Tag Archives: wesleying unofficial orientation series 2013

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Unofficial Orientation Series: How To Make Friends

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Now that you’ve settled into your rooms, orientation is over and classes are about to begin, it’s almost time for the big leagues: what has been known for generations at Wesleyan as the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL… or to majority of America as Labor Day.

I’m here to share generations two full years of knowledge (or lack thereof ) with you as a guide to one of the most important aspects of your college career. Of course, this doesn’t mean that I’m completely all-knowing on the subject matter (psssssh, just ask my friends), but I think my new upperclassmen status does help a bit….(not).

This list not only applies to those who are new on campus, but seriously to anyone and everyone who is looking to make new friends. Though it might seem as if there is a point when everyone has found everyone on campus they want to be friends with, I can assure you this point doesn’t exist and by listening to my advice I think you’ll agree. Let us begin shall we, in no particular order…

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Unofficial Orientation Series: The Wrath Update, or Everything You Need to Know About All the Things People Have Been Getting Angry About Lately and Hot Damn This Is a Long Post Title

Always be closing deconstructing…

 There is always hope.

Welcome to utopia! Er, sorta. Well, not really. Actually not at all. Like all the world, good old Wesleyan is plagued with many social ills. Some are more intractable than others, some more terrible than others. I am not here to pass judgment. I am here only to give you the quick run-down on all most of the things people at Wes have been getting upset about of late. To avoid showing favoritism I put these in random order (literally). Please feel free to add/question/editorialize in the comments below.

This is the Wrath Update. First up:

Chalking

At Wes, University Policy prohibits the use of chalk “on sidewalks or buildings.” For many students — though definitely not all — this constitutes a violation of the right to free speech and the battle over the chalking policy has raged fiercely for over a decade. On the 3rd of October 2002, then-President Doug Bennet ’59 put forth a moratorium on Wesleyan’s storied tradition of chalking, a moratorium which was theoretically temporary but was never lifted. In those days, you could spend an hour reading chalkings on the hundred-yard walk from PAC to what’s now Usdan. Chalking was primarily used as an empowerment medium for the queer community, but, of course, a few individuals took things a little too far. I do not need to get into the details; you go to Wesleyan so you can imagine it. We still occasionally witness hateful and hurtful public messages around campus.

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Unofficial Orientation Series: WesLingo

WesLingoWhen you first look at a campus map on a tour, everything makes sense. There is Andrus Field, Foss Hill, Freeman Athletic Center, Memorial Chapel. You gently slide your pointer finger along the Wesleyan Campus Map and neatly digest all of the fun-filled spots you’re about to call home.

However, it becomes overwhelming how quickly things get shortened at Wesleyan. What your hefty, fanny-pack wearing father once pointed out as Foss Hill is shortened to Foss, or just The Hill. The Alpha Delta Phi Literary Society has now become Alpha Delt. “Where I got regrettably drunk,” has now become Fountain.

Also, on your second day at campus you notice the abundant usage of “Wes.” Your friends walk out of Usdan, approach you, the new face around town and say, “Yo friend, WesChill somehwere.” You respond, “Weswings or Espwesso?”

The Wesleyan Slang is a bit much at times. Here’s our guide to it.

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Unofficial Orientation Series: Eating and Drinking at Wes

*This post is an updated version of the Eating and Drinking installment of last year’s Orientation Series*

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Eating and drinking is a necessity for all living beings, even during your hazy college days. While we all have to adjust our food standards from delicious home-cooked meals to university food, trust me, it could be worse. Wesleyan has many options for dining that you can enjoy regardless of your dietary orientation. Wesleyan was chosen the most vegan-friendly small US school by PETA, and our friends at the Mongolian Grill are always willing to cook-up a chicken tortilla topped with cheese if it’s protein that you want.

This is a part of the Unofficial Orientation Series 2013 to remind you to eat your veggies.

