♦ Of the more than 21,000 students, 54 percent are women and 13 percent are minorities.

♦ Since most students commute, it would behoove you to plan on being everywhere 20 minutes early, because parking is a nightmare.

♦ Al Gore’s dad graduated from MTSU and donated all his senatorial correspondence to the university.

♦ Three women held up a male student at gunpoint in his dorm room last spring.

♦ MTSU football fans haven’t yet filled Floyd Stadium, so there’s no need to worry about getting a seat.

♦ Always pick up the Halloween and April Fool’s Day editions of the campus newspaper, Sidelines.

♦ MTSU is a dry campus, so don’t get caught with anything wetter than a Coke. You might get kicked out of school.

♦ The squirrels are vicious. Seriously. Avoid them.

♦ Pay attention to each professor’s attendance policy. Some are lax, others are severely strict and some don’t make it entirely clear. Take the time to figure each one out.

♦ Get to know Keathley University Center. It’s the center of the MTSU universe.

What courses/professors will change my life?

Ed Kimbrell of the College of Mass Communication combines enthusiasm and energy in his classes, reaching each student even in a class of 200. He cares about his subject matter and communicates that love to his students. His hard-hitting, fun and informative lectures keep students in their seats instead of skipping classes. For the English or women’s studies student, Rebecca King’s classes are a must. She teaches upper division English classes, such as Professional Writing and Victorian Literature, and also instructs two women’s studies courses, Introduction to Women’s Studies and Feminist Theory. King’s down-to-earth approach allows her to connect with students on a personal level while communicating information in fun, innovative ways. King also makes women’s studies a class for anyone, integrating men into discussions and applying information from numerous academic areas. Everyone has to take biology, and professor Nicole Welch is a true standout. Even science-stupid people can enjoy her class.

—Audie Sheridan and Callie Elizabeth Butler

What are MTSU’s strengths and weaknesses?

MTSU’s major strength lies within its academic programs. The Recording Industry and Aerospace programs attract students from around the country. MTSU also built the first Honors College in the state, and it offers a few graduate programs. Its liberal arts programs, though greatly underfunded, provide a balanced and varied curriculum. The campus is historic, with buildings dating back to the early 1900s, and is located in beautiful Murfreesboro, which was many times voted as the best place to live in Tennessee. However, academic programs that fail to roll in the big money are confined to substandard, badly maintained buildings that often don’t serve their needs.

Perhaps MTSU’s greatest weakness is that it receives the least amount of funding per student in Tennessee, even though it remains the fastest growing in student population. Its graduation rate is also rather low, while its admission standards are some of the lowest in the state. Campus housing is available and relatively affordable, although space per student is often highly limited, in buildings that cry out for further renovation. The professors and staff are highly limited due to budget constraints, but the general attitude among these MTSU employees is a positive one—they seek to aid and teach students in classrooms, in the residence halls and beyond.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler

How should I do lunch?

For good eats, try the Keathley University Center Grille, which offers everything from burgers to vegan nuggets and hosts venues like Pizza Hut and Chick-Fil-A. It’s tasty fare, but don’t expect to get out without spending $5 or more. Across the courtyard is Woodmore Cybercafe, which offers a number of lunch items as well as a small convenience store with snacks, ice cream and a few grocery staples. A sub shop and a Burger King are both available.

Lunchtime can be a little crowded, but the atmosphere in the Cybercafe is nice, with plush seating, low lights and lots of televisions. The James Union Building also houses a cafeteria on the ground floor that contains a grill, a pizza bar, two food bars and Subway. There’s also McCallie Dining Hall, located on the first floor of Corlew Hall. There are a variety of options available here—hot vegetables, pizza, salad, desserts—all of which are served cafeteria style and can’t be strongly recommended. The all-you-can-eat policy is the only real appeal.

All of these dining facilities are packed during lunch hours, so if you can make it a later lunch, do so, but watch out. If you’re on meal plan, which is only usable at the James Union Building or McCallie Dining Hall, make sure you’re in by 2 p.m., due to meal plan time restrictions. All other venues accept flex dollars, Raider Funds and cash only. No credit cards.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler

How do I find out what’s going on?

Start with the monthly newsletter from the Student Activities office called “Campus Highlights,” a calendar of events detailing all special events on campus. Take the time to peruse bulletin boards—a wealth of information can be found from flyers. Check out Sidelines, particularly the campus events section, which lists important deadlines and various happenings. Listen to your professors and fellow students—there’s always a buzz about important things going on. And as you meander to class, check out the sidewalks for chalk-drawing announcements from campus organizations.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler and Audie Sheridan

Do I need a car, and where do I put it?

