College + Advice?

TheGoverness said:

Math is not my strong suit. I struggle with math a lot. I almost failed Algebra in HS.

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this is an excellent time to figure out what you are passionate about pursuing
and from your experience, it probably will not be STEM related

nota bene said:

I wouldn't needlessly stay after class for a chat; the prof may have back-to-back classes or a meeting to attend, and trying to get out of the classroom sometimes feels like dragging ankle-biters every step. But do go by the office.

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LOL! 1.Butt kissers are not the receivers of cheer and goodwill. 2. Butt kissers don't seem to know that. 3. Butt kissing may have worked for some in high school. It is counterproductive in college, especially in upper level classes.

Profs do keep office hours, but few students drop by or make an appointment until they're in a jam ("Yes, I know I haven't turned in any major work yet and that 70% of the grade has already been earned...but I can still make a B, right?").

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Sage advice, Dr. Bene.

Make a point of coming by; this is how your profs will learn your name and you will be "more than a number." Until the semester is well under way, always identify yourself by name and by "I'm in your T-Th whatever class." And don't waste the prof's time. He or she will be delighted to help any student who is genuinely interested in learning.

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IMHO your visit to the professor's office will be valuable in many ways if your purpose is to learn, even to question or disagree. Don't go to see a prof without a valid reason. (see butt kissing above)

Some first-semester freshmen are already alcoholic spree-drinkers by November. And many more are going to learn the hard way how to manage their time too. Mercy, I did. I had trouble making academics my priority; I was too focused on "the other education."

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I feckin hated high school. I was bored to death. As a consequence I partied before I ever made it to college. My university experience was nothing like high school. I loved it. I loved everything about it. I learned to question much of what I held dear. I am still grateful for the challenges and the professors who made me think.

Luther's list of things NOT to do in college:

1. Don't tell your philosophy professor that the reason you missed the midterm is because you're a recovering alcoholic and kind of fell off the wagon. Yes, it worked (for a C) but I don't recommend it as a first choice.
2. Don't mention anything about a "Lizard Press Notebook" to your Natural History of the Southwest teacher. He won't appreciate the humor.
3. Don't leave the friend of the hot chick in your speech class in Las Vegas even if she is a lunatic PITA.
4. Don't tell your English Lit professor that your astonishingly deep and thorough analysis of Heart of Darkness was composed while consuming a fifth of Absolut and that you really don't remember what you wrote.
5. Don't treat your Computer Technology class like it's a joke. Those damned machines will catch on no matter how much you figure they won't.

TheGoverness said:

Yeah, I'm worried about stressing myself out. And I'm not good with stress.

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There was a physics professor who told us that he occasionally gets invited to speak at some elementary schools, or to retirees interested in learning some physics they never learned when they were younger. He says that his least favorite group to teach were the undergraduates at the university. Why? Because they are so darned nervous all the time about their grades, and about getting that recommendation letter, and about looking smart to everyone else, and impressing the professor, etc... He said he loved how irreverent and carefree the elementary school kids are. This attitude actually allows them to learn so much better. They don't care if others think their question is stupid. And that sense of wide-eyed wonder in them is something you don't see in the grade-obsessed undergraduates.

So take it easy. Have fun with learning. Don't worry about making mistakes or not getting straight As. In the long term, what matters is what you learn. Don't take too many classes at once- there's plenty of time to try all the classes you want to try.

And again, congratulations!

*Jealous!*
Well, everyone is in the same boat, everyone will be disoriented, so enjoy it. If you live on campus, you'll end up with friends no matter what you do, it is impossible to stay isolated living on campus. If you commute, you'll have class friends as per normal, it's just not a big deal. So many people in the same situation, your age, all with freedom, it's a crazy year. Just don't do too risky of stuff so you can live to tell the tale

My advice is to do as much as you can handle in terms of both social, and getting to know the professors in your major, and other students in your major. Do stuff with people, join some groups that do/like similar things. Introvert doesn't matter, half the population is anyway, just be active and make the effort to be around...that's typically more than enough. Especially being a gal, with a sense of humor. I'm an introvert, but I don't care, I do stuff anyway.

For math, you can probably find a math lab that you can do homework in that has people to help, etc., if that becomes an issue. Math was the only class that I found that you really had to do all the work, all the problems, and study hard with. Most other classes were a lot of reading and just remembering facts in some cases. If you haven't already, read up on maybe a half dozen good memory techniques for different needs, and try to get good with them. It can make those memory classes easier.

