Tips for entering college freshmen
 

what could i do that would help me out? what shoudlnt i do?

give tips about making life easier in college, getting chicks, and anything else.

For me, it was don't slack off, screwed me my first trimester, but got my ass in gear on the second. The fact that I never went out to get drunk helped me at least, don't know about others. If you want to pass your courses, and you got some lectures, read your notes right after class when it's still fresh in your memory. Meeting women, I'd probably suggest joining a group that is in school. Don't know so much about getting a steady relationship if you join a frat, dunno though because I never felt like joining one. Main thing is don't slack off!

get to know your professors and gsi/ta's. that's huge.

make sure you go to class and do the work.

party hard, but work harder.

if you have to get a job while at school, try to get one that allows you to study while on the job.

do whatever you can to get along with your roommate, even if you hate him. a neutral atmosphere in the room is better than a tense, negitive one.

drink good beer if you can afford it, but still learn to drink the crap.

to get party girls, join a party frat, and there will be drunk chicks looking to score galore. but if you're looking for quality, well, you'll have to figure that out on your own, i still haven't.

try not to get caught up in the fact that you're on your own for the first time and can do whatever you want (ie. staying up till the buttcrack of dawn every night and skipping classes).

make friends with your neighbors.

play nice.

only drink and do drugs in places you know you won't get caught. last thing you want is an MIP or drug charge. especially if it's from being caught in the dorm.

if it's communal showers, shave/trim your cock and balls. it'll make you look bigger.

don't gamble with more than you can afford to lose.

febreeze is your friend.

what college are you going to?

If your living in a dorm, get to know the people on your floor, esp. your roommate.

I know you will hear this a lot, but its the truth, get involved in something. I know so many people who only have a couple of friends because they arent involved in anything. Good way to meet chicks too.

Take advantage of your meal plan, eat plenty.

If your gonna go Greek, find a fraternity that accepts you for who you are, not what you want to be. And not all frats are party frats, try to find out the reputations of the ones your interested in.

Go to the big parties and look for hotties. You'll figure out who throws the good parties that everyone goes to, and skip the shitty ones.

When you're done with classes for the day, go right back to your room or the library and study/work until you're done, no excuses, stop only for dinner, and finish everything. Then go out and party hard, and limit the drinking if you have a class the next day.

Get on your roommate's good side before you get on their bad side.

I am a college administrator, so skip past this if you don't want to hear from one of the Straights.

Otherwise, the two most important things you can do are as follows:
1) KEEP UP. Do whatever it takes for you to keep up with the readings, the assignments, the test studying, whatever. Everybody is different, and some people require less effort to keep up. Therefore, you can't judge your ability to keep up in comparison to your buddies that want to blow off the second test. Find out how much prep and studying you need and stick to it. College moves at a breakneck pace, and you CAN NOT EVER catch up if you fall behind. Also, the profs don't give two flying fucks whether you learn the stuff or not; they'll flunk you without losing any sleep.

2) GO TO CLASS. If you are receiving federal financial aid, they may pull your grant/loan if you have an excessive number of absences. Also, research (and my personal experience) shows that the very first sign of a student in trouble is excessive absences. Not every student that misses class is in academic trouble, but nearly all students in distress started out by skipping classes.

Neither of these guidelines will interfere with your ability to party and sow wild oats, but don't let those things interfere with your need to keep up and attend class.

Find a good prof to help steer your course-they know what courses are quality, etc...and what you really need to get out of college. I got hella lucky, and met my advisor in my first term, but don't stop looking until you find a good one. Don't worry about your major until you need to.

Be creative with your room. If you can get a couch in to a small dorm room, not only will people love you, they'll stay and visit too.

Go to class and take notes.
Get a bike, and try to use it instead of driving as often as possible.
Drugs are for suckers.
Colleges often offer lots of free entertainment and other stuff for students. Take full advantage.
Go on road trips whenever you get the chance. It ain't so easy when you're all grown up.
Get involved with a campus group you find interesting.
Most (but not all!) professors just want you to parrot their opinions in tests and papers. Do so, but don't forget what you REALLY think when you leave class.
If it won't kill you, wound you, or cause you to fail a class do it. You'll avoid a lot of regrets that way.
If you need to get a part-time job, get a campus job. They're cushy.
sk

Well, here are my (random) thoughts on college. I am a senior who might graduate early next semester, and I have seen perhaps more than most college students.

Be very carefull about drinking/smoking in the dorms. Some RA's are awesome, and some just seem awesome until they bust you. Better to do that stuff at a friends apartment.

If you are nice and outgooing, you will make lots of friends easily enough.

I think EVERYBODY goes through some degree of culture shock when they hit college. Just try to be nice and understand where everybody is coming from. A diverse group of friends is the most interesting kind.

Try to find direction. If you know what you want to do, start focusing on it. Otherwise, take a broad range of classes that will help you decide where your likes and abilities lie.

Take the time to talk to professors, esp. in the department you eventually choose to major in. They will respond well, and can throw many unforseen opportunities your way.

Don't take freshman history your first semester. At least at my school, it is the single most failed course. Wait until you get your bearings and understand college a little more.

