Fun in DC: U Street

One of the best parts of DC is there is something for everyone, each neighborhood has it's own personality and something you can't find anywhere else in the city. One of my favorite areas of the city is U Street. There are great concert venues, fun places to eat, and many places that are must sees before you graduate.

What should be at the top of your list is Ben's Chili Bowl. A place renowned for not only it's

chili, but it's famous patrons. If you visit the diner you can see photos covering the walls of people who came before you. A frequent visitor is Bill Cosby, who for the longest time was the only person who ate free. The Obama's have been added since their move to DC.

Busboys and Poets is another venue worth stopping by. They frequently have interesting performers: slam poetry, go-go, anything you can imagine! The food is some of the best in town, and the environment is unbeatable.

Their are several musical venues, another is the Black Cat which attracts musicians from across the country. Once a hub for jazz, the Black Cat has changed with the neighborhood around it and hosts a variety of genres and artists. More recently The Kings of Leon, Foo Fighters, The Killers, Tegan and Sarah, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have performed at the Black Cat.

A couple of my personal favorites on U street are Twins Jazz and Tabaq Bistro. Twins has great jam sessions on Friday nights and good cheesecake to go along with, it's a great environment and it's very cozy and intimate. Tabaq Bistro is absolutely delicious Turkish-inspired food, and one of the best views in the city. It's a little pricey, but definitely worth making the trip at least once while you are here.

Dupont Circle

Dupont Circle is arguably one of D.C.’s most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods. If you are itching to get off campus take the red line to Dupont Circle. There is plenty to do there during the day, as well as at night for all ages.

Wondering what you and your friends should do for Halloween? Dupont is home to many embassies that on Halloween let down their gates and welcome trick-or-treaters (the candy is usually themed for that country!) The Tuesday before Halloween is the annual Drag Race. Thousands of people line the street to watch 100 elaborately dressed drag queens in high heels run for two blocks. After the race, you and your friends can take pictures with the drag queens—it’s a guaranteed good time.

On Fridays and Saturdays Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café is open 24 hours. This isn’t your average Barnes and Noble book store. Kramer’s has become a D.C. landmark in its own right. It’s an artsy institution with bangin’ food and the frequent live entertainment.

Dupont is also a safe haven for the gay community. If you couldn’t tell by the Drag Race, Dupont really embraces the homosexual community. Apex is popular gay bar/club that has college nights on Tuesday. This means free cover and 18+.

A popular place underclassmen tend to go to is Café Japone. Japone is also 18+ and it gives a fun club atmosphere. It is also easy to get to from the metro.

Every Sunday until 1:00 p.m., local farmers sell their fresh produce at one of the country’s largest farmer’s markets. During peak seasons, as many as 30 farmers set up stands to sell everything from meat, fruits and vegetables to bread, potted plants and soaps.

Healthy Living: Safe Sex

During your time at AU, you will learn about many important things, from politics to sex. Whether you have one partner or 60, statistics say 80% of you will engage in sexual intercourse at some point during your four years here. With your newfound freedom and 6,000 new people to meet, college is the time to experiment with sex, but remember to keep yourself safe.

You can learn one of the fundamental lessons in safe sex from the college movie classic, Van Wilder, who said, “Don't be a fool and wrap your tool.” Free condoms are available at the Health and Wellness Centers, located behind the south side dorms. During fairs such as the Breastival, activists will literally throw free condoms at you.

In addition to free condoms, the Health Center also provides check-ups, STD and AIDS tests, birth control, and emergency contraceptives. The Wellness Center is a great informational resource. It’s program, Love S.H.A.C.K., is lead by Peer Educators who meet with students to provide information about sex. The Eagle’s Sex Column provides an informal forum for questions about sex. Your sexual health is important and AU is full of the resources to keep yourself safe.

Healthy Living: Keeping Your Sanity

Right now we're getting into midterm season, and often times this is when your freshman year starts to catch up with you. The weather is changing so your health is suffering, you haven't done as much work as you should have so you're having to pull more all-nighters, and you and your room mate are intimately familiar and constantly reminded of what bothers you about each other.

Some of the problems you're running into can easily be solved, others are going to take some work or you're going to have to chalk it up as a learning experience. Here are a few tips that'll help you get through this hectic time.

1. Use an agenda.
   Whether it's a note book where you can jot important dates and assignments down in or an electronic calender, use it. It'll save you a lot of stress and help you budget your time.
   
