University Advice
 

Just beggining to sort out my schedule for my very first year of university and feeling jitters. Any advice to someone starting down the path?

always have a beer in one hand, and when you get a chance try and get some studying done

Study and get work done right after class, then party all night.

living in dorms, at home with parents, on your own?

relax, and enjoy. Stay on top of school work, but get out and participate in any activities you're interested in.

have fun.

and party!!

I hate to be a kill joy, but learn moderation very quickly.

There's a very overused expression that was told to me during freshman orientation. Look to the right of you, look tot he left of you. One of yo will not be there at the end of the year. You want to make that that person isn't you.

You are in college to get an education so that it helps out your future. Drinking till all hours of the night is secondary.

Pick your friends very carefully.

Your first years classes will have very little to do with your major, but that doesn't make them less important.

If it's your first time away from home, set up a budget and stick to it, mom and dad are not going to be real pleased to be sending you money every few weeks (if they can that is) Budgeting is a skill that will take you thru the rest of your life.

You will get tons of credit card offers. Use one, if you feel the desire, throw out the rest. Credit is not free money. You ahve to pay that back, with a huge amount of interest. See above advice about budgeting.

College is a fun experience, enjoy it. (everything in moderation)

As usual, maleficent gives great advice :)

First semester, get into good habits. I'll echo the advice to get your homework/studing done as early as possible. That way you have more time in the evening to hang out with friends, watch tv, play video games, whatever.

If you're living in the dorm, keep your door open while you're in there. You'll find that people will stop by more easily then if you're behind closed doors all of the time. Be friendly and make friends. College is not fun when you're a loner.

If you're so inclined join a sport or some sort of club. Go to football/basketball/baseball games. Socialize. Find the parties and go to them. But don't be stupid and go to every single party every night and neglect school work. Realize that you're there to get your education. Somebody is paying for this, don't waste their money.

But most of all, have fun and enjoy it!

If you don't already have a general idea of where you want to go eventually (e.g., medical school, teaching, the arts, computer science, etc.) use your first semester to sample a variety of fields, and make ample use of your University's career office - they can help you determine where your interests and talents lie, and that can help you focus your studies.

Once you've found the field you want to be in, identify the professors whose work you find interesting and work as much as possible with those professors. If you can, get one of them to be a mentor - ask them lots of questions, make use of their office hours to talk to them about your work, etc. Don't be afraid to ask lots and lots of questions.

Try to find a good balance between work and play. I know it's an exciting time, being on your own, having new freedoms, but it's also pretty much the only time in your life where your only job is essentially to learn and be curious. I miss that way more than I miss drinking with buddies, which to be fair I didn't do much of anyhow.

Actually GO TO class. Simply signing up, going the first and last day is NOT getting your education. And don't come back complaining you didn't pass the class, if you didn't actually go.

Go to class and NEVER EVER EVER take an 8 am class. 10..at the earliest. Unless you are one of those morning people...if those exist. But, go to class and pay attention, and learn something...you'll be happy.

Oh, and live it up!

Greeks.... look and listen first sem to decide if the greek lifestyle is for you, this also gives you time to decide which Fraternity/Sorority you want to be affiliated with...

Some of us didn't have a choice - we had to take some 8am classes.

Enjoy it, study as much as you need, and don't be afraid to try new things. It's almost certain that you will find someone who you will fit in with.

Don't take 8 o'clock classes unless you have to, or unless you're really perky in the morning, or unless it's something really unimportant.

If possible, try to schedule classes so you have few or no classes on one or two weekdays. That's the time for playing catchup on anything you need to catch up on: reading, papers, projects, project-group or study-group meetings -- anything that's more easily done during the week than one the weekend. Or, if you have to work, that's the day to work the most hours.

If you're in the dorm, you'll note that things keep happening long into the wee hours, even on weeknights. Set a time to go to sleep Sunday night through Thursday night, and keep it. Otherwise you'll fall behind fast and soon be on the bus home to Bakersfield or wherever. A lot of freshmen flunk out because they aren't used to managing their own lives (they've relied on their parents to do it).