I would not recommend taking a huge courseload your first semester...you can get in over your head before you learn how to juggle that many college classes. But if you have to over load on classes, better to do it while they are still easy, because they will only get more difficult.

It is good to take classes that you want/need but are only available at one particular time whenever you can get them. Save some of the general classes that are offered at multiple times so that you plug in gaps in your schedule with them and avoid scheduling conflicts.

No 8 am classes. Ever, for any reason. Even if you get up early. After you get used to the college life, your body clock will probably shift about six hours later, regardless of how late you stay up now.

Pimp our your room, but don't over crowd it or it will become impossible to clean.

Get an apartment as soon as you can. If you move in with some other people, you can probably get a place for as low as 150 / month.

Watch college movies like Animal House and PCU.

Remember quote from them like: "Women. You're a freshman, so they are pretty much out of the question."

Actually, girls are pretty easy to come by in college, they (and guys) come out of their shells and shed most of their....inhibitions. If you are nice, and friendly, you will meet some. If you are creepy, the word spreads like wild fire.

Join a co ed club. They are a great way to meet all kinds of neat people, and the older people in the club will show you the ropes and introduce you to a lot of things. For me, the fencing team has been awesome (Imagine drunken, naked, saber fecing, and huge team orgies. really).

Don't discount anybody who isn't a bad person. Just because someone is a little annoying, or thinks differently from you, doesn't mean you can't be friends with them. Although you are under no obligation to become good friends.

Don't look at too much porn. Focus on school and the real thing.

Start watching wierd movies like: The Substitute, Don't let me Die on a Sunday, Adaptation, Brazil, Rocky Horrow Picture Show, Pi, etc. Appreciate said movies. Get women and dance the time warp with them.

Don't worry about being, or seeming liek a nerd. Nerds are, in many ways, venerated at college.

Party girls are fun, but the nice ones who don't associate w/ frat boys can blow your mind, if you give them half a chance.

Don't join a fraternity until you really know what you are getting into. At some schools, frats are the norm. At mine, the fraternities are hated because they are filled (for the most part) with the stereotypical asshole frat boys who do creepy things to girls. But then again, at my school, something like 2 percent of the student body is greek.

Sority girls are often easy, but if you sit back and watch them as a group, you will probably be amazed at the way they can all act/dress the same.

If you have problems with your roomate , talk to him about them. If his dirty socks really piss you off, tell him to clean them up. If you don't bring up your differences, they will only get worse until you have a huge falling out.

Instant messenger is the only way to keep track of everybody you will meet

Don't smoke shitty weed.

Don't pay more than fifty for 1/8 oz of KB. Make sure it is good.

Keep control. When many of my friends hit college, they went overboard and flunked out within a year.

Don't sleep with a girl for the first time if she is drunk!!!! It might not seem like a big deal, but just don't go there. If she is interested in you, she will fuck your brains out when you are both sober. If not, and it's the alcohol talking, then you are an instant rapist.

If you experiment w/ other drugs like acid/ mushrooms be very carefull and do it for the first time with someone who is experienced.

Don't bring a girl you are interested in to a frat party unless you are in that frat. Trust me, it's just the wrong atmosphere.

If you are under 21, just don't try to buy alcohol. Instead have an older friend pick it up for you. It sounds stupid, but it's relevant anyway.

Get a bicycle. Ride it places.

If you have a car, take it to school with you, even if you have to park it way off campus. It is a road trip enabler.

Don't get wasted unless you are around people you trust.

Debt is a college students worst enemy. trust me on this one, it can really sneak up on you.

Your professors can be awesome, dynamic people. They are free to express their thoughts and feelings, unlike in high school. Some of them even smoke up w/ the students.

If you don't do drugs, don't feel pressured by their constant presence. That's one of the great things about college. You can do what you want.

People can go to the same school, but live in completel different 'worlds'. They are all there for you to explore as long as you keep an open mind. One of my friends can't understand why everybody just sits around and plays video games in the dorm all day. Most people don't, but those are the kids he hangs out with.

Have fun

Damn good advice from all of you. Wish I had this info back in the day.

My best advice is GO TO CLASS. Skipping is tempting but it will put you -that- much more behind. If you have to miss, make friends with people who are good note-takers and ask if it's alright if you make a copy for that day. Make sure you have notes from all your lectures and study until you are comfortable with the material. Don't cram for exams!

If you have a rough start in a course, especially a large lecture, don't hesitate to contact the professor or your TA (GSI). They will be more than happy to help you. Take advantage of office hours they give.

College is a lot of fun and a lot of responsibility! Good luck!

Lots of good stuff. I just finished up my first year.

Important thing to remember is that college is what you make of it. Things don't just fall on your lap. If you want something to happen you've got to cause it.

Besides that here a couple of good habits that helped me:

- Leave your door open if you are in it and maybe hang some interesting pictures on your door/wall. You'd be amazed at who you meet and the type of friends you can meet just invoking a conversation at your door way.

-Make friends with those who you live with. This is important.

- Talk to upper classmen as far as class choice, good professors, and stuff like that goes.

Other than that, have fun.

Decent advice by all that I have read thus far, I just graduated myself from college so I'll toss some more advice your way, mostly whats been said before but I'll say it maybe a bit differently.

