Please read. I welcome all comments, both positive and negative, but please refrain from trolling for sake of trolling
Graduation is right around the corner, and as I will wrapping up my collegiate experience, I wanted to share some insight into the world of college. This has probably already been discussed, but I wanted to share some of my experiences and knowledge.
Maximus's Tips for Incoming Freshman
For some, college can be a big and scary place. Fear of being inadequate in classes, getting lost in the crowd, and being single (OH NO!!) are often very real fears for incoming freshman. With that in mind, let's dive into some things that you should and shouldn't do in order to be successful in college.
Number 1: Go out and meet people.
No, this does not mean party 24/7. Partying is fun, no doubt, but this should be done in moderation. What I mean is meet people in your dorms, at the student union, the library, or at lunch. Go to dances, participate in Marshmallow Mafia. Both are fun! Don't be "too cool." Nobody likes a stuck up asshole (or a perceived stuck up asshole, if you really aren't one) so be friendly, be weird, and mostly importantly be yourself.
My advice, meet people and pick good ones to be your battle buddies. The guys (and girls) that will be there through the good and the bad. The guys that'll take a grenade and hit on that hot girl's ugly friend (Of course, you owe them after that). My bros, I didn't even like them all that much when I first met them. But they are solid and loyal. I have their backs and they have mine.
Starcraft is great, don't get me wrong, but sitting in your room playing all day will not make you very many friends and you have a slim-to-none chance of ever getting laid. If you are good enough that you can sit around and play Starcraft all day, then maybe college isn't right for you. A nice little segue, but a very good way to meet people is...
Number 2: Go to class.
I've been on both ends of this spectrum. I've taken classes where I didn't miss a single day. I've also taken classes where I've only shown up on test days. In my experience, it's much more satisfying (and a lot easier) to go to class at least once a week. That way, you're never very far behind and you don't have to spend 6 hours cramming for the test (which sucks ass).
Like I mentioned before, going to class is a great way of meeting people. No matter how reclusive or introverted you are, you will probably meet someone who will become a great friend. I've met countless friends, and even got a girlfriend, by going to class. Besides, you're PAYING for these classes, the least you can do is show up every once in a while to feel like you're getting your money's worth.
This is what I figured out, after 2 years of college. Treat college like a job. If you're first class is at 8 and your last one is at 4, treat it like an 8-5 job. When not in class, do your homework. It worked for me. Got me to stop messing around during the day and then doing homework into the early morning.
Related to going to class is go to your labs if the class has them. For the classes that had them, labs are where I learned 90% of the material in the class.
Number 3: Try and exercise
The wellness center can be intimidating, I'll admit. Even for a guy like me. I was an athlete in high school, and am familiar with lifting and such, but seeing all those Arnold-wannabe's over by the squat and bench is a little unnerving. Fuck 'em. Use the elliptical for 30 minutes. Walk around the track for an hour. Who gives a shit? I know what it feels like to think that everyone is judging you, and comparing how puny you are compared to their creatine-enhanced biceps, but TBH, no one could care less. If it makes them feel good about themselves, so be it.
Getting a little bit of exercise each week can help you fight off that "Freshman 15" or in some cases, "Freshman 40." Plus you'll feel good about yourself, giving you confidence to meet people and eventually *gasp* talk to females. Also, it's a great stress relief from class and homework, and a good break from the douches in your hall. Additionally it'll make you tired, which is a great segue into...
Number 4: Try and get some sleep.
Honestly, this isn't easy, especially in the dorms. At my college, quiet hours started at midnight. Midnight. That means the earliest you are actually falling asleep is 12:30-1:00. You might have a jackass of a roommate who plays CoD all night long. Slap him in the face with a textbook and tell him to go to bed. If he won't, slap him in the face with your dick at 7:00 the next morning when you're waking up. Yeah, that'll get him good.
You've heard 1,000 times how important sleep is. That's because it's fucking important. There's no point in me telling you the benefits of sleep, just try and get some.
Number 5: Most importantly, have fun.