You’ll have to walk anyway, since nearly all student parking is off in the misty distance. Either that, or ride the Raider Xpress bus from your parking spot. But you will need a car at MTSU. Get your parking tags either at Parking Services if you want to wait in line or at the Adult Services Center on the third floor of the Keathley University Center if you don’t. The tags hang from your rearview mirror and follow a color scheme you should not ignore. Tickets range from $10 to $100 (they average $25) and are awarded by workers who seem to get paid per ticket. After five citations, whether you paid them or not, your car gets an ugly orange boot until you pay, and it could get towed. Oh, and if you must break the rules, do it in a metered spot, since tickets there are cheaper than anywhere else.

—Audie Sheridan

Does God hang out on campus?

You are in the Bible belt, and you’ll regularly see chalk messages inviting you to the Campus Crusade for Christ meetings and flyers announcing various events where food is provided. If you’re Christian, then chances are your denomination has a chapter at MTSU. There are also organizations for Muslims, Jews and pagans. MTSU does occasionally sanction religious groups setting up on campus and distributing flyers, bibles and ideology. Since all such groups must be sponsored by a student organization, most of them are Christians of one persuasion or another. About once a year, you just can’t get into the KUC without getting a little green New Testament put in your hands. Careful, though: MTSU is more open-minded than it seems at first. In clear opposition to the religious groups is the Darwin-following Campus Free-Thought Alliance. MTSU is neither full of the faithful nor completely atheistic; there are plenty of students at both extremes.

—Audie Sheridan

What is the curse of the Davis Market?

Everyone at MTSU has at least passed by Davis Market, located on the corner of Main Street and Tennessee Boulevard. The Davis Market legend varies depending on whom you ask. Some say that if you buy any product there, your life will be linked to Murfreesboro forever. Most people you ask, however, will just tell you that if you buy beer there, plan on a life centered in Murfreesboro. But don’t fear—you can break the curse. Legend says that if you have sex in the geographic center of Tennessee, located not far from campus, you’ll be freed from the curse’s clutches. It’s worth the trouble of public sex, since Davis Market is a convenient, locally owned market where you can grab a six-pack or keg of your favorite beer. They also sell beer from a tap in gallon milk jugs.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler and Audie Sheridan

Where’s all the good music I’ve heard about?

The two best places to catch the latest local bands are Wall Street and The ’Boro Bar and Grill. Both serve up cold beer and the best in local musical entertainment. There’s also Red Rose, which frequently features various touring indie acts and musical fundraisers served with your favorite coffee drink or beer. Faces is another hot spot for local tunes, complete with a dance floor. Murfreesboro is home to numerous up-and-coming performers of all genres, ranging from hard rock to rap. Just keep an eye out for flyers, the advertising medium of choice among local entertainers. Also not to be missed are the campus performances by students in the music program, with vocal and instrumental concerts throughout the year ranging from hot salsa to a classical series, all free to students.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler

Who’s the guy in the wheelchair boom box?

Everyone knows that one kid zooming along the sidewalks in his wheelchair with the latest R&B and rap sounds booming at full volume. He’s become an MTSU icon of sorts, and within a semester of traipsing around campus, you’ll know when he’s coming. His name is Lee Phillips, a junior graphic design major. And his chair comes equipped with a DVD player too. He is one of many handicapped students at MTSU, one of the most accessible schools in Tennessee, accommodating numerous student needs. For wheelchair-bound students, all buildings are accessible, and there are also special areas of residence halls and apartments designed for the on-campus student with disabilities. Disabled Student Services handles all these needs, from learning disabilities to physical handicaps.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler

How many libraries does MTSU have?

One major one—and money’s tight. There’s a reason MTSU offers so few graduate programs, and if you’re an undergraduate in one of those fields, you’re set. Otherwise good luck, because it is hit or miss. Occasionally, though, you will find a book less than 10 years old. There isn’t much to be had in the library, and the only real library resource at MTSU is the interlibrary loan program. Make use of this often and you cannot go wrong, though it requires one thing many students lack: forethought. You can get the most obscure articles or books—i.e. the ones your professor has never read—and all it takes is planning a few weeks in advance. The electronic resources are reasonable too, though keep in mind that they will fail you when you need them the most. You do have access to the Vanderbilt library through a program called Athena, so all is not lost. Again, plan ahead, because the books shuffle between libraries, and it takes time. Oh, and don’t bother with the Murfreesboro public library; it’s even worse.

