By Gregory Lofaro
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

You’ve heard it time and time again – it’s the beginning of an era, the start of the rest of your lives, the next chapter and the list of metaphors goes on. While these all sound hopeful and wondrous, maybe instead of old adages, someone could offer some advice once in a while. Good for you for picking up the newspaper, because that’s what you’re going to find here. Written by me, a senior, full of three years of wisdom, and not without a hint of sarcasm, here you’ll find valuable advice I wish someone had told me when I was a first-year student.

First and foremost, be nice to your roommates. Seriously. Seems like it should go without saying, but you’d be surprised by how many people take their roommate(s) for granted. Just because your mom isn’t telling you to clean up your room doesn’t mean you can leave your things all over the floor, walls or bathroom. It’s a courtesy thing. After all, these people know where you sleep…

Something you hear a lot about at Hofstra is the seemingly endless clubs that this campus has to offer. And something else you hear is that you should join every single one to get the “full college experience,” or to “find yourself,” whatever that means. My advice is this: do your research. Not only about the clubs, but about the people in those clubs and then decide which ones you want to join. My freshman year I signed on to 25 different clubs and activities, no joke, and I honestly believed I could juggle the responsibilities of all of them, classes and a job. I was so, so wrong. So, be picky. Be a little selfish, because at the end of the day, your academics are the most important part of your college experience.

It’s important to know that Hofstra offers a bunch of free resources that you’ll find really useful over the next four years. The writing center, located in 102 Mason Hall, is one of them and I strongly recommend you swing by there, especially if you feel that you aren’t a strong writer. Additionally, there is the Pride Pantry over in the Wellness and Campus Living Center, Room 105. This is an excellent resource for students who have found themselves out of meal plan money way sooner than expected (it happens to the best of us).

Above all, remember that these four years, or maybe more depending on what you’re studying, go very quickly. Really, I can’t emphasize the word “very” enough. Make the most of every moment and try not to let the stress of your workload get to your head. You’re going to do great things at Hofstra, I promise.