzel to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents as a first-rate choice to be Towson University president. This fall marks President Schatzel’s first full academic year on campus. The university’s leadership is in very capable hands. Towson University really is a special place. It’s a big institution with a small-campus feel. It boasts an accomplished and distinguished faculty. It is supported by a dedicated and professional staff. Finally, Towson University has an extraordinary student body. You should know that great achievements lie ahead and the greater TU community will work to support you and embrace your efforts. I wish you the best for the upcoming year.

I would encourage every student to join something on campus! Student Government is just one of the many amazing ways to get involved. Being a member of SGA means you have the opportunity to serve the campus community and your fellow students. Some of the benefits of joining include great networking opportunities and leadership development! All of the open positions are posted on towson. edu/sga. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for some positions and reviewed when there is a vacancy. If you have any questions please stop by our office in the Union Room 226.

URG President Jeremy Levine Hello, my name is Jeremy Levine and I am the president of University Residence Government. URG is an organization that works to make living on campus a positive, inclusive experience for our 4,900 + residents. It is a great organization for freshmen to get involved in right off the bat. You can get involved in your respective residences halls building council where you Can help put on events and make change that impacts all of campus. I encourage everyone to check out our Facebook page and look for us this upcoming year in your residence halls. Best of luck kicking off your college career!

August 23, 2016

Survival Guide

BACK-to-SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE In the following pages, you’ll find The Towerlight’s guide to surviving and thriving at Towson. In addition to our editorial work, you’ll find letters and words of advice from TU faculty, administration and student leaders. Good luck getting started at Towson. This is a great place that you can really make a lot out of. Just don’t forget to read all your syllabi. The survival guide was compiled by Cody Boteler, Jordan Cope, Taylor DeVille, Kristin Helf, Sarah Rowan, Sam Shelton and Lainey Tepper. Production was by Alex Best, Chris Simms and Jordan Stephenson.

How to get involved with The Towerlight

If you’re reading this, you’ve already taken the first step! The Towerlight is an independent, student-run organization based out of Towson University. We receive advertising dollars from the University, but no direct monetary support. We’re independent and we’re all students with full schedules. You’ll probably see us in one of your classes or, at the very least, in the Liberal Arts building. We’re also always glad to have new people come in and get involved! We’re a newspaper, but we’re increasingly focusing on digital pro-

duction. If you like writing, shooting and editing photos or videos, audio mixing, graphic design or social media management, we’ve got stuff you can help out with. Our current production schedule has us assembling print editions on Mondays and having them distributed on campus on Tuesdays. We’ve got an online, daily newsletter called Towerlight Today that you can sign up for online. If you’re a part of a student group or any sort of organization, we’d love to write about what you’re doing and

what your group is involved with. Feel free to stop by or shoot us an email any time--we can make sure you talk to the appropriate editor so that we can get a reporter on the story. If you’re interested in getting involved, shoot an email to editor@ thetowerlight.com, and we’ll add you to our email list. We’ll be having interest meetings and open houses in the near future, you can look for announcements on social media. Welcome to Towson—we can’t wait to meet you!

Cody Boteler/ The Towerlight Staff members and student journalists sit inside of The Towerlight office,located on the third floor of the University Union, room 309.

How to find campus’ best food How to understand your Bateman’s, PTux and Admin stand out meals and dining points From what we’ve experienced, which locale offers the “best” food on campus is highly subjective. If you like comfort food, you might prefer fries and a sandwich from Paws or Chick-Fil-A from Susquehanna Food Court. If you like fresh salads or Paneraesque menu items, Au Bon Pain in

Hawkins Hall might be the spot for you. If you’re the kind of person who likes pretty much everything, head to your nearest dining hall. But if you’re looking for the creme-de-la-creme of on-campus eating, look no further than Patuxent Bistro in the Union, the Administration Building’s cafe and

Chris Simms/ The Towerlight Bateman’s is one of the best places to find good food and good vibes on campus.

Bill Bateman’s, which sits along the edge of campus with 7800 York Rd. All three locations offer meal options that are unavailable anywhere else nearby. Bateman’s is a bar/restaurant combination that offers alcohol (to those of us who are 21 years old and over), wings and things served with crab dip. It’s also one of the prime locations on campus to catch the latest football games. What else do we need to say? Patuxent (aka PTux) has limited hours of operation, so the lines get pretty long, but the food is usually worth it. They offer a pasta station, a Chipotle-style burrito station, a Chinese food station, a sandwich station and a salad bar. Make sure you get there quickly before the lines start. Meanwhile, the Admin Cafe is pretty out of the way, so lines are minimal and students are scarce, but you never know who you might rub shoulders with. President Schatzel and other notable University leaders work right upstairs.