—Audie Sheridan

Do I really have to take physical education?

Yes, you really do. Four hours’ worth of your gen-ed classes are there to make you sweat. You have a huge selection of one-hour classes to fulfill this requirement, plus a two-hour Effective Living class for sweat-free time if you want it. Take the real physical education classes, though. The choices are wide-ranging, and Rock Climbing, Scuba Diving and Basic Horsemanship are always top picks. Classes are 50 minutes twice a week. When you have 12 hours of classes, you pay for a full time load, and any classes you add above this number are free.

—Audie Sheridan

What if it’s raining outside?

If you don’t feel like studying, the best place to rent videos is Videoculture. It’s only a stone’s throw away from campus, and it has a remarkable selection of movies—everything from exotic anime to the rawest porn. If you want to buy or rent video games, though, go to Hastings, which also has videos, books and CDs. The KUC Theater usually shows good movies for $2 a pop if you want to watch your movie on a bigger screen. And it’s right there on campus. On Murfreesboro’s square is the Underground Gaming Lounge, where you can hook up your computer or rent one and play all kinds of multi-player games. And if you don’t feel like video entertainment, visit the Recreation Center.

—Audie Sheridan

What are the campus media?

There are two campus newspapers: Sidelines and The Record. Sidelines is the student-run, editorially independent newspaper of MTSU that provides key campus information as well as reporting on issues relevant to the student body. The opinions section is the real must-read of the paper, as is the announcement section if you’re looking for an official deadline. Otherwise, just skim the headlines.

The Record is published by MTSU News and Public Affairs and serves as more of a newsletter about campus happenings, featured people and upcoming events. MTSU also features multiple student-run magazines. Collage, the university’s literary magazine, features works of art, photography, fiction, poetry, prose and nonfiction. The Assertor, a news magazine, is published by the African American Student Association with relevant stories and topics of interest. There’s Scribbling Mob, a feminist literary magazine, and for the student who likes to absorb news and entertainment by ear, there’s WMST-88.3 FM, the campus radio station, featuring student shows and variety of music and commentary. For the television junkie, there’s MTTV-Channel 10. MTTV features nightly news and student-created television shows. It’s the general consensus around campus, though, that most of the shows are rather asinine.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler

What’s that barn with the murals on it?

Located near the center of MTSU’s campus is the Art Barn, a highly flammable structure that’s colorfully decorated and home to most of the art classes and a student gallery. MTSU’s art program is terribly underfunded, a sad fact that relegated it to these barn walls, but it will soon be moving into the Todd Building, which once housed the university’s library. Though underrated, MTSU’s art program is excellent, incorporating a wide variety of classes on various media and techniques. Four years (or perhaps five or six years, depending on your goals) wouldn’t be complete without an art class or two under your belt.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler

What will I find in Keathley University Center (KUC)?

The KUC, as it’s lovingly called, has everything in it. Most students who eat on campus eat on the second floor. The information desk often has free concert tickets, so make sure to check. And while you’re there, visit Dwight’s Market. The regular clerk is blind, but don’t think you’ll get away with anything at a five-finger-discount. His senses are as keen as Daredevil’s. On the bottom floor is Phillips Bookstore, coin lockers that return your quarter, and a full-service post office. There are also ATMs on the first floor; near them you can find a copy of the newspaper you hold in your hand. On the third floor, you can get a list of student organizations at Student Life, sign up for a CLEP test at Testing, get a job at Placement, or find out what’s going on at Student Activities.

—Audie Sheridan

How long has MTSU been around?

MTSU was founded in 1911 as a school for teacher training and stands as the oldest public university in Middle Tennessee. The oldest building on campus, Kirksey Old Main, was built at the university’s beginning and still stands today beside Rutledge Hall, the first dormitory built on campus, which is now used for office space. In 1925, a bachelor of science degree was added, followed by a bachelor of art in 1935. Graduate programs were added in 1951, and MTSU advanced to university status in 1965. MTSU also established itself as a top school in agriculture, which explains the stables located on the northeastern portion of campus and the occasional smell on a hot day. With such historic buildings still standing on campus, many are in dire need of renovation, including the Kirksey Old Main building, whose condition is apparent when viewing the crumbling brick, rusty columns and bad window units. Two of the dorms are even out of service because they’re falling apart, which limits space for students.

—Callie Elizabeth Butler