Again, this does not mean partying 24/7. Be yourself. Explore new things. Or do the same shit you do everyday. I don't care. Find something that makes you happy and do it. Hopefully that something involves some of the things I mentioned above. I don't like class or doing homework either, but I was a lot happier after I figured out that if you get your work done and then have fun, you can enjoy having fun a lot more, because there's nothing hanging over your head. Plus, I really enjoy the feeling of being productive. Waking up early and getting shit done makes me feel good, but that's just me. Do your thing, live your life.
Optional Number 6: Experiment.
This is optional for whomever wants to try it (see what I did there, wordplay). Experiment with shit. Join a frat, go ice fishing, take a yoga class. Booze, hookers, male hookers, do whatever. But be safe! Nothing is worse than calling your parents to come bail you out of jail. Well one thing is. Having someone else call your parents and tell them that you're in the hospital or dead is worse. So be safe! I can't stress this enough.
Remember this froshies . If you are going to college, try and learn something. College is knowledge at a very high cost. But being successful in life isn't just having that 100k job and the sports car and the trophy wife. Being happy is the key to being successful in life. Don't be afraid to change majors! Don't be afraid to tell people to fuck off and stop calling you! And don't be afraid to get to know your professors. Contrary to popular belief, most of them do care about students and want to help you, but you have to be willing to help yourself!
GLHF, I wish you all the best of luck in your remaining high school days and future collegiate careers!
EDIT: I should also state: utilize your resources. Books are a resource yes, but so are professors, other students, your parents! And don't use run-on sentences like I do
On April 09 2012 09:09 Deadlift wrote: Wait until the second or third week of class to determine whether or not to buy the suggested books. Most of the time you don't even need them.
lol, very true for some classes. In other, more major specific classes, you probably need the book from day 1.
On April 09 2012 09:09 Deadlift wrote: Wait until the second or third week of class to determine whether or not to buy the suggested books. Most of the time you don't even need them.
Perhaps it's just because I'm in an Engineering program, but I have needed all of my books. But that is also personal preference.
For the liberal arts classes, yeah, they generally aren't too useful. I still like to have them though, and read them, because I am just that nerdy. They give you extra knowledge that you wouldn't have otherwise learned.
On April 09 2012 09:09 Deadlift wrote: Wait until the second or third week of class to determine whether or not to buy the suggested books. Most of the time you don't even need them.
Kind of true. Most people won't need textbooks for some of their classes.
For needed textbooks, it's worthwhile to check the university library before hitting the bookstore. Three weeks X Number of Renewals
Make sure if you're living in a dorm with random roommate that he isn't a dick. Lay groundwork out early on if you have any reasonable particular preferences (like say, preferring people to use headphones to listen to music or not playing instruments after midnight or something). Don't be a dick yourself, but if you haven't lived with anyone else before: even if you assume someone is perfectly reasonable and rational after a few months they may stop being reasonable.
Otherwise you could end up with a dude who plays his guitar all the time at like 2 AM when you want to sleep and refuses to use headphones and plays music on his speaker 24/7 when you have 9 am classes.
On April 09 2012 10:27 N.geNuity wrote: Make sure if you're living in a dorm with random roommate that he isn't a dick. Lay groundwork out early on if you have any reasonable particular preferences (like say, preferring people to use headphones to listen to music or not playing instruments after midnight or something). Don't be a dick yourself, but if you haven't lived with anyone else before: even if you assume someone is perfectly reasonable and rational after a few months they may stop being reasonable.
Otherwise you could end up with a dude who plays his guitar all the time at like 2 AM when you want to sleep and refuses to use headphones and plays music on his speaker 24/7 when you have 9 am classes.
Slap him in the face with a textbook and tell him to go to bed. If he won't, slap him in the face with your dick at 7:00 the next morning when you're waking up. Yeah, that'll get him good.
On April 09 2012 10:17 Juliette wrote: Posting to make know that I have read and appreciate the tips!
What do I do if the campus feels like a giant summer camp though?