Never take a class before 9:30 if you can possibly avoid it.

Don't take physics/any form of math/any form of chemistry the same semister. (take 2 of the 3 or 1 of the 3 but never 3 of the 3)

If your school has respectable frats look into them, most rewardign expierence of my life - but the greek system where I went is not the norm from what I gather from friends that went elsewhere.

Class is important, you'll soon figure out how often you have to go though. - I got by without going to a lot my senior and 5th year (no I didn't dick around and drop classes and thats why I took 5 years, I graduated with 140 hours and no one that was in my department finished in 4 years).

Watch your finances, you will spend a shitload more than you expect your first few weeks.

Don't be shy about going out and having fun - meet a lot of cool people that way.

Go to class and do the little homework assigned. It may seem like a pain, but three hours of class is nothing compared to actual real world work.

Get to know bartenders. I don't care what college you go to, bartenders are cool. Be one if you can handle it and class.

Have LOTS of sex. It is fun

Party your ass off, they will be your most fun years of your life...so don't waste them.

Use a condom.

Date tons of women when you are younger, but try and settle down in your senior year. Most people meet their future spouse in college.

Better hope he's not going into engineering. :)

Finishing my second quarter all out on my own, I can tell you one thing, GO TO CLASS. And, when your done with class, finish your god damn homework!

It's a lot harder than it sounds, especially when you find a good source of booze.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have another 9 hours of work to do to make sure I pass my math class. God I wish I had done this shit a month ago.


-Leviathan

This is a life saver. (two words?)

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/index.jsp

Instead of asking around at the end of a class, go online and look up information on possible prefessors that you cna take. Choose wisely, it will make the difference in having a good balance of easyness/ learning, instead of having shity profs.

screw every good looking chick you have the opportunity to. if you dont, you will be kicking yourself for years after college. probably for the rest of your life it will be "what was i thinking?!" as you load up titty forum and begrudgingly look at your hand.

just use a rubber.

dont get arrested. nothing is worth your loss of freedom

Everybody has posted some real good advice.

My only suggestion would be to keep up on your paperwork. If you're on financial aid it's important to make sure you keep the wheels greased. Get in touch with your advisor and ask if there is anything more you can do to make it easier.

And you can't emphasize enough GOING TO CLASS AND KEEPING UP.

I would also advise take a course you're sure to like that first semester. I know sometimes you don't have a choice, but mixing good classes with the bad classes helps the whole experience.

do your homework then go party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

other wise u just fuck yourself

although it's not my post, I just wanted to say thanks to everybody who's replied to this, being an incoming freshmen next year myself

As some people have stated before..

Learn about the professors you are taking.. find out the good and the bad about each professor.. A good professor can make even the worst subject enjoyable, and a bad professor can ruin even the most interesting of subjects.

(and be wary of www.ratemyprofessor.com ... I had a teacher that actually logged in there and "rigged" his own stats...)

Lots of great advice here. I think the only thing that I would add is that while college is designed to be academic learning, be prepared to learn a lot more than just what comes from a text book. Be open to new thoughts, ideas, and adventures, and have a lot of fun while meeting new and interesting people. Congratulations!

I agree with what Dan said

Here's one no one's said. Don't be a fraid of change. I switched my majors halfway through college. 2 years of courswork, largely wasted. Why? 'Cuz i was BORED. I was uninterested in something i thought was gonna be great. But, I found something better, so all is well. Don't be afraid to explore new areas. If nothing else, it'll get GE's out of your way! ;) And, even as far set back as I was... I'm STILL gonna graduate on time!! :D ;) So, good luck, guys.

yea. keep up. dont pullsome slacker bullshit like myself. bad stuff. study the material as u get it. no last minute crap. be prepared to invest 20x more effort in college than HS (at least for me. i didnt' do anything in HS).

avoid bad blood in your hall or w/your roommate. unecessary drama is no fun at all.

learn reps of each greek. everybody's out for themselves. watch your ass. realize that everyone you meet is wearing a facade. dont relax your guard till you know wat you see of em is wats true.

www.pickaprof.com

its the same kinda thing as ratemyprofessor.com except it gets its statistics from the school... and has a place for comments from students...


go to class... EVERY DAY its half the battle... if not more...

all you can eat cafeterias are awesome... but beware the "freshmen 15" try to go to thE RECreaTION center its a great way to relieve stress and meet people (or just watch the chicks on the tread mills :P)

make it a point to visit your professors during their office hours... even if you dont have any questions of problems... just them seeing your face outside of the classroom will help you out tremendously, theyll know yo ure putting in the extra effort and come grade time youll find yourself with a better grade (usually)

Gotta agree with most of what's been posted, but to boil it all down to 4 academic items:

1. GO TO CLASS - it's 10 times better to go to class in sweats with a ballcap on and snooze in the back row and not take notes than it is to skip.

2. TRADE YOUR NOTES - study using yours, your study partner's, that girl in the front row's, etc. Somebody wrote down that crucial fact that you missed.

3. GET THE OLD EXAMS - Professors re-use their old exams 90% of the time.

4. STUDY IN THE LIBRARY - too many distractions in your room.

Damn! I thought this thread was gonna tell how to get your willy wet on campus.

