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Get off the red line ... D.C. is a fun city with tons to do, so make sure you do it. We live in one of the nicest parts of the District, but while the allure of Tenleytown is tempting the real joy of D.C. lies elsewhere. Make sure to get involved in the city's celebrations, including the internationally-reknowned spring Cherry Blossom festival. Take the Metro's red line downtown and check out museums and monuments (but see our thumbs down below - monument hopping can definitely get overdone).
Indulge in the arts ... In response to D.C.'s large contingent of stuffy, suit-wearing political types, a vibrant independent arts community thrives throughout the District. Dupont Circle is burgeoning with funky galleries open for browsing to the general public. Several award-winning theaters such as the Shakespeare Theater and Arena Stage reside in D.C., often offering student prices on tickets to amazing productions. The District's music scene is equally dazzling. D.C.'s many hole-in-the-wall music venues, including Club 9:30 and the Black Cat, rack up act after amazing all-ages acts year round. Pick up a free copy of the CityPaper every weekend for details on dozens of shows, events and happenings around your new home.
Try something new ... Ever considered kayaking down the Potomac? Head down to Georgetown harbor on a sunny day and rent yourself a boat. How about sampling Mediterranean delights at a hookah bar, or dining at a D.C. Ethiopian restaurant? Both are established signatures of D.C. nightlife and cuisine. Pick up some tickets to a Nationals or Wizards game. Buy a kite and fly it on the Mall. Hop on the Metro and check out Old Town Alexandria. The options are endless!
Learn the neighborhoods ... From Dupont Circle to Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan to Eastern Market, D.C.'s eclectic character is attributable mostly to its patchwork of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct flavor and aura. Pick a new Metro stop to explore every weekend. Even a simple stroll among the colorful row houses of Columbia Heights or Georgetown will be a welcome escape from the tourist-clogged streets and museums downtown. Plus, each area of D.C. offers is own unique peoplewatching opportunities. When the weather's warm, people from all walks of life flock to the fountain in Dupont Circle to breakdance, play chess and soak up the sunshine, so don't get left out of the loop.
Get involved on campus ... Especially with your esteemed student newspaper. AU also offers tons of clubs for writers, politicians, sports fiends and everyone in between. Take advantage of fall's involvement fairs. Everyone will constantly be trying to recruit you - give the clubs a try. If you're into the fraternity and sorority scene, AU has plenty of those. If you're a freshman girl, you'll no doubt be begged to come to about five frat parties per weekend, so have fun ... but be careful!
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Fire alarms ... If you live on southside you'll be subjected to at least a dozen of these within your first few weeks here. In the past residents of Letts, Anderson and Centennial have found themselves standing in their pajamas at 3 a.m. because some drunk thought it would be hilarious to pull a fire alarm for fun, or because someone (also, probably drunk) was incompetent at making popcorn and sent a microwave up in smoke. Fire alarms are, obviously, not funny when you are sober and sound asleep. If you really don't enjoy fire alarms, move to northside where students are more capable of properly operating a microwave.
Monuments at night ... It's fun once, but many at AU make the mistake of overdoing it. In fact, the activity is way overrated. And as romantic as you think FDR and Thomas Jefferson are, please dont do a nighttime monument tour for a date. It's probably one of the cheesiest, most overdone dates in D.C. And unless your partner has a fetish for marble renditions of our founding fathers (which many of AU's polisci majors might), a night in Georgetown, Dupont Circle or one of the many lively parts of D.C. may do better. Abe Lincoln did a lot of good for this country, but we don't think he can get you laid.
Letting theives steal your laptop ... AU's campus is relatively safe, the university is located in the safest police district in the entire city, and Public Safety does a great job. But that doesn't mean crime never happens. Even this summer the thieves are stocking up for fall with several unsuspecting students' laptops. The worst part about this latest round of missing laptops is that it's part of a trend since last spring. Back then, members of Public Safety advised a common-sense solution: lock your dorm doors. But apparently summer residents need a reminder - unfortunately a rather harsh one. These thefts seem to be crimes of convenience, and we wish students would stop inviting theifs to swipe their stuff.
Forgetting why you're here ... This might be hard to believe, but the reason you're at AU is to take classes and get an education. Take your professors and assignments seriously. Memories of stellar frat parties fade (if you can remember anything you did that night anyway), but your transcript is permanent. Some of you think you can stumble through school and get a good job because of your political connections. That might actually be true. But for $40.,000 a year, why not learn something? AU has a great collection of professors from all over the country and the world, and their passion is to impart knowledge on your young minds with the hopes you'll one day change the world. Go on, humor them. Give it a shot. Professors are one of the greatest resources you'll have in your academic and professional lives, so appreciate all they have to offer.
