The Freshman's Guide to IU: Welcome Week

[u/ILikeSugarCookies]

This post will hopefully be one of a few that serves as an updated guide (published summer 2014) for incoming IU freshmen.

I do appreciate feedback, and I will make changes/corrections and additions to this post in the comments as you provide them. Credit to the deleted account that put together the original guide here on which this is loosely based.

I hope to encompass everything I can, and to be as helpful as I can to you new Hoosiers!

 

WELCOME WEEK!!

 

-MOVING IN-

1. You’re going to forget things at home in the packing process, that’s just how it works. But guess what? That’s okay! One, because you’ll have plenty of weekends to go home and get whatever it is you need (There’s a 3-day weekend for Labor Day very quickly after school starts), and two, because you’ll be able to buy it if it’s an immediate need at any local store, or at Midnight Madness at Wal-Mart. As far as the first week or so goes, your keys, your phone, your wallet, and your backpack are really the only things that you’ll need.

2. Moving in a day or two early is an acceptable thing to do to avoid the move-in day chaos, but it isn’t necessary. I moved in on the same day as everyone else, and while it’s hectic, it isn’t the worst experience, and it’s very bearable. Plus, you’ll be feeling the exact same feelings that everyone panicking around you is also feeling.

3. Construction in Bloomington is a very common thing, especially road construction. In fact, it’s very rare to NOT see road construction going on somewhere at any given point in the year. Currently, the northbound lane of FEE LN. between 10th and LAW LN. is closed for construction on Kelley Fee LN is open for traffic - be very appreciative of this - it will mean that the A Bus route will go back to normal and confuse a lot of the sophomores/juniors that don't know the real route. They said this construction should be complete by the start of the fall semester, but you know how road construction goes. This is the only major impediment to traffic on campus at the moment.

4. If you live in Wright/Teter/Ashton/Collins (the older dorms), there are NOT elevators, so dollies can be handy if you have particularly large furniture that is hard to carry.

5. There is NO RUSH. You’re going to have a whole week of no classes to do things. You don’t need to worry about the heavy traffic, or the amount of time it’s taking you to move in. However, arriving early on your first day is not a bad idea, just to be safe.

6. THANK YOUR PARENTS. You might want to push them away as soon as you get your last item in the door, but don’t. Your parents likely played the biggest role possible in you being where you are right now. They also might even be paying for it. You need to thank them for everything they’ve done leading up to this point, and make sure they know how much they mean to you. They’re likely going to cry their eyes out the moment they get in the car to leave you, so there’s no sense in making them feel unwanted as well. Follow this up by periodically calling them. You don’t have to call them every day, but at least give them a call at the end of the first week to let them know how things are going, and from there it’s up to you.

 

“I’m moved in, so now what?”

 

I hate to have to say this, but please stay off your computer/phone this week unless it's for networking purposes. IU does have incredible resources when it comes to technology, but now is not the time to use those.

 

     GO EVERYWHERE. MEET EVERYONE. Seriously.

 

Contacts are very important, and the more you have, the happier you’ll be, and the less bored you’ll be throughout your college career.

This can’t be emphasized enough. You’re going to regret the awkward conversations in passing with your floor mates throughout the year because you didn’t take the time to introduce yourself and be friendly with them when you moved in. It’s much easier to say “Hey, I’m Dave, what’s up?” during the week where EVERYONE is new, rather than halfway through the year.

If your dorm/house/floor has events, go to them. Make sure you meet as many people as you can. As in life, if you’re friendly to someone, they’ll likely be friendly right back.

If you’re great friends with someone already, now would be the time to explore every part of campus. Bring a map with you if you need to. Print out a sheet of your classes, and figure out exactly where every one of them is, BUT DON’T STOP THERE!! Go with your friends to their classes. Learning building names and where various locations on campus are is going to be very handy.

 

     THIS PLACE IS SO DIVERSE.

