Forget everything the orientation leader told you. You’ll never have to sing the FAU fight song or the alma mater during your five to six-year stay at FAU.

Forget everything your parents told you. It’s okay if it takes more than four years to finish college. In fact, the average is now between five and six years. Forget everything you learned in high school. At college, you’re bound to get more than the glossed-over kiddie version.

Remember those pictures you saw in the FAU brochures? Well, you’re not going to see people smiling that much here. People aren’t really that happy.

The UP is here to tell you the way things really are — the truth. That’s what this issue, our special new student edition is all about — telling you how things really are at FAU. If you want to hear the happy, sappy, and sugarcoated stuff, then go to another orientation session.

I’m a senior now at FAU, and I’m starting year five. I honestly like FAU, though I get annoyed because we still can’t register online, that my classes are repeatedly cancelled, and that our tuition costs go up every damn year.

But other than that and other nuisances like not getting a prime parking spot, I’ve grown adapted to this seven-campus wonder of a college.

This university has changed a lot in my four years here. From gaining football (not that I’m a fan), and a new University Center last year, to getting a new parking garage this year, this place will probably look totally different four years from now.

In the meantime, before you’ll get to reminisce on your freshman and sophomore days, you have to survive ’em. And that’s why the UP made this special issue for you: To help you survive.

And we’ll be here through all your days at FAU to inform, enlighten, and humor you.

Good luck,

Kelly Tyko, editor-in-chief