uestions and travel itineraries abound this time of year, as everyone attempts to shake loose the cobwebs of lazily-hot and hazy summer days. From the comfort of our parents’ homes and pools, we haphazardly trudge like fools into our cars, airports or train stations to begin our abhorrent treks back to school.

Whether or not you were an overachiever who carefully planned your schedule is not all that relevant when deciding how and when to return to school. Since many of us here at FAU rely on the financial compassion of the good ol’ parental units, most of us will be driving back to school. But what if Dad decides to pack all your stuff up in the station wagon, along with the entire family, for your journey back to campus? Now, that’s a little embarrassing. The other option, for you out-of-staters, is to fly back. Again, this may include the familial circus-trip to the airport, but at least it’s in your home town, so you will have plenty of time to ditch that lunch pack your Mom made.

Now that you are underway, you begin to feel the ominous weight of the impending semester weighing on your psyche. How many credits this semester? Full load or half? That is the question. Is it nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of another outrageous semester, full of laborious-lecturing and dogmatic-doctrinaire, or to suffer the consequences of a semester off, and thus grasping a few more weeks of summer? The summer is a consummation we hoped would never end. Anyway, you will most likely be comparing schedules and professors with your fellow Owls before you know it, and that one crazy summer day, when you and your friends raided your parents’ liquor stash to make mojitos and margaritas by the pool, will just be a figment of your imagination.

Now, that is just a smattering of the back-to-school experience for those of you who are not incoming freshman. For those of you who are fresh-meat, you have a whole lot more to worry about than scheduling and books – like the crazy roommate, or worse – the smelly roommate. There is no need to worry all that much. Besides, there is nothing you can do about it. Forget about the roommate situation now: What about the dining services here at FAU? What if the food is lousy? Putrid? Uneatable? What if you’re allergic to something? Don’t fret my fellow denizens of academia; the lovely people from Chartwells – who control the on-campus eateries – will guarantee you a fine dining experience. Yeah, right.

Regardless, whether you are a transfer student or freshman, one thing is for sure: Before you know it, classes will be starting, Greek organizations will be rushing, and you’ll be having the time of your life here in Boca Raton. Here are a few important tips to follow in the waning weeks of the upcoming semester: First off, get to know your RA and professors, as these will be the most important people you will need all semester; secondly, be sure to pick up copies of the University Press for all things FAU, including entertainment and sports; lastly, remember that it can always be worse, so take a deep breath and get ready to go back to school.

Eddie Cochran called it the “Summertime Blues.” The Gin Blossoms dubbed it “Idiot Summer.” The Decemberists penned a song for it entitled, “Summersong.” DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) did a little ditty called “Summertime.” Whatever you may call it, the dog days of summer are here, and they are just barking to be heard.