University of Virginia Library

...And Practicalities

Elsewhere on these pages you will no
doubt notice a superfluity of advice and
opinion that seem endemic to orientation
issues of college newspapers. However, we
seldom, after the first week of the academic
year, address ourselves exclusively to new
matriculants. So, at the risk of adding to the
din of all those deans, counselors, advisors,
broadcasters, columnists and other
well-meaning folk, here are a few cautions and
encouragements of our own.

1) Do not take anyone seriously all of the
time.(Be wary even of editors.) There are
those who would have you who are new here
believe that they are carefully selected, highly
trained purveyors of collective wisdom. They
are always ready to direct your progress under
the guise of letting you develop freely or
"doing your own thing" While they belabor
this phase of their involvement in your affairs,
they are subtly and sometimes unconsciously
helping you to become more like themselves.

While your counselors are often among the
best-intentioned among us, they may impart
seriously misleading impressions that cause
you to do things you really do not want to do
or simply feel uncomfortable doing. Make use
of your resident staff do not let them get
away with a free room without being of
assistance to you. But, ideally, they should be
as diverse as the student body at large. It is to
your advantage to look to more than one
source for your answers.

2) Think about joining organizations,
publications, or other activities, but do not
immerse yourself in unknown entities without
first scrutinizing what they really are.

Fraternities, societies, or political groups
may offer something that appeals to you, but
there is more to many of them than meets the
eye. Drop your preconceived notions and
investigate for yourself.

3) As has been said countless times,
academics are only part of college. But try
not to overlook them altogether. You will be
told of "guts," how to cut classes without
being missed, and other means to get by
without even trying. Beware of the guy who
has an easy way to every academic success.
Odds are you will find that you have to work
for good grades, can finesse a "Gentleman's
'C'," and almost have to try to get worse than
a 'C.' If you can accept that from the outset,
you might even enjoy learning something.

4) Little things that mom used to take care
of are often sorely missed. Cooking, for
instance. There are ways to get miserable
from the food around here, and Contract
Cafeteria has long been foremost among
them. Restaurants, cafeterias, and even TV
dinners surpass Contract for quality at little
extra cost.

On the other hand, you may enjoy
challenging your G tract with adventures in
grease and find Contract an amusing
diversion. In any case, do not be overwhelmed
by what Food Services tries to peddle as a real
bargain.

5) Beware of darkness Sitting around the
suite or hall playing cards or pitching pennies
can be a pretty boring rut. Besides going
berserk, long a favorite of Wahoos on
weekends, try visits to the Prism coffeehouse,
the Albemarle Playhouse, the Virginia Players,
myriad concerts and speeches, or merely
taking a walk or studying. Enjoy each
moment here, because they are soon only
memories

In summary, we welcome you to
Charlottesville, and hope that you may be
lucky enough to avoid some of the mistakes
of your predecessors at this matriarch of
southern universities

When all is said and done, you will
probably decide that being yourself is the
only way to stay sane and allow you to savor
university