You know...tips for <b>entering</b> college freshman. ;-)

You want tips for getting your willy wet? Here's the biggest secret: TALK TO GIRLS!!!

Seriously!! Talk to every girl you see. Flirt with the lady in the luch line, the librarian, the girl sitting next to you in class. I don't mean overtly, just have fun and try to make every girl you interact with smile. It gives you practice so when it counts it just flows naturally and you don't build up this barrier in your mind when it is time to approach a girl.

Second biggest tip to get girls in college? Be seen with girls. Nothing raises the interest level of girls like seeing you with a girl. Walk into a bar with a female friend who just happens to be hot and all the girls suddenly gain interest in you.

Now, my one real college tip. Study something you love. Find something you really WANT to study that you will be eager to learn about and major in that. Don't worry what anyone says about job market or what your parents want you to do. Chances are your major will have nothing to do with your job anyway. Soak up knowledge like a sponge! There is nothign wrong with university studies until you figure out what you want to do, or even not entering college for a year.

Last bit of advice, get a minor or double major and tack on an extra year. Best 5 years of your life!

Find a senior or beter yet a graduate student and get close to them. They can tell you wich professors to avoid, what kind of test etc. Also they may be able to get you in for earlier appointments so you can snag the classes at the times you want
Nothing worse than missing a class you need because they are full up.
See if your school allows you to audit classes. You can find out if you like a course before having to pay for it, or maybe take a course you want but don't need to graduate and don't want to pay for.
Find a major and stick with it.
Good luck.

damn.... lots of these things can be applied to just hanging out here on the TFP.

Randeroff,

Thanks, I'm just about to register for my first semester!

Don't fuck off, parties are cool, but study when you need to, pass your shit or it will kick you in the ass. Trust me I know. I lost a full ride to a $24000 a year school, now I'm playing out of pocket.

Thats my point - when I was going through I was in Engineering, and that will kill you - spread it out over as long a period as prereqs will require.

Just go and have fun, thats all college is about. You can study your ass off, never go out, work work work, and at the end of hopefully 4 years, you'll have a degree that you realize did nothing to prepare you for real life. But whatever you do, do not, and i repeat, DO NOT, get a girlfriend until senor year, if at all, and never one back home if you are going away to college. There is just too many women and too much going on to be tied down. Sit back, relax, enjoy the experience for what it is, your last chance to laugh and be semi-carefree before real life slams into you like a mac truck.

Oh yeah, and listen to shadrocks first 2 tips, little pearls of wisdom those are.

Don't get all your generals out of the way immediately like many advisors tell you to. Take them over the years spacing out your harder courses if the University you attend will allow it.

The first 4 weeks of college can set you up for the semester so work your ass off. Starting out with A's makes life nice. I drank and took the intro classes like the advisor said and screwed myself by not trying hard.

Another nice thing about spacing out the generals is you meet new people every year. When you're in engineering or comp sci female interaction in your upper level classes tends to dwindle.

Lookin at my first semester, and I AM engineering, so I have all 3....And one of them may be an 8 or 8:30....

What do you guys recommend me to do? I'm not going away for college (I'm staying in NYC), and my ex-girlfriend who is also my best friend is still in the city because she is a senior in highschool. What should I do with this situation? Is it worth talking to her still? Is it worth still trying to get some once college starts?

Well you are just screwed then.

This seems rather specfic for this thread BUT sure why not still talk to her? I mean if she IS your best friend then keep her that way. On that note, yea, chase alot of college tail too.



And now I will say an ingeneral thank you to those offering advice. I too am going to be a freshmen this year. It shall be a trip I know. I just have to go about it one day at a time I suppose.

Go to Class. You might be able to skip on readings but not class.

Get to know everyone living around you. The wierd guy down the hall might not seem as cool as the guy next door, but you do not know him yet. Network as soon as possible. This helps with doing stuff off campus and getting things like sports organized.

find a place to study in case your room gets to busy or the hall gets noisy.

Dont be the guy with the cool toys. People always want to use them and bug you and dont leave you alone.

Go to the cafeteria with different people. You will meet people they know.

If you like having friends, dont get a serious girlfriend.

Take some GEs before you decide what you will major in.

Never let stress get to you. If you screw up, learn from your mistake and do not trepeat it.

Do not live with any friends in the coming years that you know are bad with money or are irresponsile. You will pay for it.

I thought these deserved extra stressing...

Wow, this is some great advice. That's one thing I've noticed about these boards: people actually take the time to respond with something worthwhile (except my own post). Nice work.

I'm with Drager...on most boards if you post anything longer than two lines everyone will just say "too much reading." The advice that people give on this board is greatly appreciated!

tell her the truth - you don't know what's going to happen once you get to school - and leave the choice up to her.

Don't expect anyone to push you because if you do, you will not last long.

In English class, when your writing on some themes take the oblique approach to the subject. IE, I had had to write on women's rights, so I proposed we repeal womens right to vote and make them slaves, since women stated voting the country has gone to Hell.
A first year English intructor gave our class to write to the oblique, since he had read enough of, near death, favorite vacatin stories, and etc.
He also said that insructors become caught up in the content and will miss many techincal errors.
It served me well, as I never had less than a "B" on any papers I wrote.