Food will inevitably become one of the most important parts of your college career, and those late night runs to Paws will be a little tricky if you don’t understand Towson’s dining plan system. Using the Flex Dining Plan, students can choose from either 10, 14 or 19 allotted meals per week. These meals expire on Thursday night, so if you’re not out of meals by then, use them at locations like the Micro Mart and Outtakes to buy items for your dorm. A tip? Go on Wednesday instead of Thursday, and go earlier in the day. The lines can get really long at the convenience stores. There’s also an unlimited meals option, but it’s a bit pricier. You’ll also get $50 in dining points on your OneCard. These points are useful when buying smaller items that don’t make up the cost of a full meal ($6). The most popular meal plan is 14 meals per week, giving you two meals per day for all seven days of the week. Test out how much you tend to eat on a weekly basis, and then you’ll know whether to adjust your plan up

or down next semester. When you’re buying your food, tell the cashier how you plan on paying: meals only, meal and points or points only. If you use a dining hall, you can swipe in and use one meal for allyou-can-eat. Other locations, like Susquehanna and The Den or Paws use the meals and points system. Using the block plan, students can choose from either 100, 75, 50 or 25 meals for the whole semester with $75 in dining points. This is a popular option for commuter students. Towson offers plenty of both allyou-can eat and a-la-carte options for residents and commuter students, so you’ll never go hungry. Starbucks and Paws don’t accept meals until 4:15 and 4:30, respectively, so unless you’d like to use cash or points, save your coffee runs until later. And one last pro tip? Download Tapingo. It’ll become your best friend on that Saturday morning when you don’t feel like waiting in line at Einstein’s.

Survival Guide

August 23, 2016

How to get along How to deal with sharing with your roommate the communal bathrooms You’ve probably heard your fair share of roommate horror stories— here are a few tips to avoid living through one.

1. Set ground rules. Res Life is pretty good about helping you and your roommate(s) outline boundaries. Take that little piece of paper your RA gives you seriously and make sure you understand each other’s needs. 2. Get to know each other. Even if you don’t have a lot in common, make each other feel comfortable—you’re living with this person for eight months. You don’t have to be best friends, but you should at least respect each other. 3. Use headphones. Your roommate most likely doesn’t have the patience to listen to you binge-watch “Gilmore Girls” for hours, and as great as your EDM playlist is, playing it at full volume while you get ready for your morning class is absolutely frowned upon. 4. Give each other space. It’s awesome being friends with

your roomie, but having interests outside of your suite or quad will ensure that you don’t get on each other’s nerves. 5. Face problems with each other head on. Avoiding confrontation only leads to more unresolved issues and pettiness. Be upfront with your concerns, but also recognize that your roommate is human and will make mistakes. 6. Don’t be a filthy trash monster. Shower regularly, do your laundry often, take out the trash. And this might be an easy one to forget, but wash your bedding—especially if you sleep without pants. Yikes. And if you end up having legitimate problems with your roommate that can’t be solved, it happens. Don’t be afraid to approach your RA with any concerns you have. You’ll have the opportunity to do a room switch in the spring. Although it may be a bummer to give up having your own room, you can gain so much from learning to live with another person.

How to sign in guests First of all, make sure it’s okay with your roommate(s) before you have any guests over. And don’t sexile them, unless you want them to hate you for the rest of the year (and risk the same thing happening to you). Before anyone goes up to your dorm, they’ll need to check in at the desk in your building’s lobby with either their OneCard or another form of ID. They’ll be given a guest registration slip, which they’ll need to hang onto

during their visit. The rules state that you can’t host more than three overnight guests for more than three nights in a week, and there can be no signs of cohabitation, like a guest keeping their belongings in your room. Basically, your significant other can’t secretly live in your dorm with you, and your roommate probably doesn’t want to share their space with another person anyway.

Your OneCard is your lifeline at TU—you’ll use it every day to get into your residence hall and buy meals and snacks, and it’s also necessary for checking out materials at Cook Library, hitting up Burdick gym and university athletic events, riding the shuttles and printing on campus. It might be tempting to keep your card on the free Towson lanyard you’ve inevitably been given by now, but to upperclassmen, this is the number one telltale sign that someone is a new student (which there’s no shame in,

of course!). And as often as you’ll be using your OneCard, it’s also super easy to lose. Keep it safely tucked into your wallet or the side pocket of your backpack or else pay the fee to replace your lost card. Unless you really hate your ID photo that much—in which case, saying you “lost” your card is a totally viable excuse for taking a new pic. Keep in mind that the first two times you lose your card, it costs $15 to replace it, but after that the cost will get much higher. Be careful!

How to use and keep track of your OneCard

Communal bathrooms are probably the biggest downside to living in a residence hall. If you live in one of the towers, you’ll be sharing your bathroom with at least three other people, and if you live in residence tower, everyone in your quad. But it’s not so bad, as long as you always remember to bring your towel, shower caddy and a pair of flip flops. There’s no telling what kind of bacteria lives on your shower floor. The bathroom is an important space to practice roommate etiquette. Quad bathrooms are cleaned regularly by university staff, but if you’re sharing with just your roomie or a few dorm-mates, the bathroom can get dirty fast. A weekly cleaning schedule posted on the door can quell arguments before they start, and even if it’s not your day to clean, picking up after yourself and replacing the toilet paper every once in awhile is basic decorum.

Alex Best/ The Towerlight You’ll be sharing a communal bathroom if you live in the towers. If you live in West Village, you won’t have to share, but make sure you still follow some basic etiquette practices. Like the bathrooms in the towers, you’ll have clean all by

yourself, so make sure you develop a good cleaning schedule that you stick to firmly. No one likes a grimy dorm bathroom. And always make sure you buy enough toilet paper.

