The Do’s and Don’ts of the Row

By now, you’ve likely noticed that the Row is a popular destination among freshmen looking to explore the social scene of our campus. Of course, with great fun comes great responsibility. No need to worry, though, I’ve got you covered with a couple of do’s and don’ts for those looking to spend their time on the Row.

Do’s:

1. If you are a girl that wants to add some height, wear wedges over heels. You’ll want the extra bit of stability while wobbling down sticky stairs. However, do not wear your expensive shoes that you got as a graduation present; someone is bound to spill something on your feet and you will be insanely annoyed (a combination that cannot possibly end well). Just a warning: even if you are wearing wedges, be prepared for your feet to ache later into the night and possibly into the next day. To prevent this from occurring at all, flats or sneakers are also great options.

2. If you are a guy and are #blessed enough to get into one of these oh-so-exclusive frat parties, then make sure try really hard to “out-frat” the brothers. Just kidding. This move will probably not impress anyone; instead, you will feel incredibly uncomfortable when you (most likely) lose.

3. Although it is illegal for freshmen to drink, the truth of the matter is that some do. If you are drinking: know your limit. And if you don’t yet know it, learn quickly (but not at a frat in front of everyone). Mastering this will help both you and your friends. This requires no further explanation.

4. Look out for others on the Row. If someone seems to be in a dangerous situation or in need of medical attention, know that it is OK and necessary to call for help — such as the Emory Police Department — when the situation is beyond your control. Safety comes first.

Don’ts:

1. Do not go to a frat just to apologize for throwing up the previous night. Ground rule: a party is a party, not a meeting spot for heartfelt apologies.

First of all, you better hope no one remembers that happening (and they probably won’t, because it’s not uncommon honestly). You may think this is obvious (I did too), but I put this on top of the list because I’ve seen it happen. Let me just say: it was incredibly awkward and almost painful to watch and I have no desire to ever repeat that experience.

2. Do not wear anything that has sentimental value or is hard to wash. Instead, wear something that you are OK with (potentially) sweating in or getting dirty. There really is no set dress code on the Row, so wear whatever you’re comfortable in.

Your favorite dress? Probably not the best thing to wear. Stain removers work for the most part, but the anxiety really isn’t worth it.

Case in point: I was in a frat house, sitting in a chair, wearing my friend’s favorite shirt-dress. Harmless, right? That’s what I thought, too, until someone behind me accidentally tipped a drink onto me and the shirt-dress. An hour plus a good portion of a Shout bottle on top of a tide pen later, we had managed to get most of the stain out. Thankfully, the stain came out eventually, but we were both stressed and irritated for the next few hours.

Thinking back to this particular event, I would like to give a shout out to Shout, Tide, the washing machine we used and the chocolate bar I consumed out of stress and boredom while in the laundry room.

3.  Don’t expect to become best friends with everyone you introduce yourself to on a given night.

Sure, beautiful friendships can form on the Row. But to put it in context: if you’re introducing yourself to 20 people in one night, they’re probably doing the same (and therefore might not remember you). Unless you have an extensive conversation where you find out that you both cried during the same episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” and now share a deep bond because of it, don’t expect to become lifelong friends after one party. You might, however, find a list of new contacts in your phone of people that you’ve spoken to for five minutes.

There are definitely more nuances to the do’s and don’ts of the Row, but they all relate back to these basic rules: don’t wear anything valuable or do anything ridiculous that you know will haunt you when you can think clearly the next day, and make sure to keep your expectations realistic and to always stay safe. With all of this in mind, just have fun!