1. Names
Because you’ll meet so many new faces from the moment you step into your new home, remembering everyone’s names can become overwhelming very quickly. No matter how good you think your memory is, this name game will be a challenge. In your first week you’ll probably meet the same people over and over again, and eventually you’ll get to the point where you’ll recognize their faces but won’t remember their names for the life of you. Don’t worry too much though because sooner or later you’ll catch on for the most part. Unfortunately, once you’re a couple weeks into school, it becomes socially unacceptable to forget someone’s name that you’ve meet several times. This becomes a problem when a girl says “hi” in the stairwell and you simply can’t remember her name even though she lives on the floor above you.
2. Food
Don’t expect any gourmet foods because you’ll get nothing close to that. After working up an appetite from walking a mile to the Inn, DePauw’s temporary dining hall, you’re ready to feast, but to your disappointment, you will only find good food half the time. On the bright side, the Inn’s soft-serve ice-cream bar is pretty satisfying if I have to say so myself. If you are ready to change up your food selection, there’s always the Den, which is located in South Quad. Although convenient, the Den always greets you with an overwhelming smell of greasy, fried food that lingers on your clothes long after you leave. Don’t get me wrong, the Den’s food isn’t terrible, but if you’re looking for a healthy meal this probably isn’t the best place for you. Luckily for all DePauw students, construction of Hoover Hall, the new dining center, is almost complete and is scheduled to open at the end of October. Hoover Hall brings the promise of higher quality food and more options.
3. Vigorous Academics
DePauw does not take their academics lightly. Get ready to dive right into lecture on the first day of classes, because the teachers like to get the ball rolling right away. Staying on top of your homework and having adequate time management will allow you to be most successful. Don’t be surprised if you spend a solid eight hours in the library working on all your homework. If possible, try to even get ahead on your homework and give yourself some breathing time later in the week. Most importantly, do some of your homework Friday and Saturday! Trust me, come Sunday when everyone is scrambling to get his or her homework done, you’ll be thanking yourself for putting in a few hours of work ahead of time.
4. Social Life
First-year students at DePauw are not allowed to be on Greek property until the weekend of Halloween. Although this may sound like torture, it is not necessarily a bad thing because it promotes bonding within the first-year class. If you want to do something other than hangout in your residence hall, you can easily find events and activities on campus to participate in such as: sporting events, multicultural events, dance marathons, club meetings, nature park hikes, etc. Also, sororities are able to sponsor events that allow you to meet new people and get to know members of each sorority prior to rushing in the spring.