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Survival Guide

How to get an on-campus job Ways to balance work and school

Being a full-time student with a part-time job is one of the hardest but most character-building things I’ve done at Towson. Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you balance work and school: Prioritize. It’s way too easy to get caught up in cashing weekly paychecks than it is to study for a class you hate. Set standards for yourself to make sure you don’t fall behind. Whether you’re working just to make some spending cash or you're putting yourself through school, remember that doing well in your classes is the reason you’re here. Choose a job with flexible hours and managers that understand your priorities. Be honest about your own ability to achieve the grades you want while you work. Many students work anywhere from 10 to 15 hours per week, or work exclusively on weekends (depending on how nice your man-

agers are). Employers that hire college students know that we have a lot on our plates, and if you’re lucky, they won’t give you a hard time when you request a day off to study for an exam. Organize your weekly and monthly schedules. Having a visual representation of your work and class schedules makes your hectic weeks feel way less overwhelming. Figure out which system works best for you. A wall calendar can

Mega Job Fair

works well for some people, but others do well with apps like Google Calendar. Seeing how much time you have to study or hang out with friends will help you plan your days accordingly. Time management is key. Take some time to center yourself. Every week, plan to have a few moments alone to just relax. It might sound overly simple, but taking a few minutes to do some deep breathing exercises does wonders for your mental health.

Part-time and On-Campus Job Fair August 30 at 11 a.m. in Potomac Lounge Meet with local and on-campus employers. Students should come dressed conservatively and prepared with a copy of their resume.

File photo by Alex Best/ The Towerlight Students and faculty attend the Spring 2016 Mega Job and Internship fair held in SECU Arena March 23. Hosted by Towson University’s Career Center, the fair drew over 200 potential employers, including the Maryland Zoo and delivery service OrderUp, to campus. Students can prepare for future job fairs and employment opportunities by visiting the Career Center in 7800 York Rd.

PART-TIME & ON-CAMPUS JOB FAIR Tuesday, August 30 | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. University Union | Potomac Lounge

Meet local and on-campus employers who are ready to hire TU tigers. • Bring copies of your resume • Dress appropriately – casual but conservative • Come early! The first 100 students will receive a free water bottle

www.towson.edu/careercenter

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August 23, 2016

How to cope when How to utilize your floor RA you feel homesick When it comes to homesickness, the first semester of college can be difficult, especially if your family doesn’t live close enough to justify a weekend trip home. Remember that every other new student is in the same position as you, and they probably miss their dogs just as much as you do (and their mom, too, even if they won’t admit it). You might find yourself missing your family and friends the most as you lie awake at night, which is why Skype and Facetime calls before bed will be your best friend, at least for the first few weeks of school. The easiest way to beat homesickness is to make TU your new home, which will happen fast as you make

new friends and get acquainted with campus. Try to find an extracurricular activity that you enjoy to help you adjust to living away from home. Towson offers plenty of clubs, sports and organizations, and you’re sure to find one that you’ll end up loving. Find a favorite dining hall or a quiet corner of the library to hide in when you need some “me” time, call your parents frequently to update them on your college life, and keep your mind open to new experiences and people. Allow yourself to feel homesick, but make sure to keep an open mind. The homesickness doesn’t have to last that long.

How to get around all the construction Towson University is always growing, and the construction can sometimes make navigating campus a bit tricky. The biggest construction project on campus is the Burdick Hall expansion, slated to be completed by fall 2017. Students travelling to and from West Village will have to use the detour between the Union Garage and Burdick Fields and through the Union to make it to the other side of campus.If you want to use the Burdick Gym, you will have to use the University Avenue entrance between Burdick and the Towsontown Garage. In the spring, baseball goers

will have to enter Schuerholz Park from Towsontown Blvd. Newell Dining Hall and The Den will be closed until winter 2017. While pedestrian traffic is still available in the area, Newell Avenue will be permanently closed for vehicle traffic. The construction can sometimes make your walk to class a little bit longer, so make sure you set your alarm and leave with plenty of time to make it before class starts. Walks from West Village to class can take up to 30 minutes. If you live in the Glen Complex, you’ll probably have an easier time.

Chris Simms/ The Towerlight Construction on Burdick Hall has been ongoing since Fall 2015 and is slated to be completed by Fall 2017.

It’s late on a Thursday night in your dorm. You’re having a good time, listening to some music and basically ignoring every quiet hour rule in the book. Your RA knocks on your door. Your RA is annoyed. You get a noise complaint. Now you’re sad. Don’t be that guy. Instead, try to get on your RA’s good side. Their responsibility is to create a sense of community on your floor, and all they want to do is help you. Oftentimes, your RA will be your first point of contact with many issues you may have in your academic, social or personal life. And if they can’t help you the way you need, they can direct you to someone who can help, such as your building’s Residence Life Coordinator. They’ll also plan a lot of floor events. Go to them. It’s a great way to not only get to know your RA a bit better, it’s a really easy way to make friends with the people in your hall. After all, you’ll be living with them

for eight months, right? (Plus, there’s usually free food.) They can be a great first resource for figuring out how to get involved on campus, too. They’re students too and they all remember those first few weeks of freshman year, and they’ll be happy to help you find your niche on campus. Yes, your RA is there to enforce the rules.

However, your RA is also there to make your transition into college a little bit easier, so don’t be afraid to approach them with any questions or concerns you may have. If you follow the rules, you’ll have a great experience with your RA, as well as a great experience living in your dorm room. And who knows, maybe by the end of the year you’ll want to be an RA, too.

Alex Best/ The Towerlight CC desk workers and RAs work with students inside residence halls

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Survival Guide

The Division for Student Affairs offers the

Student LIFE Line

How to catch ‘em all at TU

Cody Boteler/ The Towerlight If you walk around campus during the day, there’s a good chance you’ll see some lures dropped in the Glen. People have discovered it’s a good place to drop and wait for the creatures to appear.