Re: Tips for entering college freshmen
 

A lot of alcohol... but only if they're women...

But seriously, party only on Fri, Sat, study, do your homework, and go to class. It works out good if you find someone to study with in each class, cuts the study time down, and makes it enjoyable...

Everyones advise is good. I was a little different and it payed off.I met a girl who took impeccable notes,and paid her to photocopy them for me and paid her as well.This way I could concentrate on listening to the professor,absorb what he was saying and remember it.I also had a little recording machine and taped the lectures.I did all the required and supplemental readings and studied with my little friend to bounce ideas off each other.

I also worked fulltime teaching private music lessons and gigging and my friend was amazing to help me out. If it wasn't for her I don't think I would have graduated.It wasn't one sided though,I paid her 300-400 dollars a month so she didn't have to work.

One piece of advice I do have.Listen to your professor.You wouldn't believe how many people are focused on writing down every word that comes out of their mouths. This is somewhat humerous when a prof goes off on a tangent talking about his summer vacation and half the class are writing down every word.

1st Off.
YOU WILL MISS CLASS, heres how to somewhat make up for it.

Find the People Tape Recording The Lectures and sit by them (there is always a few of them), and start recording the lectures with them. Now here is the genius part, when you miss lecture just ask one of them if you can borrow their tape from they day. Since you are a fellow recorder they will be ok with it, and they will ask you for your tapes when they miss. If you are screwing off you can listen to the lecture at least. If the professor posts the lectures to his website even better.

***RECON***

Do a Little Reseach in choosing classes, it will pay off big time.

ALWAYS GO TO A PROFESSORS WEBSITE BEFORE YOU TAKE THE CLASS.

Find out what book is being used, go to the library and look it over. Different Profs use different books, look at what each section is using for a book.

IF THE PROFESSOR IS NOT TO YOUR LIKING ON THE FIRST DAY CONSIDER OTHERS. YOU CAN GO TO JUST ABOUT ANY CLASS ON THE FIRST WEEKS AND LISTEN TO THE SPILLS. Or Go talk to them before hand. Good Professors Make going to class and paying attention a lot easier. This wont work if there is only one section, or one prof teaches them all.

Be Realistic, Be Prepared.

Get involved in a big way in some activity- don't be afriad if they thrust you up to some level that you think you are not experiencved enough for or somesuch - just go with it. College upperclassfolk are always looking for freshmeat (pardon the pun) to step up to the plate, show their talent, and take over various responsibilities and organizations around them. Becoming one of those folk gets you well liked, well respected, and well connected to folk who may end up becoming friends for life.

Remember, college is NOT a time of personal growth. It is a time of preparation for the amazing and wonderful personal growth you will go through when you get out. You are learning how to learn, adapt, and do well in the outside world - the real big adventure. Take advantage of everything around you to arm yourself for the journey ahead, and don't fall back into the complacency of "I'm just here to figure myself out and experiment" - while to some extent this is true, I don't think anyone truly can figure themselves out until they're confronted with the realities of life in the real world rather than school.

wow! all this info is really helpful and will prove to be helpful when im off to college, thank you so much.

Be careful of reputations. DO NOT come on to ANYONE in your first 2 weeks unless they make the first move, or you'll find that you're the college sleaze. DO buy the upper year students in your dorms a few beers the first time you see them at the tav. They'll buy you a few later on, so your money isn't gone, and they'll like you a hell of a lot more than the other freshers. This is very useful, not just because you have mates in the high years, but also because you just might score their notes and assignment solutions

Now that you have an upper-year friend, use the bastard. Ask about all of your lecturers, ask for help in your units, ask for text books they might be able to lend you. And don't forget to keep the beer flowing, so they know that helping you out pays. I'm not really talking about bribes or being a whiney little fresher who does nothing but ask for stuff and buy beer...make friends, but remember that they can be useful for uni stuff, and are usually more than happy to help, because first year wasn't that long ago for them.

There is only one way to study for exams: PAST PAPERS. They are a gift from above. If they're in the library, great. If they're not, it's probably because the examiner doesn't change the paper each year, so ask someone who has done the unit before if they can remember any of the exam questions

A minor one: if you know you're going to have a particular lecturer for many units, get to know them. Try and join their sporting team, or go to the same pub if they're young, or even just talk for 5 minutes after a couple of lectures. Knowing your lecturers, and more importantly having them know you, is invaluable.

Never, ever, EVER tell racist or sexist jokes. Even if you're just joking, and they're your friends, you never know when a self-righteous arts student is going to attack you, and believe me, there's no pretty way out of getting attacked by a self-righteous arts student. Besides, you can generally find a clean (or at least not racist/sexist) joke that's just as funny.

