Camping during Orientation Week at Bowdoin College

After unloading bags, claiming beds and kissing parents goodbye, the first thing every Bowdoin first year student does upon arriving at the college is camp out in Farley field house. Walking into the enormous indoor track, I was taken aback by how many people had already set up sleeping bags and were already making friends. As scary as it was to be in a room without knowing anyone, the air of excitement was infectious. I set off to find my pre-Orientation group. Upon their arrival, Bowdoin sends new students on trips around Maine. Each trip has 8-10 people, along with two upperclassmen leaders, and range from kayaking to hiking to community service at a local town. I had opted to do an intensive backpacking trip, and looked around for the sign â€Å"Saddleback Hiking.† I found my group, and, bonded by our mutual wish to give off a good impression, we began chatting the night away. Sleeping in the field house was uncomfortable, but could do little to dampen our spirits, and before long we were off into the great outdoors. Over the next four days, we pushed ourselves mentally and physically traversing the beautiful Saddleback Mountains, all the while joking, laughing and discussing our previous lives. We were all from different cities, states (in my case, countries) and backgrounds, and we wiled many hours away learning more about each other. Eventually, after a grueling final day of hiking beginning at 3 AM, we made our way down to be picked up by the bus. Though I was glad to be going back in a real bed, I was also anxious. I had only met my four new roommates for a brief moment before being whisked away, and had no idea what they were like (despite much perusal of their Facebook feeds). I arrived back on campus and my floor mates filtered in one by one. Once we had all arrived, Orientation Week officially began. Orientation Week was a hectic series of functions designed to acclimate us to our new school. Between the seminars, plays, speeches and tours, we came back to the dorms everyday exhausted but exhilarated, as we were all becoming fast friends. The most important thing to come out of this period was registering for our fall semester courses, which would start the Monday of the next week. Shortly after starting classes, it became clear to me that college would be very different from high school. Though I am lucky to attend a school with wonderful professors and facilities, the workload and material were much harder than I was used to. However, I enjoyed the challenges presented in my new courses, and everyone I met seemed to love what they were learning. Before I knew it, the first month had passed. While it was several more months before I felt completely adjusted, Bowdoin had quickly become home. ​Written by Brendan Malley, a rising junior at Bowdoin College. Are you looking to apply to Bowdoinor just starting to build outyour college list? Make sure to search through profiles of students accepted to see essays, stats, and advice.Choosing where to go to college is an incredibly important decision. Make an informed choice by talking to current students on ourmentorship platform. Access 60,000+ successfulcollege application filesuploaded by college students. is a community of students helping students. See how they got in, and how you can too!

Mithridates and the Mithridatic Wars

Mithridates and the Mithridatic Wars While still a child, Mithridates, later King Mithridates VI of Pontus, official friend of Rome, developed a reputation that included matricide and a paranoid fear of being poisoned. Roman Treaties - Information on What Is Meant by a Friend of Rome During the Roman Republic, competing military leaders Sulla and Marius wanted the honor of disposing of the greatest challenge to Roman supremacy since the Punic War general Hannibal Barca. From the end of the second to the middle of the first century B.C, this was the long-lived Mithridates VI of Pontus (132-63 B.C.), a thorn in Romes side for 40 years. The rivalry between the two Roman generals led to the  loss of blood at home, but only one of them, Sulla, confronted Mithridates abroad. Despite the great battlefield competence of Sulla and Marius  and their personal confidence in their ability to check the Eastern despot, it was neither Sulla nor Marius who put an end to the Mithridatic problem. Instead, it was Pompey the Great, who earned his honorific in the process. Location of Pontus - Home of Mithridates The mountainous district of Pontus lay on the eastern side of the Black Sea, beyond the province of Asia and Bithynia, north of Galatia and Cappadocia, west of Armenia, and south of Colchis. [See Map of Asia Minor.] It was founded by King Mithridates I Ktistes (301-266 B.C.). In the Third Punic War (149 - 146 B.C.), King Mithridates V Euergetes (r. 150-120) who claimed descent from the Persian King Darius, helped Rome. Rome gave him Phrygia Major in gratitude. He was the most powerful king in Asia Minor. By the time Rome had annexed Pergamum to create the province of Asia (129 B.C.), the kings of Pontus had moved from their capital in Amasia to rule from the Black Sea port city of Sinope. Mithridates - Youth and Poison In 120 B.C., while still a child, Mithridates (Mithradates) Eupator (132-83 B.C.) became king of the area of Asia Minor known as Pontus. His mother may have assassinated her husband, Mithridates V, in order to take power, since she served as regent and ruled in her young sons stead. Afraid his mother would try to kill him, Mithridates went into hiding. During this time, Mithridates started ingesting small doses of various poisons in order to develop an immunity. When Mithridates returned (c. 115-111), he took command, imprisoned his mother (and, possibly, ordered her execution), and started to extend his dominion.After Mithridates acquired Greek towns in Colchis and whats now the Crimea, he developed a strong fleet to hold his territories. But that wasnt all. Since the Greek towns hed overtaken proved so lucrative, providing resources in the form of revenue, officers, and mercenary soldiers, Mithridates wanted to increase his Greek holdings. Next page Mithridates expands his empire Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Print SourcesH. H. Scullards revised version of F.B. Marshs Roman World 146-30 B.C.Cambridge Ancient History Vol. IX, 1994. Also on this site Gaius Julius CaesarGaius MariusSullaTimeline of the Late Roman Republic Previous Articles -I tell the tale that I heard told.Mithridates, he died old.From A.E. Housman Terence, this is stupid stuff