How to Give Your ADOCH Prospie the Most Realistic Idea of Life at Brown

A Day on College Hill is one of the most influential periods in the life of a Brown student. For those who had already made up their minds before coming, whether because they were admitted Early Decision or simply because they already knew that Brown was for them, ADOCH gives an important glimpse into what they will see every day at Brown. These kids are going to be paying tens of thousands of dollars before they attend their first class, so it is your obligation as a host to show them the Brown experience in the truest way possible, so that they understand what they’re getting themselves into.Study Halls and Educational BuildingsThe tours that these pre-frosh go on never set foot into some of the most important buildings on campus. I remember being shown the outside of Barus and Holley, Macmillan, and the CIT without ever being taken inside any of them. Although this comes from a STEM-based perspective, it’s crucial that students of any intended concentration be shown the study spaces and classrooms where their spirit will be broken like a wild stallion in a corral. As an incoming student, knowing not just where you will end up sobbing into your $200 textbooks, but what the atmosphere inside these tortuous confines feels like, can help you get a better sense of how you will fit into Brown.Dining HallsAnother thing that is also often glossed over by the organizers is giving the prospective students a truly authentic taste of not just the food on campus, but what it’s like to have a meal in a dining hall. Because you won’t just be eating when you’re at Brown, you'll be sitting down, socializing with your peers, and making new, deeper connections with people you already knew. This is why, if you signed up to take in an ADOCH student, you have to show them the quintessential Brown dining experience and take them to Jo’s hammered at 1:30 am. You’ll need to teach them important tips and tricks like how to get the minuscule amount of ketchup left out of the dispenser or how to put mozzarella sticks in a box and lie about them being french fries. PerkinsNow this one is really off of the beaten path for tours, but it’s important to be honest with your guests and show them the flip side of housing. On the walk there, you will have plenty of time to answer the first couple of questions they ask you with leftover time to just walk in silence. The best way to have them really get the feel for this one is to come up with a mock lottery system where you shake a hat filled with the lowest lottery picks and give them a number greater than 1000.SportsAthletics are a fundamental part of every college experience, and if your ADOCH guest isn’t a recruit, then they’re a fan. To show them how hardcore we Bruno fans are, take them to a major sports event on campus. And I know what you’re thinking, but aren’t all the major sports out of season right now? While you’re correct, it makes this experience even more realistic for your guest. You could have them trek the inane distance to the football stadium and sit alone in the stands to simulate the usual attendance at games. A win!WeatherUnfortunately, the recent batch of guests for ADOCH experienced unusually favorable weather, and it simply wouldn’t be fair to leave an image in their minds of Brown as a warm place where students can simply go out and play on the Main Green without being assaulted by wind, rain, or the ungodly sleet mixture that punishes us for our ignorance in believing the seductive lies of false spring. The best way to emulate this for your prospies is to just have them walk down any alley while you viciously throw freezing cold water on them. If you are able, you should also rent a large fan, the kind that propels boats through swamps, to really let them understand what spiteful Providence air is like.Image via