   
2. Talk to your roomate. The two of you will be going through some of the same problems, and have similar needs of your environment. Make sure you have guidelines for the room laid out. Be specific about what you, and understanding about what your room mate needs.
3. If you need help, get it! The sooner you recognize you need help, the sooner you can get help, the better off you are. If you have trouble with your room mate, talk to your RA. If you're having trouble in a class, talk to your professor or TA. And if your having any kind of trouble and want to talk to someone about it, check out the Counseling Center.
4. Take care of your health. Your health is the most important thing you have, and you have to take care of it. Try to eat healthy and get as much sleep as you can, go easy on going out, allow your body time to recuperate. Avoid sick people and use hand sanitizer! Getting sick will just make this time harder.
   

There are some great resources available on campus. If you need someone to talk to, there's someone who wants to talk to you. If you need someone to help you with a class, there is someone who cares. If you need a place to study, there are places to study.

What do you do when you need some peace and quiet? Who do you go to for help at AU?

Jacobs Fitness Center

Whether you go with a friend or on your own, take a break from school work and break a sweat in Jacobs Fitness Center.

It is easy to feel the pressure from schoolwork and midterms, but did you know that working out is a great stress reliever? Exercising is good for the mind and the body.

Jacobs Fitness Center encourages students to become physically active…and for free. It is centrally located on campus and opens at the crack of dawn.

Besides a regular weight room equipped with all the essentials, Jacobs also offers classes that meet the interests and needs of any participant. For a small fee, you can enjoy group exercises like kickboxing, spinning and pilates.

If you want to separate from the group exercise and focus more on the internal, mind-body classes like karate and yoga can meet your fancy.

Take a dip in the Olympic sized indoor pool during designated recreational swim or play basketball during the open court. For a list of these times, visit the Jacobs Fitness Center calendar.

Tips for working out:

1. Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercising—you don’t want to cramp up.
2. Don’t do more weight than you can handle—pulling a muscle can be painful
3. Don’t be afraid to ask a worker/instructor operate any machinery or how to do an exercise
4. Get into a routine
5. Have fun!

Moving in and Making Friends: Club Sports

When I started college I was terrified to be leaving the safety of knowing my environment, and especially at leaving friends. I wanted to find that security of having friends who will be there no matter what.

At orientation, I signed up for the women’s rugby team on a whim. I didn’t really take it too seriously, and I signed up for a lot of things that day. But once I moved in, I decided to give rugby a shot. It was the best move I ever made at AU. I fell into this amazing group of people where I met all of my closest friends. The team truly is a family. As a freshman it was a great way to make friends. It also kept me busy on the weekends, which is what I credit for keeping me from getting homesick.

Getting involved in a club sport isn’t just a great way to meet friends; it forces you to get some exercise in. I know I’m going to work out at least 3 times a week, because I have practice 3 times a week. It’s much more fun to go to practice than to go to the gym. With over 20 club sports, you’ll be able to find something new to try.

If sports aren’t your thing, check out a club. Find something that you love doing and will keep you busy, and somewhere along the way you’ll find that perfect fit.

Moving and Making Friends: Roommates

From meeting soulmates (at least for that week) to battling with your archnemesis living next door, college is full of a wide range of social encounters. Of all of your collegiate relationships, one person will have a huge impact on your freshman year: the person in the next bed over. Roommate relationships range from best friends who share everything to hostile dorm rooms separated by a line of tape. You are not only thrown into the whole new world of college, but you are designated a miniscule living space which you must share with a complete stranger. To establish and maintain a positive relationship, it is best to create an open forum for expectations on arrival.

By discussing your life styles and priorities, you can determine your similarities and potential problem areas. AU Resident Directors recommend drafting a Roommate Agreement. Each person agrees to follow specific guidelines that you and your roommate decide upon. For instance, you could have cleanliness expectations such as weekly cleaning days or set aside quiet hours for sleep.

One important factor to a successful roommate relationship is privacy. You will each need the room to yourself at some point, whether for an afternoon nap or an evening visitor. Share your schedules with one another and discuss how you will handle issues such as guests and sexile. It is important to use discretion and put yourself in your roommate's place.

Remember: however you treat your roommate, your roommate will treat you. No one wants to live in an uncomfortable or hostile environment. You do not need to be best friends with your roommate. In fact, many students say the best roommate relationships are with people who they do not consider close friends, only agreeable living companions. By discussing your living expectations, you and your roommate can work to create a positive freshman experience for one another.