This telephone line assists students with any question they may have about the University. LIFE Line is staffed and ready to assist callers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After these hours, a voice mail message can be left and will be responsed to on the next business day. You can also contact us with your questions via e-mail at studentaffairs@towson.edu.

(5433) 33) 410-704-LIFE (54 E-mail: studentaffairs@towson.edu

You might not have thought about it over the summer, but TU’s campus is a great place to play Pokemon Go. There are plenty of Pokestops scattered around campus and about half a dozen gyms.

If you go uptown, there are even more. The prime stops around campus seem to be the Glen (where there are four stops all right next to each other) and Freedom Square.

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Survival Guide

How to choose the How to change your schedule right major for you using your Peoplesoft account We won’t lie. Choosing a major is hard if there’s nothing that strikes your immediate interest. That said, it’s a good idea to start by dipping your toes in the water of fields that interest you. Freshman year is all about taking general, introductory courses (Which are pretty straightforward with minimal work). So, why not take some time to explore your interests? Intro courses are a great way to get a feel for what certain majors entail without actually having to invest too much time. Step two is to get in touch with your advisor. It’s their job to help you figure out what you want to do with the rest of

your life. No pressure, right? Seriously though, advisors can super helpful toward navigating and identifying prerequisites. If you’re not sure who your advisor is, check Peoplesoft’s Student Center, which you can log into with your Towson ID, and approach them via email. Odds are, they’ll be happy to help. And what if you don’t like your major? No sweat. You can easily change your major by filling out a Change of Major Request Form Online. Just make sure you talk to your advisor first. You have until the end of your sophomore year to officially declare a major, plenty of time to decide.

How to get help with your writing

The Towson University Writing Center (410-704-3426) is up on the top floor of the College of Liberal Arts Building, all the way back in the corner, and it’s a great place to go if you need help writing a paper. The Writing Center works with not only undergraduate students, but graduate students, faculty and staff — at any point in the writing process, tbe it brainstorming, polishing a final edraft, or any point in between. d The Writing Center isn’t necessarily a group of editors, but of peer

writing assistants who will help clients to sharpen ideas, communicate thoughts more clearly and organize their thoughts. Writing assistants come from a variety of disciplines and majors, so that any writing need of a student can be met. The Writing Center does take walk-ins, but during busier times of the semester, like midterms and finals, appointments tend to fill up quickly. Those interested in booking an appointment can call or stop by the front desk.

Cody Boteler/ The Towerlight To schedule an appointment at The Towerlight, call 410-704-3426 or stop by the front desk on the 5th floor of the CLA building.

If you’re not feeling your semester schedule, the add/drop period might be your chance to make some changes. Students have from Aug. 29 to Sep. 7 to adjust their schedule by adding and/or dropping courses. As a freshman, you might want to meet with your advisor before you make any changes. 1. Go to PeopleSoft. It’s listed under “Top Links” on myTU. 2. Sign in and click on the “Self Service” tab. 3. Under “Enrollment”, click on “My Class Schedule.” 4. You should see a list of your classes with tabs that say “add,” “drop,” “swap,” etc. at the top. 5. There are a number of ways to go about switching classes. I’ll explain how to swap, since it’s easiest. 6. When you click on the “swap” tab, you’ll see a drop-down menu of the classes you’re currently enrolled in. Select which one you want to replace. 7. If you want to search for a spe-

Chris Simms/ The Towerlight Your First Year Advisor, sometimes located at the Lecture Hall, will be your go-to resource with concerns about your schedule. cific class, select “class search” from the “Search for Class” drop-down menu. Selecting “My Requirements” from the drop-down menu will give you a list of unsatisfied courses you need for your major. 8. Clicking on a class will lead you to the course details, and class sections and their status (open,

closed, or wait list) will be listed at the bottom. Click “select” in order to swap. 9. If you’d rather use the “search for class” option, have a tab open that lists TU’s core classes and the classes required for your major. This will make it easier to find the courses you need to graduate.

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Survival Guide

How to use pass/fail How to stay healthy on campus Say, for example, that you’re taking a class for your Core requirements but it’s not a class that you’re crazy about. Maybe it’s at a bad time for your schedule. Maybe the amount of work is just a little bit too much and you can’t commit all your time to it. Students can opt for a “pass” grading option. If you go to the Registrar’s Office (Enrollment Services building, in West Village), before the last day to withdraw from class, you can fill

out a form and make grading a bit less scary. With the “pass” option, any grade above a C or higher will appear as “PS” or “pass” on your transcript. An A looks the same as a C. If you’re unsure, chat with an academic advisor--especially if you’re considering some sort of graduate or doctorate study. The only catch--you can’t use the pass option for classes that are required for your major.

How to find a study routine that works So you’re new to college. You’ve made it through syllabus week and have settled in a little. But, now, things are starting to pick up. Maybe you’ve had a quiz or two. Midterms are looming. How do you study--and, especially, how do you study if you had a relatively easy time in high school? For a lot of people, studying is about finding a place to be able to focus. It can be hard in a dorm, if your roommate's schedule doesn’t match up. And, even though they’re supposed to be “quiet lounges” in the residence halls, they’re not always

quiet, so you might have to find some alternatives. There are plenty of alternatives all over campus. Some popular alternatives you can try checking out include the third floor of the West Village Commons, Freedom Square or any of the relatively secluded spots in Cook Library. If you’ve tried changing spaces and still need some help, you can try the Academic Achievement Center (410-704-2291) on the fifth floor of Cook Library. The AAC offers tutoring sessions, study groups, academic coaching and other services.