There are many fine college professors. There are also many losers. A goodly number of them like to mess with students' heads because of the petty power they have over your (the grade). They would deny this, but as a 48-year-old going back to college, I'm very aware that a lot of profs (most of whom are my age or younger) are putting stuff on the students that they should have handled themselves. I've seen profs who were unprepared, profs who couldn't even get the syllabus together by the second week, profs who forgot to show up for their own finals (that really bummed me because he'd promised anybody who aced the tests didn't have to come, and I had; then he changed his mind, and I had to; then he never showed up! And when I complained to the department, all I got was, "oh, that happens.") They all cover for each other.

When I was 19, the first time through, I bowed to their authority, which is what they all want and need. This time around, I was respectfully questioning of their decisions; not all of them can take that.

So, for any class that's _really_ important, find out everything you can about the profs from people who've already had them. Oftentimes, the newer guys -- the younger professors, the untenured assistants, the lecturers -- are a lot more together and up-to-date in their fields than the old guys who've got their tenure and have decided to stop trying so hard.

Hi, first post ...

If money is a concern, one of your biggest costs will be housing. Often times colleges will pay you to be a Resident Advisor (RA) ... this is actually very good training, and most of the time, you will get a free ride through college (well, you have to work for it). At my school they paid me tuition as well as room and board.

Listen to everyone else, but get involved in the college community. If you live in the dorms, get involved with Hall Government and the Interresidental Hall Associations.

Read everything! I am referring to the books and also the policies, etc. You may be able to get away with taking general education classes you care nothing about at junior colleges (grades don't transfer, at least where I am). As for the ones you ARE interested in, GO. Make friends.

Much, much more. That thing they said about "look to the left, the right?" That's so true ... in some cases they will still be at school, but you know they're a lifer. And not in the good way.

Play a few hands of cards... you never know who enjoys Euchre, Hearts, Asshole, Mao, etc. Oh the fun I had wasting away free time in the cafeteria.

Enjoy what you're doing.. if you're not, switch majors, whatever the cost. It will haunt you later in life the fact that you didn't get the chance to do what you wanted.

Take a Art History, general history or philosophy course. Seriously, they are most likely worth their weight in gold... I can only imagine. I wasn't offered the chance and I wished I had.

Do what everyone else said -- socialize. Meet someone new every day, even. You never know when these friends can help you with sticky situations, or be drinking pals.... which leads me into my question:

Concerning fraternities etc: Why would you pay upwards of a thousand dollars a year or more (rent, dues not to mention wasted study time) to make new friends?

*ducks, hides*. Let the flamewar begin. :)

No flame -- just an observation of the greek system

I investigated a few sororities back when I was at Tufts, and from the information that I could glean, it was building contacts for the future, that upon graduation, you had a network of "sisters" that youc could contact (ie job leads, etc) That it wasn't all about the parties, and getting drunk and you didn't necessarily have to live in the house.

I didn't join because I couldn't find one that was a good fit, personality wise, I couldn't be labelled as a brain, athlete, or party girl because I was all of the above, and there just wasn't a good fit.

Depending on the house, they can be a benefit.

All the advice so far, make sure you listen to it, especially about going to class. I learned that lesson the hard way, and trust me, you don't want to.

When I went to Maryland, there was a day where every organiztion could place a table out on the mall to recruit new people. If your school has a day, make sure you go. Also, ask around, search the school website, etc., to find organizations you would be interested in. Those can be the best part of school.

I didn't go Greek, but I know guys who did. They will do everything they can to humiliate you while pledging, but once you make it, you have a group of friends to turn to throughout your life in good and bad times.

Basically, if you plan right, you can have a successful educational experiance while managing to have the fun you hear about all the time. Just be careful.

regarding class schedules, here's MY impression.

schedule no classes on friday if possible, 3 day weekends are unbelievably awesome. if not just for the break, but it'll give you time to catch up on work, study, etc.

schedule MONDAY classes late, in case you have a late weekend on sunday (happens often, either parties, late night cram sessions, or you're returning from a trip home or somewhere else). i scheduled mine around noon.

T, W, and TR i would try and get them EARLY. yes, this is going against the advice saying you shouldn't schedule early classes. i'm NOT a morning person, but this forced me to start my day early, which was a good thing. it gives you more time later on in the day for group study sessions (there's always that one guy in a group of 5 who can't frickin' meet until like 8pm...) and other activities. you meet a LOT more people on campus early in the day. there's a LOT more girls in earlier sections than late (guys sleep in, girls typically show up to the early sessions). you have a better chance to meet with professors during office hours. it sucks in the morning to try and get that shower in when the bathroom's rushed with hella people, but it also sucks to just be leaving when everyone's getting done with class.