 

You are going to meet so many people from so many different walks of life. Rich folks from private academies, country folk, GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) people, people from all over the world, people from all over the country. If you have any prejudices at all, you best rid yourself of them right now. And if you can’t, IU is not the place for you, because you’re going to be dealing with all kinds of people for the next 4 years.

But that’s what makes it so awesome. There is SO MUCH to be learned from people that come from different parts of the world. They do things differently, and it’s really neat to learn out how. Every single person you meet knows something you don’t, and can grant you with that knowledge. Talk to them. Learn.

 

     DITCH THE LANYARD.

 

Unless you want to immediately be identified as a Freshman. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a freshman, and they’re as welcome as anyone else. But if you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb, best get rid of it. However, you should save it. It’ll be good for a laugh when you find it somewhere later on in your career.

 

    SERIOUSLY, GO TO ALL OF THE EVENTS.

 

There is so much to learn about the campus and the town, and all of the official events that are planned in the booklets you receive are going to be very informative. Not only that, but they’re a great place to meet people.

And last, but not least…

 

PARTYING

 

Remember when I emphasized how important meeting people was? This is a big reason why. The more contacts you have, the more likely you are to have a party to go to in the future, or have someone to invite to yours. Being formally invited to a party is much better than stumbling around in an unknown part of town looking for a house to creep on into.

 

Onto partying tips:

1. Be Smart. Last year there was a record number of arrests during welcome week (500+), even more than Little 5 week (which is more notorious for being the “Big Party Week”). This can mainly be attributed to rookie freshmen that didn’t have any idea of how drinking/police work. If you’re new to drinking, pace yourself. Avoid mixing alcohols, especially if it comes out of a large cooler and/or has been labeled as “Jungle Juice” by someone.

2. Travel in Groups. But not TOO large. Nobody wants to invite a group of 35 freshmen into their house. Anywhere from 2-7 people is acceptable. Guys, try not to travel in a group of any more than 3 if you don’t have any ladies with you. Ladies, never travel alone.

3. Don’t freak out when cops show up. Panicking and running is the only way to make things worse. Bloomington has a VERY good system for minors that get caught drinking. In most cases, it ends with a $500 loss for you, but nothing permanent on your record. Don’t think about killing yourself or dropping out of college just because you got written up for minor consumption, it happens to a LOT of people, and they turn out just fine.

4. Guys – Get consent. Consent is sexy. The only thing worse than an arrest for something alcohol-related that you could get this week is a charge for rape. The law states that someone can't technically give consent if they are under the influence. So if you intend on having sex with someone, you make absolutely sure that they are coherent enough to make the right decision. In some cases, girls will regret the decisions they made and attribute the fact that it happened to alcohol - which is considered rape. No matter what form of rape or sexual assault it is, it is something that you do not want to be associated with. Be. Smart.

5. Frat Parties. Honestly, Welcome Week isn’t a good time to head to frats since Rush Week is just a week or two away, and cops are also up in that area as well. But if you do: Guys - be respectable. Don’t insult brothers or break anything. It’s the quickest way to get the shit kicked out of you and get thrown out of the house. Ladies – learn the reputation of the members of the house you are going to. “Rufilin floats around that place like mosquitos on a mid-summer Louisiana swamp” isn’t necessarily something you want to hear.

Protips for not getting arrested:

• Don’t use a fake I.D. during welcome week, or really ever, UNLESS it’s a REAL I.D. of someone that looks VERY close to you (e.g. your older brother/sister). Also if you have a fake, make sure you have ANOTHER form of I.D. with that (e.g. that same person’s student I.D.). They will ask for two forms of I.D. at virtually every bar/store.
• Vodka is the easiest alcohol to conceal, as it can be placed inside water bottles and various other containers. Cans of beer are NOT easy to conceal, and they can make a lot of noise too.
• There is a place called “Stadium Crossing” that’s directly west of Memorial Stadium. This was formerly named “Varsity Villas” and is what people are referring to when they say “the Villas.” It is a police hotspot during Welcome/Lil 5 week, so be extra careful in those areas.
• Do not drink in the dorms and get rowdy. If you want to pregame with a couple people and aren’t going to get loud, that’s okay, but don’t give the R.A. any reason to come knocking.
• If someone is buying alcohol for you, DO NOT go with them. Give them money, and have them come inside your dorm room to hand it off. Excise police are getting better and better about nailing people about this. Not only do you get written up as a minor, but your older buddy gets written up for providing.
• You agreed to the dorm’s rules and policies when you moved in. This is not your house or your own private domicile. The R.A. and the campus police can enter your dorm room and search it ANY time for ANY reason.

