By Saturday night a crowd of freshmen will be teeming outside Thurston Hall, nervous energy palpable and sexual curiosity surfacing. And Sunday morning the first walk-of-shamers will return, filled with stories of upperclassmen, clubs and hook ups they may or may not regret come Monday.

Hooking up, whether for the night, the month or the semester is almost a rite of passage in college. And it will likely put you in some compromising, hilarious or downright embarrassing situations along the way. Lucky for you, The Hatchet gathered advice from the upperclassmen who graced the halls of Thurston, the seats of Mai Thai and the back row of the Vern Express before you.

DO follow the music and the crowd.

Sophomore Rendy Mao said he was at Eyebar freshman year when he saw a girl he recognized. “So I approached her and we just started to dance. I gave her a little smooch and then before I knew it she pulled me against the wall . . . we attracted so much attention that everyone in the club was looking at us, including one of my friends who gave us the thumbs up.”

While you may not go to Mao’s extreme, hanging out at the “it” spot will force you to meet new people and everyone is there to have fun anyway. No icebreakers needed.

DON’T forget about tomorrow.

Don’t think you will be exempt from the awkward situation of seeing a previous hook-up while in line for a latte the next day. “Don’t forget, you never know who you’ll be running into for the next three years,” sophomore Maria Cimporescu said, reminding freshmen to make their next-morning exit in a classy way. At least, say goodbye before you run out.

DO come in with a clean slate.

“Don’t even try to save it,” sophomore Ava Taylor said of remaining in a high school relationship. “I know that’s kind of harsh, but the odds are really against you.”

DON’T leave your friends behind.

Tannaz Hosseinpour, a sophomore, pointed out that whether you are just hooking up or in a relationship, support and stability from friends is always critical.

“Unless [your relationship] leads to marriage, you’ll be a loner in sophomore year,” she said.

DO utilize the city.

The District has a lot to offer, so get creative and use that to your advantage.

“I think the best place to take a date in D.C. is by the waterfront,” junior Tarek Mansour said. “You can get ice cream and dinner by the Potomac, and then walk up to Georgetown.”

DON’T forget to be a gentleman.

Sophomore Katherine Cunningham said she really enjoyed the classy and thoughtful dates she went on with someone who shared her love of music. One date led them to the Kennedy Center where Joshua Bell was playing.

“He said he had an extra ticket, which he wouldn’t let me pay for, and he took me to dinner as well,” she said.

DON’T forget about safety.

Hooking up with someone can be fun, but also a potential health risk.

“Sitting in a hospital waiting for STD results is not fun,” Hosseinpour said, but quickly added, “If you don’t like condoms use the vibrating ones. They please both.”