December 27, 2013 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Page 15 Recent Students Share College Words Of Advice By TRAVIS BROWN STAFF WRITER Live Entertainment Raw Bar Bloody Mary Bar Mexican Monday H A P P Y H O U R S P E C I A L S Saturday, December 28 CUSTOMER D E L A W A R E L O T T E R Y G A M E S APPRECIATION PARTY Randy Lee Ashcraft & The Saltwater Cowboys 7pm Happy Hour Food & Drink Specials ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT BERLIN – Students at Stephen Decatur High School (SDHS) got a glimpse into the realities of the college experience when government teacher Laurie Chetelat invited 11 recent graduates back to share their experiences. The 11 graduates returned to SDHS from a host of schools, including Salisbury University, Arizona State, Towson University and Princeton University. Some are recent college students while others have been in continued education for several years. They answered questions about everything from securing scholarships to how to deal with homesick issues. Staying mentally healthy and happy is crucial to doing well after high school, according to Claire Cooper, an Animal and Food Science major at the University of Delaware. “You should never be ashamed of wanting to go and get help, never be ashamed of wanting to go and talk to somebody, and if your friends make you feel like you should be then they’re not your real friends,” she said. Michelle Ott, a Secondary Education Math major from UMBC and Salisbury University, agreed. She told SDHS students that there should be no stigma attached to seeing a counselor in college. The experience is “very cleansing” and helps deal with things like homesickness, loneliness or just being overwhelmed by the change from a high school to a college workload. That transition can be a nasty surprise for a lot of incoming college freshman, said Ali Justice, a Communication Arts major from Catawba University pursuing a master’s in Mass Communications from University of Florida. For student athletes like herself, the overload can be even easier. “Being a student athlete, they always preach life in balance … don’t overwhelm yourself,” said Justice. “You want to challenge yourself but don’t overwhelm yourself and set yourself up to fail.” Taking AP classes in high school can skim off some of that initial burden freshman year. Most of the 11person panel recommended enrolling in between two and three AP courses per semester, though participation in things like sports and clubs might make it tough to keep up too many courses. “I would say to try to take as much AP as possible because even though you choose a major you’re going to have to take [general education course] in all of your classes,” said Brooke Harman, an Elementary Education major at Salisbury University. SEE PAGE 16 NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY Tuesday, December 31 CHAMPAGNE & PARTY FAVORS AT MIDNIGHT Thursday 8pm: Randy Lee Ashcraft Friday 8pm: Randy Lee Ashcraft & The Saltwalter Cowboys Saturday 7pm: Randy Lee Ashcraft & The Saltwalter Cowboys NFL Drink Specials $1.99 Select Domestic Pints $1.99 Select Domestic Bottles $1.99 Rail Drinks OLd School 8pm New Year’s Day HAIR OF THE DOG PARTY ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT NFL Food Specials WINGS Bone $7.50 (10) • Boneless $5.99 (Basket) Tacos • Nachos • Quesadillas Mexican Pizza Fajitas & Much More Bloody Mary Bar 11am-3pm 5S 2C HR DE BE IN GS Join Us For ❂✑x¤✌✑✎✗’v¤✼✕✑ ❇✑✑q✑s❜ Open At 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday & Monday Adult Buffet $28 All Evening New Year’s Eve: Tuesday, Dec. 31 OPEN 4 P.M. NEW YEAR’S EVE Adult Buffet $36 All Evening (NEW ITEMS AND SPECIALS) CHILDREN 3-6: $6.95 • CHILDREN 7-12: $13.95 2 AND UNDER: FREE Family New Year Celebration At 8 p.m. With Party Favors And Noisemakers Call Early For Reservations: 410-524-7171 71st Street & Coastal Highway