This week: Listserv Madness 

Dear Backpage,

I’m a new student here at Whitman. I’ve been having a great orientation so far (I only called my RA “mom” twice!!!), but there’s one nagging problem. Like most of my classmates, I went to the Student Activities Fair and I signed up for all kinds of great clubs. But now, my inbox is crowded with emails from more listservs than I can count! What am I supposed to do? How do Whitman students deal with all of their emails?

Please help! Thanks,

Overwhelmed Oliver

Hi there Overwhelmed! We here at the Backpage are more than happy to share a few tips so that you can keep up with the exciting world of listservs:

• Remember, all the email listservs that you signed up for at the Activities Fair are binding legal contracts that require your participation in those clubs. Stay on top of things – each club retains legal counsel in the event that you miss a meeting. You do not want to deal with Slam Poetry’s lawyer!

• YOU MUST READ EVERY EMAIL THAT YOU GET. We really can’t stress this enough. The simple fact is that Whitman listservs are only used for the most critical information. You’ll never find a listserv that’s being misused for inside jokes and personal conversations, that’s for sure. If you’re looking for the most exemplary clubs in terms of listserv management, check out Climbing and Ultimate Frisbee. Those folks are all business all the time, which you already know if you signed up at their booth during the Activities Fair!

• Make sure you reply all! You don’t want to antagonize your section-mates by forgetting to describe in minute detail why you’re not at section meeting (hint: “I didn’t want to come” is always a valid excuse). There’s no worse feeling than being left out of the loop, so keep people informed!

• Last but not least, be sure to check out Whitman’s Listserv listserv! For every email that you receive, this handy listserv sends you an additional reminder email to check your email! How cool is that? You can even email this listserv at [email protected].

We hope we’ve relieved some stress, Overwhelmed! Check back soon for more Whitman survival tips!