Staying healthy at college goes hand in hand with eating good food. And no, not “good” as in delicious. “Good” as in nutritious. Luckily, Towson offers options that cover both. Healthy meal options like whole wheat pastas, salads (pre-packaged or made according to your specifications) are available are virtually everywhere, while places like the Union’s Susquehanna Food Court (often affectionately referred to as “Susq”) offer smoothie options that combine fruits, veggies and add-ons like chia seeds if so desired. On-campus dieticians can also lend advice on meal plans and preparation. If you want to go the extra mile toward staying healthy, Burdick Hall, which houses multiple gyms, a pool, Campus Rec activities and fitness classes and a wide-array of workout resources, is the place for you. While some Burdick services are temporarily limited due to the ongoing construction, there will be even more facilities and workout apparatus available for students once the building’s expansion is completed in the coming year. Check back with the Towerlight for updates about campus construction. And finally, in case of medical emergencies or minor tummy aches, the Health Center at Ward and West is your best friend. Located near the Liberal Arts building and Residence Tower, the Health Center is here to take

File photo by Sarah Hugel/ The Towerlight The Heath and Counseling Centers at Ward & West are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. care of you. Services offered there include STD-testing, immunization shots and contraceptive counseling, in addition to treatment for illnesses and injuries. Staying mentally healthy is equally as important. Starting college is a stressful time, and for a lot of people, it’s the first time away from home and family. Classes can be stressful and it can feel overwhelming trying to balance school with a social life. Thankfully, the Towson University Counseling Center provides great resources for Towson students— most at no out of pocket cost. The Counseling Center offers services to help students with their emotional and psychological health. Students can make an

appointment to talk to a counselor about concerns they may have by speaking with someone at the front desk, or by calling 410-704-2512. In addition to individual services and initial visits, the Counseling Center offers several counseling groups, some that are on a dropin basis. During regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), the Counseling Center is able to help students who are in crisis. Outside of those times, the center recommends a few courses of action. If someone’s health or safety is at risk, call 911. TUPD can contact Counseling Center staff as needed in an emergency. Anyone in suicidal crisis can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255.

It’s always better to be early to class than to walk in late. Throughout the semester, you’ll also figure out a lot of different shortcuts on campus.

For example, going through the Glen Woods gets you to the 7800 York Rd. building a few minutes faster than going through the center of campus. As a final tip, don’t skip class. It may be tempting to sleep through that 8 a.m. lecture, but you’ll only create additional work for yourself in the end when you have to catch up. You’ll also waste your unexcused absences, and you might end up needing them later. Plus, it’s a waste of money, and your professor will notice. So, set your alarms, leave early and get to class on time. You’ll thank yourself later.

How to know what to wear to your classes How to get to your class on time Set an alarm and always leave early

The wonderful thing about college is that everyone is too stressed out to care what you wear to class. Gym shorts, yoga pants and t-shirts are totally acceptable, if not expected. Whether you want to dress for comfort or you like getting dolled up, the only thing that should matter is if you like how you look. That said, here are some things that students should generally avoid wearing: Heels. If you have a short walk to class, this might not be a big deal, but trying to navigate the construction and stairs around campus in heels is a sure way to break your ankle. A lot of perfume. In small classrooms, the smell can be overpowering. Big hats/hair accessories.

I’d love to wear my Panama hats every day, but keeping them on during class can be a nuisance to other students. If you’re wearing something that could block someone’s view, be courteous and sit in the back. Crocs. Just don’t. Basically, plan your outfit according to the weather, how much walking you’ll have to do between classes, and maybe invest in some comfortable clothes if you have back-toback classes. One suggestion is to layer. Sometimes the buildings can get either really hot on a cold day, or really cold on a hot day. You always want to be prepared so you’re not shivering or melting away in class.

Part of time management in college is being able to figure out how to get to class on time, and it may take a bit of practice to develop a routine that works. Before classes officially begin, take a walk around campus to see exactly where your classes are, that way you won’t get lost and you can get there faster. Time how long it takes to get there from where you’re living. At night, set multiple alarms on your phone. It’s also a good idea to set up an actual alarm clock across the room. Figure out how long it’ll take to get ready in the morning and how long it’ll take to walk to class.

“

As a final tip, don’t skip class. It may be tempting to sleep through that 8 a.m. lecture, but you’ll only create additional work for yourself in the end when you have to catch up.

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August 23, 2016

How to acquire your textbooks As you might have already learned, college textbooks are expensive - really, really expensive. The most straightforward means of acquiring said books (which must surely be made of gold or something) is to go through the University Store. Buying from the UStore means books can be purchased to own or for rent, used or new. So, generally, books are most expensive if they’re bought new and to own. Alternatively, the cheapest are typically used rentals. If you rent your books, you can still write and highlight in them before returning them to the UStore at the end of the designated semes-

ter, though you are encouraged to not go overboard or damage the material in any way. The UStore also offers an online system for figuring out which books you need for which classes. This resource, as well as price-checking and comparison services, can be found through the store’s website. If you decide to buy/own your books, know that the UStore also buys back undamaged textbooks at the end of each semester. If you don’t want to go through the UStore, consider using our local Bookholders, which offers similar plans. Amazon may also be a cheaper or more convenient options.

Walking around campus all the time can get tiring and can take almost half an hour, and trying to drive across campus is a fool’s errand because of TU’s high commuter population. The shuttles are always an option, but their schedule might not match yours. Thankfully, Towson is a pretty bike-friendly campus. You’ll find bike racks in front of most buildings and there’s even a bike-repair station in front of the Union.

