Welcome Class of 2015

I f the thought of how on Earth you’re ever going to meet friends in this corn maze of 40,000 students

hasn’t already crossed your mind, or if you aren’t already a proud member of the finger painting club after quad

day, then this list is for you. The following Freshmen Do’s and Don’ts list will serve as a helpful guide to ensure

that you get through the next four years (in, well, four years), and that you leave this place with some BFF’s, a

diploma and some great memories.

course to a career you can look forward to --- and help you look away from joining the work force of people who

hated their majors and eventually hated their jobs.

Do join at least one extra curricular activity that you aren’t embarrassed to put on a resume (i.e. supplement

the finger painting club with a professional organization).

Do take advantage of your dorms open-door policy, or talk to your R.A. about implementing one.

Chances are you will meet your best friends this way. You don’t want to miss out by being a hermit.

Don’t fall victim to the Freshman 15! This does not have to be you. (For more advice about avoiding the

Freshman 15, see the article called “Fighting the Freshman 15” by Samantha Krabbe).

Don’t forget to have fun. No one likes a party pooper. College is only 4 short years, and as long as you

aren’t making recurrent appearances in the Booze News, don’t be afraid to have a little fun Tuesday night

before your dreaded 8 a.m. We work hard and play hard at U of I!

1 Don’t be a senior and realize you have spent three years in the wrong major. First, ask yourself some

serious questions: What are you most interested in? What classes excite you? What do you most want

to learn about? Answers to these questions will likely lead you to a major that will take you on a

2345

1 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Arielle Contreras

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFEmily WaldronEDITOR

Lisa HinrichsDESIGN

Theresa Lopez

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSTori Bokios, Jiayun Chen, Arielle Contreras, Betzy Drazner,

Kayla Flam, Zach Groth, Elise King, Samantha Krabbe, Svjetlana Stojanovic Renee Wunderlich

ADVERTISINGFor further details, contact us at

spreadjournalism@gmail.com

THE SPREAD IS A DIGITAL PUBLICATION OF REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS JOURNALISM, ADVERTISING & MEDIA STUDENTS

OF THE COLLEGE OF MEDIA.

AUGUST 2011THE FRESHMEN SURVIVAL GUIDE

Low Cal Dining Options in the Dorms 9

Illini Sports 15

Top Campus Bars 4

My Second Home 10

Out-of-State, Out-of-Mind 12

How the MTD Works 13

Conventional Wisdom from an Incoming Senior 5

Gen-Ed, Worries No More 16

How to Survive your Freshman Year 17

The Princeton Review has

published the rankings of the

Top American Party Schools for

2011-2012. Ohio University took

over University of Georgia’s first

place from last year. University

of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

has gone up to 11th place for

2011-2012, up from 18th place

last year.

Many bars on campus are

within walking distance ---

Murphy’s on Sixth and Green, Clybourne and FireHaus are

right next to each other on Sixth

Street, Legends on Green Street

across from Urban Outfitters,

Joe’s Brewery on Fifth Street

next to Potbelly Sandwich and

The Red Lion on Third an Green.

Murphy’s and Legends are

similar; since they are both bars

where you can relax, have good

conversation, drinks and food.

Murphy’s offers big, juicy burgers

Top Campus Bars

and some drinks in the beer

garden, and an indoor dance

floor. During the summer, there

are great food specials every

day, such as Monday half-priced

sandwiches, Tuesday half-priced

burgers, and Wednesday 50-cent

wings and 2 dollar Jager Bombs

and waffle fries.

The Red Lion, formerly Station

211, is relatively new since

its remodel just last fall. Like

The Clybourne, Red Lion is a

dance club known for its greek

atmosphere. Located near

Second and Green, this campus

bar looks like a castle.

In Champaign, the age of entry

is 19, but the age to consume is

still 21. While going out to the

campus bars may be a blast,

it is important to remember

the dangers of drinking and to

always be safe.

4 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Jiayun Chen

The Princeton Review has

published the rankings of the

Top American Party Schools for

2011-2012. Ohio University took

over University of Georgia’s first

place from last year. University

of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

has gone up to 11th place for

2011-2012, up from 18th place

last year.

Many bars on campus are

within walking distance ---

Murphy’s on Sixth and Green, Clybourne and FireHaus are

right next to each other on Sixth

Street, Legends on Green Street

across from Urban Outfitters,

Joe’s Brewery on Fifth Street

next to Potbelly Sandwich and

The Red Lion on Third an Green.