OWN ALL THE FOLLOWING THINGS:
(None of these are optional)
-At least one literary novel, and one book on philosophy. Read and understand both of them. Chicks love to see them on your shelves, but you need to be able to back it up.
-A kettle, at least 4 mugs, and a good supply of tea bags and instant coffee. UHT milk, sugar and teaspoons are also good. If nothing else, it means that you can at least pretend you really wanted her to come up for coffee.
-A swiss army knife. Until you move out of home, and no longer have the kitchen drawers to turn to, you'll never realisehow useful a swiss army knife is. Make sure it has a phillips-head screwdriver.
-A good dictionary and a good thesaurus. They'll help your essays to no end.
-A spare can of deodourant, toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste in your backpack, at all times, for those occasions when you thought you were going out for 10 minutes and didn't get back 'till Thursday
-At least one bottle of really good alcohol, for special occasions.
-A 6-pack cooler, for bring-your-own parties
-How to be a Man by John Birmingham and Dirk Flinthart

DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS:
-A TV. Sounds like a good idea, but you'll waste way too much time. If there's something you really wanna watch, find a communal TV (common rooms for 24, a pub for sports). It's more fun that way anyway. There is one exception to this rule: if you have an old (and I mean Atari 2600 old) game console, bring that up. It's great fun for getting pissed and having a few games of space inavders or Pong. But for god's sake, don't bring your X-Box. Not only will it eat your whole first year, you'll also never chase the crowd out of your room.
-A single condom within easy reach of your bed. Many a man has been spared from a very big mistake in the time it takes to walk across the room and back.
-Any porn mags. Ralph & FHM are cool as long as you don't try to hide them (if you leave them lieing around, people will believe that you read them for the articles), but you'll get a real bad rep with chicks if someone finds a copy of "XXX Shaved Shags" under your bed. Get your porn online.

(pursuant to the porn thing: if you ever get control of someone else's computer while there are girls in the room, do a search on their hard drive for "*.mpeg *.mpg *.jpeg *.jpg" and watch the mongrel sweat)

Great thread. I'm glad I read it.

don't be a drunken asshole.

The single best piece of advice I ever found about college is this
"Show Up"

I've heard it from famous people and schleps, read it in books
and magazines and had a chance to apply it myself.....if you ever get a class that grades on a curve showing up guarantees a passing grade.......studying after that is just icing on the cake



Study hard and you might learn something

Great advice in this thread. Been a very good read, as I will be a freshman at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the fall.

try to buy your books used online, saves a ton of money. If not there then find a message board at the college with returning students selling or renting books. Buy everything in cash, no credit cards.

Don't Burn out, and don't miss the tu v. OU game or the tu v. Texas A&M game :)

Unless it's absolutely required, never, ever take a 1 credit class. They are all a waste of time.

1. Get a couch. People will love your room for it.

2. CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF! One of the biggest problems I've had with roommates is them not cleaning when it's their turn, and not cleaning up after themselves. They tend to think that their roommates are their moms and will clean up after them if they don't do it. Be cool and give them time to do it though. You will not have the same schedule as your roommate(s), so you may not know if they've had time to do something that day or not. Give them a few days or a week to do it before you complain about them not doing it, especially if it's an exam week.

3. Immediatley upon moving into the dorms, if not beforehand, sit down with your roommate(s) and set rules. Set a cleaning schedule of who will do what each week or two weeks or whatever. Always be sure you do your share of the work. Set the rules which your roommates and yourself will follow. An example is not to come in wasted at 3am waking up your roommate(s) more than once a week or something (one of my buddies had a problem with his roommate doing that every night). Have everyone sign it and give a copy to each roommate. You might want to give a copy of this to your RA too. That way they have a copy and can see what your rules are when they dispute an argument between you and your roommate(s).

4. ALWAYS be RESPECTFUL of your roommate(s)'s stuff! You don't want your stuff bothered or broken, so don't bother theirs unless you have permission. Set it in your rules that you have to have permission to use the other person's things unless it's something like the TV and couch. There was a guy down the hall from me my first year that kept breaking his roommate's cpus, bicycles, etc and then saying he didn't remember doing it due to being drunk. It got him kicked out of the dorm, but not after he caused a few thousand dollars worth of damage.

5. Be repectful of your roommate(s)! ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO STUDY! If they're studying and they ask you to turn down the music or to put on headphones, DO IT! And turning it down one single notch won't cut it! The best bet is to wear headphones when you want to listen to music when your roommates are studying. STUDYING has PRIORITY over EVERYTHING! You're paying to go STUDY in College, not just to have fun. Make sure you're respectful to them when they study.

6. Make sure your friends respect and follow the same rules you do when they're in your room. If they act like it's only the one guy's dorm, remind them that you live there too, and since they're guest, you can kick them out at any time. Don't wait until they've had their way for most of a semester or so before you do that either. One problem I had with one of my three roommates was that his friends would do whatever they wanted in our dormroom without any respect to the other two of us. They acted like it was just that one roommate's dorm, and since he didn't mind, it meant that they had the final say in our dormroom. It had gone on for so long with us just ignoring them that when we finally did need to kick them out, we almost had to call the police to get them to leave.

REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE LIVING THERE SO DON'T ACT LIKE IT! (and don't let your roommate(s) act like it either!)

If you don't have a car, find someone who does. Just go to class... you'll do much better if you just go... (I know it is hard...TRUST me...)

-Get along with your roommate. Not getting along with the person you're living with makes life miserable.Even if it's a pain for you, deal with it. Unless your roommate is an ass, he/she'll do the same for you. Example: My roommate went to sleep at about 1 almost every night, except for weekends. I tried to get all my computer work done by then, so I could move out into the common area. I got my work done, and he got to sleep. He did the same thing for me (though generally in the morning... I don't think I went to bed before 2:30 most nights).

