“Toga, toga, toga!” The resounding cries of John Belushi’s character in the 1970s comedy “Animal House” seems to be a thought that comes to mind whenever one thinks of the ominous college “Greek life.”

Right now, future SMU’ers are on campus for tours and AARO sessions, so this is mostly directed at you!

Whether or not you are thinking of going through formal recruitment in the spring, there are a few things you should really think about and digest before the start of your fall semester.

This semester is more than likely your first semester away from Mom and Dad, your first time really being on your own and your first time really taking care of yourself.

Don’t screw it up before you really get to enjoy it. I write this because of the experiences I saw and had my first year here.

I came here wide-eyed and ready to impact the world with what I was about to learn and have a good time!

I saw more people than I can count come to college and basically lose their minds. They didn’t study enough, and their goals involved partying as much as possible. This is all too true, even more for freshmen girls, especially those looking to go Greek.

All first-year students hear more rumors than I can count about the Greek system on campus – the hazing, the drinking, the partying and the other “cult-like” activities. If you’re smart, which you had to be to get here, don’t listen to them. Your focus this first semester should be to learn to take care of yourself on your own, get good grades and start figuring out who you are as a person.

After first semester, Greek life will either become a part of who you are as a person or it will not – either way is great! Going Greek is a wonderful experience for some.

You find a family and group of friends who you bond with instantly, you do wonderful things for your school and community, and yes, there are a lot of fun parties to go to. But “party” does not mean binge-drinking-coma-inducing-drug-filled nights.

Be smart about the choices you make this year, and do things that you want to do because you want to do them. If you go through fall semester thinking that you have to impress every sorority girl or frat guy you meet, you’re going to get hurt, not have any fun and it’s not smart.

For girls, the rules this year are very different than when I was a freshman. You can now message on Facebook and talk on the phone. However, you still can’t ride in cars together, be friends on Facebook or meet off campus. This will hopefully deter the so-called “dirty rushing” that takes place.

For guys, recruitment is a much simpler process, and I will forever be jealous of that.

I think the best piece of advice I can give to incoming freshmen is to be yourself. Yes, I really did just use that cliché.

College is a time when you figure out who you are, and what is truly important to you. You learn to make sacrifices, form friendships, and you screw up a lot along the way.

We are a campus that is almost 40 percent Greek, so every two of the five people you know will find themselves at home in a sorority or fraternity here.

Don’t try and be that girl or guy who has it figured out within a week where you want to join; trust me, you’re probably wrong.

Meet people the right way – through classes, clubs and yes, through going out. But go out safely, and use your head when you do.

Meet people you enjoy being around. If you join something for the label, you won’t be happy, you won’t love where you are, and then you will have wasted your time.

I went through recruitment my first year, and looking back I cannot imagine life without my sorority sisters. But I didn’t change who I was. I didn’t party until I dropped, and I certainly didn’t go into it with the attitude that I knew where I belonged.

Enjoy this first semester so much. It’s a great experience.

Rachel Carey is a junior majoring in political science. She can be reached at [email protected].