Murphy’s and Legends are

similar; since they are both bars

where you can relax, have good

conversation, drinks and food.

Murphy’s offers big, juicy burgers

that are definitely worth a try,

along with a teriyaki chicken

salad. Green Street.

FireHaus’ signature mixed drink,

the Fish Bowl, contains vodka,

Sprite and some other fun flavors.

A Fish Bowl is a drink big enough

to share with your of age friends.

During the summer and early in

the fall, when drinking outdoors

is still decent, FireHaus’ has a

back porch for outdoor drinking.

If you feel like dancing, you

should definitely check out The

Clybourne. It’s a three-story

club with a dance floor on the

main level. On the downside, it

is usually packed on Thursdays

and Fridays. In the day time,

The Clybourne is a coffee house

called The Toasted Bean.

Joes Brewery has both a relaxed

and upbeat atmosphere suited

for dancing. It has outdoor tables

for enjoying the evening breeze

Conventional Wisdom

I know what you’re thinking.

At least, I think I do. “Why should

I listen to the advice of someone

who’s only 3 years older than me?

If I’m going to listen to someone

(which I won’t) I might as well

take my parents’ advice.”

Well, I have several points

to counter that. First, college

really isn’t like anything you’ve

done before. Your life has been

structured in a way that it won’t

be for the next four years and

there are a lot of things you need

to figure out. Second, the advice

I got from my dad going into my

freshman year was, “Don’t step

foot inside Kam’s. It’s a dirty Frat

bar.” And his experience there

was from when he went to U of I

in the 70’s. So your parents aren’t

totally out of left field with their

advice.

KAM’S REALLY IS A DIRTY FRAT BAR. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T EVER STEP FOOD INSIDE IT. I’ve been there, and it is definitely

not my cup of tea. If you’ve ever

watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer

and seen the Bronze or (as I’m

5 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

FROM AN INCOMING SENIOR

sure is more likely) watched

One Tree Hill and seen the bar

that Lucas’ mom opens, bars

seem like awesome, clean, let

anyone in type of places.

This is television. Real life,

the floors are sticky, there are

weird drunk people creepin’ on

you, and you can’t hear a damn

thing. Don’t get me wrong, I

love a good night out, but don’t

over do it. Be responsible, know your surroundings, and limit your intake. Your parents are

not paying for you to learn the

specials at Joe’s. College should

be about having fun, but you are

there to get an education, too.

Which leads me to my next point.

DON’T WALK AROUND AT 3 A.M. BY YOURSELFI feel like this is common sense,

but I’ll say it anyway. Crime knows no neighborhood. Sure,

there aren’t muggings and

hookers and car thieves on every

street corner, but you never

know what’s going to happen. I

once witnessed a guy break into

my friend’s car. There are people

who are attacked at night and

usually they are alone. Please

use the buddy system. It is

always better to be safe than

sorry. Don’t walk with your iPod

on or while distracted on your

phone. Be alert. Carry pepper

spray and your handy-dandy rape

whistle. Chances are you’ll never

have a problem, but you want to

be ready when you do.

WATCH YOUR STUFFDon’t leave your computer in the

library. Don’t set your backpack

down on a table that you are

not also sitting at. You will meet

wonderful people at U of I, but

sometimes they just want your

stuff. Lock your dorm room when

you’re gone. Lock your apartment

door and windows. Take stuff

home when you leave for break.

And know that not everyone is a

stranger that takes your stuff. My

step-mom, Karen, had an RA who

stole peoples’ clothing when they

weren’t in their rooms. Nobody

was positive she was doing it

until Karen saw the RA wearing

a piece of clothing that Karen’s

mom made for her. I don’t mean

to tell you these stories to scare

you, but your parents are not

here to protect you, and you need

to take care of yourself.

by Kayla Flam

6 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

LEARN THE BUS SYSTEMIt is a really useful tool that will

get you to all kinds of wonderful

(and not so wonderful) places.

The schedules may seem daunting

at first, but it’s really pretty

simple. Each bus has a color and a

number, and a designated route.

They are all on some sort of time

rotation. The ones you will take the most usually run every 10 minutes, which is pretty handy. Take a day to just ride the buses,

to see where they go. Most likely

you’ll take the Illini, the Yellow,

the Teal, or the Silver on a regular

basis, but there are tons of colors.

