Welcome to The L Word: a lighthearted, fun, dramatic column that differs from anything seen… Welcome to The L Word: a lighthearted, fun, dramatic column that differs from anything seen before in The Pitt News. You may be asking what qualifies the two of us fools to write this column and give advice to the entire campus. The truth is, we’re just like you. That’s the point. We’ve both been in relationships, we’ve both made mistakes and we both agree that there are so many issues surrounding the aspects of relationships in college – whatever those relationships may be. These four years will greatly influence the person you become and the people you surround yourself with, and sometimes that can get a little bit overwhelming. Need an outlet? Let us know what you want to talk about, what you want to know and what you’ve heard. We’ll take it from there.

Starting off on the right foot in the social scene:

So you’ve been at school for a month and you’re finally starting to adapt to this whole new social scene – which is great, especially because college is your chance to start all over and get a brand new reputation for yourself. Now that you’re starting to get adjusted, it’s time to think about how you’re handling your social life thus far. Whether you’ve avoided the social scene completely or have already Hugh Hefner-ed your way through it, it’s still possible to find that happy medium between hiding in your room and constantly waking up in someone else’s. Here’s some advice.

LERCH: First of all, if you came to college with a significant other who goes to another school or is still in high school, you should call it quits. You’ve got to realize that high school is a lot different than college and that you’re doing all these things that they can’t be a part of and can’t really understand. You’ll run into trust issues and won’t be able to be together; it’s just going to crumble. I made this mistake when I first started college and it was pointless. I just stopped talking to her eventually.

LA: OK, first of all, Lerch is a jerkface for just cutting his girlfriend off like that. It is never OK to just stop talking to someone as a way to end a relationship. But at the same time, I can’t completely disagree. I mean, I have to be honest. I came into college with a serious boyfriend and we stayed together for another two good, solid years. At the same time, looking back now, there were a lot of things I would have done differently in those two years had I been single. The point is, if you are really that in love and that committed, it is possible. Just beware of the challenges.

LERCH: Yeah, but you went to the same school. If you’re both here at Pitt, then sure, give it a chance. See what happens. But keep in mind that college is different. Now, if you are single and have been taking full advantage of it, there are good and bad ways to go about that, too. It’s OK to go out and have a good time, but don’t go having sex with everyone you meet. Random hookups are part of the freshman experience for a lot of people, but you have to be careful about what you do if you don’t want to be labeled as a slut or a player.

LA: Agreed. There is a big difference between meeting new people and having fun, and being known as the girl or guy who sleeps with a different girl or guy every night. Ladies: stay classy. You may have had that kind of reputation in high school, but this is the perfect time to get rid of it. It’s first semester; no one really knows you yet, and it’s not hard to start fresh by making good decisions.

LERCH: But the one thing about college that you may have already discovered is that it’s just like high school in the fact that people are going to talk. No matter who you are or who you develop relationships with, if you tell people your business, it’s going to spread. Keep it on the hush or don’t do it at all, because it will get around. This especially goes for girls, because guys talk and they never get the heat the way girls do. It sucks, but that’s just the way it is.

LA: And why do you suppose that is?

LERCH: For some reason, guys just really like to hear about other guys’ hookups, kind of like living vicariously through one another. It makes me so proud to walk in on my roommate getting a little action – OK; I’ll stop getting emotional. Really, though, that’s just how it works out. Any time a guy gets with a new girl, he gets a Boy Scout badge for it. But we can’t all be wearing a badge with the same girl’s name on it, you know?

LA: While I think that it is unfair that girls always seem to take the heat more than guys do, it certainly goes both ways. Girls don’t want sloppy seconds either. This is another reason to be careful about random hookups because you might miss out on the chance to eventually develop a relationship with someone awesome if you’ve already made out with all her friends. And don’t forget to leave time to get to know people that you’re going to become lifelong friends with, too.

LERCH: Yeah, you got to leave time for your boys. Keep stuff casual dating-wise for the first semester or two because you’ll be meeting so many new people. And you don’t have to just meet people at parties. Maybe it’s a little easier to break the ice when you’re wasted, but getting involved in other activities gives you a chance to meet people who are interested in the same things you are. Instant friends.

LA: Getting involved also teaches you a lot about yourself, which is especially important in the first couple years of college. Even just leaving your door open and talking to people helps if you aren’t quite ready to jump into a bunch of activities. Everyone around you is or was in the same situation you are. And plus, if you only meet people when you’re drunk, you’re more likely to forget about them the next day anyway.

LERCH: Yeah, and you do not want to be that sloppy drunk kid at the party falling all over the place and not able to walk. Not saying that I haven’t been there, but it’s really just not attractive. I like a girl who can just hang out