Come One, Come All, Welcome to the Circus that is Champlain College!

Advice Column for the September issue of The Champlain Current

The roustabout music starts (the Bassnectar remix, that is), the light flickers through the trees that surround the main ring (the Hauke courtyard); and, the spotlight is on you (or so it seems). Face it, we are all circus freaks. Everyone is different—the bare-foot-grooving-sunshine daydreamers, the fitted-wearing-fist-pounding-Air Force One admirers, and the tech-savvy-game-creating masterminds. And you, you just don’t seem to fit in anywhere. Your eyes spot hair wraps and beaded braids of a sunshine daydreamer engulf around a head topped with a Boston Fitted. A clash of characteristics—welcome to College.
When my dorm, 215 South Prospect Street, got settled in, I was named the Hippie. Sublime, The Dead, and morning Marley were casually bumping through my open door and windows. I spent the first few weeks getting wild—which resulted in me going home, not drinking for a while, and dropping a class. The first year of school can, and most likely will, be the most difficult social adjustment of your life. In my first year I got emotionally destroyed by a boyfriend from home and a Disco Biscuit-bumping upperclassman from UVM, found a life long friend and troublemaking team member with the first homosexual person I’ve ever gotten to know, and found friends better described as family. If you don’t let your guard down and let the natural order of your future take place, who’s life are you living? I’ll suggest a song to you. Get on your computer and check out Xavier Rudd. Not only are his lyrics legit, but he plays a didgeridoo! Listen to his song Let Me Be. His word will explain how and why I want our community to be.
So, here is my first piece of advice: do not let your interests limit you from being interested in people that are completely different from yourself. This isn’t high school, you know. There aren’t cliques. People obviously connect quicker with people who listen to the same music or play the same games (physical or on the screen). There is no need for an icebreaker when you share interests with someone. You don’t have to leave your comfort zone and enter the other persons. Having a simple interest, like gardening or a baseball team, can lead to an array of conversations. I got to know more about myself by meeting new people. By getting to know someone, you realize that you too, are different. It’s healthy, and expected, that your opinions on certain things like sexuality, racial diversity, and even substance abuse will change after you see the effect these things have on other people. And remember, one topic can lead to a million different conversations. So, Sit down (even better—take a walk) and listen to someone else’s music. Try out a video game in your neighbor’s dorm room for the first time. Hell, at lease say “hello” to people when you walk past them.
Please, Oh Please, do not let Me become The Fat Lady!
Then don’t. It is as simple as this: Burlington is far too fun of a city to sit on your—toosh. Plug up your ears with your headphones and go for a run or grab a new friendly face to cruise Church Street with. If you’re not ready to tackle the sweet city yet, the Champlain Fitness Center offers a variety of exercise programs as well as intramural sports. Although intramural sports do not compete with other schools, there is solid dedication to teams. It can be difficult to dedicate a weeknight to a sport when you’re trying to get work done. But, remember how good it felt in high school to accomplish something with a team—a goal, spike, or basket? However, if team sports aren’t for you, I guarantee if you head to campus with a Frisbee, you will attract a crowd of disc throwing maniacs and break a solid sweat before you know it. Not only will you stay looking fresh, but you will feel better, too. Staying healthy doesn’t have to be a hassle, make it fun! Exercising for 30 minutes a day not only produces more energy, but will keep your metabolism up…which leads me to the second part of not becoming the fat lady…
Monitor what you eat in the cafeteria. I know, the grilled cheese dripping with butter looks good after a night of partying. It’s hard to resist eating pizza at every meal since eating it twice (or more) a day has been a dream of yours since childhood. Face it— “childhood” is over. You’re at College and if you don’t start giving your body what it needs (NOT what your brain wants), you’ll be thirty years down the road wishing you had switched your diet when you could still mold your metabolism. It’s healthy to treat yourself in moderation. But, it’s also healthy to trade Captain Crunch for Cheerios; snack on an apple or banana instead of Dorito’s between classes; Request a veggie burger; Go with wheat instead of Wonderbread; Ask for light on the mayo (or just use Hummus!) and heavy on the veggies; Cut back on caffeine and put back a tall glass of water. Choose a meal a day to splurge on a burger or some pizza. Just keep one word in mind: moderation.
My Roommate is a Trapeze Artist and I Ride Pretty Ponies
The difficulty of dorm life does not usually begin with cramming all the belongings of two people in one room. However, when those two people actually have to spend time together in that room it can cause chaos, catfights, and complete catastrophe. Champlain College has a wide variety of interests considering the student body. There is even a chance you won’t have anything in common at all. Between different majors, types of music, opinion on drugs and alcohol, and even sports teams.
Don’t think that you have to be best friends because you live together, but don’t let your differences make you dislike each other either. Living in the dorms is a convenience of college, not the student body form of match making. You can come to compromises on most issues—when to listen to who’s music, what time to be back in the room on nights before classes. Make sure to discuss issues before you’re already down Awkward Ally—bringing home a guy or girl after a party or who has rights to what in the fridge, and especially Alcohol. My roommate did not approve of having Alcohol in our room—I sucked it up. Not only did she have to school to back her up, it really isn’t a necessity when in reality you spend most of your time drinking in living rooms around Burlington.
You may get a perfect fit for a roommate. Plenty of people stay close with their College roommate for life. My roommate when I lived at 215 South Prospect Street and I didn’t have much in common—I can’t actually think of a single thing to be honest. We agreed a switch was necessary because of our…conflicting interests. Just remember, you don’t have to be best friends. You may never want to go a day without them! Either way, have lunch with the person you live with once a week. Remember though, in if your discomfort living with your roommate is extreme, you can always inquire about getting switched! It can be magical, mysterious, and miserable—but it’s an experience.
Run to your Ring Leader!
Your RA (resident advisor) chose to be the leader of the pack in your dorm. Although they have friends, classes, and lives in general, they get paid to sit in their room while on duty. So, take advantage of having him or her around. They are trained to be helpful and not slam you when you’re at your lowest. However, we are all adults. There are right and wrong ways to address things. Be smart. Chose your words wisely. And please, don’t whine. Whether you got drunk and did something stupid, can’t handle a full load of classes, or plain old miss your mom—talk to your RA. My RA was one of my favorite people in our dorm. Where there is respect, there is less Documentation, more dorm dinners, and generally more comfort. They are your closest and fastest source of advice. They may even become a friend and you’ll be the one giving advice.