<p>And thanks!</p>
<p>1)This is a question that every person will have a different answer to. If you say typing works best for you, then type. Keep in mind that Econ 001 has a lot of graphs that you need to draw. Also, your freshman seminar professor may not like laptops in his/her class (laptops were not allowed in mine). Try a few things out when you’re there. You’ll figure it out.
2) Every dorm room has their own laundry rooms that come with washer and dryer. They are free. You can check to see if washers/dryers are available at laundryalert.com
3) Very. You must have a rather high GPA (I believe it usually hovers around a 3.8). Check the “search” function, there have been a bunch of discussions about this.</p>
<p>Welcome to Penn! :)</p>
<p>Hi Anju,
First, I’d like to say thanks for making this thread.
I was just wondering if you have any advice about selecting a dining plan.</p>
<p>liberty plan all the way!</p>
<p>Keep in mind you can change your dining plan until September 30th.</p>
<p>But save yourself the trouble and choose the Liberty Plan, like the wise one above said.</p>
<p>Hey, this question is kind of random but I was wondering how strict Penn is as far as alcohol use goes. Are parties often busted? And in your experience, do many freshmen come to school with alcohol on them?</p>
<p>How did you spend your time during the Penn Relays? Did the crowded streets interfere at all with your studies?</p>
<p>@Hopeful: As far as alcohol goes, you can do anything you want with it at Penn weather that means getting smashed multiple times a week or not touch it. Either way you will find people to hang around with and do the same thing.</p>
<p>@bluewing: Penn Relays does not really affect the study habits of anyone, it just makes walking to classes on the east side of campus a bit stranger with all the people practicing baton passes. Penn students get in for free for the first couple days and get discounted tickets for the big race. Got to see Usain Bolt kick everyone’s ass last year and it was great!</p>
<p>Yeah, although the University doesn’t condone underage drinking and discourages dangerous drinking habits, it treats students as people who are still defining themselves. Parties at off-campus fraternities are only broken up when neighbors call the police, and even then, the police rarely (if ever) cites people for public drunkenness or underage drinking. If you are doing drugs or committing a felony, you will probably be arrested, but even then it depends on the situation and what you’re doing. </p>
<p>In my experience, police will first come and tell you to keep the noise level down; if they are called again or if they see people passing out in precarious places (in bushes or in the middle of the street), they will tell everybody to go home. That’s usually the end of it.</p>
<p>So long as something serious such as a sexual assault doesn’t happen, Penn doesn’t get involved with off-campus incidents very much. On campus parties face more scrutiny, but fraternities rarely throw all out ragers on campus, so that isn’t much to worry about. Fraternities who do throw parties at their on-campus chapter houses (there are only a few left on Locust walk anyway… it’s Skulls, Castle, FIJI, St. Elmo’s, St. A’s, ATO, and Kappa Sigma, if I remember right) usually keep it lower key and out of sight/hearing for anybody outside.</p>
<p>If you are caught drinking underage in the dorms, you will likely get written up. You will probably think the GA/RA who does it is a jerk for not letting you slide, but realize that they get free housing and a meal plan for the job, and if someone catches them letting you slide, they stand to lose ten thousand bucks. Getting written up usually entails an essay on drinking, perhaps community service and occasionally alcohol counseling. It does NOT include a call to your parents, since again, Penn wants to emphasize personal growth. </p>
<p>You should also know about medical amnesty, which is popular, especially among urban universities. Essentially, the University promises not to contact Philadelphia police regarding your activities if you call an ambulance or summon an RA, security guard or Penn Police officer when a friend needs medical assistance after using a substance. There are no questions asked: if you see someone who you think should go to the hospital, call an ambulance or find someone who will, and neither you nor the person who needs assistance will be prosecuted. You will also not be written up, and your parents will only be notified if the hospital believes it is necessary to inform them. Basically your parents only find out if you were hospitalized if/when they get a bill for the ambulance!</p>
<p>Hopefully you won’t need to utilize medical amnesty, but it’s likely that you will have opportunities to do so. My freshman year, I utilized it twice – once when I was stone sober and a friend was in real bad shape during Fling and once when all of my friends were rather inebriated, but one was doing much worse than the rest… we talked to a Penn security guard and he got her an ambulance. Done deal!</p>
<p>How about the variety of the food? And do Penn students have a card swipe system that can be used in nearby restaurants? (I’m asking because my brother uses a system like that in NYU.)</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your responses! It seems like Penn isn’t super strict but it also seems like it’s a little difficult to drink on campus. When I visit my older friends at college it seems like all the frats on/around campus throw parties without too much of an issue and I’ve seen tons of kids pre-gaming and drinking in the dorms… I’m getting the feeling that drinking on campus/in the dorms/at frat houses on campus generally means getting caught? Am I wrong here? I just don’t want to have the wrong idea and get myself into trouble. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Also, on a totally different note, how important are shower shoes? And what do they even look like/where can I buy some? And does anyone know how high most beds in Riepe are. I’ve heard there are 2 different heights the beds generally are but I’m not sure what the heights are. Should I bring bed risers for sure? And I’ve heard sometimes there are actually drawers under the bed? Is this true? </p>
<p>Thank you! :)</p>
<p>yes yes shower shoes (flip-flops will do)</p>
<p>so quite a few beds in quad come with three drawers, horizontally, underneath (and as they’re one big bedframe unit, you can’t use risers with it)</p>
<p>others have a lot of empty space with independent drawer hutches underneath, and you can use risers with them</p>
<p>just wait to see which style is in your room, and then if you need risers you can get them (they’re cheap)</p>
<p>To allradiance:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Architecture: Apparently a very rigorous program. As of 2004, students can’t take architecture courses until their sophomore year. Here are some DP articles on the major:
[Architecture</a> majors rare, but built to last | The Daily Pennsylvanian](<a href=“http://thedp.com/node/43620]Architecture”>http://thedp.com/node/43620)
[For</a> architects, blueprint for future unclear | The Daily Pennsylvanian](<a href=“http://thedp.com/node/58942]For”>http://thedp.com/node/58942)</p></li>
<li><p>Cinema Studies: I’ve never taken a class, so I don’t know. My perception is that they are softer courses, but you can succeed with any major if you take diverse classes.</p></li>
<li><p>Music courses: MUSC 050 is famously easy and knocks off multiple curriculum requirements. Check the difficulty rating on the classes on the Course Review. As you delve into higher subjects I believe it does get harder.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Drinking in the dorms does not equal getting caught. Drinking irresponsibly and being obnoxiously loud does equal getting caught. But if you’re reasonable about it, nothing will happen. Just gotta learn how to do it right!</p>
<p>Okay, cool. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Hey how many people do you have to share the bathroom with in the dormitories (including showers). Also are we talking individual shower rooms or YMCA showers :P?</p>
<p>I shared my bathroom with about 10-12 other guys in Hill. The showers aren’t in separate rooms, but you also aren’t just in a room with a bunch of shower heads. You have privacy</p>
<p>How Is New Student Orientation? is it really fun?</p>
<p>In tandem with Selectum’s post, what is your advice as to how to get the most out of NSO? Any particular events (day and night) or ways of socializing that you would recommend?</p>
<p>the obvious answer is… go to everything scheduled! go to anything you hear about with your hallmates! talk to people…</p>