Brenna O'Connor

Graduate Student, Nazareth College

Major: Literacy

Hometown: Walworth, NY

Coolest place in Rochester: Starry Nites Cafe, especially because of the live music.

Advice for freshmen: Be prepared for the workload, it's very different than high school.

Favorite place to study: Lorette Wilmot Library

Favorite place to eat off campus: Aladdin's or Charlie's Frog Pond on Park Avenue

How she stays active: Nazareth has a free gym for students, I also like to hike at Cobbs Hill Park

Favorite place to shop: Eastview Mall

Yusuf Abdi

Sophomore, Monroe Community College

Major: Mathematics

Hometown: Rochester

Favorite thing to do on campus: Play cards with friends in the commons.

Favorite thing to do on the weekends: Hang out with friends at the Marketplace Mall food court.

Favorite place to eat off campus: Buffalo Wild Wings

Favorite place to shop: Marketplace Mall

How he stays active: intramural sports

Edgar Daniels

Sophomore, Monroe Community College

Major: Mathematics

Hometown: Rochester

Coolest place in Rochester: Cyberstorm Lounge on West Henrietta Road.

Favorite place to eat off campus: Grand China Buffet

Favorite place to study: In my room at home, because I can't study around other people.

How do you stay active: I dance anywhere there's music.

Favorite place to shop: Marketplace Mall

Princeton Fleth

Incoming freshman, Monroe Community College

Intended Major: Computer engineering

Hometown: Rochester

Coolest place in Rochester: Charlotte or Hamlin Beach

Favorite thing to do when it gets cold: Have snowball fights and build igloos.

How do you stay active: I ride my bike to school every day. It's 8 miles each way.

Favorite place to eat off campus: Caribbean Mexican Grill on Dewey Avenue.

Ashley Dehond

Incoming freshman, Clarkson University (taking summer classes at MCC)

Major: Undecided

Hometown: Rochester

Coolest place in Rochester: The festivals, especially the Corn Hill and Park Ave festivals.

Favorite thing to do when it's cold: Go to Bristol Mountain to ski.

Favorite place to eat off campus: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Favorite thing to do on the weekends: Play soccer, hang out at Java's Cafe, or The Little Theatre.

Frances Andreu

Senior, Binghamton University (taking summer classes at MCC)

Major: Creative Writing

Hometown: Rochester

Coolest thing about Rochester: The lakes

Favorite place to eat off campus: Cantonese House

Favorite thing to do on weekends: Hiking at the parks and walking in Mendon Ponds Park.

Advice for freshmen: Do your homework. Partying is fun but you're here for school.

Favorite place to shop: Barnes & Noble

Jay Ricciardi

Junior, University of Rochester

Major: Communications and Media Studies

Hometown: Bolton, Massachusetts

Favorite thing to do on/off campus: Bike. I like the canal trails.

Advice for freshmen: You don't have nearly as much work as you think you do - and go explore.

Favorite place to study: The old stacks in Rush Rhees, because no one usually goes there, and it's like a tome of books.

Favorite place to eat: California Rollin'

Favorite way to stay active: Biking - it's not boring stuff, like you would get in the gym.

Favorite place to shop: Wegmans, because I only buy food.

Favorite place to hang out with friends: Boulder Coffee. Java's is always a hotspot.

Favorite place for entertainment: Movie theaters - all of them. The Dryden has a lot of kind of out-there movies.

Gerardo Viza

Fourth-year grad student, University of Rochester

Major: Getting his doctorate in physics

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Coolest place you've found in Rochester: Letchworth State Park (in Castile). The scenery's just amazing and it's free if you go at the right time.

Favorite weekend activity: Rochester Korean United Methodist Church (English ministry)

Advice for freshmen: Learn how to study. There's so much to study, but you have to learn what to study to do well.

Favorite place to eat: The Rochester Public Market is great, Wegmans is great. I like bringing in food.

Favorite place for entertainment: Kodak Hall - they devote a lot of time into their presentation. It's awesome to see their heart for music.

Favorite place to go dancing: Tango Cafe.

Lubaba Hasan

Take Five Scholar, University of Rochester

Major: Microbiology

Hometown: Potomac Fall, Virginia

Favorite thing to do when it's cold: Go to Hirst Lounge in Wilson Commons and watch it snow - it's like a reverse snow globe.

