Congratulations, puppy Bulldog, on choosing the University of Georgia to spend the best four or five years of your life. Even through orientation, Dawg Camp and talking, no one guide can adequately prepare you for college. Here are five tips from a recent alumna on things I wish I knew before beginning college.

5) Get involved. Becoming an active member of a student organization is the best way to make friends besides sitting in the dining hall all day. It took me a while to find my niche at the top of Baxter Hill. Before working at The Red & Black, I floated among other student organizations, including the rowing team, Student Government Association and Pamoja.

4) Take advantage of all of the University’s services. If you have trouble in class, go to Milledge Hall for free tutoring. If you don’t have a car to get around campus at night, use the Escort Van. The service will pick you up free of charge and drop you off anywhere on campus. If your schedule is so packed that you do not have time to stop at the dining hall for lunch, you can arrange a brown bag service to pick up between classes.

3) I have not purchased a textbook in three years and did very well in my classes. You don’t need to purchase textbooks either. The University libraries house millions of books, some of which professors assign for reading year after year. Visit http://gil.uga.edu and search for the books listed on your syllabi. If the University does not carry the book you’re looking for or it’s already checked out, you can borrow a book from any school in the University System of Georgia. Visit http://giluc.usg.edu and request the book be shipped to the University at no cost to you. Just be sure to renew the books early and often to avoid fines. Get to know your professors. Professors who authored textbooks usually have extra copies lying around their offices. Ask him or her if you could borrow a copy of their book for the semester.

2) What you do the first few weeks on campus will establish your reputation, which remains with you throughout your collegiate career. Reputations mean everything. Moreover, a trip to Athens-Clarke County Jail will end with your name and possibly photo published in The Red & Black.

1) Mom does know best.

- Juanita Cousins was the 2007-2008
editor in chief of The Red & Black.