Dorms each have individual characters By Tim O'Connell Daily News Editor Throughout the summer's numerous orientation sessions, first-year students waxed miserably about their future accommodations at this mammoth uni- versity. Many fretted about their current assignments, and many had no idea where they would be living this fall. No doubt, some orientation leaders assured students that which specific residence hall or room they received did not mat- ter. This assertion, like many others the leaders were paid to make, is nonsense. Little at the University has as great an effect on students' happiness as the dorm they live in. In the interest of making insensitive, unfair and sweeping gener- alizations, I've put together an introduc- tory guide to the different dorms. If you're in one of the Central Cam- pus dorms - East, South or West Quad - pat yourself on the back. You've made it to the big time, baby. East Quad has a long and storied his- tory - of rampant substance use of all kinds. It is one of the most laid-back dorms, but the University seems set on changing that. All first-year Inteflex stu- dents live there. My advice: don't both- er them, and they won't bother you. But don't get into a conversation with one, or they may start telling you how altruistic their pursuit of an M.D. is. If you live in East, expect others around campus to ask, "Do you really live in East Quad? Aren't they a bunch of freaks?" If someone doesn't ask you this upon hear- ing you live in East Quad, rest assured. They already think you are a freak. South Quad is known largely as the "jock dorm." Its reputation is hard to put down considering its proximity to the sports arenas and because the football team's training table is prepared there. Plenty of steaks, I hear. This reputation has diminished slightly in the past few years, particularly due to the fact that hon- ors housing now claims South as home. I suppose if you need quiet, if you're small or if you're from a rural area, you may feel uncomfortable in South Quad, unless you're living in honors housing. Grow out of it. If you think it's loud, wait until the false fire-alarm season, a peri- od that intensifies toward the end of the term - I've been assured has nothing to Students learn more abroad than academics South Quad, located on Madison Street, is one of 11 Central Campus residence halls. do with fraternity "Hell Week." West Quad strikes me as being desper- ately lukewarm. These are the people who keep going to class when others start sleeping through them, and why not? They probably live closer than everyone else. This is home to the faceless masses. Most folks seem courteous, and what passes for conversation in the cafeteria certainly never rises above a low rumble. You've got to love the phenomenal Michigander-to-out-of-state ratio. One of the biggest perks to West Quad residency is that it is connected to the Union - -late-night munchies and quiet study corners are just a stairwell away. If you're living in one of the Hill dorms, you're doing all right. Alice Lloyd is a bit of an enigma. It's out of the mainstream of residence hall life and houses the living-learning Pilot Program. Couzens is a hoot. The wide hallways are fantastic for hall sports. Of course, the hallways are wide because the build- ing used to be an institution for the men- tally ill. It's an attractive mad house, though. It seems to have the best view overlooking Palmer Field and the power plant, but the walk to the Diag is farther. Mary Markley is known as a New New York, New New Jersey and New Con- necticut rolled into one. All I know is that the curved hallways must really play tricks on people's heads when they return from doing who-; knows-what on weekends. Stockwell has no male residents. who pay rent. The all-female resi- dence hall is one of the oldest and most k picturesque on > campus. Stock-< well, which draws male Hill residents for meal time, is known for its ivy- Two first-year stude covered walls and breakfast in the Ea huge blue lounge complete with fireplaces and pianos. Mosher-Jordan, which resembles Stockwell with its ivy-covered walls, is filled largely with sophomores, and there's a lot of competition to get a room in this co-ed residence hall. Helen Newberry and Betsey Bar- bour are the two smallest residence halls on campus - it's more like living in a large house or co-op than a college dor- mitory. Newberry and Barbour share most of their facilities - only Barbour has a cafeteria - and the wood paneling and intimate settings of both make you feel like you're somewhere between Greenfield Village and a homey summer camp. Martha Cook, an all-female dorm * Office of International Programs helps students go abroad By Dean Bakopoulos Daily Staff Writer Sooner or later during your stay in Ann Arbor, your feet may itch with a desire to hit the road and find new stomping grounds. Perhaps you envision yourself participating in la corrida de toros in Pamplona or sipping vino in Florence; perhaps you see yourself studying Shakespeare in Cambridge or philosophy in Rome. No matter No ma where you want to go, there's one place you where need to go first - the Office of International want Programs (OIP). there Located off East Madi- son Street between the place Union and West Quad, OIP is an incredibly use- n ful starting point when exploring study-abroad first. options. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and invites you to drop by at any time. Once there, experienced staff and peer advisers can help you find a way to see the world. Among the easiest, most hassle-free options for foreign study are the many University-sponsored study abroad pro- grams. From Quebec to Australia, and almost everywhere in between, the Uni- versity offers programs ranging in length from a short summer stay to an entire academic year. Many students like to choose the Uni- versity-sponsored programs simply for conveniences like easy registration, guaranteed transfer credits and better financial aid packages. If you find that none of the Universi- ty programs meet your needs, be aware that many accredited American univer- sities and colleges open study abroad programs up to students from across the United States. These programs usually offer transferable credit, as well as financial aid. You can also choose to study at a for- m 31 14 eign university without using an Ameri can institution as your sponsor, but cred it transfer.and financial aid may be a bit more difficult. Wherever and however you choose to study abroad, there are three main things to remember. First, apply for financial aid programs well in advance. Second, check on the possibility of earning University credit before you commit to a study-abroad program. Third, be sure to have the sponsonng* institution send a sealed copy of your transcript to the Univer- sity Office of Admis-- tter sions when your term: abroad is complete. YOU If you don't feel like hitting the books while, D go, you're seeing the world, OIP can also help you Sone explore other options. For example, ianyo students choose to work O go abroad during the sum- mer or do an internship with a foreign institu-' tion. OIP can explain the work-abroad option fur- ther, but remember, it's never too early to make plans for summer. Work- abroad opportunities tend to be gobbled up quickly. Finally, many students like to spendO some time travelling independently. While this endeavor cannot get you University credit or be financed through grants and loans, it can be one of the most rewarding ways to travel. You'll meet people from all over the world, absorb a variety of different cul-° tural traditions and gain a feeling of self confidence and independence. For the - sake of both safety and fun, it might prove helpful to travel with a friend or I two. You'll also want to get an ISIC - International Student Identity Card - at OIP, because even if you aren't studying, you'll be amazed at what an ISIC can get you. (Mine got me a dirt cheap flight from London to Paris, as well as lodging and entertainment discounts.) When the travel bug bites, be sure to start your journey at OIP, for tips on everything from packing to passports. 4 ents attending summer orientation eat st Quad cafeteria. located on South University Avenue, is mostly upper-level students. Residents, similar to a sorority, host afternoon teas and dress for dinner on special occasions. U Throughout the summer, orientation leaders were anxious to soothe those who had been assigned to live in Bursley. The drawbacks to life at Bursley: It's big, you can't stay out too late unless you have a car because you have to catch the last bus from Central Campus, you have to get up about 20 minutes earlier to get to a Central Campus class. The benefits: The rooms at Bursley are probably the biggest on campus, everything is mod- ern and there's quite a bit of camaraderie since all the residents are in the same position once you get snowed in. . U Recycling. It's easier than sorting your laundry. Nobody really likes doing their laundry, but it's something we all have to do. You have to separate your colors from your whites, your delicates from your blue jeans. And then there's the "hand wash only." There is one thing you'll find easy your first year at Michigan: RECYCLING. All types of paper, like office paper, newspaper, magazines, cardboard boxes and phonebooks, go in the same PAPERS bin. All types of food and beverage containers, like metal cans, glass and plastic bottles, milk cartons and juice boxes, go in the same CONTAINERS bin. Everything else is just plain trash and belongs in the trash bin. It's simple. It's convenient. And it's easier than sorting your laundry. The University of Michigan has made recycling a habit. Why not make it yours? For more information, contact U-M Waste Management Services at 763-5539, send e-mail to or *1 I 1 I f c y newspapers office paper junk mail catalogs paper bags phone books paperback books pizza boxes gray boxboard cereal boxes steel cans aluminum cans glass jars glass bottles foil & pie plates .. a. bibi I