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Unofficial Orientation Series: Wes Music Scene

muzak

What really brings me to love Wes more than I would’ve any other school? What is the one thing that I brag most about to my friends at other horrible poop schools? Easy. The music scene. As a music major, I wanted nothing more than an environment where I knew I would be able to learn and grow in and Wesleyan has all of that. Whether the casual concert goer or the hardcore fan/stalker of Zack Kantor ’15, the Wesleyan Music scene will have something for all of you.

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Unofficial Orientation Series: Middletown Eateries, Part 2

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You’re probably stuffed full after beccahope’s list of Middletown Eateries, but that was only Part One. Only amateurs stop eating after Part One, because obviously Part Two is more delicious and has funnier pictures. By the time this list is done with you, you’re going to be an expert on Middletown, CT’s wonderful array of om nom nommeries. Check out the glorious Part Two after the jump!

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Unofficial Orientation Series: Middletown Eateries, Part 1

Note: This is by no means an exhaustive list of eating options in Middletown. Many of the restaurants we missed will be featured in a second installment tomorrow, but feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments.

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Middletown has so many fantastic dining options that at first you might feel like this turtle: faced with an almost insurmountable mountain of deliciousness. Much like the above turtle, though, you’ve got to start somewhere. We’re here to give you a head start.

From coffee-shop casual to awkward-family-dinner upscale, there’s food in Middletown for every occasion. This is Part 1 of our guide to some of the best places to eat in town, to be continued tomorrow.  Prices are on a $ to $$$ scale. Also worth noting is that a lot of Middletown restaurants accept Middletown cash, so save up some of that laundry money for your dining excursions. Read all of Part 1 of our food list after the jump!

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Unofficial Orientation Series: Keeping Green

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If you came to Wesleyan for some crunchy granola, then you’re in luck. Not everyone’s munching on it, but if you find the right people, organizations, classes, etc. then you’ll have a great support system for keeping green. This will mostly be a repost of DMZ‘s comprehensive post from last year; hopefully we will do a feature in the fall about the great environmental activism student groups. This post is specifically about ways to keep green on campus.

First of all, Wesleyan has a sustainability coordinator, whose role is to help further Wesleyan’s mission of sustainability, including making things clearer to you. Her name is Jen Kleindienst and you can send her an email at jkleindienst(at)wes. For questions regarding sustainability, you should also check out Wesleyan’s sustainability website.

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Unofficial Orientation Series: WesTech

This is an update of lesanjuan‘s update of Syed’s 2010 post.

If you’re an entering freshman, being familiar with technology and internet is important (duh).  The internet is your gateway to the world even when you’re within the Wesleyan bubble, even during blackouts,* but it can have both its limitations and its advantages.  It can only help to learn these as quickly as possible.

The first thing you should know: WesTech.  It refers to the kindly people who provide “technical services and support to all faculty, staff and students,” you might think.  No, that’s ITS and how they describe themselves.  Here’s what a previous WesLingo post says about WesTech:

WesTech is a word that will pop up every once in a while (via the ACB): “WesTech refers to everyone not DKE/Beta or mostly the ‘very Wesleyan’ population. It comes from the idea that Wesleyan has unattractive girls and bad sports and thus might as well be a technical school: WesTech.” Apparently, however, this is a term used mainly by other schools to make fun of Wesleyan, and has been appropriated by the sports teams as a label of pride (sports teams doing the ironic appropriation? Only at Wesleyan). A Techie was a term generally used by athletes to describe a “typical” Wesleyan student (artsy), or a “Techie.”

Now that you know what it means, this is required viewing: WesTech State of Mind.

Of course, we’re not really going to talk about that much. This is a how-to about Tech(nology).

GETTING ONLINE

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Unofficial Orientation Series: Exploring In and Around Middletown

 “Come along with us! *clap clap* Come along to [Middletown]! Come along with us *clap clap* and wipe away your frown!”

MiddletownMainSt

As much as there is to do on Wesleyan’s always active campus, there’s even more fun to be had beyond the bubble. For all those times when the thought of another meal at Usdan makes you sick, when the Film Series isn’t playing your favorite film, or when you just need a change of scenery, here’s a list of some of the things Middletown has to offer.

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