Feels like a giant summer camp? Meaning what?
like all I'll be doing is having fun and messing around and going to class when i have to. like how camp has set out activities but the rest of the time you just meet people and stuff, cept more freedom.
at least that's the feeling I got when I visited campus
It can feel that way when you visit, and for the first couple weeks of the semester, but after that you'll actually have to do stuff. Like hit the library and study or something weird like that.
On April 09 2012 10:27 N.geNuity wrote: Make sure if you're living in a dorm with random roommate that he isn't a dick. Lay groundwork out early on if you have any reasonable particular preferences (like say, preferring people to use headphones to listen to music or not playing instruments after midnight or something). Don't be a dick yourself, but if you haven't lived with anyone else before: even if you assume someone is perfectly reasonable and rational after a few months they may stop being reasonable.
Otherwise you could end up with a dude who plays his guitar all the time at like 2 AM when you want to sleep and refuses to use headphones and plays music on his speaker 24/7 when you have 9 am classes.
Slap him in the face with a textbook and tell him to go to bed. If he won't, slap him in the face with your dick at 7:00 the next morning when you're waking up. Yeah, that'll get him good.
Don't do this either.
I punched him one night at like 1 AM, and so we got in a little fight and we both stopped and got the peer leader (residential advisor, whatever your school calls it) so that we (i.e. me) could finally go to fucking sleep. It wasn't much of a fight or anything, just a couple brief punches and mutual agreement to stop, and I kind of hit his ear and it bled a little weirdly.
I got a warning from the office of student integrity and had to go to a meeting with some guy because I broke the "student code of conduct" to not potentially harm other students and putting "yourself or other students at risk". Had to write like a 5 page essay about it and stuff.
So yeah, 1 punch (if anyone tells the residential advisor) leads to you getting warned for breaking code of conduct and meeting with the office of student integrity. If I do something similar I'd risk being on full probation/other penalties.
You can request someone. Do some early research as soon as you find out (Facebook or whatever), because it'll be much easier to switch early on. Get to know them a little bit, then decide if you want to switch. Probably the best way to avoid it is don't be a dick yourself. Yeah and don't smack your roomie with your dick. That was a joke everyone.
I wonder what people at places like Stanford (who can't choose their roomate, and they pick someone opposite your likeness) do about dick roomates, are they just like all day errday to their roomates?
As someone who is about to go to college I wonder how people just decide not to go to class? Is this some idea that you get in college or were you itching to do this in high school because I can't imagine myself doing that. Anyways, good read.
Eh, some days you just don't feel the need. Learning things 3 times in a row gets pretty annoying (talking about generals here). Plus if you get drunk on tuesday and have 8am wednesday, it's not going to happen.
On April 09 2012 12:38 Livelovedie wrote: As someone who is about to go to college I wonder how people just decide not to go to class? Is this some idea that you get in college or were you itching to do this in high school because I can't imagine myself doing that. Anyways, good read.
or you just feel sick and done go to class one day, you realize how much more open your day becomes...dont go to class the next day and so on.
On April 09 2012 12:38 Livelovedie wrote: As someone who is about to go to college I wonder how people just decide not to go to class? Is this some idea that you get in college or were you itching to do this in high school because I can't imagine myself doing that. Anyways, good read.
Reserve this for the most mundane of classes only. For example, I'm taking Introduction to Computer Programming since I'm 1st year but I already took 2 years of programming classes in high school. Needless to say, I already know everything in this course and more. My prof posts notes on our course website and I read over them before class. If I understand everything, I don't show up.
On April 09 2012 10:27 N.geNuity wrote: Make sure if you're living in a dorm with random roommate that he isn't a dick. Lay groundwork out early on if you have any reasonable particular preferences (like say, preferring people to use headphones to listen to music or not playing instruments after midnight or something). Don't be a dick yourself, but if you haven't lived with anyone else before: even if you assume someone is perfectly reasonable and rational after a few months they may stop being reasonable.
Otherwise you could end up with a dude who plays his guitar all the time at like 2 AM when you want to sleep and refuses to use headphones and plays music on his speaker 24/7 when you have 9 am classes.
