Whether you live in Roanoke, DC, or are an out-of-state or international student, you’re going to feel homesick at some point. And that’s okay. Tech comes well-equipped with resources to help you deal with it.
The first step is to talk to your RA. Part of his or her training covered how to help homesick residents. They can help you to become more involved if you’re feeling lonely or even just be there to talk.
If it’s possible and you have a free weekend, make a trip home. Don’t have a car on campus? Home Ride of Virginia runs buses almost every weekend. One route goes to Northern VA (Vienna specifically) and stops at either JMU or UVA, depending on the trip. The other route goes to Hampton and makes stops at UVA and VCU. Check out Home Ride’s website for ticket prices and dates. Just going to the Roanoke area? The Smart Way bus leaves from Squires on a regular basis (you've probably seen it driving around, as it's a commuter bus) and stops at the Roanoke Airport, Hotel Roanoke, and at Campbell Court.
Sometimes it’s not possible to go home. You have a big test on Monday or it’s simply too far or too long of a trip. If distance is an issue, or even if it’s not, set a time each week to call home and talk to your parents. For most of us, it’s the first time we’re living away from our parents, and as much as they drove us crazy the last 18 years, we miss them.
I call home a lot. Sometimes it’s just because I want someone to talk to, sometimes I ask for advice on medicine to take for a cold (both of my parents are in health care, I grew up with it), sometimes I just need to hear my mom or my dad’s voice because I’ve been having a bad day.
You’re allowed to get homesick. It’s okay if you even need to call home and just cry for a while. Know that they are missing you just as much, if not more.
My best tips for preventing homesickness are this: the set time to call home I already discussed and keeping busy. When you’re doing your chemistry homework or out playing volleyball with people from your hall, you’re not thinking about how much you miss home.
So get off the internet, call your parents, chat with them a little, then take up that offer to go get milkshakes at Deets.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
So, Where are My Classes?
Some of you have moved in already, some of you haven't. Hopefully you're spending time getting to know some other people on your hall and taking advantage of Tech's Welcome Back events (such as seeing Iron Man on the Drillfield this weekend or going to the Hokie Spirit Picnic on Sunday).
But, unfortunately, the real reason you're here is for school. And that means you're going to have to find your classes. Check with your RA to see if he or she is planning a campus tour sometime this weekend (I know there are a few out there) and, if so, bring your schedule with you.
As it is Thursday, or heck even if you do this tomorrow (Friday), you are able to go inside the buildings and find the actual classrooms. On Saturday and Sunday, you'll just be able to go to the buildings.
If there is no campus tour, either find your schedule from Orientation or print out a new one on Hokie Spa, arm yourself with a map, and hit the pavement. If you're not sure of building abbreviations, find your RA and ask or use the abbreviation guide on the timetable. On the small white side menu, there is a link that says "View Building Abbreviations;" a window will pop up when you click on the link.
The purpose of this trip, along with finding where your classes are in the first place, is to figure out what the best trip between two classes is. If you don't have it now, at some point you will have back-to-back classes in places like Surge and Williams (or Litton-Reeves and just about anywhere). It happens to everyone, you get used to it. If this has happened to you, it is up to you now to find the best path so you can make it to your next class 15 minutes later. Here's a hint: the shortest trip generally involves the Drillfield.
Another quick tip: familiarize yourself with the Hokie Express BT route, particularly if you have to get from Litton-Reeves or Wallace to somewhere clear across campus. But don't get on the bus on LR's side of the street--that will take you out to Oak Lane and the Cage, putting you even further from your class. Instead, get on the bus where it stops outside of Harper and Engel. Though, honestly, considering how slowly traffic moves on campus during class time, it will probably take you the same amount of time to walk.
Finally, if you do have classes that are clear across campus from each other, give the professor in the second class a head's up as to the situation. Tell them you're coming from Building X and that you'll do your best to make it on time each day. The prof's know what the walking distance is like here.
But, unfortunately, the real reason you're here is for school. And that means you're going to have to find your classes. Check with your RA to see if he or she is planning a campus tour sometime this weekend (I know there are a few out there) and, if so, bring your schedule with you.
As it is Thursday, or heck even if you do this tomorrow (Friday), you are able to go inside the buildings and find the actual classrooms. On Saturday and Sunday, you'll just be able to go to the buildings.
If there is no campus tour, either find your schedule from Orientation or print out a new one on Hokie Spa, arm yourself with a map, and hit the pavement. If you're not sure of building abbreviations, find your RA and ask or use the abbreviation guide on the timetable. On the small white side menu, there is a link that says "View Building Abbreviations;" a window will pop up when you click on the link.
The purpose of this trip, along with finding where your classes are in the first place, is to figure out what the best trip between two classes is. If you don't have it now, at some point you will have back-to-back classes in places like Surge and Williams (or Litton-Reeves and just about anywhere). It happens to everyone, you get used to it. If this has happened to you, it is up to you now to find the best path so you can make it to your next class 15 minutes later. Here's a hint: the shortest trip generally involves the Drillfield.