Campus Rec is also offereing a semester-long bike share program. The first 28 students who sign up will get a bike to use for the semester for the low cost of $20. Registration opens Sept. 5 at noon. Virtually all of campus is lined with wide paths with plenty of room for pedestrians and cyclists-though trying to bike through the Glen Woods might not be too wise-which makes biking a great option if you want to move faster than your feet can take you.

How to best bike around campus

Jordan Cope/ The Towerlight Students who want to bike to and from their classes can stash their bikes at any of TU’s bike racks.

Survival Guide

August 23, 2016

Jobs

February 17, 2015

Towerlight TheTowerlight.com/classifieds

CLASSIFIEDS help wanted

hw - childcare

housing

prIVAte Golf cluB GrounDS Help neeDeD We are seeking motivated anddriven individuals to be part of our team. Applicants can expect to use various types of both walk and riding mowers as well as other grounds maintenance related equipment and tools. We have flexible scheduling; however applicants must be able to work mornings. Mornings/ Weekends/Full-Time/Part-Time Positions available Previous landscape/golf course experience preferred but not required Starting: $10:00per hour Must be able to lift 50lbs repeatedly and be able to work mornings Hours: Monday-Friday 6:00AM2:30PM Saturday-Sunday 6:00AM-10:00AM Contact- John/Bill at 410-823-6725 or at CountryClubJob1925@gmail.com Country Club of Maryland 1101 Stevenson Lane Towson, MD 21286

pArt-tIMe nAnnY Professional couple looking for caring, responsible part-time nanny to care for 8-month twins. Tuesday/Thursdays starting in September from 8:00-4:00PM. Timonium residence with potential move to Sparks. Pay competitive and negotiable. Please call Stacy 410-206-0892.

Duplex for rent 2 Bedroom - 1 Bathroom $1200 per Month Central Air Washer & Dryer Driveway Fenced Yard Front Porch Wood Floors Near Towson Walmart & Target Call (410) 371-8989

ASSIStAnt Part-time doctors assistant. Willing to train. Good salary. Fax resume 410-2527774 or call 410-252-7770.

AfterScHool nAnnY – ISO nanny for 1st and 4th grade boys, Monday – Friday 3:15-6pm in Cockeysville. Responsibilities include picking up from school, walking dog, and driving to activities as needed. mbdaug@gmail.com

locAl AuctIoneer Auctioneer needs someone to help load and unload trucks, assist with auction set up, help with online listings. Perfect for someone with a light schedule, or flexibility with a M, W, F or T, Th. Schedule. $14p/h to start. Must have transportation. Auction warehouse is in Timonium. Some hours on 2 Saturdays a month. Call office to set up an interview. 410-252-9800 tent InStAllerS neeDeD No experience necessary, will train. Delivery and installation of party / wedding tents, tables, chairs, etc. $14 / hour to start, Great Summer job. Call Dave 410 733-7869 or email larkin31@outlook.com.

In SeArcH of reSponSIBle individual to provide childcare for 2nd and 4th grader daily from 3:00-5:00. Responsibilities would include picking up kids from school, starting homework, and walking dog. If interested contact 410-913-8833. ru orGAnIzeD? Errands/ help mom of older girls and cat. $13, + gas $, average up. Your parents’ home located Baltimore/Howard County so you are nearby year-round. Located 695X22. Leave message 410336-9515.

SeeKInG BABYSItter to put child on bus, occasional drop-off of preschooler in Towson. 7:45-8:45 a.m., occasional 7 a.m. start time. Must have own transportation. $15/hour. Contact Gina: gcalialotz@gmail. com or 443-326-4423

See next week’s print classifieds online today at thetowerlight.com

for sale BIKe for SAle Like new Specialized 27” hybrid bicycle (men’s). $250. Call Sam at 443 858 0832 t-cup YorKIe! Male/female. Champion bloodline/AKC reg., Sire is 3.4 lbs. Potty trained/ vaccination.13wks old. $600. elpets60@outlook.com, 410919-7608.

Make $20

in 1 hr just by

handing out

The Towerlight! Will you have some free time on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 30? RU outgoing / friendly?

Need a little extra cash?

You know you do! Email:

ads@thetowerlight for more info.

Safety tips from TU police chief To make your time here more productive and enjoyable, remember some basic safety and crime prevention tips: 1) Theft is a crime of “opportunity”, so, eliminate the opportunity by safeguarding your personal property. Don’t leave valuable items like laptops, cell phones, purses, etc. unattended. 2) Lock your residence hall door and your automobile doors. Don’t leave valuables visible inside your vehicle. 3) Practice good personal safety and security. Don’t be distracted by looking at your cell phone and texting while walking. Be aware of your surroundings and report suspicious activity. Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, chances are it is not right. During

hours of darkness, walk in groups and in well-lit areas. 4) Practice good traffic safety. Don’t drink and drive. Drive safely and obey all traffic laws. Pedestrians should cross in cross-walks. 5)“Don’t abuse alcohol or other drugs, both legal and illegal. When you are impaired or intoxicated, you become more vulnerable to criminal victimization and other negative outcomes.” Remember, your Towson University Police Department, a dually accredited sworn police department, is here for you. Don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns or to report a crime or suspicious activity. --Bernard Gerst is TU Chief of Police and the assistant vice president, office of public safety.