And don’t just memorize your

route --- have knowledge of the

other routes so you can use them

on special occasions.

Also, your iCard gets you on

for free; the buses mentioned

above don’t need I.D. if ridden

within campus limits. For all the

others, you’ll need to show the

driver your card. Oh, and always

enter the front and exit the back.

People like when you do that.

People also like when you

LEAVE YOUR DORM DOOR OPENNot when you’re not there,

obviously, but if you’re just

casually doing homework or

watching a movie, prop the door

open. It allows you to interact

with your fellow floor mates, and

it could lead to good friendships.

Remember, for the most part,

nobody else knows anyone, so it

DON’T DO LAUNDRY ON SUNDAY If you live in a dorm, this is

when everyone does it. Weekdays

are busy with class, Friday

and Saturday are way too cool

for laundry, so that leaves do-

everything-you-hate-on poor

Sunday. There are lots of other

people there, and it will suck

trying to find an open washer

and dryer. And if you live in an

apartment, most banks (except

TCF) are closed Sundays. So if you’re out of clothes and

quarters, you may be screwed. Keep a schedule and try to do

your laundry the same day at

least every two weeks.

is a great time to meet people.

Everyone is looking for a friend, so it’s in your benefit to be open.

EXPAND YOUR MIND WITH NEW CLUBS AND CLASSESYou will have time to take classes

that are different than reading,

writing, and arithmetic, so go for

it. I’ve taken a class on Modern Poland, several Gender and Women’s Studies classes, and a Companion Animal class (I’m now the family veterinarian). There are a lot of stupid degree-

holding people. Be firm in your

beliefs, but be open to new ideas.

Don’t just become an engineer,

or an accountant. Become a well-

educated person. There are a lot

of stupid degree-holding people.

Be firm in your beliefs, but be

open to new ideas. The same goes

for clubs. Join a lot. You don’t have

to be on the executive board of

each, but you can read the emails

and see what they’re up to. Who

knows, you may find something

you’re really passionate about

(like JAMS).

CHECK YOUR EMAIL AS IF IT’S A BOMB AND IT WILL GO OFF IF YOU DON’T READ IT Everything gets sent through

your Illinois email. Professors,

clubs, jobs, the University,

your landlord --- everyone

communicates this way. Sure,

people pick up the phone still,

but email is so easy and it is

wonderful tool. If you have a

smart phone, have it forwarded

to your phone. CITES (the

campus tech people) have

instructions on how to set up7 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

email on your phone on their

website. Personally, I get

annoyed when people don’t

reply within a day. It’s not snail

mail. I know you have things

to do but so do I, and checking

your email should be as constant

as checking Facebook and

Twitter is.

DON’T POST STUPID SHIT ONLINE People see it, and they will

judge you. It may or may not

turn out well for you. You have

no privacy online, nor should you

think you do. Even if your profile

is “private” Facebook ultimately

owns everything you upload, and

people are going to see it one

way or another. So or another. So

KEEP IT CLASSY, CHAMPAIGN.

These are just knowledge bites

that I’ve acquired over the years.

U of I and Champaign-Urbana

are wonderful places to be, and

I know you’ll love every minute

of it. Heed my warnings, or don’t.

I’m taking a page from the parent

book and giving out unsolicited

advice, but I’d like to think that

mine are more useful than some

of the gems I’ve received. So go

out there, wear clean underwear,

and conquer the campus.

Fighting the Freshman 15: Low Cal Dining Options and Campus Rec

As you adjust to the beginning of college, you’re going to find yourself biting your nails about a million different things. Will you be able to get along with your roommate? Will you like the people on your floor? Will you make it to all your classes? One cause for anxiety is something we may not like to openly discuss, but deep down terrifies us. The Freshman Fifteen: the notorious excess weight that gradually accumulates from a mix of study snacks, dorm food, loading up on energy drinks and coffee for pulling all nighters, and having Keystone Light poured down your throat by every frat on campus.

You can easily avoid the Freshman 15 by paying extra attention to what you eat this semester. The campus dining halls offer a huge variety of meals and snacks, so it’s up to you to make healthy choices. Menus can be found online, as well as schedule information for specialty restaurants offered by individual dining halls, such as Fields of Greens, an all vegetarian option located in Allen Hall. Other specialty restaurants include Taste of Asia, located at ISR on Wednesdays, and Soul Ingredient, a buffet of southern-style cooking with a live DJ, located at FAR on Thursdays. Menus are also available online for A La Carte items, which are priced individually and can be purchased with Café Credits, Extra Credits, or by credit card at Ikenberry and Busey-Evans.

