Once SATs, ACTs and college applications are in the past, undergraduate days of hungover 8 a.m. classes and Fridays off feel like they will last forever.Unfortunately, reality catches up with the easygoing collegiate life, and the option of attending graduate school needs to be addressed.

When should students begin investigating graduate schools?

Now.

"You need to know what's out there. and what you don't know can hurt you," said Dan McGrew of Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.

The personal crusade of anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan that has drawn thousands to the small town of Crawford has also galvanized TCU students.Sheehan, whose son, Casey, was killed in Iraq in April 2004, has camped outside President George W. Bush's ranch in Crawford since Aug. 6. She asked to meet with him for one hour during his five-week vacation, which ended Tuesday.

The protest has drawn continued national attention, and Bush's approval ratings have dropped to an all-time low.

The 5th Annual Rockwall Sprint Triathalon on Sunday featured 14 faculty, staff and students from TCU.Trey Morrison, assistant director of fitness and wellness at the University Recreation Center, said the 14 participants represented the Rec Center, Student Development Services and the swim team.

Ten Horned Frogs placed and seven had Top 10 finishes.

Mary Ellen Miliam, associate director at the Rec Center, said a mass e-mail was sent out inviting faculty and staff to participate in the event.

Though in Fort Worth, some TCU students felt the effects of Hurricane Katrina as it passed through New Orleans and forced family members to evacuate.Ryan Mitsuhashi, a senior engineering major, spent his weekend arranging hotel reservations because his parents, who live in Connecticut just dropped off his sister at Tulane University for her first year, and she fled to Houston to get away from the hurricane.

The start of the school year means new clothes, new classes, new friends and a new system of representation in the Student Government Association.Students are no longer represented in the House of Student Representatives by where they live, rather by class, school and college.

There are 56 seats in the House. Each class gets two representatives, while the number of representatives for the schools and colleges is proportionate to the number of students majoring in that program, said Sebastian Moleski, chairman of the Elections and Regulations Committee.

A university policy dictates that students only have five academic days, including the first day of classes, to add more classes to their schedule. Registrar Patrick Miller argues that this prevents the disruption of catching students up on a week's worth of work.

When students come into classes late "It is unfair to everyone," Miller said.

Unfortunately, the policy itself is unfair to all other students as well.

n front of a roaring, packed house, the Horned Frog volleyball team opened the regular season with a hard-fought three-games-to-one loss, 24-30, 30-23, 22-30 and 19-30, against the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday at the University Recreation Center.Veteran head coach Prentice Lewis emphasized making quicker adjustments as the key for her young team, which consists of 16 underclassman, including eight freshmen.

Head baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle agreed to a multi-year contract extension, athletics director Danny Morrison announced Saturday. Neither Schlossnagle nor Morrison would comment on specific terms of the new contract, but Schlossnagle, who has been at TCU for two years, said he is excited to have to opportunity to continue working with the program.

Morrison said he is excited about the future of the baseball team with Schlossnagle as head coach.

Would I pay less for a larger dorm room with most of the same amenities? Of course I would.I would love the opportunity to live in a lounge, like some students are doing now.

I could make do without a Micro-Fridge or sink if that's what it takes to save $500 in student loans. If I lived in a Brachman Hall lounge, I'd have a full-size refrigerator and kitchen. If students aren't allowed to have hot plates and toasters, however, I imagine an oven would make room inspections difficult.

Pet names. I hate them.As the reporters and editors of the Skiff found out this past Friday, I absolutely hate "pet names." Now, I don't expect everyone to call me by my name, and I don't mind much when people do call me by what many would consider a "pet name," but there are a few that just irk me to death.

I want everyone to take what I say here and personalize it to his or her own life. I think, and hope, you may find some truth in it.