Favorite weekend activity: Rochester Public Market - get some coffee, get some breakfast, just lounge and people watch.

Advice for freshmen: Read that course catalog and find the classes that sound interesting. The best classes I've taken here were with the professors that people like the best. Major in something practical, but minor in something fantastical.

Favorite place to study: The PRR in Rush Rhees. It's a beautiful place. Except during exam time when everyone's there.

Favorite places to eat: John's Tex-Mex, Young's Korean, and Lento

Favorite place to shop: Public Market or South Wedge Farmer's Market, because I like food.

Favorite place for entertainment: The Bug Jar. It has really cool indie bands and lots of variety.

Louisa Gag

Senior, University of Rochester

Major: Sustainable Development

Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts

Favorite thing to do on campus: I like campus activities - it feels like there's always stuff going on.

Coolest place you've found in Rochester: High Falls. It's striking, it's nature, it's beautiful - it's a cool neighborhood, too.

Advice for freshmen: Get involved, don't worry. Freshmen year is a very individual experience and things are going to change a lot before you graduate.

Favorite place to eat: Magnolia's Deli & Cafe.

Favorite way to stay active: I like to run outside. I go along to river. You can do loops depending on how far you want to go.

Favorite place to hang out with friends: Outside of Starbucks Danforth brunch, on the sorority floor.

Favorite place for entertainment: I like to watch movies in Gleason Theater and sometimes I go to the ones in Hoyt. Going to shows in Strong.

Favorite place to go dancing: On the Frat Quad.

Pat Single

Senior, University of Rochester

Major: Business

Hometown: Syracuse, NY

Favorite thing to do on campus: Playing basketball in the athletic center.

Favorite weekend activity: Usually doing football or track - some type of athletics.

Advice for freshmen: Your past doesn't predict your future unless you let it.

Favorite place to study: Mostly I like talking with people, so Gleason's a good place to go.

Favorite place to eat: Jay's Diner. Whenever you want you can just go in there and grab something.

Favorite way to stay active: Play varsity sports.

Favorite place for entertainment: Rochester Red Wings baseball games.

Favorite place to go dancing: Frat Quad. When people are old enough, going downtown to bars and stuff.

Seulgi Chu

Graduate Student, RIT

Major: Fine Arts

Home country: South Korea

Coolest place you've found in Rochester: Tim Horton's

Favorite thing to do when it's cold: Go snowboarding at Bristol Mountain

Favorite weekend activity: Going to the movies at Regal Henrietta.

Advice for freshmen: Use your school facilities as much as possible

Favorite place to study: Wallace Library

Favorite place to shop: Eastview Mall

Ryan Muckel

Junior, RIT

Hometown: Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Favorite thing to do off campus: Go see a Red Wings baseball game.

Advice for freshmen: Work is important, but find free time for yourself or you won't make it through the year.

Favorite place to eat on campus: Crossroads

Favorite place to stay active: Campus fitness center

Favorite place for entertainment: Tennis courts

Favorite place to shop: Wegmans

Eddie Zamites

Junior, RIT

Major: Multidisciplinary

Hometown: Rochester

Favorite thing to do on campus: Play basketball at the Student Life Center

Coolest place you've found in Rochester: Tully's on Jefferson Road

Favorite weekend activity: Going downtown with friends.

Advice for freshmen: Don't fall behind in your work, it's impossible to catch up

Favorite place to eat on campus: RITZ Sports Zone

Mark Ellison

Senior, RIT

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Victor, NY

Favorite thing to do off campus: Play volleyball at Charlotte Beach or Hot Shots (on University Avenue).

Coolest place you've found in Rochester: Sticky Lips Pit BBQ on Culver Road.

Favorite weekend activity: Volleyball tournaments

Advice for freshmen: Don't be afraid to talk to people.

Favorite place to study: Fourth floor of Wallace Library.

Favorite place to eat on campus: Salsarita's Fresh Cantina in RIT's Global Village.

Adidya Sharma

Graduate student, RIT

Major: Computer Science

Home country: India

Favorite thing to do on campus: Go to the gym

Coolest place you've found in Rochester: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on Court Street.

Advice for freshmen: Enjoy everything your school has to offer.

Favorite place to eat on campus: Crossroads

Favorite place to shop: Marketplace Mall

Favorite place to go for entertainment: Relax at Charlotte Beach.