You may also start to learn which professors are good and which are terrible, use that info to guide your later schedules. I had some good teachers that had small classes (English), and it was like a little family, the professor would take us to pizza sometimes, good times.

Don't get crazy with it, but have a cup of coffee right before math or a test. See what you think. Don't get use to drinking 3-4 cups a day, that's bad for you and it won't be effective anyway. Limit it, but do it when you need it. I learned this at 30, I'm that late of a bloomer. Math and programming take a lot of abstract mental effort, it's complex. It's like a turbo booster, just don't go beyond caffeine, and keep the dose low. I feel like a pusher...but this is what I'd tell me today if I were going. Programmers live by coffee, it's no joke. It's not a coincidence their taglines are often something like : Joe Smith, Converts Coffee into Code.

Have fun, do stuff, don't regret coasting through it! And tell us something once a month or something, need to live vicariously

TheGoverness said:

Yeah, I've heard about how textbooks are a giant rip-off. That's why I'm planning on getting used ones.

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Still a rip-off, lol. Just wait til you see the prices on those things. Then end of semester, they'll have book buy back, and you'll get a couple bucks on something they'll resell for 50. It's one hell of a racket.

TheGoverness said:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

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Been racking my brains but I found one that I can share.
Onthe first weekend of my 2nd year (Thursday is the start of the weekend in University FYI) I got a case of beer and started listening to tunes waiting for my roomates to come home (One was new and I didn't know him that well the other I had known since elementary school)
Well theres a knock on the door and when I answer the guy asks if this is where the party is. I just assumed one of my roomates had planned a party (it was Thursday after all) So I say sure and let him in. within an hour there was about 25 people in out little 3 bedroom apartment and that's when my roomates came home. They didn't know anybody there. When I asked the guy who knocked he said he heard the music and was actually asking me if we were having a party not trying to invite himself, seems the noise got everyone in the building and they all came. Now the important part. This guy invited his sister to the party. pretty girl we hit it off well but that isn't what made it important. Her and I remained friends long after Uni and because we did she was able to introduce me about 10 years later to the woman who would later become my beautiful wife.
So my advice is get out there and meet people or better yet play some music and have them come meet you

Ikari said:

Still a rip-off, lol. Just wait til you see the prices on those things. Then end of semester, they'll have book buy back, and you'll get a couple bucks on something they'll resell for 50. It's one hell of a racket.

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I kept all my textbooks. I even open them from time to time to look stuff up. Granted, the Pascal and COBOL books don't do me much good any more but they look good on my shelf.

TheGoverness said:

So tomorrow, I'll be heading off to college. Classes start Monday, so we've basically got 3 days to move in, and get my textbooks and all that. I've got most of my stuff packed and ready to go, I just need to run down to the store later today to get a few more things. But for the most part, I'm pretty much set.

I'm both excited and scared about this. While I'm sure it's gonna be great being more independent from my parents, and doing things all by myself for a change, I think it might end up being too overwhelming, at least at the start. I'm gonna have to make new friends, and unfortunately for me, I have difficulty talking to new people sometimes.

So I was wondering if anyone here has any stories they want to share about their first year in college?

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Cool! Exciting, scary, apprehension. Quite right. I remember.

I hope this doesn't mean you'll go away and forget about us.

TheGoverness said:

So tomorrow, I'll be heading off to college. Classes start Monday, so we've basically got 3 days to move in, and get my textbooks and all that. I've got most of my stuff packed and ready to go, I just need to run down to the store later today to get a few more things. But for the most part, I'm pretty much set.

I'm both excited and scared about this. While I'm sure it's gonna be great being more independent from my parents, and doing things all by myself for a change, I think it might end up being too overwhelming, at least at the start. I'm gonna have to make new friends, and unfortunately for me, I have difficulty talking to new people sometimes.

So I was wondering if anyone here has any stories they want to share about their first year in college?

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lol, I started university a decade ago almost to the day. Jesus.