-Don't wait till the last minute. I have trouble working on things until the night before they are due. I ended up averaging 3 all-nighters per semester. When you take the time to do the work, then proof-read it, have someone else proof it, and repeat this until you're satisfied, you'll have much better results.

-Most schools have writing centers where other students will proofread your papers if you give them a few days. Use this resource! Or, at the very least, get a friend to read your papers. Getting another opinion will only help your grades.

-If you have an all-you-can-eat style caf, take whatever food you want back to the dorm. Bread, milk, cereal, all that stuff that you would otherwise buy, can be easily acquired from the dining halls with the help of a water bottle and a backpack.

-Explore your campus. Most campuses have some sort of underground tunnels for electricity, water, etc. These can be fun. Same thing with the roofs of buildings. Note: don't do this under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Then you do stupid stuff, and get caught or hurt.

-Try new things. Always wanted to go skydiving? White water rafting? Do it! Just make sure you don't tell your mother until after you get back...

-I have to disagree with TIO about the TV... bring one if you have one. Just don't bother with cable, make sure you have a vcr or dvd player to go with it. That way you can watch movies with your friends (or a friend ;)) and not have to deal with other people. Sometimes you'll want to use the public tvs, but other times you probably won't.

-Do things on campus. The more activities you do, the more people you get to know.

-Have fun!

-Don't have too much fun during the week or sunday night...

Everyone reacts differently to being at school. Last year was my first year, and some people take it harder than others. I really was fine. I didn't have any trouble getting used to living away from home. However, one of my friends had a major breakdown at the beginning of the second semester. She's probably returning for the second semester this year. So don't let the stress get to you, and watch out for your friends. If they seem like they're having a tough time, help them out.

Tips for entering freshmen?

I've found that if you get them drunk enough, they will let you enter them.

Let me give you some advice, from someone who was kicked out due to low grades, so I know what not to do.

- Like everyone said, GO TO CLASS. That simple.

- Do all of your work, and in plenty of time before it is due.

Those were my biggest problems. I skipped classes everyday, and often didn't due work until the morning it was due, when I did it.

- Find friends wherever you can.

The best thing to do is keep your door open all the time while you are there. You would be suprised how many people will just walk in and introduce themselves.

- Find groups that interest you, and join as many as possible

I worked for the campus radio station on and off for my two years, and it was my favorite part of college, outside of several athetic memories.

Finally, do what you want to do. If you can get there somehow, go. If you enjoy doing something, do it. Even better, find a club that does it. Or even create your own, as most schools have ways you can do that easily, and often with school money.

Basically, enjoy your time there, and remember that you are spending SOMEBODY'S money to be able to go, so never forget your real reason to be there; graduate.

Re: Tips for entering college freshmen
 

Tips for entering college freshmen...

Well I would ask them first before entering them.
They may not like it and take offence.

Basically, you need to make sure you're well-known to your Profs and GTA's....just being a familiar face won't cut it if you need to pull off something big - like making up a test because you were too hung-over to get out of bed (and you weren't too sure whose bed it was, just that she was cute!)

Other than that, there's been a ton of good advice thrown at you already. Make sure that you remember girls' names - ESPECIALLY the ones you've had a "bunk-up" with - because they get quite pissy if you don't.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

This is awesome advice, I am glad I read this so I will be kinda(but not really even remotely close) to being prepared in the future

I would like to thank all of you who have contributed great advice to this post, I know I will keep these things in mind when entering college.

y'all have a blank transcipt goin' in. take advantage of it.

GO TO CLASS. I know it's been said, but it cannot be said enough, so i'm gonna say it again. GO TO CLASS!! Yes, you can ditch a day or two, but not frequetnly, because you WILL be lost. Go hung over. Go sick. Go Dying. I'm serious, you NEED to hear and see this stuff to understand it. and what the prof teaches is what he wants regurgitated. know it.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK. "But the prof doesn't collect it" DOESN'T MATTER. "But it's not graded" DOESN'T MATTER. "But it's boring!" "DOESN'T MATTER. If you've got homework (this applies more to the maths and sciences, not sure about english/arts), you NEED to do it. 'Cuz 1/2 hte probs on your homework, you're gonna see again. wanna know where? Exams.

Take advantage of tutoring, of common study times, of that upperclassman sitting in the corner of the labs. if you ask nicely, they'll probably help you with your homework. And if they're in a major specific lab (Like our CS lab), they've more than likely had the class.

ok how do i meet my neighbors if they are all in their rooms watching tv? i know i'm horribly socially inept(i got social anxiety disorder but i'm workin through it) i want to make friends in the dorms but i really don't know how. I'd also like some suggestions if you have them on meeting girls if you don't drink(don't make me explain this one). thanks for your guys advice so far by the way if i didn't like it i wouldn't ask your opinion now.

You want tips for entering college freshmen?

Okay....here goes.

1.) Get them drunk. They get horny when they're drunk.

2.) Get them back to your place.

