A/N: So some of these terms are based off of what they're called at my college.
The first ones I can think of so far:
Jumpstart: The name of the introduction for freshman and transfers. A weekend of activities you're forced to attend (thumbs up)
Connections mentor: Freshman mentor that helps a student get involved in school activities.
Ring by spring: The horrid misconception that you have to be engaged by spring. Freshman dating period and hook ups began as early as the first week of school. It's sad but true. BTW's I'm at a Nazarene school and this is happening. lol!
Buck had been excited about his senior year of college. He was trying something new this year. The first two had been with him arriving early to campus for Basketball preseason training. He enjoyed playing the game, but after tearing his ACL last season and having to go through surgery and physical therapy, he was not in a hurry to injure himself again.
Instead of basketball, he had applied and was hired to be a connections mentor for the incoming freshman and transfers. Buck was generally a welcoming and positive. Hardly anything could make him act serious.
He sat in the shared apartment that he and some of his former teammates lived. The dark haired boy had been going over the schedule for the first weekend he was supposed to spending time with his small group. His co-mentor Amy had left an hour ago to meet up with friends.
Buck had known Amy since freshman year, and while he liked all girls and would flirt constantly, he took his job and professionalism seriously. There would still be jokes made, but he wouldn't do anything inappropriate. He was immersed in his reading that he didn't hear the door open or the chaos that came in. Chris and Nathan had been arguing about the new coach who had the 'audacity' as Nathan had put it, to make Chris sit out of the preseason game.
"It's fine. He just doesn't want me injuring my hand early." Chris said as he grimaced at the offending brace around his right wrist.
"Well like I said, my mom can take care of that down at the athletic training room." Nathan offered.
Chris nodded and dumped his athletic bag next to the table where he sat beside Buck. He gave a loud sigh before shifting to where he could see what his old friend was up to.
"Still busying yourself with that. You must've looked over it a hundred times."
"You would think it was a magazine full of women." Nathan snickered from the kitchen.
Buck rolled his eyes and looked up at his roommates. "Just trying to memorize names is all."
Chris snorted, "The heck for? You'll just have to remember them again with faces. Most of them you won't talk to after the class is over."
"That's not true! I actually want to befriend at least a couple of them. Since you'll be gone next semester."
Chris rolled his eyes.
Since Chris was the only senior graduating on time in their little group, it only left Nathan who was a junior. Their other friend was a grad-student who lived down the hall connecting the apartments. He was the building's RA.
"I'm sure anyone else on the basketball team would be willing to make up your third next year so you can have the apartment again." Chris grunted as he got up to get himself something to drink from the fridge.
"I like all the boys on the team. It's just that," Buck shrugged, "they won't be you. Plus I don't think they'd be as accepting of me bringing girls into the apartment."
"We kind of just ignore it." Nathan murmured.
Buck tossed his eraser at the tall African American boy who easily dodged the flying projectile.
"Good thing you didn't try out for baseball." Chris snorted.
"I was ten, and I used to dream about hitting a homerun. Being thrown into the game with no experience on a really good team shouldn't count."
Chris shrugged.
They had met one summer when they were ten at a baseball tryout. The program didn't do cuts, so after the teams were posted, the two found that they were on the same team. While Buck was all things enthusiastic and ready to learn, but had little skill for the sport. Chris was in his second year and was guaranteed a spot in first string.
Buck tried his hardest every practice, but whenever it was game time, he was always on the bench. Chris had noticed the boy's hidden disappointment. It was against rules not to play every player every game, so Chris told the coach that if he didn't play Buck and the rest of the boys who hadn't seen playing time then he'd sit on the bench for the rest of the season.
Fair to say they lost that game, and Buck had struck out. Some of the other boys had been successful in hitting the ball though.
Chris took to teaching Buck how to hold the bat and swing. He also taught him how to throw and catch. The two became close, and after the season ended, Chris decided it would be his last year playing baseball.
The two worked hard to find a sport that the both of them could do, and finally in middle school, made it on the basketball team together. They were unstoppable, and moved on to the same high school and from there State University, home of the Warriors.
Later that night while Nathan was in his room studying, Buck came into Chris' room. The blonde ad his earplugs in, listening to his ACDC track. He pulled the buds out of his ears when he saw his friend. Buck didn't move further into the room but just stood against the door jam.
"I don't want you to not play." Buck said seriously.
Chris frowned in confusion and sat up in his bed.
"What are talking about?"
"Dude I know you." Buck sighed, "I know that you're not trying to get better. Prolonging everything by not getting your wrist checked out."
Chris played with the straps on his brace thoughtfully.
"All I'm saying is, is that you better be out there good and healthy for that preseason game because I'm taking the boys of my connections group to the game. I can't brag about a friend who's on the bench."
Both boys laughed.
Chris nodded after a while. "Okay, I guess I can do this if you promise me something."
"Sure."
"No girls over for the first three weeks."
Buck snorted but nodded.
"You act like I actually plan for those things to happen. Animal magnetism my friend."
"Yeah well turn it off. I don't want to hear about some freshman girl over here."
"I'd never go there. Their heads have already been filled up with rumors of 'ring by spring'. Not out to break any hearts."
"Course not."
The next was when the freshman arrived and connections finally began.
Buck happily helped the freshman boys move into their rooms while the girl's team helped the freshman girls.
The boys he had helped were already full of energy, ready to cause trouble and late night runs for migraine relief for their RAs. Buck chuckled at this as he came back down stairs to help another arrival. There were two boys at the door, struggling to bring in a fairly big flat screen TV. Buck moved to help them.
"Need a hand?"
The younger looking of the two almost dropped his side in surprise, but Buck caught it just in time.
"Sorry, yeah that'd be great." the boy smiled in appreciation.
"Which floor?"
"Third." both boys answered.
Buck took the TV by himself, letting the two to grab other bags as he made his way up the stairs.
"I couldn't believe there wasn't an elevator." the younger looking boy said as he gasped for breath by the time they made it to their floor.
"Need to get in shape kid. This here in nothing. Wait until you have classes on the fourth floor. That will be a great work out for your gamer body." Buck snorted.
"I work out." the boy muttered his reply.
"Which room?"
"Uh, I think it was 327."
Buck stopped outside of a room that had name tags on the door.
John-David Dunne. Vincent Tanner.
He looked back at the pair.
"I'm assuming that this is both of your guy's room."
The younger looking one nodded. "I'm JD. I don't like going by my full name, but I was named after my dad and grandad."
"Vin, not Vincent." was all the other boy said.
Buck didn't think he said much of anything. The two were definitely a mismatched pair.
"Well I'm Buck Wilmington. Welcome to State."
"What year are you?" JD asked curiously.
"Senior, though I won't be graduating till next fall."
"How come?"
"JD, maybe you should let him go and help other people who might need help getting their stuff up to their rooms." Vin said in a quiet voice.
"Oh yeah, sorry for holding you up. Thanks again."
Buck smiled, "Any time."
He turned and began walking back down the hall when he paused.
Both names had sounded familiar to him. Then he remembered why. Both boys were in his connections group.
Part of him wanted to tell them, but figured the boys to be busy with unpacking and getting settled, he thought it would be a nice surprise.
Making his way down the stairs, he smiled to himself. It looked like he was going to at least have a few interest boys in his group.