Anyway, thoughts on college? It's rough, it's a big change, there's a lot to get used to, and it's a bizarre new life experience. At the end of the day, however, that's precisely what the value is in the experience, beyond the knowledge aspects. You're given absolute freedom to do or not do things, you can party all night or drink yourself into the hospital, take whatever drugs you want, try to find out more about yourself, and also learn. If you're doing it right, you'll end up finding the right balance of academic learning and learning about yourself/personal growth.

1.) In terms of importance, early college life is about learning how to manage the basic aspects of your life being completely on your own, but usually with the help of living in a dormitory.

2.) You'll start finding friends, and that's just a whole part of the "learning about yourself" thing that I discussed above. You likely don't know the types of people you're interested in having as friends, and sadly the only way to discover this is to experience it first hand.

3.) That means that there's no wrong/bad decisions, at least not until you realize for yourself why they are wrong/bad. Try to apply some common sense (i.e. "Actually, drinking a whole fifth of vodka in one night is a terrible decision" is a thought you hopefully have. This actually happened to my best friend on the first weekend of undergrad and he had to go the hospital, although it wasn't serious.) But at the end of the day you'll make some mistakes, and that's part of learning.

4.) Have fun! Learn. Learning is fun! =D


PS: Personally, I share your reluctance to approach new people and I don't easily make new friends, so the pitfall of partying my way out of university wasn't really an issue, but it's something to keep an eye out for. But I did end up spending nearly an entire year getting stoned every day; it wasn't hard for me to keep my grades, but that's a major YMMV kind of a thing, and it's sure as hell not something I'd ever do again. But anyway, there will always be options to do potentially dumb **** no matter how much of an introvert you are.

TheGoverness said:

So tomorrow, I'll be heading off to college. Classes start Monday, so we've basically got 3 days to move in, and get my textbooks and all that. I've got most of my stuff packed and ready to go, I just need to run down to the store later today to get a few more things. But for the most part, I'm pretty much set.

I'm both excited and scared about this. While I'm sure it's gonna be great being more independent from my parents, and doing things all by myself for a change, I think it might end up being too overwhelming, at least at the start. I'm gonna have to make new friends, and unfortunately for me, I have difficulty talking to new people sometimes.

So I was wondering if anyone here has any stories they want to share about their first year in college?

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One of the biggest things is that a lot of people in their first semester go a bit wild when it comes to the partying and don't take the classes that seriously. Doing a little partying is fine .. don't be too much of a prude, but do take classes seriously. They are not like high school classes, but need more work.

TheGoverness said:

I'm majoring in political science. I don't know exactly what I want to be, though.

I'll figure it out eventually.

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Public administration maybe which is like city planning, etc.

Lutherf said:

Luther's list of things NOT to do in college:

1. Don't tell your philosophy professor that the reason you missed the midterm is because you're a recovering alcoholic and kind of fell off the wagon. Yes, it worked (for a C) but I don't recommend it as a first choice.
2. Don't mention anything about a "Lizard Press Notebook" to your Natural History of the Southwest teacher. He won't appreciate the humor.
3. Don't leave the friend of the hot chick in your speech class in Las Vegas even if she is a lunatic PITA.
4. Don't tell your English Lit professor that your astonishingly deep and thorough analysis of Heart of Darkness was composed while consuming a fifth of Absolut and that you really don't remember what you wrote.
5. Don't treat your Computer Technology class like it's a joke. Those damned machines will catch on no matter how much you figure they won't.

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6. Put your damned cell phone away. Many institutions now include turning phones off as part of the civility code. Tip: If you're smiling at your crotch, the prof does know what you're doing.

7. Make eye contact with the prof in class. Appear to be intently listening. If you're bored spitless, you can actually appear to be paying attention if only you make that eye contact and occasionally barely nod in agreement. :mrgreen:

8. Don't believe the bull about sitting in the "power T." Unless you're in a huge lecture hall with 200 people in the class, the prof can see you no matter where you're sitting. (But sitting on the front row or close to it will force you to pay better attention than the "back-bench Baptists," which is what I was as an undergrad. I always sat on the back row--the more easily to make my escape.)

9. Don't cut class. If you attend every class, you can usually take an extra day before or after the Thanksgiving break. If you do have to miss class, e-mail the prof and CYA.

10. If you think an error has been made on a grade, speak to the prof. Sometimes mistakes are made, and an honorable prof will quickly acknowledge the error, fix it, and apologize.

