Yes, it’s finally here: in just a few short days, the Class of 2015 (2015? Really? I’m officially old now.) will descend on the Farm! The ProFros already have their marching orders (you can check out the official Admit Weekend schedule here, if you’re interested), so I figured I’d throw together a few Admit Weekend tips for the Classes of 2011-2014.
1. Be nice to ProFros. These people are interesting, smart, and highly motivated, and they’re here to find out if they’d like to spend their next four years on the Farm. Let’s give them a proper welcome. So if a lost-looking clump of 2015-ers approaches you for directions to Cedro, have pity on them! Or better yet, offer to take them there and spend some time walking and talking. Don’t be afraid to engage ProFros in conversation- that’s why they’re here.
2. Think twice about traffic. Hundreds upon hundreds of ProFros and parents make for quite a lot of pedestrian traffic. Since they’re not typically accustomed to Stanford’s often-idiosyncratic patterns of bike traffic, we should anticipate some fairly significant transit delays. Avoid high-traffic areas like White Plaza if you can, and remember to budget some extra time for travel to and from class/meetings/rehearsal/etc. Also, ProFros, like frosh during NSO, have a baffling tendency to walk in giant clumps. Avoid the urge to bike through them if at all possible. Above all, remember that the Activities Fair is happening 11-1 on Friday, and do not attempt to bike through White Plaza.
3. Keep an eye out for cool events. Stanford pulls out all the stops for Admit Weekend, and a quick glance at the schedule shows that they’ve got some great events and performances planned. Hip-hop fans should be particularly excited. There’s a panel on “hip-hop, race, and citizenship” on Thursday at 7, Stanford alumna DJ Emancipacion will be playing “the best of global hip-hop” in White Plaza during the Activities Fair on Friday (11 AM – 1 PM), and Blitz the Ambassador will be performing at the CoHo with a live band 7 – 10 on Friday. If you’re interested in checking out your fellow students’ research projects or artistic endeavors, check out the Admit Weekend Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Public Service (1-3 on Saturday- I’ll be there with my thesis poster!) and the Student Works Festival (6-7:30 on Saturday). (You should specifically not attend the “Cardinal Carnival” or the BROC party. No creeping, please!**)
4. More specifically, be nice to your ProFro. At the very least, don’t lock them out, sexile them, or ignore them. And even if you’ve got a ton of work, try to spend just a little time talking to them. HoHos, Head HoHos, and VoCos are great, but they need your help too. Oh, and if you happen to live in a dorm that’s going to host ProFros, we’re still a bit short on RoHos, so sign up to host a ProFro if you haven’t already!
5. Plan ahead for food and parties. If you’re on a meal plan, consider ditching the dining hall Thursday-Sunday; the lines will be absolutely atrocious. Drop in on a Row-dwelling friend for a guest meal, head off-campus for a burger at the Counter, or hit up the Treehouse instead. Also, three words: CAMPUS IS DRY. Do not get caught with alcohol, even if you’re over 21. The powers that be are serious about this. The Class of 2011, of course, will be spending Saturday night in San Francisco at Senior Formal. But if you’re not cool enough to belong to the Last Great Class (which is also clearly Dean Julie’s favorite), find an off-campus party, or take the chance to get caught up on your work (or your How I Met Your Mother marathon).