Drinking lots of water is also an extremely important step in keeping off the pounds! Studies show that drinking water is key to a low-calorie diet, as well as overall health. In addition, choosing

(continued on page 18)

9 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Samantha Krabbe

My SecondHome

It’s become a running

joke in my family and I don’t

think I’ll ever hear the end of

it: “Tori, when you went off to

school, we thought we were

going to have to turn around

and pick you back up, and now

we can’t you get you to come

home.”

This is one of the few

jokes my parents make that

I can actually grin and laugh

at because --- it’s true. Every

time I’m home, I’m eagerly

anticipating heading back to

Champaign and counting the

days until my return. Go ahead

10 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Tori Bokios

and grimace at the cheesiness

of my next statement, but

Champaign has become home

to me. It hasn’t always felt this

way though.

Two years ago my family’s

small Toyota was packed to

capacity with all of the freshman

dorm essentials in a bright

shade of pink. I spent the two-

hour-long car ride in a state of

shock, gazing out the window,

my skin a sickly green. Was I

actually leaving the comfort

and normalcy of suburbia? The

thought of living on my own

and not being able to see

my family or best friends

everyday was just too much to

bare. How in the world was I

going to live in what seemed like

the tiniest dorm room known to

man with a complete stranger?

Or navigate through campus?

What about classes? Sure I did

well in high school, but everyone

always says college is a totally

different ball game. I dislike

change and I knew sitting in

the car, gazing at the cornfields

with boxes digging into my legs,

that change was inevitable.

The first couple of weeks were tough and filled with high and low points and many phone

calls to my family that ended

with me in tears. Meeting

people was easy, but I didn’t

feel like I could ever be as close

to them as I was with my friends

from home. I was instantly

overwhelmed with the amount

of reading that my classes

required and it seemed like I

had no time to relax and enjoy

myself. When my cell phone

broke after being at school only

a week, I literally thought I was

doomed and should just go to a

community college at home.

But with time, everything

changed. I met the greatest

group of girls who lived on

my floor who became like my

family. I guarantee we will

be lifelong friends. I figured

out where everything was on

campus, I got accustomed to

the workload, and everything

just seemed to settle into place.

I quickly started having so much

fun and was genuinely happy. It

took a little time, but I realized

how great U of I truly is. That’s

when the family jokes started.

So how did I do it? How did

I get through those strenuous

first weeks? How can I sit here

and say that I am the happiest

when I am in Champaign? If

homesickness strikes, take my

advice and see if any of these

things work for you. Before you

know it, when you are returning

to U of I after a break, you may

find yourself like me: On the

edge of your seat bouncing with

excitement as you return to the

familiarity of campus. Here are

some tips:

calls to my family that ended

with me in tears. Meeting

people was easy, but I didn’t

feel like I could ever be as close

to them as I was with my friends

from home. I was instantly

overwhelmed with the amount

of reading that my classes

required and it seemed like I

had no time to relax and enjoy

myself. When my cell phone

broke after being at school only

a week, I literally thought I was

doomed and should just go to a

community college at home.

But with time, everything

changed. I met the greatest

group of girls who lived on

my floor who became like my

family. I guarantee we will

be lifelong friends. I figured

out where everything was on

campus, I got accustomed to

the workload, and everything

just seemed to settle into place.

I quickly started having so much

fun and was genuinely happy. It

took a little time, but I realized

how great U of I truly is. That’s

when the family jokes started.

So how did I do it? How did

I get through those strenuous

first weeks? How can I sit here

and say that I am the happiest

when I am in Champaign? If

homesickness strikes, take my

advice and see if any of these

things work for you. Before you

know it, when you are returning

to U of I after a break, you may

find yourself like me: On the

edge of your seat bouncing with

excitement as you return to the

familiarity of campus. Here are

some tips:

11 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

Bond with people who are feeling homesick too. If you are

feeling homesick, you definitely

aren’t alone. Open up and share

how you are feeling with your

roommate or new friends. They

will probably relate, and talking

about it may really help you feel

better.

Get yourself into a routine. If you keep yourself busy (which

isn’t hard to do at college) and do

things that you would normally

do at home, you will begin to

feel more comfortable.

