Over the course of the summer I spent some time during the early morning hours handing out The State News' edition of Academic Orientation Program guides in front of Case Hall.

Watching thousands upon thousands of incoming freshmen enter MSU fresh out of high school, I noticed a particularly humorous trend. It was a rather subtle thing, nothing anyone is likely to write an in-depth story about, but noteworthy nonetheless.

It's a widely known fact that high school students and college students are drastically different in terms of the effort they put in to looking good each day. College students get by in pajamas and a sweatshirt while high schoolers waste precious time showering, making their hair look nice and ensuring they're dressed to impress, instead of sleeping.

College students, on the other hand, are in-the-know when it comes to preparing for school, particularly those killer 8 a.m. classes. We understand all you need to do is throw on your jeans that are still lying on the floor from yesterday, put on an MSU T-shirt or sweatshirt, grab your books and head to class. Don't forget a hat or throwing your hair into a ponytail. That's about the extent of your preparatory needs to get through an arduous day of classes.

The great majority of the students I watched step onto this campus for the first time, however, were definitely ready to make an impression. Almost everyone had clearly put some effort into getting ready that day. They were dressed nicely and had obviously showered. Women had done their hair and put makeup on. This was at 9 a.m. and I'm sure a good majority of students had to get on the road by 8 a.m.

Don't think I didn't feel compelled to do the same when I was one of them. And don't get me wrong, I would much rather be around people who look good and smell nice than those who smell like fermented milk. It's just amusing to see people putting in so much effort when they first get here, and then watching everything go downhill when they're slapped with their first 8 a.m. class.

Sure, freshmen will put in the extra hour or two getting ready for the first few weeks, hoping maybe if they just smell a bit nicer than the next person they will be more highly thought of. But we all realize college students engage in the timeless morning mental battle of "do I get up now to shower and smell nice or do I stay in bed to catch a few extra Z's?"

It all seems so easy, in retrospect, to think about high school and the consistent schedule that you easily could keep. Getting up at 6 a.m. wasn't a huge problem, especially when you could get to bed before midnight.

Studying in high school doesn't compare to its college counterpart, as students learn early on. Many find themselves staying up later than anticipated, and naturally this leads to less sleep and therefore less fancy time for early mornings.

There's no disputing the fact college students are a decidedly lazy bunch of people. Just think about it. From the moment you set foot on campus, you enter perhaps your laziest stage of life, except for infancy.

Dorm life is great, but it also helps proliferate high levels of laziness. You don't have to worry about making your own food, nor do you have to fret over walking up stairs - just take the elevator. Who needs to go outside when almost everything you need is available for you in the comfort of your dorm?

I firmly believe it is this exposure to the lackadaisical college existence that leads to the same behavior in the area of morning preparation. You don't need to put in any effort in order to get food, so why bother sacrificing slumber in the name of proper hygiene? Besides, there's always plenty of time to shower later in the day.

At some point during their first year just about every incoming freshman will fall into the trap of assembling a schedule that is eerily reminiscent of high school. Remember the friend who said they would schedule their classes the same way they did in high school in order to stay productive? Watch how quickly they'll rearrange their schedule when they figure out an 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. day just doesn't work in college.

And how about Friday classes? Let me give you a word of advice from someone who has taken them - avoid them at all costs. Regardless of how productive you are throughout the week, you will definitely appreciate having a consistent three-day weekend.

I hope none of you will take my comments too seriously, as they are but words of wisdom from someone who's been there, done that. So if you please, go ahead and take the Friday classes, shower before your morning class and have back-to-back-to-back classes beginning at 8 a.m. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Evan Rondeau is a State News intern. He can be reached at rondeau1@msu.edu.