Curious to learn what others find to be incredibly irritating mannerisms/behaviors. One of mine is the knuckle-crackers, especially the compulsive ones.

Once again, thank you to everyone for the advice. You guys are the best!

Congratulations and good luck! A great adventure you're starting! My daughter just finished college. Wait, that was a year ago....time does fly! So remember to be safe and have fun, make the most of this time. From what I can tell from the short time I've been here is that you are well ahead of many freshman on the maturity level.

That advice about the books was a good one! Many unopened books! If you get in a bind, or want new books instead of used, Barnes and Nobles online was my go to. (I finished my 4 yr late in life...but I did it!) They gave the best prices on buybacks and they were fast. Of course Amazon is a good source, but they didn't buyback as many titles as B&N. My daughter also "shared" with another classmate in one of her classes. It worked out for her, but I was leery of that. Just make sure you get a good of a feel that you can, if the person is trustworthy or if you'll end up arguing over custody!

Some colleges make it mandatory the first year to purchase a "meal plan" I don't know if yours does, but if so USE IT! Many times it doesn't roll over to the next year and you don't want to lose it. Stock up on bottled water or non-perishables (snack bars) if you don't like their offerings.

Be alert on campus. You're more than likely going to end up with evening classes at some time. I don't know the area you will be in, but it doesn't hurt to be safe. I bought my daughter a mini can of pepper spray (it even came in pink!) She never had to use it, which was good. Being a little paranoid in todays world isn't a bad thing as long as it is sensible. Just be smart!

The one thing she does regret is not joining any groups. Although in your major, I'm going to guess that it will be almost mandatory It's never to early to network!

Enjoy!

TheGoverness said:

So tomorrow, I'll be heading off to college. Classes start Monday, so we've basically got 3 days to move in, and get my textbooks and all that. I've got most of my stuff packed and ready to go, I just need to run down to the store later today to get a few more things. But for the most part, I'm pretty much set.

I'm both excited and scared about this. While I'm sure it's gonna be great being more independent from my parents, and doing things all by myself for a change, I think it might end up being too overwhelming, at least at the start. I'm gonna have to make new friends, and unfortunately for me, I have difficulty talking to new people sometimes.

So I was wondering if anyone here has any stories they want to share about their first year in college?

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Congrats. My only advice is to make friends in every class you take. They can be invaluable when it comes to having notes you can copy if you were absent that day, and can fill you in on the ins and outs of college life (perhaps even have a copy of tests in advance ). Have fun, and good luck.

Also, every professor ought to have deposited two copies of the textbooks they use in the library. That's a good way to be cheap by borrowing them out instead of buying them.

TheGoverness said:

So tomorrow, I'll be heading off to college. Classes start Monday, so we've basically got 3 days to move in, and get my textbooks and all that. I've got most of my stuff packed and ready to go, I just need to run down to the store later today to get a few more things. But for the most part, I'm pretty much set.

I'm both excited and scared about this. While I'm sure it's gonna be great being more independent from my parents, and doing things all by myself for a change, I think it might end up being too overwhelming, at least at the start. I'm gonna have to make new friends, and unfortunately for me, I have difficulty talking to new people sometimes.

So I was wondering if anyone here has any stories they want to share about their first year in college?

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Congratulations!

I actually can't offer much here because I got through college in an unconventional way and as a result never lived on campus. Long story...

Anyway, there's a great deal of good advice here already.

I was also kind of an overwhelmed shy/introvert going in. What worked for me for that social aspect was to make a couple of friends (good ones I really got along with) who were more outgoing than I was. That opened some doors into places and people, but from there I had to learn to engage people I didn't already know better.

Based on the content of your posting here, I think you're going to do fine. Yeah, it will be uncomfortable at times, but stretch yourself - college is all about growth.

I do want to reiterate something another poster mentioned : talk to your profs, especially the ones teaching classes that are part of your major and classes you have trouble with.

Good Luck, and Have Fun!eace

longview said:

A good rule of thumb on the hard classes is to study for 3 hours for each class hour.
Most Universities expect a lot more out of you than high school, so be prepared for that.
Don't neglect your diet, ( I think may daughter ate nothing by ham sandwiches for her first semester)
Have fun and figure out what you like and don't like.

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The ham sandwich diet was my second semester.

