The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-14
THE GIRL AT COLLEGE.
What the Newcomer May Expect In =
New World.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
September is the month when hundreds
of girls leave the home nest for the hrst
time in their lives to become citizens OF
that great, vague, wonderful world calico
college. All summer long the embryo COZ
lege girl has been thinking about IL. and
wondering and hoping and half dreading.
yet IL is not without a sharp pang at the
last that, her new wardrobe In her new
brac and her old books, she waves a tear
full goodbye TO her father and mother
standing on the station platform and Is
whirled away into her college days.
The girl who goes TO college enters
little world complete, independent OF and
detached from the world that surrounds
ii. Yet human nature is the same there as
outside. In IL she Will meet old acquaint-
ances-joy and sorrow. wealth and dumb
poverty, refinement and the lack OF II.
She will have TO live the common life with
all sorts and conditions of girls. The rules
are few-the reins OF self-government are
given over into her own hand, and she
finds herself, often for the first time In her
The newcomer, upon her arrival in the
college town, is apt TO gravitate to a small.
undesirable room, the better rooms being
generally pre-engaged by the older stu
dents. If she Is to live in one OF the college
dormitory buildings she VIII find herself
with roommate In room where two
beds, two chifoniers, two chairs and
washstand are ranged in sharp and I'M
sympathetic style against the walls. But
ii is not long before she leaves her lonely
cut upon the new field.
She is struck with the many sides OF the
life that she is entering upon, the many
opportunities and possibilities opened TO her.
She wanders around the campus and
through some Of the buildings. Here Is the
college library, with its rows and rows OF
books on every subject and its studfous
hush In this She sees the students oppor-
tunity. Will she ever excel as a student?
Is she clever with her pen? Well, she
isn't exactly sure but she wrote the prize
N no "a or IL
ume of the college magazine on shelf near
her suggests literary reputation, and she
already sees her name among the contribute
ors, as she lets her eye run over Its con-
tents.
Then there is the gymnasium. with its
great floor and numberless apparatus. The
dreams, and in her enthusiasm she Is for
the moment the popular athletic girl, per-
haps the captain OF her team, for she has
played basket ball at school and to this, at
least she Is not new.
At chapel she finds there are musical op-
portunities, and she may hear that there
are musical clubs IL she follows this euG-
gestion farther. The newcomer often feels
a little lost at these first pilgrimages to
chapel, where there are so many around
her, and where she feels herself to be such
a small minority She il almost glad when
the seniors begin to file out and leave the
hall.
dance this EVENING" is an Invitation the
newcomer is likely TO hear soon after her
arrival. This Is pretty certain to come
from a junior, whom the newcomer soon
finds out TO be her friend.
That evening she goes to the dance. she.
of course. hardly expects any men TO be
present, and yet somehow she misses them.
There are girls in every sort OF costume.
some In short duck skirts and shirfwaists.
some in cos ly evening gowns suggesting
money and New York dressmakers; others
| in dark skirts and waists. So IL goes
gowns of all colors and fits Everywhere
she finds outstretched hands, invitations to
Come and see me, pleased May come
and see your Where do you liver" "0h.
live right across the hall from you. I'm
awfuly glad" Or, You're q freshman
too aren't your 1t is. however, just after
such a remark as the last that the seeds or
class enthusiasm take root; II Is peculiar
sort of comfort that freshmen take together
"a comfort hard TO describe, but keenly ex-
perienced-
The social side of college life is in many
ways important, for IL Is through the social
| affairs largely that one finds and chooses
| her friends. The choice OF friends IL not
| as easy one might at first hand sup
| pose. Girls for whom she does not care OF
| does not want as friends seem constantly
| thrown in the newcomers way, while those
she does care for and wants to know bet-
ter exist seemingly separated from her.
| Yet, II the newcomer takes her time, re-
of vaior. She win surmount the difscufties
| of her situation. and Will IND friends AZ
hand-real friends that last not only
through her college life, but through her
Life at an American girls college Is cos
/ mopolitan. 1t presents many sides But IL
| is all broadening and expanding. The new
conner must meet IL alone-alone she must
| adjust herself 10 her new and strange sur
roundings. She must think for herself
work out her own problems. That they are
/ the same kind of problems that exist in the
| world outside college bounds, the same kind
/ that she will be meeting all the rest OF her
life, hardly make them easier TO solve at
| the time .s.An11