Loving your new "hometown"

When I moved into the dorms my freshman year of college, it was only the 2nd time I had ever been to Madison...and the only place I had been was on campus. So when I needed something, I had no idea what to do or where to go. And although I am embarrassed to admit this...I did get lost in Madison..but it only happened once! We advise that new students to DSU know where the local grocery store, gas station, pharmacy, and hospital(it's right by campus for those of you who aren't exactly aware of your surroounding) are located. Trust me, you will need all of these places sometime in your college career. And of course there are other important places to know about such as the "cool" places to eat/hangout, the coffeeshop, the dollar stores, etc. Here are some tips for getting to know Madison...*Ride your bike or walk around town to familiarize yourself with Madison street life (umm...but don't expect too much...we sometimes have to make our own street life).*Read the local papers and magazines to find out what's happening. You're an adult now so its okay to watch the news and see whats up in the world other than just DSU happenings. It's easy to get wrapped up in just your campus life....but be aware of what's going on in the world. (It will make you look smarter too)*Go to community events, concerts and sporting events. College towns love to see college students out and about supporting their community so check out some stuff going on in Madison....plus community events usually mean free or cheap food for college students.*Shop at the local stores. Downtown Madison has several shops that have almost anything you neeed. There are also stores such as Pamida, Lewis, Dollar General, Family Dollar, etc. if you feel the need for a shopping spree with your friends.*Visit places like coffee shops, the post office, breakfast joints and bars where the locals hang out. It's always fun to get to know the locals!*Get involved in the community....volunteer, join a sports league, music group, community organization or church, or just participate in random activities around the community. Getting involved around town helps you feel more "at home" while at college and those activities can really make your resume look stellar!