How NOT to Scare Classmates Away: The “Donts” of Making New Friends

How NOT to Scare Classmates Away: The “Donts” of Making New Friends
By: Carlene Morillo

Many people decide to attend college, not only in pursuit of higher education, but also to meet new and interesting people. Four years –some may even have to stay for five –of college can be very painful without having friends to make memories with. I know that friendship is a concern for many new incoming students, and even some retuning students. The classic answer to making friends in college is to join clubs. But what do you do next? Or more importantly, what do you NOT DO so you do not scare away potential friends?

When meeting people for the first time make sure to try and not get too personal. No one wants to know about how many times you used the bathroom in the past hour or how bad your armpits smell, within the first minutes of meeting you, or ever for that matter. Try not to talk about people who are not present or that your company may not know. Yes, that means you have to refrain from talking about your boyfriend or girlfriend back at home, for at least one conversation. But, that does not exclude gossip. I know everyone says that they do not like gossips. But let’s be honest, we know we love it. It is surprising the number of people that have come together over a juicy whisper about other people’s business.

For a college student, Facebook is a great internet tool for connecting with fellow classmates. Remember, it is still the internet and there are a lot of crazies out there, so be careful in choosing who could see your profile. Once, my friend was approached by a Facebook friend while shopping. She had never met this person before, and did not even remember accepting her friendship request online. This internet acquaintance went about making a new buddy the wrong way and completely freaked out my friend. If you see someone on Facebook that you recognize, but you are not sure that the person may know who you are, send a message with your friend request. The message could be something as simple as, “hey, aren’t you in my English class?” This way you can approach the person in class without seeming threatening. Now you have started a dialogue both virtually and in real life. This is the solution to avoiding the problem of having an online friend that you never talk to because you think it would be too awkward.

Do not typecast yourself. When looking for friends, some may find it comforting to seek people who are similar to themselves or to their old friends. Come out of your box. Try not to be the person who only has black friends, or gay friends, or dance major friends. I know of this one girl who only has guy friends and is portrayed as the “campus slut.” If you want to have the full college experience, you have to open yourself to the diversity it has to offer. And seriously, no one wants to be confined to a label, especially one like ‘campus slut.’

Finally, do not be quick to judge. We all know that first impressions are crucial, but do not base your complete judgment just on that. My friend’s internet acquaintance could have turned out to be completely not-a-psycho; given another circumstance, that is. Maybe the campus girl with only male friends is lesbian. You never know until you really get to know who people are. So, give people a second and third shot; I am sure you would appreciate people doing the same for you. I wish everyone good luck while friend hunting.

Fall for Fashion: It's Back to School

Fall for Fashion: It’s Back to School
By: Carlene Morillo

The time that you have been wishing away all summer has arrived. Yup, it’s back to school time! But do not get too down about it because, with a change of season, comes a change in wardrobe.
The first change that you need to make in your wardrobe is to your outerwear. There is no way to survive a cool fall without a warm coat. The ¾-sleeve trend is making its mark this season, as are the wool and trench coats. As fashionable as it may be, however, it is not practical to wear ¾-sleeved coats and expect to be warm. So, to make it more functional, pair your coat with a pair of elbow-length gloves. Another way to keep warm (or should I say cool), is to wear a motocross leather jacket. If you are looking for something warmer, you can always go for a colored fur coat. Please, make it faux fur though; there is no need to harm innocent animals to look and feel hot.


Of course you cannot just wear a coat –you need something underneath. In addition to your jacket, you can relay on a sweater for a little extra warmth. Cardigans are still hitting it big, and so are knitted sweaters, but of course not the type your grandma would wear. Many chic-knits are on the market this year but, for a more formal look, a fitted blazer, inspired by menswear, would do the trick. Speaking of outerwear tops, a ruffled, Victorian-styled blouse would look good under a fitted blazer as well as a vest. For a casual day, a button-down flannel shirt is a good option.


And since those tops need bottoms, the skinny jeans phenomenon continues with a twist. High-waist, skinny jeans are going to be a big hit this fall, so run out to get yours. You can also go for the wide-leg trousers, if you want more comfort. Just because it is not summer anymore, it does not mean that you cannot wear a skirt. Pencil skirts and flared mini skirts are very fall fashion. Wear it with a colored tight for a splash of color and to keep warm.


Now let’s talk about shoes, my favorite topic. The new shoe styles to immerge into this season are strappy, leather, studded boots and peep-toe booties. Also, black and white oxford menswear-inspired pumps can make a grand statement with the right outfit. As for boots, rider boots from last year can still be worn this fall. High, or just the regular short moccasins are also among the new trends.


Oh, and you cannot forget a fabulous bag to go with your outfit! Patten leather has been the material of choice for most designers. Shiny metal buckles are also a big fad. So you cannot go wrong with anything made of patent leather with buckles. These bags are really cute for lugging around your books this semester. To compliment your bag, you can get a thin leather belt to wear high on your waist. So, remember, if you just invest in a couple of these marvelous items, you can be sure to be the talk of campus…in a good way.