MONDAY,AUGUST 18,2003
ONTHEHILL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3C
ADJUSTING
Freshman year requires dedication, hard work, responsibility
By keeping ahead of deadline woes, students can balance first-year tasks
Zach Straus/Kansar
By Maggie Newcomer
mnewcomer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Incoming freshmen Katherine Blaise, Overland Park, and Robert Berger, Olathe receive free T-shirts from Nick Lambert, Minneapolis junior, as part of orientation activities at the Kansas Union. Blaise and Berger attended orientation this summer, although the program runs throughout the entire summer.
The University lifestyle equals freedom for many college freshmen. Being away from mom and dad may seem like a paid vacation, but with independence come new responsibilities and opportunities.
Colleen Stockton will begin her second year at the University of Kansas this fall. She said she would never forget her first year at KU.
"Going from a small high school to a place with more than 20,000 students was definitely a transition." Stockton said.
Stockton, Wichita sophomore, said meeting new people and making all her own decisions were invaluable parts of the college experience.
"I went potluck for a roommate," Stockton said. "Some
people are scared to do that, but I had a really good experience."
"That's part of the fun of meeting people," Robertson said.
Diana Robertson, associate director of student housing, said the majority of freshmen living in residence halls go potluck, meaning they let the housing department choose their roommate for them.
Robertson said the biggest tip she could give someone moving into a residence hall was to be flexible and to enjoy the diversity. She said the more open students are, the more enjoyable their experiences will be.
Brooke Weidenbaker, Topeka sophomore, said storage space was a problem in her Corbin Hall room.
"Only bring clothes you know you'll need," Weidenbaker said. "Because the closets are really small."
Weidenbaker also advised first-year students to get as much studying done during the day as possible, so nights are free for social activities.
Zach Bloom, Chicago freshman, spent the summer at the University's Freshman Summer Institute before starting his freshman year. He said with a little time management, he had no problem keeping up with class and enjoying the Lawrence night life.
"It's like Cancun here," Bloom said.
Tammara Durham, associate director of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center, agreed
"It's easy to be intimidated when you have a 1,000-person class. But it's your responsibility to talk to your professors and get the work done."
Colleen Stockton
Wichita sophomore
that to be successful in college, students must keep up in their classes.
classics
"It's okay to ask for help."
Durham said. "It's a big transition."
Stockton said she noticed a more relaxed attitude in her college classes than her high school classes.
"It's easy to be intimidated when you have a 1,000-person class," Stockton said. "But it's your responsibility to talk to your professors and get the work
done. If you ask for help, they'll help you."
Durham said a common problem for freshmen was becoming involved in too many or too few campus activities. She said time management can be an issue for students who were involved in high school activities. Durham said the key was finding the activities that suit the individual.
College independence includes another, slightly more common, pitfall. For many, it's the first time to be independent financially.
Brenda Maigard, director of the Office of Financial Aid, said the biggest pieces of advice she could give first-year students were to be aware of their financial situation and to be involved in finding financial aid.
Maigaard added that the financial aid office, like all other offices at the University, was always open and willing to help students.
Edited by Jennifer Wellington
TRANSPORTATION
Saferide to add vehicles in fall
By Donovan Atkinson and Joe Hartigan datkinson@kansan.com jhartigan@kansan.com Special to the Kansan
University of Kansas students will have more options for latenight transportation starting in the fall. Saferide, the taxicab service for students, is expanding the number of vehicles in operation.
"Right now, with wait times as they are, we're pretty much at the peak of where we would be," said Tim Akright, KU student transportation coordinator. "So we need to expand."
The program's expansion is designed to provide faster, more efficient service. Akright said some students became discour
aged with Saferide after waiting long periods of time for an available driver.
The plans for expansion include increasing the number of available drivers on Thursday through Saturday to 10 drivers. Currently, the program operates with seven drivers on those days. The number of drivers may also increase on other days of the week to correspond with usage.
"We're just trying to meet demand," Akright said.
The expansion is not without costs. Students will be required to pay an additional $2 as part of their campus transportation fee. Last year the fee was $16; for fall 2003, it will increase to $18.
"Two more dollars is nothing
The Student Senate Transportation Board oversees Saferide.
compared to the thousands of dollars we're paying for tuition, especially if it helps save lives," Jake Skinner, Manhattan, Mont., sophomore.
During the week, Saferide mainly transports students home from campus.
The service also provides rides for students who have been drinking. Saferide will only take students to their homes and only operates within Lawrence city limits.
A valid KU ID must be presented to the driver. Saferide can be reached at 864-SAFE (7233)
Edited by Amy Kelly
UNION
Commuting board losing luster
By Kevin Wiggs
kwiggs@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
It is posted in the Kansas Union for students,but,like many advertisements,it is overlooked by many.
The Travel and Commuter Board was put in the Union so students could share rides to locations around the country. But now it collects dust.
No one knows exactly when and why it was started, but David Mucci, director of KU Memorial Unions, said it had been there for over 30 years.
"It was very popular 10, 20, 30 years ago," he said. "I don't know if it has the same appeal today. Its hey day was quite a while ago."
Students wanting rides or willing to drive somewhere can fill out cards and place them in the appropriate box. The board on the left is for students that want to ride or drive to Kansas City metro area. The board on the right is for people that want to go somewhere farther away, from Seattle to Miami and San Diego to Maine.
Mucci said it was used most during Spring Break and Thanksgiving, when people want to commute to their hometowns. It was also used frequently by international students that want to explore different parts of the United States.
Vivian Lee, Lenexa graduate, filled out a card to travel to San Francisco, but never got a
response.
"I didn't know anyone in San Francisco and it would be nice to have someone from the same school to keep company," she said.
Lee said she wasn't concerned with the danger of giving a ride to a stranger because she thought the University is a nice community. But Mucci said that might be a reason that the board was no longer used.
The board is maintained by Student Union Activities and the Center for Campus Life. SUA restocks the cards when they run out and the Center for Campus Life clears the cards when the board becomes full or outdated.
— Edited by Jennifer Wellington