Even if you just have flatmates, setting groundrules early is good. Noise does carry and having some kind of agreement to keep any bathroom/kitchen clean is necessary.
Extra rules in my flat include: No roadkill or other found wildlife No pig's heads No passive aggressive notes
On April 09 2012 12:38 Livelovedie wrote: As someone who is about to go to college I wonder how people just decide not to go to class? Is this some idea that you get in college or were you itching to do this in high school because I can't imagine myself doing that. Anyways, good read.
If all the notes, lecture recordings and slides are online, you won't gain anything more from getting up for a 9am lecture than you will from watching the lecture at 3pm. Also, some lecturers are best heard at 1.4-2x speed and some courses are near devoid of content.
Plus when people are in deadline mode, a 5pm assignment can seem more important than a day of lectures.
Oh another thing I could add as a freshman... if you go to class, don't fuck around... like the OP said, you're paying for that shit and you might as well pay attention if you're going to class. If you just sit there and talk the whole fucking time, might as well get out. I've even walked out mid-way through some of classes either because I was sleepy or I just wasn't paying attention and I couldn't... so it's just pointless and a waste of time if I'm not really getting anything from it while being in class. (that sounds kind bad though lmao)
Oh and I emphasize picking out a roommate... it's good and all meeting new people like your new roommate, but some of them aren't so fun to live with. Having slobs as roommates is pretty fucking annoying, especially when they smell.
But then, you never know, your new roommate may be your new best friend...
Think you're better than someone because you went to a more prestigious highschool? Think your education is more valuable because you're in Engineering and your friend is in History? Nobody likes these types of people, don't be one. For some reason this is one of the more popular changes I see of people who go through college, and it really bugs me.
On April 09 2012 10:27 N.geNuity wrote: Make sure if you're living in a dorm with random roommate that he isn't a dick. Lay groundwork out early on if you have any reasonable particular preferences (like say, preferring people to use headphones to listen to music or not playing instruments after midnight or something). Don't be a dick yourself, but if you haven't lived with anyone else before: even if you assume someone is perfectly reasonable and rational after a few months they may stop being reasonable.
Otherwise you could end up with a dude who plays his guitar all the time at like 2 AM when you want to sleep and refuses to use headphones and plays music on his speaker 24/7 when you have 9 am classes.
Even if you just have flatmates, setting groundrules early is good. Noise does carry and having some kind of agreement to keep any bathroom/kitchen clean is necessary.
Extra rules in my flat include: No roadkill or other found wildlife No pig's heads No passive aggressive notes
On April 09 2012 12:38 Livelovedie wrote: As someone who is about to go to college I wonder how people just decide not to go to class? Is this some idea that you get in college or were you itching to do this in high school because I can't imagine myself doing that. Anyways, good read.
If all the notes, lecture recordings and slides are online, you won't gain anything more from getting up for a 9am lecture than you will from watching the lecture at 3pm. Also, some lecturers are best heard at 1.4-2x speed and some courses are near devoid of content.
Plus when people are in deadline mode, a 5pm assignment can seem more important than a day of lectures.
Deadline mode is awful. I would also suggest avoiding procrastination. I'm the worst at this, so I can't lecture, but I can suggest.
Take this for example: I have a project due at 11:59 tonight. I'm like 3/4 of the way done and instead of finishing last night, I watched IPL (which was much more satisfying, made me feel so aLive [bad pun]). DON'T DO THIS! Learn from my mistakes young ones...
On April 09 2012 15:04 ShinyGerbil wrote: Additional rule: No elitism.
Think you're better than someone because you went to a more prestigious highschool? Think your education is more valuable because you're in Engineering and your friend is in History? Nobody likes these types of people, don't be one. For some reason this is one of the more popular changes I see of people who go through college, and it really bugs me.
But the elitism Physics kids show towards Biology kids is hilarious to watch. + Show Spoiler +
For us Maths/CompSci kids. Purity - f*ck yeah! Relevant
EPT
all day errday to their roomates? 
