As per Amherst Student tradition, the executive board uses its first editorial of each school year to proffer advice to the incoming first-year class. We can only hope the College will survive a week without us solving all of its problems. Now that the entire student body has returned to the Valley, the Class of 2010 will soon stop sitting at random tables in Valentine and unabashedly greeting every passing stranger. In no time, you will all be trained to look at the sidewalk as people walk by and sit at the same table for every meal. While a little awkwardness in the Amherst bubble may be inevitable, there are some mistakes that you shouldn't have to learn about the hard way:

1.) It might be too late, but just because the alcohol at college is free and doesn't require photo identification doesn't mean you have to imbibe it all. Have fun, but know your limit.

2.) Students either love Val or hate it, but let's be honest – it's somewhere in between. Amherst has amazing restaurants, but even a slice of Antonio's per night can eventually put a big dent in a wallet. You have to give Val a chance, find the meals you like and create some of your own delicacies. That will still leave plenty of opportunities to avoid the scrod (def.: not actually a specific type of fish, but rather a generic term for young cod or haddock, split and deboned) and grab some tea rolls at Fresh Side. You'll soon realize how amazing free food can be.

3.) Develop relationships with your professors. Some have good reputations and some don't, but they're all here because they love to teach. You chose to come to Amherst because of the size? Guess what, so did they. Get close with a prof. and you automatically have an advisor, a friend and someone to treat you to nice meals. (See #2.)

4.) Put your heart into an extracurricular group. Some people are on a varsity athletic team, others are in culturally themed organizations and some write for a publication. Although we would love to have all of you work for us, we know that student newspapers aren't for everybody. Luckily, despite Amherst's size there is a club for almost everyone. And if what you love doesn't have an organized and funded group, you can create it!

5.) Take advantage of the PVTA. It's free and it goes almost anywhere you'll want to go. But make sure you read the schedule correctly. There's nothing worse than trying to take a date to a movie at Hampshire Mall and ending up at Mt. Holyoke. Believe us.

6.) Relish the waning days of summer and the pleasant first weeks of autumn. You won't be seeing the sun again anytime soon.

7.) Don't let one bad course ruin your first year on campus. The "Freshman Drop" is there for a reason, and there's nothing wrong with using it.

8.) Be careful with relationships here-romantic and otherwise. Burning bridges at such a small school can get really costly, really quickly. Maybe the wide-eyed optimism and creepy kindness of Orientation aren't so bad after all. Just don't try to sit at our table in Val.