How to make the most of the CSD Located on the third floor of the Union, the Center for Student Diversity is here to encourage inclusion and dialogue in a safe space among students on campus with diverse backgrounds. They offer programs and services that support underrepresented groups on campus, and have units in African American, Latino and Asian Pacific Islander development, LGBT development, as well as campus ministries and women’s resources. Here are a few things you can do to get involved. Join a student success program Students Achieve Goals through Education, or SAGE, is a program that encourages achievement, personal growth and involvement among students with diverse backgrounds. Each student is assigned a peer mentor and participates in activities that enhance networking skills, career development and knowledge of cultural groups. SAGE meets every Tuesdays from 4-5pm in Chesapeake Room III. Attend the speaker series Every semester, the CSD hosts a Diversity Speaker Series that brings culturally relevant speakers to campus. Last year, the CSD hosted

speakers such as #BlackLivesMatter co-creator Opal Tometi, social activist Bree Newsome, the Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III and social activist Tim Wise. They also host a Retreat for Social Justice every year that explores cultural identity and interaction. They only choose 50 students to go, so visit the CSD’s website if you’re interested. Join a multicultural student organization The CSD offers an endless amount of student organizations that will suit your every need. These organizations include cultural groups like the African Diaspora Club, sororities and fraternities like Sigma Lambda Gamma and Lambda Theti Phi, religious groups like Hillel and the Newman Center, as well as other groups like the Feminist Collective and GenderBLUR. Hang out in the office The CSD is just a really cool place to hang out. Stop by once or twice during the semester to see what’s going on. The office is always warm and inviting, and there’s always someone to talk to...bonus points if you get to meet Dr. Kirmani.

Survival Guide

August 23, 2016

How to join a club

How to go Greek

Towerlight file photo

Members of TU Greek life perform at “Dance the Madness.” Courtesy of Lucas La Vista

Members of the Glider Alliance skate around Van Bokkelen Hall to practice their skating skills. There’s no better way to make friends during your first semester of college than joining a club, and there’s no shortage of clubs and organizations at TU. Ranging from dance troupes to ministries to minority organizations, Involved@ TU provides a directory of over 300 student groups on campus.

If you’re looking to meet people in your major, there’s probably a club for that (like the English Forum, or the Exercise Science club). If you’re trying to gain experience in your field, there’s probably something for that, too (hey journalism majors—the Towerlight office is in University Union room

309!). And if you have no idea what you want to join yet but know you want to get involved, the Fall Involvement Fair on Sept. 7 will have over 150 groups vying for your attention. You’ll be able to meet representatives from different groups on campus.

If you’re interested in joining Greek life, you have 35 chapters to choose from—a full list can be found online through the Towson University website. Freshman guys can rush this fall, but ladies will have to wait until the spring. Anyone interested in Greek life must be a full-time student, although this doesn’t apply to first-semester freshmen and transfer students. The minimum cumu-

lative GPA required to join is 2.5. To apply, you’ll need to fill out a form in order to attend one of the four recruitment events held by the councils. You can do that at www.towson. edu/studentlife/activities/fratsororitylife/join.html. If you’re not sure which chapter you want to join, don’t worry— Greek life chapters will have a meet-and-greet on Sept. 8.

August 23, 2016

Advertising

Survival Guide

August 23, 2016

Words of Wisdom This year, The Towerlight reached out to officials and leaders around campus to see if they had any words of advice to share with new, incoming students. Below is a collection of the responses we received. Take advantage of the many academic resources you have on campus- they are included in your tuition and can be the difference between success and failure. Meet with a librarian at the Research Help desk or email the librarian for your major to make an appointment. You can even text your research questions to 410-774-1398. Don’t forget about the Writing Center and Academic Achievement Center too. They offer writing and tutoring help. Even if you were a straight A student in high school or at your past college, Towson might be different. Why not get familiar with your academic resources right away? Most importantly, know that those of us who work in these offices (and many others around campus) love helping students and want you to feel supported on campus. Come visit us!

I would encourage all students to study hard, Eat well, exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep. --Tim Chandler, Provost

--Carissa Tomlinson, university libraries

My advice to new students. GET INVOLVED. There are many student groups of all kinds of interest. Walk around campus and meet new people. Set one goal each semester. If you see a campus photographer, smile. And do not forget to study!

"Challenge yourself and keep an open mind! If a certain program makes you uncomfortable – attend and listen! If a student organization seems too different – reach out, and maybe join! Only by trying new things will you learn and grow…

--Kanji Takeno, campus photographer

--Santiago Solis, Assit. Vice President, diversity

Your .edu address entitles you to free online subscriptions to the New York Times and the Baltimore Sun. Register online, download the apps, read them everyday and impress your new friends and teachers! https://www.towson.edu/studentlife/activities/engagement/readership/

Whether in your classes or in your interactions with people in other settings, work with integrity and with openness to recognize and understand complexity—in ideas, in situations, in moral judgments, in policy decisions, in human behavior, in roommates, in faculty, in the natural world, in aesthetics, and in choices you make—and ask what you can learn from those things that challenge you the most.

--Stacy Spaulding, mass communication professor

--Terry Cooney, Dean, College of Liberal Arts

My best advice is to get involved – in the classroom, with the university, and with the community. Get to know people – fellow students, teachers, staff. The more invested you are, the more enjoyable and meaningful the experience will be. On the other side of the coin, I have a colleague who says that college is the safest place to fail because there are almost always do overs. Of course, you wouldn’t want to make failure a habit, but blowing a course or two or even a semester doesn’t mean you won’t be able to recover."

