Reflections from The Spectator seniors

Relationships

Beware of long-distance and short-distance and relationships.

Men: Grow a beard. It has been unscientifically proven that chicks dig beards.

Women: DO NOT, under any circumstances, romantically pursue men with beards. Their facial hair is just a trap to get you to fall for them.

Wear a condom or make him wear a condom.

If you're living in the residence halls, make sure to work out a signal system with your roommate to avoid awkward walk-in situations.

Don't count on getting much play in the overcrowded residence halls next year. "Wanna go back to my dorm room?" is a turn-off. "Wanna go back to my quad?" is a dealbreaker.

The friend zone can be a dangerous place. If you like someone "like that," make sure they know it.

Visitation hours are a lie. As long as your roommate is OK with it, your significant other can sleep over.

Don't move in with someone you're dating just to save money on rent.

Get tested. When in doubt check it out.

Guys: use the ratio to your advantage, you won't be this desirable forever. Girls: there's always UW.

Hang out in the law school or off campus. You'll catch more people with real job prospects.

Academics

If you're wallowing in a class or are just too busy, play the percentages. If homework is only worth 10 percent, not doing a few assignments won't kill you. Same holds true for attendance.

When buying books, find the ISBN number in the bookstore or on its website. Then go to dealoz.com and search by ISBN. You'll find books from hundreds of vendors sorted by price.

If you can't get into a course you want to take, show up the first day anyway. Look confused when the professor finishes taking attendance and has not called your name. In your most flustered voice possible, loudly whine "But I totally registered for this class online." You'll be on the class roster in no time.

When writing that philosophy final you inevitably put off until the last possible minute, remember to use the word "culpability" at least once in your paper. It's a tried-and-true buzzword whose definition is roughly: "You will get an A."

Academics are nearly always less important than... anything else, really. Prioritize friends and family when possible.

Take only the classes that interest you. If it's a class you don't enjoy you probably won't do the work. This also applies to your major.

Good professors teach more than academics. Find them, take their classes and buy them a beer.

Get on your professor's good side. They can help you get a job after you graduate.

Amazon.com will often give you more for your used books than the Seattle U bookstore. So will the UPS store. Sell your books back as soon as possible so you aren't stuck with them for too long.

Neighborhood

Coffee shops are the business equivalent of a shoulder to cry on. Coffee solves

all problems, and pretty baristas both male and female don't hurt matters either.

Providence Market on Jefferson is famous for being very relaxed about carding. As is Maharaja (see below).

Maharaja means "high ruler." Maybe because it's the king of happy hour on Capitol Hill. The best (stiffest) drinks in the neighborhood are only $2 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Try to avoid box and chain stores like Barnes and Noble, Borders and Blockbuster. The local businesses around Capitol Hill are better and more deserving of your money, and there is absolutely no way Barnes and Noble will ever have anything you can't get at Elliott Bay Book Company.

Get a can of mace for your keychain because even if you never use it once, you'll feel safer just having it.

Than Brothers Pho at the end of Broadway will brighten the dreariest of Seattle days. It will also help a hangover.

Value Village, Lifelong and other thrift stores are great places to find clothes, but don't complain about what you find unless you go at least once a week. Thrifting involves luck.

Travel in groups at night. If you must go somewhere by yourself, make use of the

Night Hawk.

Broadway Grill has a 24/7 happy hour.

Social & Spiritual Life

Keep your door open in the residence halls. You'll meet a ton of cool people really quickly.

Forget everything MTV tried to teach you. Popped collars and anything that could remotely be construed as "bling" will lose you friends faster than you can possibly imagine at Seattle U.

Hanging out with friends can be more fulfilling than getting drunk together. Go on day trips as often as possible and see what the city outside the hill has to offer.

Campus Ministry's retreats are a great way to make new friends and refuel after the drudge of academia.

Get to know people involved in clubs and campus organizations. Your friendship will pay off in food and cheap tickets.

There is nothing wrong with being a hipster—until you start denying it.

Don't feel constrained by Seattle U's Jesuit identity. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, atheism and more are all belief systems with strong voices on campus. Experiment with different spiritual ideas and find which one works best for you. Your freedom will always be respected on this campus.

If your family is local, avoid going home every weekend and try to make friends at Seattle U. A big part of college is leaving your high school life behind.

Broaden your artistic horizons. Top 40, "Us Weekly," etc. are unnecessary and culturally constraining in a city as artistically rich and diverse as Seattle.

Food & Housing