As a new year begins, idyllic College Park memories come to mind. Midnight DP Dough orders, awkward run-ins at McKeldin, Maryland sports, and trips to route 1-ah--all what it means to be a Terp.

But there are a couple of things that aren't so picturesque in our fair city. Besides the food, the crime, and the crappy downtown, it's the shady characters that define this city. They're so essential, in fact, that new residents can use a primer and old-timers can use a refresher. Here are just a few...

The slightly older dude. He randomly appears at the parties and the bars, scamming on the freshmen with the help of a friend. He drinks up all the booze and reeks of ****. These guys usually hit on the drunker chick of the bunch and could be spotted with a heavy chain, talking about his "sick wheels."

The homeless lady who sleeps in your lounge. At first you might not think she's homeless, maybe just a girl who's lost her way. Then you notice she's not a girl at all but a full grown woman. She isn't the type to bother you but her presence does creep you out a bit. An RA is your best hope to rectify the situation.

The random guys outside of Wawa. Sometimes they're smoking, sometimes they're not. They're pretty interchangable but all somewhat familiar. You know they don't go to UMD and on a level it doesn't really seem as if they want to, they're just sort of there. Hanging out. Doing what exactly, who knows? Just don't get into a deep conversation with one. Those that have say it was one of the worst decision they've ever made.

While some of these characters are less threatening than others, they're all still pretty sketchy. Yes, College Park is our own little suburban ghetto, and it's truly the people who help make this city the charmer it is.