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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY GANSAN
THURSDAY AUGUST 18 201
opinion
FREE FOR ALL FLASHBACK
Send your FFA submissions to freeforall@kansan.com
Aug 31, 2005 Free For All, why are the Fraser elevators slower than Mangino in the 100-meter dash?
Aug 31, 2005
Myspace.com is better than thefacebook.com
Sept. 9, 2005
Hey, guys, there's a Dave Matthews Band concert tonight! Let's steal stuff from the frat houses' cause no one will be there!
Sept. 9, 2005
I was one of the kids that got arrested for mooning the cops, and I just want to say that it's ridiculous that people are driving around drunk but they are wasting their time arresting
Sept. 9. 2005
Sept. 9, 2005
It's funny to note that the girl that wrote the feminism article on Friday had a facebook.com club for people who were "hot for her."
Sept. 9, 2005
Dear Calculus: A "W" is not a win.
It's a tie. See you at summer school,
you bastard.
Nov. 22, 2005 The Jayhawk is the most intelligent of all the world's mythical birds.
Nov. 22, 2005
VH1 is sitting here trying to convince me that Justin Timberlake is turning slowly into a black man, but I'm not convinced that he isn't still a white woman. You think about that.
Dec. 5, 2005
My friends and I all agree, an angry Larry Johnson could take Vin Diesel.
Jan. 20, 2006
Dude, he totally just threw a munchkin at a car, and they followed us. And the car door's open!
Jan. 26, 2006
Five KU basketball players have transferred since Bill Self has been here. I think it's time for Bill Self to transfer. (Editor's note: There have actually been six transfers since Self came into KU.)
Jan. 30, 2006
I just had three girls call my phone and when I picked up, they said don't pick up, I want to hear your voice mail.
I think that's very sad Free-For-All.
Jan. 31, 2006
To the guy who caused the fire alarm in Tower C, you stopped the best sex in my life mid-stroke. I hope the taquitos were worth it.
Feb. 2, 2006
Math? Math, my dear, is nothing more than the lesbian stepsister of biology.
WANT TO CONTRIBUTE
TO FREE FOR ALL?
Email us your comments at freeforall@kansan.com or call us at (785) 864-0852.
And don't worry, your comments will always stay anonymous.
EDITORIAL
Move in, sit down, rest, relax, then read up
The University Daily Kansas welcomes you back to the media hub of campus. We are excited about our talented incoming staff, but design changes have us concentrating on you, the student.
The Kansan will feature stories about your fellow outstanding and fascinating peers. It will give you a neat, condensed "News of the world" along with Lawrence weather and reports about the University. You can find out about your favorite players in our sports section, manned by a dogged staff. Spend your free time by picking up and reading a copy of The Kansan every weekday.
Also, a revamped opinion section gives you a public forum to voice your concerns and comments, and it lets us give you columns and editorials from our
Designers worked to make The Kansan more fluid, dynamic and colorful. It will allow us to treat you with the most interesting and newsworthy stories in an engaging and eye-popping front page. But we have many interesting and important stories inside as well, so delve into one of the best college dailies in the nation.
experienced opinion and editorial staff. We're always looking for feedback. So please write a letter to the editor and be featured in The Kansan.
Along with our print newspaper, we've expanded our online and social media presence.
Our website, located at Kansan.com, is your source for instant news updates. Kansan.com will reflect the newspaper's stories,
but will include related interactive elements like videos and polls. So for breaking news about the college or for more information about an interesting story, visit Kansan.com and join in on the conversations.
Follow our collection of Twitter accounts and "Like" our Facebook page for breaking updates on campus news. Retweet our stories so you can share them with your friends. Or, for a more mobile access, download our Android or Apple UDK app to get stories pushed straight to you.
There is no better way to know what's happening on campus than The Kansan, so use us.
— Vikaas Shanker for the Kansan Editorial Board
WHAT ISSUES SHOULD WE TAKE A STAND ON THIS SEMESTER?
Send your thoughts to vshanker@ kansan.com to let the Editorial Board know.
LIFE STYLE
Tips to avoid killing your roommate
Keep it clean
Remember, your roommate is neither your maid nor your mother and does not want to clean up your dirty dishes. Take responsibility for your share of the mess and rinse out that half-eaten bowl of Cleieros or clean out your now oddly colored lettovers from the fridge.
Alexis Knutsem
ZZZ's
Respect your roommate's right to sleep. Whether it's a late night cram session or a midnight jam session, your tired roommate will undoubtedly appreciate having the main lights off and the volume turned down. Bring a desk lamp and headphones. It will definitely help your roommate sleep at night. Keep your clothes on whenever possible.
Ethan Lovell
Respect
Don't blab about your roommate's personal life. You may have heard this tip before, but it's worth revisiting now that you've moved in. Although it may seem interesting and strange that your roommate has three girlfriends (who may or may not know about each other) or that your roomie makes really strange noises in the middle of the night, telling everyone about it won't be good for you or your roommate. Be considerate; you'dn't want someone sharing all of your weird secrets just because they live with you.
Alone time
Necked
Get out of the house. Roommates do not need to spend every minute together. Just because you share a living space does not mean you share lives. Give your roommate some alone time at home. If roommates cannot give each other alone time in their own living space, where are they going to get it?
