Welcome Back to the UIS Campus for the 2010-2011 school year! This year is going to bring lots of new things. All of us are a year older and a year wiser, Chancellor Ringeisen is close to retirement, and UIS is welcoming it’s first ever Men’s baseball team to campus as the Prairie Stars begin their first season as an official member of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference.
For most students my age, this year is different because we are starting our core classes for our majors. It is an exciting but scary time as I am sure a lot of us have that “OH SHIT!” feeling in the back of our minds. That thought of, “What if I can’t do it?” well, to that I say, a seven year plan really isn’t that bad! We are also on our own out in the townhouses, no more roommates making things uncomfortable when you bring a girl/guy back to your room, just be careful, you still have housemates that don’t really care to hear you making animal noises. One thing to remember when you are in the townhouses is that you are still a part of this campus and student body, so don’t seclude yourself from everyone else. It is easy to do because we are so far away from everything, but make an appearance at a soccer game, drag your roommates down to SLB for late night stars, just do something.
For you underclassmen that are reading my blog, first off, good choice! Second, I have two bits of advice.
1. Don’t go home every weekend, if you do, no one will like you! Not because you aren’t cool or hard to get along with, but because they won’t know you! If you skip out at the first chance you get, you will not be around while everyone else is forming those friendships that make college such a special time.
2. Free food is your friend! Eat as much as you can, nuff said!
I hope you all enjoyed these first few weeks back on campus, I look forward to seeing you all around campus this year. If I don’t know you, introduce yourself…it could be the start of something Magical! 
I’ll leave you with this.
- CH