The big thing I’d like to share with all students is to make the deadlines—turn in your assignments on time, come to every class on time. Many students have discovered that just because I post my powerpoint what actually occurs in class doesn’t get posted, and you are responsible for what is said whether you’re there or not. Every syllable. -Alex Storrs, physics, astronomy & geosciences professor

--Virginia Thompson, chair, geography

A quick who’s who @ TU Kim Schatzel is Towson’s 14th president. She started last semester and will be formally inaugurated Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. in Secu Arena. Before coming to Towson, she served as interim president at Eastern Michigan

University and has over 20 years of business experience. Tim Chandler is Towson’s provost, vice president for academic affairs, chief academic officer and Brit-in-residence. He served as interim president before

Schatzel was appointed and was the one who signed a document outlining a list of demands and concerns from black students who staged a sit-in of the president’s office last fall. Deb Moriarty is the vice president for student affairs, which is kind of like an umbrella of a number of departments on campus, including House & Residence Life, Civic Engagement & Leadership, the Center for Student Diversity, Students Activities, the

Veterans Center and others. Kanji is Towson’s photographer, and one of the happiest faces you’ll see around campus. He’s quick to snap a photo of students he sees hanging around TU and almost always gets them up on Facebook. He’s also a professor of Japanese. Ray Feldmann is the senior director of communications and media relations at Towson and he knows a little bit about everything. And, if he

doesn’t, he knows who to ask to find out about that thing. You’ll see him on class Facebook pages, answering questions and posting important information. CAB, Short for “Campus Activities Board” and a branch of the Student Government Association. CAB is made up of students who bring together a bunch of campus events and are responsible for campus-wide events like Tigerfest and Survive Towson.

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Survival Guide

How to enjoy Towson athletics all year long Towson University has 19 Division I athletic teams for students to cheer on throughout the year. There are 13 women’s teams and six men’s teams. Any Towson student who wishes to attend a sporting event can do so for free. However, attending football and basketball games require tickets which can be picked up at the box office in the first floor of the University Union by presenting a OneCard. On Saturday afternoons in the fall, students put on their black and gold and can tailgate up to four hours before kickoff in Lot 14, before they head into Johnny Unitas Stadium to cheer on the Tigers. Many students also enjoy going to SECU Arena to support

volleyball in the fall. Last year, football finished 7-4 while volleyball finished 26-6 and made an appearance in the Colonial Athletic Association (CA A) Tournament. In the winter and spring seasons, students enjoy going to SECU Arena to support the basketball programs. Last season, the men’s team finished 20-13 while the women’s finished 7-24. Johnny Unitas Stadium also hosts both men’s and women’s lacrosse, which both made the NCAA Tournament last year. For incoming freshmen and transfer students, there will be plenty of opportunities to put on your black and gold and support the Tigers this upcoming year.

File photo by Patrick Burke/ The Towerlight Towson football players take the field in the second home game of the 2015 season against Holy Cross.

How to decide between club and intramural sports at Towson For incoming freshman and transfer students who would rather compete than spectate, Towson University offers both club and intramural sports. There are 30 different club sports offered at Towson and students who wish to join can do so by filling out an interest form online. After completing the interest form, a student’s information will be passed along to the respective club or clubs that they expressed interest in. In addition to completing the interest form, students will need to have a valid OneCard and health insurance card. Many club sports also involve a tryout as club teams compete against colleges from the local region and even nationwide.

For students who don’t want to make the time commitment to a club team, Towson offers a wide array of intramural sports. Intramural sports offers open, co-rec and women’s leagues for those interested in joining. Intramural games and tournaments are played either on Burdick Field or in Burdick Hall. Students interested in joining intramural sports can create a team with friends or sign up individually as a free agent. Some of the intramural sports offered at Towson include basketball, flag football, indoor soccer, soccer, softball and volleyball. So for students who still have a competitive edge from their high school or community college days, Towson likely has the sport for you.

File photo by Patrick Burke/ The Towerlight Members of the Towson women’s club rugby team hold a practice on Burdick Field prior to their fall 2015 season.

How to get the most out of venturing uptown If you’re on York Road on the edge of campus, you can go south (toward the Administration Building) and eventually get to Baltimore. If you head north (toward Newell) and up the hill, you’ll reach Uptown. You’ve got the Towson Town Center mall, a new Cinemark movie theater and dozens of great restaurants. And, provided you’re, y’know, supposed to be able to go into a bar, there are some really great ones Uptown, including the newly-opened rooftop Greene Turtle. There are a few 24/7 joints, like a Dunkin’ Donuts with free wi-fi and

a Subway across the street from the Baltimore County Public Library. During the summer, there’s a great farmer’s market that runs into late fall. And every spring, the Towson community comes to life with the Towsontown Spring Festival, featuring vendors, bands, beer gardens and carnival rides. If it’s too far for you to walk and you don’t want to struggle with parking, the Tiger In Town off-campus shuttle route has multiple stops by the Towson Town Center and runs from 4:45 p.m. to 2:32 a.m.

File photo by Chris Simms/ The Towerlight Uptown Towson is within walking distance of campus and includes popular nightlife, shops and a variety of places to eat.

August 23, 2016

Survival Guide

Elizabeth Coletti

Soccer Freshman forward Elizabeth Coletti scored one goal and registered two points in Towsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2-1 loss to Eastern Carolina Sunday at the Tiger Soccer Complex.

August 23, 2016

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