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Credit: Courtesy of OSU

Hello fellow Buckeyes and welcome to Ohio State!

I’m sure that by now, many of you have had your fill of personal anecdotes shared by parents, siblings, tour guides and friends who feel the need to reflect with teary-eyed nostalgia on the good ol’ days of college. From the rowdy antics of crazy fans tailgating on Saturday nights to the nightmares of general chemistry lectures endured during freshman year, everyonefeels the need to send you off on your own with a bit of well-intentioned advice.

Perhaps you’ve been told college will be the best years of your life. Perhaps you’ve been warned to take studying seriouslyand to carefully manage your new-found freedom. Perhaps you’ve heard the glorified stories of your eccentric uncle’s college pranks enough times to write a book about them. Or perhaps you are the first one in your family to go to college and you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by all of the envelopes and forms that are sent to your mailbox and inbox in a seemingly never-ending stream.

But the beauty of coming to college is that none of these predisposed notions matter the minute you step onto campus. College is a different experience for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay. Whether you are coming to Ohio State to follow in the footsteps of a family of alums or if you are the first one from your hometown to pack up your bags and move to Columbus, everyone starts out with a clean slate. And although it’s great to collect bits and pieces of advice regarding which dining halls to frequent or what size of sheets to pack, you will find that no amount of advice will compare to the lessons you will learn on your own during this upcoming year.

We here at The Lantern want to welcome you to Ohio State not with a booklet of general “do’s” and “don’ts” (although, admittedly, there still is a little bit of that, as we have enlisted our editors to share some of their best OSU-related tips and tricks in this special issue), but instead with a helpful reference that you can use as you embark on your unique OSU experience.

College is a time for discovery and growth, but like any period of change, it’s helpful to remember that this process is different for everyone. So go out there and explore, try new things and make mistakes. Ask for help when you need it, but also don’t be afraid to make the decisions that feel right to you. And, hopefully, after one year here on this beautiful campus, you’ll have a collection of your own collegiate memories to cherish.

-Amanda Etchison

Editor in Chief, The Lantern