Salt River Tubing

Every weekend you find yourself doing the exact same routine of waking up, going to the pool, having a good time but for some reason you feel like this upcomming weekend should be different. While brainstorming new things to do, one of your friends suggest that you get a group together to float the salt river. At first you say, "What? There's rivers in Arizona??" Then your friend explains what floating the river really entails and you decide to make a facebook event so you can invite all of your friends. You reserve a Big Orange Bus for the upcomming weekend and it's set, 15 of your closest friends will be joining you. The day arrives and you bring all the essentials, beer for everybody that is 21, rope to keep everybody together, bed sheets to cover the tube (prevents rash), sunscreen, and plenty of water. Once you get there you realize how good of a decision it was to plan this trip. Everybody at the river is in a great mood and ready to float the day away. You rent tubes and begin 4 hour trip down the river. The feeling you get while floating with all of your good friends is pure happiness. In most circumstances it would bother you to be outside in 112 degree weather but this is the perfect situation for such circumstances. After about 2 hours all the beer is gone and you don't kno what to do. Then, all of a sudden you see a lonesome cooler that has been pinned against a rock by the current shortly after a set of rapids. (somebody obviously didn't tie down the cooler lol) You paddle to the cooler and find 8 more brews for you and your friends that are of age. You spend the entire day bonding with your friends, you meet some new ones as well and you tan darker than Jersey Shore. What more could you ask for?

Advice: DON'T DRINK THE WATER!! Wear plenty of sunscreen, and remember to pace youself while drinking. There is something about the heat that intensifys the effects of alcohol so try to drink a bottle of water inbetween drinks. And don't forget the rope. Without it you are guaranteed to loose at least few members of the group.

Pool Party!!!

It's a 147 degrees outside and you decide on staying in today because your still too tired from last night and it's not even safe to be outside in that kinda weather. Then your roomate runs into the room wearing an onsomble consisting of multi-colored swim trunks, undersized arm-floaties, party beads, sunglasses, a snap-back, no shirt and flip flops. At first you give him a confused look then he shouts, "POOL PARTY!!!" and at that very moment your day/life becomes destined for success. You rush to get ready while your roomates and other friends jump around pregaming to "Shots!" by LMFAO and Lil' Jon. After about 30 minutes of collecting and notifying people of the maddness that is about to occur your convienient big orange bus (tempe's best&most affordable taxi cab service) arrives to ship you to the facebook event "Jamie's Fuckin Birthday Rager Pool Party Hosted by DJ Circle of 101.1 JamZ". On the way there you openly ask the 15 people in the cab "So, who knows Jamie?" Everybody waits a moment and burst out in laughter and you realize nobody knows Jamie and as you arrive you can tell it doesn't even matter. You had attended birthday pool parties at friends houses and the local rec center growing up but the images unfolding infront of your very eyes had never been imagined by your innocent little mind. As you look around you realize stuff like this is why you chose ASU and it doesn't even matter that it's hotter then a blow dryer in a sauna. There are beautiful women dancing and holding red cups everywhere you look and a kid hanging upside down from the rim of the basketball hoop mounted on the side of the pool. Life couldn't get any better. After partying your ass off and working up quite the appitite you see the pizza man dropping off what looks like enough pizza to feed the entire football team and you dash over to grab a few slices before they're all gone. You get your pizza fix and notice you've darkened about 5 shades since you arrived at the party. At that point you know unfortunately...it's time to go back home and get some rest before you go out again that night.

Advice: Take as many pictures with your friends and random people as possible. After a while all the partying starts to blend together and it becomes hard to differentiate the all of the events you attend. Also, nomatter what time the facebook event says the party doesn't actually start til 2:30-3pm (anybody who partys hard enough won't be able to get up and get to the pool by noon or 1pm. Fact.)

A Mountian

Your parents just left town after moving you into your freshman dorm and this rush of freedom runs ramped through your mind and body. You just met a few kids from your floor and all anybody wants to do is go out and explore your new surroundings. Not being familiar with campus (one of the largest in the country) you don't know where to start the "journey" with all of these new found friends. Then somebody picks up a flyer for the annual white washing of the A on Tempe Butte (A Mountain) and there it starts. The "A" on A mountain is one of, if not the most recognizable symbols at ASU. Every year the school organizes a freshman gathering where everybody climbs the mountian and paints a small part of the A white. I remember it was 109 degrees my first journey to the summit and I learned a valuble lesson: Always bring water and a sweat rag. There's a certian feeling you get while your at the top and it's not just dehydration. Not only can you look around and see the entire campus, Mill Ave, downtown Phoenix, and mountians in the distance but some would argue you can see your future. I compared that initial feeling of being at the top to what Rocky must have felt like at the top of the staircase in Philidalphia. As you look out you realize alot about yourself and it serves as one of the first surreal moments your likely to have while attending school. I met alot of friends that I'm still close to today at freshman gatherings and hiking A mountian was one of the most fulfilling.

Advice: Meet the people on your floor and use going to the mountain as a bonding experience. Don't forget to invite the shy kid at the end of the hall (he might just become a good friend) and even more importantly the cute girl/guy that lives next door (you might just find a "cuddle buddy").

About the Author: #CapitanSwag

My name is Alex Henderson. I'm 21 years old and I'm a senior at the best college in the world...ASU!!! I'm originallty from Minnesota but like many others I couldn't bare the cold winters any longer and thats why I decided to attend ASU. First off, I want to say deciding to come to ASU was by far the best decision I've ever made in my life. I had extremly high expectations of school before I moved here and I must say that the things I've experienced at ASU are unimmaginable. In my 3 years here I have become a seasoned party veteran while maintaining a 3.0 GPA. (B's get degrees baby!!) Basically I know how to party my ass off and still make it to class, nomatter how hung over I might be. This detication to school and partying has given me a vast knowlege of some ins and outs of ASU and the surrounding area that I wish to share with incomming frehsman, transfers or anybody else who wants to know 'Whats up?'. Most of us will attempt to graduate in 4 years and trust me, you don't want to waste any time going to the wrong parties or events becuase you'll look back and wish you could have that time back. You only live life once so get out there and PARTYYY!!