I just wanted to add a few things to this post. Make school your proirity because thats why your there for. Study hard by learning to study on your own and learn to study and work with others. If social life is really that important to you, then you can fit that in. Otherwise just make friends with your fellow classmates who you study with. But all means don't get a 8 am class unless you have no choice. I had to get up at 6 am each morning, 1 hour to get ready and another 30 hour to commute.

Some professors are really great people while others should just be fired. I had a physics professor (by professor I mean he is tenured and part of the faculty), he was the worst bag of skin to walk the campus. He would show up to class and leisurely talk about the subject. I ended up getting an A but I didn't learn anything at all. Money and time wasted.

BTW. something all college students use is www.ratemyprofessors.com

This is essential. The most important thing to do first year is NOT to lose your discipline.

A LOT of people flunk out freshman year because they stay up late partying/playing video games, then sleep in the next day and miss all their classes.

Freshman year I was in the dorms and fell victim to this problem, as did my roomate. My roomate flunked out completely at the end of the year, and I came EXTREMELY close to flunking out as well but managed to save myself just in time. But because of my freshman year gpa, even though I now earn grades in the 3.4 area, my cumalative gpa is only about 2.6 :( .

So yes, make friends and join some clubs if possible, but going to class and studying is the most important thing.

OK, I see this argument all the time. You arent buying friends. Having that house is expensive--especially given that many universities are in historical districts. Social events cost money. Who is going to pay for this? Certainly not the University. Only the brothers/sisters can pay this. Its not a question of buying your friends, its a question of covering the inevitable costs.

I always though that the brothers or sisters who have graduated would usually give back to the house.

They usually do, but that doesnt pay for much. It costs a LOT to upkeep those houses, especially given the exceptionally stringent safety codes imposed upon them. And then you have social costs--formals, cocktails, mixers with other fraternities/sororities... Its an expensive thing.

Old brothers/sisters will often give gifts if the house needs a renovation or some such occasion, but the real funds must come from the active brothers/sisters.

Hmmm all great advice and a lot to absorb all at once. Still appreciated though :). I am in the midst of setting up my time table and I have the option of having a 4 day weekend both semesters. Regardless I get one the second semester, but I can choose to take a late class monday or one tuesday during the first semester. The advice I've been hearing is a 4 day weekend may make me be irresponsible and that having at least something binding me to the university on monday would be good.

extra days off are nice (I had and will again have thursdays off), but night classes suck! (for traditional students anyway) They're easy to forget about, and since they're only once a week, when you miss you miss a lot. Also, it's nice to always have evenings free because you never know what could turn up on any night of the week.

just throwing in my 2 cents here, i'm taking my third semester off from school, and still have about three semesters left for my BA, but i've learned this:

- depending on what you have to do, get it done as soon as possible, or learn how to parcel it out so you can get it all done smoothly and with no fuss. i had an advanced composition class, 30+pages of work due in a month and half, by week five i was just cleaning up on my mistakes.

- everybody's in the same boat you are. you're new, they're new, so don't feel afraid to hang out with them, but just be sure you know what you want in a friend, people change really fast in college, especially in the first year.

- don't spend too much time running after tail

- make friends with the bartenders or the guys throwing the parties

- stand up. some profs and kids are assholes, period. they want to either 'educate' you with their own slant or crush you. a stiff spine demands respect

- laugh a lot

- find out what you really want to be. take tons of fun classes, check out events, look up things you wouldn't have thought of doing in high school -- jump to if it interests you in the slight

- pay your bills asap, and avoid credit cards like the plague. those things are like a death kneel for most college kids. just get a work-study thing or a good part-time job. plastic is good but paper is better

that's all i can say for now. good luck, man

BINGO
I have a ton of natural science/pre-med friends that are utterly useless outside, have such a narrow view of the world. But the ones who explore the humanities along with science are better students. If you are thinking of studies science, take a history of science class related to your field. The best way to understand the present is to understand the past.


As a disclaimer, I and an History(American Studies)/Philosophy major and I think everyone should study history.