The grind. The swing of things. Status quo.

I guess you can call it whatever you want, but basically it is the return or beginning of something that can cause both pain and pleasure at the same time: the new school year.

Returning to this Notre Dame family is unlike any family reunion out there. Instead of huge feasts and jogs down memory lane, we college students set out upon this new year ready to make plenty of new memories with plenty of new people.

At least I hope.

By sharing these new experiences with our fellow Belles and Domers, we are changing each other forever. It is important to realize just how important our daily attitudes are. There are several things to remember to ensure a great friendly atmosphere at Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s throughout 1999-2000.

First of all, once the beginning-of-the-year diligence fades away — say, a week into the semester — you will see a drop in attendence in your classes. This means that it is your duty to take good notes that will help your absent friend during the next class session. Letting a classmate copy good notes is one of the noblest actions a college student can take.

Also, when it comes to relations with the many powerful people around campus, remember that everyone has a bad side. Make sure to avoid the bad sides of persons such as your professors, rectors, supervisors, etc.

Even more important, try at all costs to kiss up to those same people, making their good sides their most familiar sides. Many of your classmates or dormmates may take you simply for a brown-noser. Well, that’s what you are.

But what you really must realize is that in addition to having a brown nose, you are also highly intelligent. For this is a student-eat-student world out here in South Bend, and everyone is searching for that golden way to get ahead.

Actually, it’s not so brutal. There are these things called extracurricular activities that certainly can take anyone’s life out of the doldrums of academia. It is never too late — even for seniors — to get involved in that club you’ve always wanted to join. It is never too early either, freshmen.

It is definitely never too late to allow complete devotion to an activity, up to the point where your academics wash away into oblivion, your health begins to crumble and both campuses come to recognize you as that guy or girl with a penchant for that one club.

There is one extracurricular activity that just about everyone takes part in: weekend “stuff-doing.” The stuff that people “do” is stuff that is sometimes frowned upon by some people in some sort of administration-type group.

Though it is not necessary to make life a bore by taking every suggestion as scripture, some caution must be used.

Just as it is a bit abnormal to dedicate all of your time to other extracurricular activities, moderation is necessary when doing this sort of stuff.

But, hey, you all do whatever you want to do. We’re all adults here, and we all make our own decisions. So good luck this year, and kick butt.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.