It's time again for #MSUfreshmentips

Ah, it's August.  Yes, it's a bit idiotic for me to make the AH sound because it's still blazing hot outside and to be walking around sighing and all that mess, taking in air that way may give my lungs third degree burns.  Yet still, I sigh with content (indoors) because I know that it's August, and that means football is near.

But while I await the start of football, many 17-40 year old college freshmen make their way for the first time to college campuses around the country these next few weekends.  Just this past weekend, MSU's newest crop of doctors, lawyers, farmers, engineers, and "I'm taking a few semesters off"-ers headed to Starkville to begin the 4-10 year journey called college.  But with the beginning of that journey comes a tough task.  Many times college freshmen head to campus thinking they know everything they need to, without really knowing anything at all.  Fortunately for them, my friend Blake McCollum created #MSUfreshmentips several years ago: our way of helping older Bulldogs pass along years of knowledge both of college life and Starkville in general to future generations of Bulldog alumni.  So without further yapping, here's a few of the #MSUfreshmentips that I'd like to pass on myself:

• No rolling backpacks.  Just....NO
• No matter if you are five minutes early or fifteen minutes late for class, NEVER run across the drill field.  Never run in any buildings.  Let's just leave it at this: if you aren't exercising, don't run on campus. 
  
• No letter jackets.  No one cares that you were All-State.  Unless your name is Chris Jones.  It's cool Chris OH GOD PLEASE DON'T HURT ME.
• Want to know the easiest way to spot a freshman in Allen Hall?  They are dressed up.  Seriously, everyone stops caring and just wears the most comfortable thing that's on the top of the pile of clothes at the end of their bed that morning after about two weeks of college.  Well, most people do.  There are always exceptions, especially if your name is Thurston or you are a Vanderbilt heir or something.  If I didn't meet my eventual wife until my (second) senior year and final year of college, then I would have probably just worn a onesie with the flap in the back all through college.
• Strombolis five times a week IS okay.
• If you want Chick Fil A from the Union, you better get in there before high noon.
• When Jean at Jean's Cafe asks you if you want the cheese wontons, you do.
• Always be on the lookout for this man.  If you are parked illegally, he will find you.
  
• Strange Brew >>>>>>>>>> Starbucks
• Dave's Darkhorse is underrated.
• Petty's on Highway 12 is also underrated.  He is also open on all major holidays, including Christmas and New Year's.
• If your teacher tells you the first day of class that he doesn't take attendance and that all of his lectures are available online, well, I'll let you fill in the blank on what to do there.
• If a girl "borrows" your t-shirt, then yeah, you're not getting it back.
• There is no such thing as "getting to the Union unphased during SA elections".
• Hell hath no fury like a sorority girl selling spaghetti dinner tickets.
• Please don't be the guy who thinks it's cool to throw your full-to-the-brim cup at someone in the student section (possibly old man in me speaking).
• The library, bottom floor, back to the back past the stacks, to the right.  You're welcome.
• Don't ring your freaking cowbell when MSU is on offense.

If anyone else has good tips to pass along to the incoming crop of Bulldogs, please leave them in the comments.