Another quick tip: familiarize yourself with the Hokie Express BT route, particularly if you have to get from Litton-Reeves or Wallace to somewhere clear across campus. But don't get on the bus on LR's side of the street--that will take you out to Oak Lane and the Cage, putting you even further from your class. Instead, get on the bus where it stops outside of Harper and Engel. Though, honestly, considering how slowly traffic moves on campus during class time, it will probably take you the same amount of time to walk.
Finally, if you do have classes that are clear across campus from each other, give the professor in the second class a head's up as to the situation. Tell them you're coming from Building X and that you'll do your best to make it on time each day. The prof's know what the walking distance is like here.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Long-Awaited Football Tickets Post
Finally, football tickets!
Basically, for freshman, the process is as such. When a lottery date arrives, sign up at Hokie Tickets any time within the three-day window (midnight of the first day to midnight of the third day). In about a week, you'll get an e-mail if you've won a ticket. If you don't win one, fear not. People who don't turn in their ticket claim forms have to forfeit their tickets and a second round of lottery takes place.
To claim your ticket, take the claim form to the box office in Cassell Coliseum by the dates listed on the claim form (usually the Tuesday and Wednesday of the week you get your form). If you want to get a group together for a game, delegate one person to bring all your forms in together. Lottery tickets are seated in either the East Stands or South End Zone.
So bust out your calendars or planners and write down these dates:
Game Opening Date Closing Date
Furman 8/23/08 8/25/08
Georgia Tech 8/30/08 9/01/08
W. Kentucky 9/20/08 9/22/08
Maryland 10/25/08 10/27/08
Duke 11/08/08 11/10/08
UVA 11/15/08 11/17/08
Basically, for freshman, the process is as such. When a lottery date arrives, sign up at Hokie Tickets any time within the three-day window (midnight of the first day to midnight of the third day). In about a week, you'll get an e-mail if you've won a ticket. If you don't win one, fear not. People who don't turn in their ticket claim forms have to forfeit their tickets and a second round of lottery takes place.
To claim your ticket, take the claim form to the box office in Cassell Coliseum by the dates listed on the claim form (usually the Tuesday and Wednesday of the week you get your form). If you want to get a group together for a game, delegate one person to bring all your forms in together. Lottery tickets are seated in either the East Stands or South End Zone.
So bust out your calendars or planners and write down these dates:
Game Opening Date Closing Date
Furman 8/23/08 8/25/08
Georgia Tech 8/30/08 9/01/08
W. Kentucky 9/20/08 9/22/08
Maryland 10/25/08 10/27/08
Duke 11/08/08 11/10/08
UVA 11/15/08 11/17/08
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Staying Safe at VT!
Safety’s a big topic here at VT, obviously, as it is at any college. As long as you know how to keep yourself safe, though, you’ll be golden.
Dorm Safety
First of all, and your RA will tell you this: tailgating (that is, letting someone follow you into the dorm) is frowned upon. Really, you shouldn’t let anyone follow you in unless you know him or her and know he/she lives in the dorm. If someone’s outside and says they’re going in to meet someone, they can wait until that person comes to let them in. While a lot of people look the other way, know that ultimately, whomever you let into the building is your responsibility.
Fire alarms. They will happen. If you’re in a dorm like Lee or Pritchard, expect that they’ll happen often, generally in the wee hours of the morning. Most other dorms will have maybe two or three a year. Slusher was bad my freshman year, but apparently last year it was fairly quiet. Anyway, when you hear the alarm go off, stop whatever you’re doing, turn off the lights, lock your door, and head outside. An RA will be around when you get outside and tell you how far back you have to be. Usually these are short, 10-15 minute affairs and then you can get back to whatever you were doing. If it’s the middle of the night, sorry, you’ll still have to get up and get out; if you’re caught staying in during a fire alarm, you will be given a JR (Judicial Referral, I’ll cover those when school starts).
Keep a little first aid kit in your room. It doesn’t have to be one of those intense kits you see at Wal-Mart, just a little box or freezer bag of things like band-aids, a small tube of Neosporin, some medical tape and gauze pads, and whatever your preferred brand of pain-killer is. I like to have a variety of band-aids (I’ve even got a few “butterfly” bandages) and also a tube of After-Bite. You will get at least one bug bite in your first few weeks at Tech, and I some how manage to get spider bites year-round.
Lock your door whenever you leave the room. Thefts happen, and it can be anything from markers to your laptop (if you got a laptop lock, use it). If you’re alone in the room and the door if closed, check the peephole before just letting someone in.
Campus/Town Safety
This mostly has to do with nighttime, and a lot of it is common sense. Stay in well-lit areas, and try not to wander around alone. Besides, that black belt you got in Tae Kwon Do was in the 7th grade, and it’s been a few years since then.