Get involved. At U of I,

there is a student organization

for practically every hobby and

interest possible. You will meet

a ton of people this way and can

participate in some really cool

things!

Rush a fraternity or sorority. This definitely isn’t for

everybody and you can battle

homesickness without going

Greek, but it is a great way to

meet people and make such a

large campus feel a lot smaller.

Utilize a mentor program. Many of the colleges on campus

participate in a mentorship

program where an older student

acts as a mentor for an assigned

freshman. Words can’t even

begin to express how much

my mentor from the College of

Media helped me my freshman

year. I am so grateful that I had

her to turn to.

Go out! There is so much to do

at U of I. Staying in your room

alone is only going to make you

feel worse.

Avoid going home too frequently. Even though you

miss your family, going home

every weekend is just going to

make it harder. The weekends

at school are so much fun and

a great way to bond with your

new friends. If you are going

home all the time, there is a

good chance that you are going

to miss out.

Interested in getting

involved in Journalism,

Advertising and Media

Students? You have the

choice to work in front

of the camera or behind

the scenes. If that’s not

your style, our Ad Club

has positions available

for our campaign with

the Portland-based

non-profit organization

CreativeCares. If you

don’t even like doing that,

become a writer for this

magazine, and write about

what you have to say

when you want. We’re

also seeking photographers

and designers. For more

information, please

contact

emailjams@gmail.com

Out-of-State,Out-of-Mind

TIPS TO TAKE AWAY:

1. If you’re a chick, invest in a good pair of rain boots. You’ll walk a lot on

campus, and with all the rain, mud, snow and who knows what else is cluttering

the streets of Chambana, it will be good to have your feet safe and dry.

2. Sign up for airline emails. Sometimes they offer special deals and discounts.

3. It gets cold in the Land of Lincoln, and the Chicago wind can be especially

cruel when you’re not expecting it. Invest in a warm, but not super-bulky coat.

4. Get to know the area. You don’t need to memorize every suburb, but have

one or two cities of reference so you’ll know where all of your new friends hail

from, and who may be able to give you a ride to the airport or train station.

5. Set yourself up on Skype if you don’t have an account already. Free face time

is a great resource for friends and family back home.

6. Agree on a day and or time to contact your parents, siblings, or anyone else

you need to stay in contact with. Having a set schedule that allows both you

and your folks to communicate more effectively instead of fighting over times

to reconnect or playing phone tag. Give your family a copy of your schedule to

ensure they don’t call you during class unless it’s an emergency.

7. Let professors and bosses know that you are not from the immediate area.

Knowing this in advance may enable them to be more understanding when it

comes time to leave early for a holiday or if you need to miss multiple days if

there is a family emergency.

8. Ask your roommate(s) to bring heavy, large or bulky items such as a fridge,

TV, DVD player or any authorized appliances. You can still split the cost, or offer

to shop with your roomie(s) for shared items when you get to campus.

9. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT pack every worldly possession. Move in day is

a hectic heap of craziness no matter where you are living, and freshmen always

seem to forget that they will have to bring everything either back home or to a

storage unit at the end of the academic year. Pack what you think you will need,

and then think of ways to downsize (Ex; bring a few favorite photos, not your

entire high school year book). This is a good tip for any incoming freshman, but

especially for those who are traveling from outside the state lines; less stuff

means less stress. And remember, if you forget something you think is truly

important and can’t buy it in Champaign-Urbana (don’t bring food, laundry

detergent, or generic toiletries, we have Walgreens, CVS and a Walmart), you can

always have it mailed in a care package!

10. Enjoy the fact that you are unique! Close to 70 percent of the Undergraduate

student population at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana is from Illinois,

and more often than not they are from the Chicago area. Have pride for your

hometown. I hang a Terrible Towel on my dorm wall to show where I came from.

12 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Renee Wunderlich

My decision to come to the U

of I was easy. Deciding what I would

need for my first year at college was

another matter. I didn’t have anyone

telling me what to expect when I

moved to Illinois. Two years and

countless trial-and-error experiences

later, I have developed a system that

works best for me as I balance my

life between two homes, 8 hours

apart.

At the beginning of my freshman year, I was told about the Mass Transit District (MTD),

which is the bus system in Champaign-Urbana. I was informed it was helpful in getting to class

more quickly and is a warmer alternative during the winter. What I didn’t know, however, was

how to use it.

