Spring quarter at the U of C is the time when students first emerge from the libraries after months of continuous studying—just in time to greet fresh-faced prospies arriving on campus. This week and next week in particular, hundreds of prospies will invade campus for Admitted Student Overnights. For them, these visits will be crucial to their final decisions to matriculate here or take their talents elsewhere. So what does this time mean for the rest of us? Students shouldn’t simply view the next couple of weeks as a time of mild inconveniences like extra long lines in the dining halls; rather, it should be seen as an opportunity to show prospies what life at the U of C is really like. That being said, the Maroon has a few tips for students playing host to prospective students in the coming weeks.

1. Paint them an honest picture: In order to hold on to the best and the brightest, it’s key that students provide a personal perspective rather than the canned image of the U of C crafted by the admissions office. Answer any questions they may have about life here honestly, but try not to overdo the self-deprecation.

2. Walk to the Point: For many, the idea of going to school in a big city seems daunting, but one of the unique things about Hyde Park is how verdant it is for an urban neighborhood. Take a pleasant walk through Hyde Park’s quaint residential areas to the Point, and enjoy an unparalleled view of the lakefront and the downtown skyline.

3. Take them to a frat party: It’s practically a foregone conclusion, and prospies get in for free anyway. But have a better alternative ready for you both to escape to afterward. Make sure to keep a close eye on your prospie; a trip to the emergency room would be an inauspicious start and may even result in a rescission. Or maybe just consider having a night in. Settlers of Catan, anyone?

4. Bring them to your favorite discussion or class: Prospies are allowed full license to sit in on any class, but they have a bad habit of choosing the most yawn-inducing courses available. Let them sit in on a class you know is worth their time.

5. Expose them to some Hyde Park culture: If they’re true pseudo-intellectuals like the rest of us, they’ll love some of the events going on around campus. Whether it’s an a capella concert, a movie at Doc, or an art exhibit at SHoP, show them that Hyde Park can culturally compete with any other neighborhood in the city. You could also walk them through the Logan Arts Center, which is not a part of the official admissions tour.

6. Eat somewhere outside the dining halls: They’ll have hundreds of meals at South, Bartlett, or Pierce in the years ahead. Instead, explore solid and cheap options like Leona’s, Z&H, and the Snail. And for an authentic, if greasy, taste of the neighborhood, bring them to Valois or Harold’s.

The Editorial Board consists of the Editors-in-Chief and the Viewpoints Editors.