How to Start

It is listening to the Coms and the near-Nazis, the evangelists and the man who has an international sign language. It is learning tolerance and tact—and if a few of your inherited ideas get shaken up a little in the process, maybe it's a good thing.

As to how to start doing all this—there are a lot of societies devoted to almost every form of popular amusement—political, and theatrical, and athletic and religious and God knows what. Join every one in which you're interested. It's one of the best ways there is of meeting people of similar tastes.

Contribute to Honi Soit—join its staff, which is an even better way of getting into the swim. Sit around after lectures and argue with people. Wander all over the University and [unclear: get] to know the place (you never know when it might come in handy.) Go to a few lectures in other faculties (illegal, but interesting).

Meet as many people, do as many things as you can. By the end of the year, of course, your habits and acquaintances will have settled down. But start with a good selection.

Remember, you don't have to work all day every day. Not even the curriculum expects you to—If you study properly there is still plenty of leisure time. There is a lot of truth in the old students saying: "First term, freshers swot; second term, nobody swots; third term, everybody swots."

Perhaps not more than one of every three of this year's freshers will ever graduate. It doesn't much matter. The other two will have given something to the atmosphere of the place, and taken away something for themselves. Do not forget that you are the future leaders of the community—the next generation's teachers and judges and scientists. It is only the mentally blind who can go through life untouched and uninfluenced by their days at the University.