Welcome to the Orientation Issue of the Kent Stater! Inside this issue is what’s often referred to as your very own “College Survival Guide”— a compilation of reporting and photographing our summer staff has gathered this summer. Throughout these four sections you’ll find Kent State-specific topics and words of advice that’ll get you through this fall semester and the rest of your college career.

Section A covers the basics of what you need to know as a Kent State student. From professor’s tips to succeeding in class and a look at a breakdown of where your tuition dollars are going, to a new java place opening up on campus and an update on the ongoing construction taking place on and around campus, this first section has you covered.

Section B is all about life in Kent. While at Kent State, you’ll likely finding yourself wandering off campus and heading downtown—the center of life here for the town’s people. In the past few years updates and renovations have taken place, making the college town a place full of entertainment and things to do. Some crazy new businesses have sprung up in the last few months—including a sauce shack and donut shop—that have only added to the eclectic array of eateries and shops to check out.

Section C includes everything that has to do with life on campus. Are you familiar with how Flashcards and Flashcash work? How about all the dining meal plan options? Are you a commuter student who doesn’t know how to get involved on campus? There’s more than 300 student organizations available for you to join, as well as a Greek Life with 34 sororities and fraternities. And be sure to check out the Kent State bucket list every student should complete before graduating.

Section D is sports mania. Fall semester is the kickoff season for many of the 16 Division 1 sports teams at Kent State. Between football, soccer, golf and cross country, to name a few, games are played each weekend for Kent State students to attend for free at the Dix Stadium. Also included in this section are a few opinion pieces from students about their own experiences as newbees to the campus, as well as what they wished they known way back when.

As you navigate your way through these pages and the fall semester, you’ll find that the town and campus have so much to offer to its students and residents. Even better, you’ll be ready to tackle whatever this upcoming school year will bring.

Don’t forget to keep up with campus news by checking out kentwired.com and on social media, as well watching TV2 programming and listening to Black Squirrel Radio online. And remember to pick up a copy of The Kent Stater, printed throughout this semester, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.