TTiePlfet
Freshmen
Answers for freshmen Learning shortcuts
Kaylin Bowers
Pilot staff
Freshmen, welcome to the
Webb! You probably have many ques
tions and no answers. The first year at
college is a time where you will face
big changes. It takes a lot of adjustment,
which can be hard. Here are a few
answers to questions that I asked after
arriving at Gardner-Webb pertaining to
academics, dorm life, the basics of col
lege life and campus involvement.
Hopefully, these will help you feel
more at ease while you start your life in
college.
One of the first questions I
asked was, "Where do I buy my
books?" The campus shop in the bottom
of the DCC (Dover Campus Center -
near your mailbox) sells all the books
professors' use, school supplies and
GWU apparel. However, if you will
look on the bulletin board near the
mailboxes, students will be selling used
books for a discounted price.
Who can h^ me if I need a
schedule change^^^ach student is
assigned an advisor, who will help
make schedule changes if needed. They
also help you
sign up for
classes for the
spring semes
ter. They are
here to guide
you and help
you make the
best course
selections
over the
years that
you are at
GWU.
What if I
don’t get along with my roommate?
One adjustment freshmen have to make
is learning how to live with someone in
close quarters. This is not an easy task
and some people are not compatible as
roommates. If this is your case, there is
a free room change period three weeks
after school starts. If you move during
any other time in the semester, there is
a fee.
Should I keep my door locked?
Yes, you should lock your door when
you are out of the room. Your dorm
room is like your house. All your stuff
is valuable, so keep it safe and lock
your room.
Where can you go to get items
you need? Two words - Wally World.
Yes, we have a 24 hour Super Wal-Mart
in Shelby, less than 15 minutes away.
Find a few people to go with you and
make it an outing. I promise you will
not be the only one going to Wal-Mart
in the first week, even if it happens to
be 1 a.m.
The next few points are basic
information that might be useful to you,
as a GWU student.
First, there is no infirmary on
campus, but GWU will refer you to
Boiling Springs Medical Associates,
which is right down the road. More
detailed information is listed in your
student handbook on policies dealing
with medical emergencies.
Secondly, what are ID cards
used for? ID cards are used for meals,
access to your dorm building, renting
library books, for attendance purposes
at Dimensions (chapel), to use the well
ness center and free entrance to home
sporting events, campus concerts and
plays. It is a good idea to keep your ID
card with you at all times.
Have you noticed the different
colored parking spaces? Students are
only allowed to park in the white spaces
and in the gravel parking lots. The red
ones are for professors and you will be
fined if Campus Police find your car
parked in a professor's spot during
school hours.
What
happens if I
cannot make it
to the cafeteria
one night?
There is a pro
gram called
Meal
Exchange that
is open shortly
before and
after meals
where students
can use their
ID cards to get
something to eat if the cafeteria is
closed. There are also places to eat such
as Hardees, Taco Bell and KFC only
minutes from campus.
Is there a Church I can attend
on campus? No, there is not a Church
on campus; however, there is a wide
variety of denominations in the sur
rounding area. So you don't have a car?
No problem! Find someone who does
and go "Church hunting" with them.
But where do I go? Again, ask around.
Most students who have been here for a
while know where many of the local
churches are and will be glad for you to
join them.
Just remember, college is a
chance for you to spread your wings
and to learn a little about life. Do not be
afraid to ask someone for help if you
have a question, even if it seems silly. It
is all part of the learning experience.
Kaylin Bowers
Pilot staff
It seems as if there
are endless lists of things
to remember your first
year of college. Each stu
dent gets an ID number,
new phone number,
address, passwords, etc.
Added to that, students
have to figure out where
everything is as well as
the abbreviation for each
of Gardner-Webb’s build
ings.
During my first week
at college I carried a
schedule with all the
classes I had, what build
ing they were in and the
abbreviations for each
building. It was confus
ing at first, but with a lit
tle help from friends, I
quickly learned where to
go for each class.
For a complete list of
» ding abbreviations,
to
http://www.reg.gardner-
'^b .edu/buildingab-
c«^v.htm. From there,
you can access a com
plete list of course abbre
viations as well.
However, here are a few
abbreviations you might
come across that are not
on that list, along with a
title and explanation for
each abbreviation listed.
Two key buildings
you need to know are the
LYCC and the DCC. The
LYCC is the Lutz-Yelton
Convocation Center. Our
basketball team plays in
this auditorium. Also,
Dimensions is held in the
LYCC every Tuesday.
This is where you spent
much of your time during
Orientation. The Dover
Campus Center (DCC) is
probably one of the first
buildings you will learn.
The top floor of the DCC
is where the admission
offices are as well as the
cafeteria. In the bottom of
the DCC you will find the
Campus Store, your mail
box, the snack bar, a stu
dent lounge and class
room.
There are also many
associations that students
can take part in. Some of
them include Student
Government Association
(SGA), Student Alumni
Council (SAC), Honors
Student Association
(HSA) and Student
Admissions Associates
(SAA). The Residence
Hall Association (RHA)
is an additional organiza
tion in which students
can help plan dorm
events and activities
alongside their Resident
Advisers (RA). Each
dorm also has a GRD, or
Graduate Resident
Assistant, who helps stu
dents check in and out of
dorms for holidays and
breaks. Along with the
RAs and GRD, each
dorm is assigned a
Residence Technician or
ResTech. These students
will help their fellow stu
dents with internet con
nection problems and
other computer problems.
Student Entertainment
Association (SEA)
involves a panel of stu
dents that helps plan
activities for the school
as well as chooses
movies for the Gardner-
Webb channel each
month.
Many clubs in which
students can have an
impact in the surrounding
community are also
available. These include
Campus Ministries
United (CMU),
Fellowship of Christian
Athletes (FCA), Student
Volunteer Corps (SVC),
God and People (GaP)
and Fellowship of
Christians United in
Service (FOCUS). Many
students attend GaP,
which is a prayer and
bible study led by their
fellow peers. FOCUS
also includes a large
number of students on
campus. Those involved
are divided into teams
that prepare to visit
churches in the area to
lead bible studies, retreats
or Sunday services niain-
ly for youth gr^s.
Other farr,^B abbre
viations you mi^t come
across relate to^^r athlet
ics departmer^^WU is
part of the A-Sun
Conference and has
recently moved to
Division 1 in many ath
letic events. You will also
see students who are
learning to be ATs, or
Athletic Trainers helping
before, during and after
each game.
Although almost
everything on campus
has an abbreviation, it is
not difficult to remember.
Students on campus can
give you more detailed
information about the dif
ferent clubs and organi
zations they are involved
in.
SAC
Student A.lumni Council
common
RHA
Residence Hall Association
SGA
Student Government Association
campus
SEA
Student Entertainment Association
RA
Resident Advisor
acronyms focus Fellowship of Christians United in Service
CMU
Campus Ministries United
LYCC
Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center
DCC
Dover Campus Center
OMG
0. Max Gardner Hall (Music)
CSH
Communication Studies Hall
CHP
Chapel