3.) Get them on film. It's nice to remember the action once you both sober up. Or YOU sober up - there's no guarantee that the freshman in question will stick around when she sobers up.

If you do it that way, they won't come back to you.

If their doors are open, just walk up, knock and introduce yourself. If they're friendly, go ahead and talk a while, maybe join them. Just make sure you get to know them. It's weird when you see the same guy in the hall for two years and never learn their name.

Remember, before anything else, school comes first, because without success in school, your not gonna be ablet to go to that college anymore, and your not gonna have the chicks and the parties. You see what Im saying? Also, dont try to meet girls at parties too often, sometimes it works (usually for a blow job), but its best to have a more mellow atmosphere if your looking for a decent girl.

Pretty cool that asking for advice ended up helping so many more people (including myself).

Thanks The_Dude for asking the question and everyone else for responding!

holy crap, this thread is gold.. forget that, this forum is gold.. really, I can't think of another forum that I'd get advice this good from. I'm gonna print this thread and reread it when I get to college next fall. I'm pumped now :D

I did the whole college thing a couple of dozen years ago, but now I'm back... so I've got a little perspective.

In the dorms, go to bed by the same time every school night. Call it at 11:30 or midnight or whatever makes sense and turn in. No matter what's happening out in the hallway. Close the door and turn out the lights. My dorm was great, a party in the halls every night. And some guys just couldn't make themselves leave it -- until maybe 3 or 4 in the morning. They didn't do so well.

Like others have said, ask around with the sophmores about profs they've had for classes you'll have to take, too. Avoid the losers.

If you're even thinking about going on to grad school, save every class syllabus you get. Some grad school credentials admins are real assholes; sometimes they won't count a relevant course toward grad school admission requirements because the course title is a little vague. If you're in the right and you've got the syllabus to shove in their faces, they'll back down.

Save all the course catalogs, too, the ones that talk about requirements for each major. In case requirements change in midstream, you want to be able to show whoever gives you flack that you did fulfill the requirements _as they were when you entered._ Most of the time, this will work; not always.

Find out where else you can buy textbooks besides the college bookstore. An off-campus bookstore can save you some money. The mark-up's always higher on campus.

Dorms are one of the best places on earth for making a lot of friends quickly. Enjoy yourself, but note that having a serious relationship inside a dorm is kind of like getting it on in a fishbowl. Everybody knows _exactly_ what you're doing.

Woody Allen said 90 percent of success is just showing up every day. Don't forget to do that. Do your assignments. You'll get by.

I'll be honest with you- I am sure you've heard the whole "college-sexfest" thing- well, it's pretty true. lol
Keep this in mind:
Be yourself.
Be there for the work, not the chicks.
Make sure your studying what you enjoy- I mean truly enjoy.
Don't feel bad about changing courses/your major.
People do it all the time.
Keep happy and focused.

We I am in my first year right now and I have a few words of advice for you.

MAKE FRIENDS with people that you can help out and get help from. I met a guy that did nothing but try to make me do his assignsments for him,

Get along with your dorm mates because chances are you will have to move to an apartment next year and need someone to share a room with.

Study study study. That is a no brainer. Do the work even if it is not collected. It help hell you tons.

I was going to add something, but I think its all pretty much been said. Play hard, study hard.

Great thread! :D

If the colledge you are going to have dorms shared by 2 people. And if the residence admintration pair people up by having them fill out a form about themselves. Then under the personal weakness section never ever write down ur problems if u dont want to get a roommate that has the same problem.

For example, I wrote down shy, so they gave me a anit-social roommate. And now I am trying to transfer to another reisdence.

Btw, can anyone tell me the defination of a loser?

I didn't read all the responses and there were probably quite a few I wished I followed. The best suggestion I can give: GO TO CLASS, ALL THE TIME! I passes 10 hours of French, requiredt to take, did not pass a single test, and passed both five hour sections because I ws there every single flipping day. I also worked my butt off on the work but I think the Prof saw me there every time and knew I at least tried.<p>To reiterate Go to class.

Bump. Thanks for all the info! Talk about great reading :-D

learn to study... most major exams my friends and I start studying a week or so before to get all the material learned

I'm pretty sure the guy who wants the advice isn't going away for college so therefore i doubt he'll be living in a dorm. I live at home and the only parties i go to is of people i know and most of the time its just bars and stuff no real 'frat type' partying. What's different in living at home vs living at a dorm in college?

Take advantage of financial aid...I'm getting a $4000 grant, which will help out with my $525 monthly rent.

Go to class...I have a hard time doing it, but it helps

I'm going to college in a few weeks and to be honest you guys have scared me. I hate alcohol more than just one thing, and that's drunks. You guys make it seem like the main fun factor is partying with drunk girls... if that's unavoidable then I might cancel my admission. And no offense to anyone, but it makes me sick to think some of you think it's fun to not only get wasted, but to take advantage of women. I may be a dork, but quite frankly I'll never miss college; I can't wait for it to be over.

dalnet22,

I can see where you are coming from. When you start college you will met a lot of people. Many are there to party and get drunk. But there are others who are very serious about being there. Your not alone when you go to college, unless you chose to be that way.

mmm... actually I've found the ones on the eliptical machines are usually hotter ;)