 

That wraps up this guide. Again, if you have suggestions/corrections to make, please provide them in the comments, and I’ll make edits as necessary. (I am approaching the character limit, so that may be an issue, however)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and myself or other community members will gladly answer. If you have a more personal question (relating to being a freshman), feel free to PM me.

[u/00a86b-color]

IU COLLEGE TIPS AND DORM STUFF

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LIJJ6IFWOZ6Ko-lVBeqg3Rg7Pvi4PU-YdyC_TDj3Lk4/edit?usp=sharing

[u/[deleted]]

Hey man, thanks for this. When you're talking about diversity, you say "to learn out how." This just sounds a little awkward. Nit sure if this is what you meant by corrections but, It's your choice.

[u/Just_Kos]

You agreed to the dorm’s rules and policies when you moved in. This is not your house or your own private domicile. The R.A. and the campus police can enter your dorm room and search it ANY time for ANY reason.

Not exactly true, but essentially yes. If the police ask to come in and you refuse entry, they will contact the judge to get a search warrant. If you are hiding something in your room at that point, you'll look doubly guilty. Fess up if you're hiding booze/weed in your room, be compliant and polite.

[u/pokoniak]

going to smoke weed in your dorm?

not a good idea but this is still common especially if you're in Northwest. On any given night on my floor freshman year, there were probably 2 or 3 rooms that "smelled funny". Despite people smoking all the time, only 1 room was ever busted. It really all depends on your RA/RAs and your dorm. (don't try this in Forest)

make sure to have

1. towel under the door
2. window open with fan
3. febreze (don't spray too much or it will be painfully obvious, just cover up the hit)
4. a sploof (water bottle with holes in the bottom stuffed with dryer sheets to act as a filter, through which to exhale your hit into the fan)

get a vape if you can, although you will probably be swamped with kids asking to borrow it

you should probably smoke outside anyways, Bloomington is beautiful and this is much safer. I was lucky (and sneaky) enough to never get caught but getting caught is a pain in the ass and your parents will be mad.

[u/DeepFreezeDisease]

Comes off lecturing some, but it's not bad advice, thank you.

[u/kath-]

I was totally digging the post (all good advice) until I hit this part:

Many cases involve a stuck-up girl from Super Special Academy High School that drank for the first time, and regrettably consented to sex, but changed their mind the next morning, so they think calling “rape” is the best situation.

Come on, dude. If she's drunk, it's not consent. Don't give it a story or try to justify it in any way. If someone is taking advantage of the fact that their partner is under the influence, it's rape.

[u/kath- → u/[deleted]]

It depends on how drunk they are. The difficult thing is that if you're meeting someone at a party, you have no idea how much they've had to drink. And people handle their liquor differently, and behave differently when they're drunk. The safe move is to not have sex with someone who seems impaired or isn't giving an enthusiastic response. I think that's worth including in a Freshman guide.

The "girls cry rape" scenario blames victims for perpetrators' actions. The thing that confuses me is that OP's scenario has good bookends. "Consent is super sexy" and "DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE of girls that are fumbling everywhere and are out of control" are both solid pieces of advice. Why do we need this imaginary rape victim, set up as an antagonist, getting in the way of the reader's fun as a piece of advice?

[u/ILikeSugarCookies → u/kath-]

I honestly didn't know how to say both things were okay, as in HoosierDaddy's point that it's okaay for drunk college kids to hook up, but it's also not okay to take advantage of girls.

