'Community'

For those of us on the seven-year plan for our associate's degree, there is a certain something that makes us not want to turn off Community, the new comedy airing Thursdays on NBC. And while that "something" could be that it is remarkably funny or well written, the honest truth is that it's more fun than studying for our third try at Latin 101. (Seriously, tempus fugit, professor!) And any time you can get Chevy Chase and Joel McHale to take Spanish from a guy named Senor Chang, you'll get an A for effort. Trust us, the prerequisite for a good time is inviting your friends and neighbors to our Community party!

Setting the scene:

The Group Study Room at Greendale Community College is a horrifying blend of glass, industrial carpeting, long wooden tables and chairs meant for standing. But community college itself is so much more: primarily a confusing array of offices and forms. Pick your local C.C. and hand-make signs for the admissions office, registrar's office and financial aid office. Hang pennants, diplomas, parking tickets - it is a community college, after all - and admission packets on all the walls. The key is to have as much college-related paraphernalia as possible, and that includes a corkboard wall covered in fliers for everything from "Roommate Wanted" to "Used Books For Sale" to "Open Mic at the Union." Make sure they have plenty of tear-off tabs. Copy as many campus maps as you can and hand them out during orientation (as soon as everyone arrives). Give everyone a spiral notebook and No. 2 pencil along with the Cliff's Notes to "Hamlet."

Attire:

Back to school, of course! Suggest cardigans, college sweatshirts, college baseball caps, sweatpants and sneakers. And in a nod to Pierce Hawthorne (Chase), a nice turtleneck under a sport coat.

On the menu:

Serve huge 48-cut pizzas on a table set up as the bookstore's book sale. Use old textbooks and notebooks as the decorative element.

On the hi-fi:

Adult Education by Hall & Oates, Chalkdust Torture by Phish, Army by Ben Folds Five, Graduation Day by the Beach Boys, Going Away to College by Blink-182, Hot for Teacher by Van Halen, Mark Me Absent by the Clash.

The showstopper:

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