The “M” Circle is in full bloom as you drive onto the campus. “Honey, you’re here!” Mom says. You quietly examine the patterns made by the sidewalk as it cuts through lush green lawns. You can practically taste the freedom. No more Dad asking if your friend’s parents are home, no more loading the dishwasher, no more sharing a roo– oh well, you can’t have everything. Mom’s asking you a million questions about how you feel. Relief — in just an hour you rid yourself of these parental nags for good. You pull up to the towering high-rise and jump out of the car. <center> [[Check in.]] [[Look around.]] </center> The line is long, but you don’t care. You survey the population. To the left, several girls are hugging and chatting like they’ve known each other for a decade. The guys are evenly divided between the tank top and snapback clan and kids you imagine spent the summer reading this semester’s textbooks. Maybe this won’t be so easy. You clip your new key onto your lanyard and swing it around your neck as you notice a few girls walking in the direction of your building. <center> [[Run after them to introduce yourself.]] [[Casually walk by yourself – don’t want to seem like you’re trying too hard.]] </center> You walk around the dorm as Cheryl and Wayne unload the car (you’re an adult now, remember?). Lost in thought, you practically face-plant over someone’s minifridge. Your knee is a little cut up — there’s blood on the sidewalk. “You idiot,” you scoff. “How did you not see that? It’s literally just a smaller version of the indisputably largest kitchen appliance.” Just then, a hand reaches toward you, seemingly out of the gleaming sun. “Sorry I left my crap in the way,” the dreamiest voice you’ve ever heard says. As he/she pulls you up, your eyes tell you your ears were lying — this is no Bradley Cooper/Scarlett Johansson. But then again … he'll/she’ll do. “What’s your name?” he/she says. <center> [[Stick around and chat.]] [[Go to check in - maybe you’ll run into each other later.]] </center> Panting, red in the face, keys jingling, you finally catch up. “Hey, do you guys live here, too?” “Nah, we’re just walking to this building for fun!” one says. “Shut up, Jill!” another hisses. “Sorry, she’s super sarcastic. Yeah we do! I’m Christina.” After exchanging the basic getting-to-know-you info, you’re about to go upstairs when you see M&D struggling to carry that pile of old posters from when you went through your horse phase. You feel a twinge of guilt. <center> [[Meet your roommate.]] [[Help your parents so you can get them out sooner.]] </center> You let the girls walk away as you stroll over to your parents. “I got the key,” you say as you hold up the lanyard. “It’s like one of those Tiffany necklaces!” Mom says. Now you’re even more determined to get your junk in your room. Forty-five minutes later, everything is upstairs and you’re pushing your parents out the door. Saturday night — it’s time for college to really begin. <center> [[Stay in.]] [[Go out.]] </center> “Want me to help you carry something?” you ask a little too eagerly. “Nah, I got it,” he/she says, smiling. “Plus, I’m sure you have your own stuff to bring up.” You can feel your face getting red. You just experienced your first college rejection. As you walk away in shame, you dial your best friend back home — he/she just has to know. <center> [[Go to check in — sorry kid, not much you can do after that heartbreak.]] </center> The line is long, but you don’t care. You survey the population. To the left, several girls are hugging and chatting like they’ve known each other for a decade. The guys are evenly divided between the tank top and snapback clan and kids you imagine spent the summer reading this semester’s textbooks. Maybe this won’t be so easy. You clip your new key onto your lanyard and swing it around your neck as you notice a few girls walking in the direction of your building. <center> [[Casually walk by yourself – don’t want to seem like you’re trying too hard.]] [[Run after them to introduce yourself.]] </center> You decide to watch Netflix and call it a night. On Monday, when all your floormates are wearing their shirts backward, you’re well-rested, alert and excitedly heading to class. You know your first class is in Patterson. You ask a passerby for directions and you’re surprised to hear them say “which one?” <center> [[H.J. Patterson]] [[J.M. Patterson]] </center> At the invitation of your newest friends (well, almost friends), you head out to your first college party. You’re super excited — this is going to be some Project X stuff, right? Unfortunately, you take the Orange bus instead of Purple. As you loop and loop around the campus, you wonder where Courtyards is and why you can’t find it. While your friends dance, you ride the bus in circles for the rest of your college career. <center> Click the link to restart. [[Welcome to the University of Maryland]] </center> Inside and away from the bustle of McKeldin Mall, H.J. Patterson reminds you of a ghost town. Your engineering class isn’t in here and it never will be. Maybe you’ll find it, or maybe you’ll die in this building and haunt the freshmen of the future. <center> Click the link to restart. [[Welcome to the University of Maryland]] </center> Congratulations, you’ve made it! You’re like Charlie Bucket in the 1971 version of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” You slide into your seat with a few extra minutes to pull out your shiny new pens. “You’re killing it at college,” you think to yourself. Little do you know, later that day, across the campus, you’ll step on the Point of Failure. Keep up that energy; you’ll be here for the next seven years. <center> Click the link to restart. [[Welcome to the University of Maryland]] </center> Gum-smacking Jennifer saunters into the room like a giant, nightmarish chipmunk. You can barely understand her through the sound of her spitty chomping. When you finally make out what she says, she’s just offering you a piece of gum. This is going to be a long year. <center> Click the link to restart. [[Welcome to the University of Maryland]] </center> You let the girls walk away as you stroll over to your parents. “I got the key,” you say as you hold up the lanyard. “It’s like one of those Tiffany necklaces!” Mom says. Now you’re even more determined to get your junk in your room. Forty-five minutes later, everything is upstairs and you’re pushing your parents out the door. Saturday night — it’s time for college to really begin. [[Stay in.]] [[Go out.]] The line is long, but you don’t care. You survey the population. To the left, several girls are hugging and chatting like they’ve known each other for a decade. The guys are evenly divided between the tank top and snapback clan and kids you imagine spent the summer reading this semester’s textbooks. Maybe this won’t be so easy. You clip your new key onto your lanyard and swing it around your neck as you notice a few girls walking in the direction of your building. <center> [[Casually walk by yourself – don’t want to seem like you’re trying too hard.]] [[Run after them to introduce yourself.]] </center> <center> <img src="http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/diamondbackonline.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/09/109194ea-0020-11e5-b0af-532ec21d3793/555e83c12aaf2.image.jpg?resize=760%2C570" width="500" height="300"> </center> <center> It's freshman year and you've just arrived on the campus. Navigate the twists and turns of getting unpacked, checking in, meeting your roommate, partying and more. Only you can control how your first week at college will begin. Click the links to go through your day. To get started, press "Arrive." </center> <center> [[Arrive]] </center>