— Kelly Cosby
The first time your roommate walks in on you naked can be fairly awkward. By the third or fourth time, they'll be down at the housing office requesting a new roommate who can keep his pants on.
Dylan Lysen
Ethan Lovell
Coming Out
Drop hints if/when you're coming out to your roommate. Roommate doesn't know you're gay or lesbian? The best way to come out to your roommate is through Facebook clues — note that you are interested in the same sex on your personal information or "check-in" at an exclusively gay venue, such as a gay club, just before adding your roommate. Your roommate will get the picture, and you can avoid any awkwardness after he or she walks in while you're spooning with your buddy and watching Cabaret/Kill Bill.
James Castle
Kumbava
Talk to your roommates about ground rules for living together. If your roommates aren't comfortable with something, don't disregard their wishes. Listen to everyone and respect their opinions and beliefs. Try to come to a compromise. Don't sit in silence the whole year and bubble with resentment if there is something your roommate is doing that genuinely bothers you.
Alexis Knutsen
10-4. over and out
Establish a clear privacy code. Let's say that special someone is in your room, and you think some unexpected intimacy is about to commence. But you're not sure and don't want your date to think you planned on hooking up. How do you text your roommate not to come home if your date is sitting right next to you, and the phone is in his or her peripheral? Create a text code, such as "777," to discretely communicate this potential issue to your roommate.
Drinketh before it stinketh Clean the refrigerator out often. Keep an eye on expiration dates. Don't make your roommate wonder if you're using that leftover spaghetti from two weeks ago as some kind of weird science experiment. Sure, mold gave us penicillin — but from roommates it gets us angry passive-aggressive notes and unpleasant conversations.
Jason Bennett
One on one
Communicate any issues you have with your roommate — to your roommate. If you have a problem with your roommate, don't air your grievance publicly or complain to all your friends before bringing up the subject with your roommate. Airing dirty laundry in public (literally or figuratively) is not going to help the problem resolve itself. Tell your roommate what you expect and work out an agreement.
James Castle
Jason Bennett
What is your best advice for freshmen?
Follow us on Twitter @UDK_Opinion.
Tweet us your opinions, and we just might publish them.
MelanieRR
@DOK_Opinion Don't be afraid to have fun!
Zhareefer
@UBK Opnimn #freshmen should go explore and get acquainted with places on campus even if they don't have classes there.
**UOPR. Opinion** don't wear any clothing that has the word "cargo" in it.
bwilson10233
@DBK. Dignition Learn to pack the bus (moving to the back) as fast as you can.
Forge your personal bubble for five minutes.
pirappel
What's your favorite Hawk Week event?
CAMPUS
Attending the information fairs during Hawk Week is the perfect way to learn about numerous student organizations to join and meet people who have similar interests.
Rock Chalk Block Party (formerly Union Fest)
Hawk Week events are a fun and low-key way to ease into university life. Some freshmen might find themselves thinking the scheduled activities are too lame or boring, but it is completely worth your while to go.
In particular, Rock Chalk Block Party (formerly Union Fest) has tons of free stuff, food, games, and information on student organizations. My freshman year, I didn't know my roommates very well yet, but we all went to Rock Chalk Block Party together. We ended up with bags full of free stuff and also had great bonding time.
Hawk Week provides opportunity to bond
— Health and Recreation Fest
— Tradition's Night
Cushion showing
Night on the Hill: DJ Earworm
KANSAN.COM WEEKLY POLL
by the Center for Community Outreach, offers more bonding time while giving back to the community. It's also helpful for discovering ways you can volunteer throughout the year with other students.
The Ice Cream Social. Traditions Night, and Night on the Hill on Saturday are also perfect events for bonding with the roomies and new friends. There aren't many things better than free ice cream, hearing the Rock Chalk chant in Memorial Stadium and free concert fun to start your semester off with a boom.
Make sure to check out the full event schedule on the KU website to find departmental events and other services such as times for personal campus tours, which are great for finding your classes before they start.
Go to Kansan.com to cast your vote
Attend as many of the social events as you can with roommates or floormates or housemates, but if they don't seem up for the fun, don't hesitate to attend alone. It's worth it to meet new people at the events and to learn how you can get involved on campus.
HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LETTER GUIDELINES
Send letters to kansanopdesk@gmail.com
Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the e-mail subject line.
Length: 300 words
**Length:** 300 words
The submission should include the author's **address** and a homemount. Find our **full letter** to the **editor policy** online at kansas.com/letters.
Kelly Stroda, editor
864-4810 or kstroda@kansan.com
Joel Petterson, managing editor 864-4810 or jpettterson@kansan.com
Jonathan Shorman, managing editor 864-4810 or jshorman:an@kansan.com
Clayton Ashley, managing editor 864-4810 or cashlevy.kansan.com
Mandy Matnoy, opinion editor
864-4924 or mmatnoy@kansan.com
CONTACT US
Vikaas Shanker, editorial editor
864-1924 or vshanker@kansan.com
Stephanie Green, sales manager
864-4477 or screen@kansan.com
Garrett Lent, business manager 864-4358 or glent@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson, general manager and news adviser
864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Jon Schlitt, sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or jschlitt@kantan.com
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kaplan Assessment Board are Kelly Stroda,
Joint Peterson, Jonathan Sherman, Viana Shanker, Mandy Mattoon and Styrian Pennie.