I was new to the University and hardly had a map of campus in my head, and I was definitely

not comfortable enough to hop on a bus and try to keep track of where it had taken me.

My inner scaredy cat kept me from using the buses for the entire first semester of school.

When I returned to campus in January, I found the sidewalks covered in snow and slick with ice.

I knew it was time I learned to use the buses.

MTD buses are free for students and provide transportation on and off campus. Bus

schedule books and the MTD website have maps and exact times to help students learn how to

use the transport system.

My favorite way to figure out what bus to take is on the MTD website. Under “Trip Planner,”

type in your starting and ending point. A few suggestions will pop up letting you know the best

bus options for you.

Once you get to the bus stop, the MTD’s Stopwatch System allows you to check what time

the next bus is coming in real time from your phone. A number appears on the bus stop signs

that you can text for an update, which lets you know how many minutes away the next bus is.

Finally, each bus is labeled with a light-up sign on the front and back telling which route it is

(for example, 22 North Illini, or 12 East Teal). After making sure it is the bus you want, you must

show your i-Card to ride for free (except on the 22 Illini, which does not leave campus). If you

are unsure if you are getting on the right bus or where the bus goes, do not hesitate to ask the

driver; they are experts on their routes and can help you figure out which bus is best for where

you want to go.

How the MTDWorksby Betzy Drazner

Illini Sports

Odds are, if you’re attending

this University and have any

sort of affinity towards sports,

you’ll be attending your fair

share of Illini football and

basketball games. While

those games are terrific places

to get rowdy, and the teams

should compete pretty well

this year, you shouldn’t limit

your experience as a Fighting

Illini fan to just two sports.

We have over 40,000 people

here. There are some great

athletes scattered throughout

the other sports teams. With

that in mind, here are a few

sports you should check out:

Volleyball: Huff Hall is a

terrific venue for athletic

competition; you’re way closer

to the action than you’ll be

at any football or basketball

game. The team has a good

15 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Zach Groth

chance of actually winning

the Big Ten, which is more

than you should expect out of

the ‘big sports’ this season. As

someone who sucks terribly at

volleyball, it amazes me to see

all of these women executing

plays flawlessly time and time

again.

Gymnastics: I had no interest

whatsoever in this sport until

I was assigned to cover it for

the Daily Illini. This stuff is

amazing. Sure, the floor routines

are pretty --- well--- routine, but

pretty much every other event is

just epic. Both teams, men and

women, are able to pull stuff off

that you probably didn’t think a

human being could actually do.

The precision these people have

on all of these flips will blow

you away. It’s really something

you have to see in person to

truly appreciate.

Whatever team your friends

are on: You’re degree isn’t the

only important thing you’re

going to leave this campus with.

Unless you are a complete shut-in

(and if that’s the case, get ready

for a depressing four years),

you’re going to meet a decent

amount of people. There’s a very

likely chance that some of your

buddies will be playing on one of

the more ‘obscure’ sports teams.

Get out there and support them!

I have no background knowledge

about rugby, lacrosse or roller

hockey, but I have friends that

play for all of those teams, so I

might as well go cheer them on.

Who knows, you might become

a legitimate fan of the sport. The

gesture may seem small, but your

friends will appreciate it.

Gen-Ed Worries No More

16 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Svjetlana Stojanovic

What better way to get rid of

those Gen-Ed (General Education)

requirements than with fun, easy

classes and rewarding classes! These

are the go-to classes for students on

campus and quite the GPA booster as

long as you show up to class. Most of

these classes will also knock out more

than one requirement:

ATMS 120 (Natural Science; Quant II):

Severe and Hazardous Weather is the one class you’ll actually WANT

to go to.

SOC 100 (Social/Behavioral Science)

Show up to class and you’re guaranteed to pass.

PSYC 100 (Social/Behavioral Science):

Just make sure you have the study guide book.

PHYS 123 (Natural Science)

Physics Made Easy

MACS 101 (Advanced Composition)

Intro to Media

ENGL 109 (Humanities; Advanced Composition)

Intro to Fiction

THEA 101 (Humanities)

Intro to Theatre Arts

DANC 100 (Western; Humanities)

Lets you spend one day talking about dancing and the other day

rolling around the dance studio. A great way to get some exercise

during class time and get two requirements out of the way!

CLCV 115 (Western; Humanities)

Mythology of Greece and Rome

RST 100 (Social/Behavioral Science)

Society and Leisure

ANTH 209 (Social/Behavioral Science)

Food, Culture and Society

SPED 117 (Humanities)

Culture of Disabilities.

