Life

Car trouble

All the trouble you may have had convincing your parents to let you have the car at school may seem like a waste the next time you find yourself entrenched in a complicated parallel parking situation on Grounds. Second-year College student Gauri Raval voiced the popular opinion that parking on or near Grounds has become such an endeavor that it's often easier to go the old-fashioned way: on two feet. "I honestly feel like it's more of a hassle [to drive in Charlottesville] with the traffic and the parking," she said. Raval said she is happy that she doesn't have a car at the University, especially because her five apartment-mates in Lambeth each brought cars and suffered through a parking predicament because they were only guaranteed one space to share. "The others were put in a lottery for extra spaces and two got them," Raval explained. Maybe three out of five ain't bad, but Raval's case is a fairly lucky one.

Big flavor from a little country

With classes indisputably in full swing and nights consisting more and more of reading assignments and problem sets, many students turn to an old study tool: the telephone.

A 'Strong' statement

It is difficult to find a single piece of clothing that is consistently worn by a multitude of University students.

Office Space

The most frequently used phrase around Grounds these days is not "Go Wahoos" or "ISIS sucks." Instead, it is the four-worded sentence that has become a part of one's daily routine -- "how was your summer?" While most answers revolve around beaches, issues with parents and vacation destinations, some students have something else to criticize or praise: internships.

Top 10 trends at U.Va.

Conformity is not cool. If you're new to my column, now you know. If you've read it before, you've heard this five million times. It's not cool being just like everybody else, but sometimes it's helpful (or just nice) to know what people around you are wearing.

LET THE RAIN FALL

'One time, at band camp

The blocky, red numbers stare me in the face -- "6:29." One minute away from another August day of band camp. One minute and a few weeks away from our first show, our first test. One minute and generations away from where this band has been and where it will be. The numbers blink "6:30." It's go time. I slide out of bed, careful not to wake my roommates -- I have the early shower shift -- and execute my morning routine, knees aching, thighs numb and voice hoarse from the previous day's drill instruction.

What's up with the Pav?

"It's bullshit," third-year Engineering student Dave Maderas said. "They can run that place with three people." For years Pavilion XI, better known as "the Pav," has been serving students favorite offerings such as smoothies, Chick-fil-A and wraps all day and even after the dining halls are closed.

'I guess I have a lot of things to ponder.'

Thoughts of a third year, inspired by the patronsaint of college students: Derek Zoolander. 4"I give you, 'The Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good.'" I went to the bookstore to get the books for the classes I'm enrolled in the other day.

Sold

As a new generation of University undergrads arrived in Charlottesville two weeks ago, there was surely one new and clueless first year who -- aided by parents, siblings and extended family -- slaved up three flights of stairs to find a dinky 10 foot by 15 ft room that would be his or hootr home for the next year.

Totally Tube-ular

Although yesterday's rain and classes helped remind students that their lazy summer days are over, there is still one way to reconnect with summer.

Manic Hysteria

There is an underlying humor hiding beneath the mundane excitement of returning to school. The mental shock of trying to remember all the names you should know and a necessary effort to learn new ones, stemming not from social interest, but more directly from social requirement.

Hypnotized

Last Friday evening, third-year College student Stanley Lau was furious. Someone was threatening his friends. "My friends were in pain," Lau said. They had been bitten, squeezed and bruised despite Lau's best attempts to protect them.

Strange tales from the heartland

Ah, Ohio. My home state, my pride and joy -- as long as I'm not living there. Ohio, because of its atomically similar shape and geographic placement, has the nickname "The Heartland of America," which, by the way, is so much better than Indiana -- "The Crossroads of America." While I'm absolutely overjoyed to be back in Charlottesville, sometimes there's just not enough exiting news here.So, if you've been wondering what goes on in Cleveland, which no doubt you have, I can happily announce that I'm here to help that situation.

Political pit stop

By Michelle Jamrisko Cavalier Daily Associate Editor With just one day's notice, students flooded the Newcomb Ballroom to catch a glimpse of 27-year-old Vanessa Kerry, daughter of the Democratic presidential candidate, as she fielded hardball questions voiced by University students yesterday morning. Not all students heard about the event in time to attend.

Summer lovin'

My favorite movie growing up was Grease. I would watch it all the time and can sing every song, hum each harmony and recognize every costume as well as any nursery rhyme.

The start of a new school year means many things to many people. It's all about new classes, old friends, hopes for the football season, even anticipation of the upcoming presidential election.

Real help from the 'real world'

Despite having over a year of schooling ahead of me, a creeping sensation of fear had already begun to form in my mind: I am graduating in May, and I will have to find a job. In high school, the effects of "senioritis" had caused an irritating condition of impatience as graduation approached.

Sept. 1st impressions

It was back to the books at the University yesterday, as students exited that summer-fall limbo and entered their first day of classes. A sizeable slice of students were new to the University, whether as first years, transfers or graduate students, and had their first chance to see the academic side of student life. First-year College student Elizabeth Gamino said she was eager for her classes to begin, and after finally attending them, she said they met her expectations. "I think it'll be a lot more writing and reading than I did in high school, but I knew it would be more difficult," Gamino said. With increased difficulty comes narrower focus, and that particular aspect appealed to first-year College student Sonny Duong. "I'm excited about going to all these new kinds of classes," Duong said.

Remnants of a summer abroad

Her name was Amparo. Short, stout and sporting the ever-popular and revealing "nightgown-as-a-housedress" and that fiery, red dyed hair-look so prevalent among elderly Spanish women -- from the beginning she was none too easy on the eyes and quite critical of our large suitcases.