As NSO begins, you may find yourself a little nervous about adjusting to the college lifestyle. But fear not! One of the key ingredients to having a successful first year at Trinity is to get to know your Resident Mentor, or RM. A solid relationship with your RM is one of the most essential components to having a successful year. To start off on the right foot, here are some tips to keep your relationship running smoothly.

Cause problems with other first years (particularly in your hallway). This may seem counterintuitive, but remember: there’s no such thing as bad publicity. If you cause enough problems among your fellow residents, you will gain name recognition. As the word spreads, your RM will be sure to hear about it and remember who you are twice as fast. Do this well enough and they may even ask you to have a private meeting with them one-on-one. See, you’re already getting special treatment!

Constantly call them. Once you’re on a first name basis with your RM, be persistent about following up with them. It’s their job to assist you in your transition to campus and be extra available to your needs. Use this to your advantage and call them every time you have a question. Whether it’s about their opinion on what you should have for lunch or if you just need to know what the name of a particular campus cat is, nothing is too small. Beginning college is a difficult journey, and there’s no need for you to figure things out on your own when there’s an upperclassman with valuable experience at your disposal.

Foster a close friendship and you’ll be getting to know your RM fairly well; they may even begin to acknowledge you when they see you stumbling around on campus. At this point, you can safely assume that you are going to be lifelong friends. To speed this process along, assure them that you want to be BFFs by asking them to hang out with you as much as possible. (If you want to take it a step further, “coincidentally” attend all the same parties that they do, so they can’t make new memories without you!) Don’t worry about appearing desperate or needy; they’re literally paid to spend time with you!

Bribe them. Sooner or later in a first year’s life, you’ll find yourself in a sticky situation where you need your RM to help you out. Start planning early, because when this moment comes, you will need to have to have the advantage. Pay close attention to what your RM likes, so you can come up with a suitable bribe in a flash. If you’re unsure about what to get, food from Mabee dining hall is a great fallback option. Most upperclassmen don’t include Mabee in their meal plan, so they’ll bend over backwards for a sample of such fine cuisine. Slip a plate into their room for them to find. They’ll be so grateful that they’ll do anything you ask!

If all else fails, use blackmail. Once again, preparation is key. Let no detail escape your notice. This works best if you enlist the help of your hallmates: take notes on your RM’s behavior and then compare them. Your RM is only human, and eventually they must slip up and make a crucial mistake, leaving them vulnerable to your threats. You will be ready. If you don’t have time for this long-term option and need dirt on them in a flash, don’t be afraid to plant contraband in their rooms and then threaten them! They’ll take care of any problem you have immediately to get you out of their hair. Genius!