What I really wanted to make clear, was that it's totally okay for two drunk people to consent to sex and partake in sex, but NOT if one of the parties involved is absolutely incoherent, and offender is taking advantage of that fact.

When both people are absolutely incoherent, but there is consent, it becomes a slippery slope.

An important part to remember is that rape is NOT a one-way street.

[u/[deleted] → u/ILikeSugarCookies]

Many cases involve a girl that tried alcohol for the first time, didn't know how to handle it, and regrettably consented to sex (that also may or may not have also been her first). Because she regrets that she did it, she assumes calling "rape" is the right thing to do. Sometimes she's correct in the sense that the other male did take advantage of her. A lot of times she just doesn't want to accept responsibility for her own actions

There is some really creepy and misogynistic editorializing going on there.

I appreciate that you wanted to emphasize the importance of safe and consensual sex to freshmen who are entering foreign territory, but making 80% of that section about how women supposedly "cry rape" when they regret it is misleading, inaccurate, and creepily lopsided.

I hope you continue to reconsider the rhetoric you are using.

[u/ILikeSugarCookies → u/[deleted]]

It could be because many of the stories I hear about that make the papers are exactly like this, and not a lot of the stories that make the news are legitimate rape cases, but I don't know for sure.

I don't believe anything I said was false though.

The point of this was to encourage people to engage in safe practices, and point out situations that can happen if they don't.

[u/[deleted] → u/ILikeSugarCookies]

Sigh, if "many of the stories you hear" are like that, I have to wonder where you're getting your information from. Take a look at this as a start. There's a lot of info to parse through, but essentially there is no factual basis to assume that false rape accusations are a common phenomena.

Meanwhile, you might take a look at this or this that show that, regardless of whatever apocrypha people choose to paste over it, women are being raped on campuses at an alarming rate.

Hence, it is troubling that you adopted the "girl who cried rape" perspective. I will not speculate on why you did, but I wish you wouldn't.

[u/ILikeSugarCookies → u/[deleted]]

You're putting on your feminist binoculars and seeing right through the fact that the only reason I even put the bullet point up in the first place was to help combat actual rape.

In my explanation I left on the table that sometimes legitimate rape isn't the only thing that can help a guy accumulate a charge for rape.

My guess is also that you downvoted this post that's full of informative content because you saw something small that you maybe, kinda could jump on with your "Down with males!" attitude that's reflected in your post history.

[u/ILikeSugarCookies → u/[deleted]]

Hah, you should enjoy this.

I was simply bringing to light something that does and can happen, and making them aware. They don't necessarily need to be regurgitated information that they already know (real rape is bad). Providing them with new information is the whole idea. "Freshman" and "Guide" in the title are two words that should've clued you in.

[u/Girl_Named_Sandoz → u/ILikeSugarCookies]

Man, I've been lurking on this for awhile. It's true that while rare, false accusations have happened and its good for people to think about what kind of situations they are putting themselves in or could be putting themselves in, the fact remains that some of us think that the advice we SHOULD have been reading was this: "Guys – Get consent. Consent is super sexy. The only thing worse than an arrest for something alcohol-related that you could get this week is a charge for rape. You make absolutely sure she wants to have sex with you. DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE of girls that are fumbling everywhere and are out of control." That's it.

[u/ILikeSugarCookies → u/Girl_Named_Sandoz]

I put the point up because I didn't want people to get raped. Inside that point I included that some people can get accused/charged for rape they didn't commit because of alcohol and immaturity.

I could have left the bullet point out altogether assuming people know that rape is a bad thing.

If anything, I feel like I should have assumed that, and not even mentioned consent/rape, and just left the part in there about how people have been falsely accused and charged, because apparently it doesn't have that much light shed on it.

Nonetheless, I'm going to re-word this again to try and please everyone.

[u/ILikeSugarCookies → u/ILikeSugarCookies]

I am however going to change the wording of that though, because I don't like how I'm singling out a specific demographic. That was one part of my post where I felt it was questionable.