The first and only rule of college: There are no rules. You have been given four years to learn, play and live at one of the world’s top universities in the “Best College Town” in the nation, according to USA Today. You have probably heard that it will be cold. You might have inferred that it will be difficult at times. But what you can not know until you arrive is exactly how you will shape your time at Cornell into your own experience.
As move-in day inches closer, you may be feeling dread or excitement, or more likely some combination of the two. You will be bombarded with advice ranging from the banal (wear sandals in the showers) to the sagely (don’t hook up with everyone on your floor). Many opinionated individuals, including more than a few of the columnists on these pages, will try to convince you that their version of the Cornell experience is best. But, there is an infinite number of ways to spend your time at Cornell, an abundance of routes to take through the upcoming years that will rank as the most memorable and enriching of your life. Our advice is simple: Try everything once, but find your own way.
— K.S.W.