When I stepped on to campus two years ago, I only had two questions I wanted answered:

1) When and where do we get football tickets?

2) Why does it smell like baking bread all the time?

Throughout my freshman orientation, I kept asking these same two questions all the time but no one had a good answer for me. So as a service to all those freshmen who have the same two questions that I did, I will try to answer them.

Every student is entitled to one packet of season tickets for the football season. A packet of tickets costs $108 for Notre Dame students and $144 for Saint Mary's students. Freshman can buy their tickets on August 24 from 2 until 7 p.m. at Gate B of Notre Dame Stadium.

As for that bread dough smell that fills the campus every so often, it's not fresh bread baking at the dining halls. It's ethanol. There is an ethanol plant somewhere near here and when the wind blows in the right direction, the whole campus stinks of ethanol. If you want to know what ethanol is, go ask a chemistry professor.

So you have answers to the two most important questions you have as you start your college careers. My only other piece of advice for you is this: Stop listening to other people's advice. Throughout this week, plenty of people will try to tell you what Notre Dame and Saint Mary's are. Don't listen to them. Discover your college experience for yourself. If you spend all your time trying to do what other people say is fun, you may miss out on what you think is fun.

For me, the Notre Dame experience includes long hours in the basement of the dining hall working on stories while greasy slime drips from the ceiling. I spend days without sleeping so The Observer gets published every day.

I know this is not everyone's idea of a good time. But long hours at The Observer are my favorite thing about Notre Dame. (OK, I take it back. It's my second favorite thing. Watching Notre Dame beat USC or Michigan is my favorite.)

You may find that marching in the band or protesting sweatshops with the PSA is your favorite thing to do. Maybe working with SUB to bring concerts to campus is what makes you happy (if it is, bring Otis Day and the Knights to Stepan). Or perhaps hanging out with your friends and just shooting the breeze will be how you remember your college days. But whatever you do, make your college experience your own.

Don't join the football managers just because your dad did. Don't try out for the crew team just because your brother did. Don't join Flip Side because your RA said it was fun. Look at everything these two campuses have to offer and find your own niche.

• Football, food and finding your way