Carry a knife if it's allowed on campus; they're incredibly useful, and they're also good for self defense. Not that you'll need it, most likely, but self defense is rarely about preparing for highly likely events. Prying things open and cutting packages open is exponentially more likely, and a great use of a knife.

Don't start drinking or smoking anything your first semester, and make sure to study - it's never to late to start good habits, but having to correct bad habits is an unnecessary challenge.

Go ahead and figure out where your classrooms are in advance, if they let you do so. You don't want to sit down in the wrong room on the cirst day like I did, after all.

Familiarize yourself with any student resources available on campus, and don't hesitate to use them. If your tuition covers math tutors and a 24-hour study hall, ignoring those assets is a net loss, and if you're as stubborn as I am, you'll know you probably need them a month before you use them. Don't be as stubborn as I am.

TheGoverness said:

Once again, thank you to everyone for the advice. You guys are the best!

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Derp. I forgot to quote you in my previous post. Pay attention, young n00b!



One thing that I would keep an eye out for as far as social activities go are a performing arts club and a tabletop gaming club. Why? Because both activities involve pretending to be other people. The single most important lesson in my life to date has been to learn to put myself in other people's shoes. Furthermore, playing the role of another person with motivations and beliefs different from your own make for an excellent opportunity to learn more about yourself. Help put on a production of Hamlet, or just run through a couple warmup excercises with the acting nerds if you aren't that brave. Kill some goblins and save a village. You'll learn more than you'd expect from that sort of stuff, and while most of it won't help you get a job, it'll help you understand yourself - a necessary first step in finding any lasting satisfaction in life, in my (baseless) opinion.

TheGoverness said:

So tomorrow, I'll be heading off to college. Classes start Monday, so we've basically got 3 days to move in, and get my textbooks and all that. I've got most of my stuff packed and ready to go, I just need to run down to the store later today to get a few more things. But for the most part, I'm pretty much set.

I'm both excited and scared about this. While I'm sure it's gonna be great being more independent from my parents, and doing things all by myself for a change, I think it might end up being too overwhelming, at least at the start. I'm gonna have to make new friends, and unfortunately for me, I have difficulty talking to new people sometimes.

So I was wondering if anyone here has any stories they want to share about their first year in college?

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Advice... You might have to curb your debatepolitics time down. :lol:

Seriously though... don't forget why you are really there. Its about the books. Everything else should take a back seat. Friends will be there so no need to pressure yourself on the social front. People around you will always be making excuses for why you need to relax, party and hang out. "You earned it!" attitude. Well okay... but still remember why it is you are there. People going to college often tend to reprioritize where relaxing, party and hanging out cause "You earned it!" precedes the books. I did. My first two quarters was in-depth crash course in getting plastered. What a waste. There's not a lot of times I wish I could go back and kick my own ass but that is defenitely one period I wish I could.

Fledermaus said:

When scheduling classes I always liked to "stack" like classes...

Example: I had to take multiple sociology classes. I took three one semester. One was the basic sociology and I was able to use what was learned in that class in the other classes. In another case it was history. American History and the History of Mexico. Both countries shared a history until the 1800s. Made it easy on the first tests it was the same Columbus, early Spanish explorers, etc.

Best wishes.... Hoping all 'A's your way.

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Now THAT was smart.

Winchester said:

The freshman 15 is no joke. Handle the cafeteria with care. :lol:

And oh, buy a pair of shower slippers.

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I forgot about that. Athletes foot was rampant.

justabubba said:

consider holding off buying those (often expensive) books. often, on the first day of class, the professor will advise that it will not be used and something else will be required in its stead

study as much as you party and party as much as you study

begin with the conviction that - no matter what - you WILL continue until you receive your diploma

good luck and have fun!

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YES... and buy used books. So much cheaper and if the book was used in the same class by the same professor, you'll see that much of what you need to focus on are hightlighted with notes about it already. Try to find out the books needed as early as possible because everyone will be gunning for these cheaper books. Get the head start whereever you can because you will be herding around with a mob trying to get and do the same things all the time.

poweRob said:

Now THAT was smart.

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I almost forgot.

Stacking credits as well.

My daughter did this. Take classes that fulfill multiple requirements.

Example: If a math class having to do with statistics checks the box for both the Math requirement and a Critical Thinking requirement it is preferential to one only filling a single requirement.

She obtained 3 AA's in little more than the time one would take for a single AA.