EALC 250 (Non-Western)

Intro to Japanese Culture.

STATS 100 (Quant I)

The easiest math course on campus that still counts toward your

Quant I requirement.

Useful Tips on How to Survive Your FreshmanYear

17 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

by Elise King

Welcome, freshmen, to the University of Illinois! Being a college student is a brand new

experience for you, so there’s a lot to learn: how to do laundry, how to catch the right bus, where you

can find the best food on campus, etc. While there are many things that you will have no problem

figuring out on your own, here are a few pointers that will help make the transition into college fun

and easy (and will help you avoid learning some things the hard way).

Get an iBook, even if you don’t use planners much. You can get one for free at the Illini Union

Bookstore, they include all of the important academic dates, and have a handy campus map inside.

Take some time to study a campus map and maybe walk around to find your classes prior to your

first day of class. You can even put directions in your phone to remember how to get to some of your

classes. It’s a big campus, and don’t want to get completely lost on your first day.

Make sure you have two laundry baskets: one just to keep all your dirty clothes in and another to

put sorted loads of laundry into to take down to the laundry room.

Take time to check out some of the fun places on campus! At the very least, you have to check out

Cocomero on Wright Street, Insomnia Cookies on John Street, and order Pokey Stix from Gumby’s.

You probably can’t get food like this at home.

Get duct tape. Everyone will need it for something different, but you will definitely need it at some

point.

Know that it’s perfectly normal to feel homesick at first. If you’re feeling blue, just try to get

involved on campus and make friends, and the connections you make should help you feel better. If

you can’t seem to cheer yourself up though, visit the counseling center on campus, they offer great

services and you’ve already paid the fees!

Have tissues and cold medicine stashed somewhere in your closet because there’s a good chance

you will get sick, really sick, at least once during your freshman year. There are a lot of people on

campus with a lot of germs, so it can be difficult to avoid illness. Wash your hands often, and if you

get too sick to go to class then make an appointment at the McKinley Wellness Center. There you can

see a doctor and get the medicine you need at no or little cost, because again, you’ve already paid

most of the fees.

(continued from page 9)

water means you’re not choosing

soda or other artificially

flavored, calorie-loaded drinks.

Watch out for coffee! Lattes,

mochas, cappuccinos, and

frappucinos have hundreds of

calories. Keep in mind: it may

not taste the best, but plain

black coffee has about one

calorie, if that. The less cream

and sugar you mix in, the better.

Breakfast: The most important

meal of the day. You’re going to

need all the energy you can get

to take on the day, especially

if you’re walking or biking to

your classes (also good ideas for

preventing the Freshman 15!)

A bowl of healthy cereal with

nonfat or skim milk usually

adds up to around 185-200

calories and provides a lot of

important nutrients. Fruit is

always a healthy choice, and

it’s portable! A medium-sized

apple or banana is only about

100 calories. Fruit and yogurt is

an especially delicious combo.

Lunch: A light lunch is the way

to go on busy school days, and

often, all you’ll have time for.

Try soup and salad at the Euclid

Street Deli in Ikenberry Hall or

the soup, salad and sandwich

bar at Arugula’s in PAR. Wraps

can be good options but beware:

Healthy ingredients doesn’t

always mean low calorie.

Dinner: For dinner, shoot for a

well-rounded meal, but be sure

to watch your portions. Pasta is

often pinned as being unhealthy

and fatty, but the truth is that

it depends on how it’s prepared

18 THE SPREAD AUG 2011

and how much you eat. A small

portion of pasta with sauce can

actually be a very nutrient-rich

meal. Sandwiches and paninis

can also be very healthy if the

ingredients are

chosen wisely. Be sure to include

fruits and vegetables in your meal

as well.

And lastly, don’t be afraid

to take advantage of the two

incredible recreation centers on

campus: ARC and CRCE. ARC

(Activities and Recreation Center)

is one of the largest campus

exercise facilities in the country,

including a climbing wall, indoor

track, two swimming pools, four

gyms, and a sauna. There are

dozens of intramural and club

sport teams to choose from to

stay in shape, as well as a variety

of group fitness classes offered

daily at both facilities. Group

fitness classes include yoga,

pilates, cycling, and an array of

workouts focusing on specific

areas. Plus, they are fun!