I’ll start with Safe Ride. You can contact them by calling 540-231-SAFE (easy, right?) and they’ll get your name, where you are, where you’re going, and give you an approximate time of when the van will be in your neighborhood. This only works if you’re on campus, and people mostly use it going to and from the Cage, though I’ve known people to take it from labs to the dorm or even from one dorm to another. They start running at about 6 PM and go through to the morning (I guess about 6 AM). They also have a booth out at the entrance of the Cage, so if you’re in the area, you can just walk in. Priority goes to single riders and groups of two, as well as people going a bit of a distance. Also, be aware that the wait time goes up in rain or snow, simply because no one wants to be out in bad weather.
You may or may not have noticed the blue light phones around campus. On each of these emergency poles there is a phone and a red button. Using either of these will alert the VT Police to the location, so if you feel threatened and you’re near one, don’t hesitate to use it. The Police want you safe.
As you’re in college, you are going to want to go out and have a good time occasionally. In those instances, you are able to take the BT to and from nearly all apartment complexes; on Friday and Saturday nights, they run until 2 AM (midnight all other nights). If you miss the last run, call the Hooptie Ride (540-449-DRIV), or make sure you’ve got a DD for the night.
Thus ends my primer of safety at VT! And yes, I promise to post about football tickets the instant hokietickets.com has information.
Oh yeah: If your RA or another RA in your building offers an opportunity to take the RAD class, definitely go for it. It's mostly aimed at women, but I think it's a good course for anyone who wants a refresher in basic self-defense.
Dorm Safety
First of all, and your RA will tell you this: tailgating (that is, letting someone follow you into the dorm) is frowned upon. Really, you shouldn’t let anyone follow you in unless you know him or her and know he/she lives in the dorm. If someone’s outside and says they’re going in to meet someone, they can wait until that person comes to let them in. While a lot of people look the other way, know that ultimately, whomever you let into the building is your responsibility.
Fire alarms. They will happen. If you’re in a dorm like Lee or Pritchard, expect that they’ll happen often, generally in the wee hours of the morning. Most other dorms will have maybe two or three a year. Slusher was bad my freshman year, but apparently last year it was fairly quiet. Anyway, when you hear the alarm go off, stop whatever you’re doing, turn off the lights, lock your door, and head outside. An RA will be around when you get outside and tell you how far back you have to be. Usually these are short, 10-15 minute affairs and then you can get back to whatever you were doing. If it’s the middle of the night, sorry, you’ll still have to get up and get out; if you’re caught staying in during a fire alarm, you will be given a JR (Judicial Referral, I’ll cover those when school starts).
Keep a little first aid kit in your room. It doesn’t have to be one of those intense kits you see at Wal-Mart, just a little box or freezer bag of things like band-aids, a small tube of Neosporin, some medical tape and gauze pads, and whatever your preferred brand of pain-killer is. I like to have a variety of band-aids (I’ve even got a few “butterfly” bandages) and also a tube of After-Bite. You will get at least one bug bite in your first few weeks at Tech, and I some how manage to get spider bites year-round.
Lock your door whenever you leave the room. Thefts happen, and it can be anything from markers to your laptop (if you got a laptop lock, use it). If you’re alone in the room and the door if closed, check the peephole before just letting someone in.
Campus/Town Safety
This mostly has to do with nighttime, and a lot of it is common sense. Stay in well-lit areas, and try not to wander around alone. Besides, that black belt you got in Tae Kwon Do was in the 7th grade, and it’s been a few years since then.
I’ll start with Safe Ride. You can contact them by calling 540-231-SAFE (easy, right?) and they’ll get your name, where you are, where you’re going, and give you an approximate time of when the van will be in your neighborhood. This only works if you’re on campus, and people mostly use it going to and from the Cage, though I’ve known people to take it from labs to the dorm or even from one dorm to another. They start running at about 6 PM and go through to the morning (I guess about 6 AM). They also have a booth out at the entrance of the Cage, so if you’re in the area, you can just walk in. Priority goes to single riders and groups of two, as well as people going a bit of a distance. Also, be aware that the wait time goes up in rain or snow, simply because no one wants to be out in bad weather.
You may or may not have noticed the blue light phones around campus. On each of these emergency poles there is a phone and a red button. Using either of these will alert the VT Police to the location, so if you feel threatened and you’re near one, don’t hesitate to use it. The Police want you safe.
As you’re in college, you are going to want to go out and have a good time occasionally. In those instances, you are able to take the BT to and from nearly all apartment complexes; on Friday and Saturday nights, they run until 2 AM (midnight all other nights). If you miss the last run, call the Hooptie Ride (540-449-DRIV), or make sure you’ve got a DD for the night.
Thus ends my primer of safety at VT! And yes, I promise to post about football tickets the instant hokietickets.com has information.
Oh yeah: If your RA or another RA in your building offers an opportunity to take the RAD class, definitely go for it. It's mostly aimed at women, but I think it's a good course for anyone who wants a refresher in basic self-defense.
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