9 Survival Tips for College Freshman

[TheLoveBandit]

9 Survival Tips for College Freshman

There is more meat to the point, but here they are in a quick rundown:
#1 The first week defines the rest of the year
#2 Organize Study Groups!
#3 Study for tests!
#4 Get involved
#6 If you don't like your roommate, switch
#7 Go to sporting events
#8 Figure out housing for the next year
#9 Don't buy books until you need them

...at the end, the author commented that #5 is to avoid doing work in the wee hours with no sleep, as it may lead to errors and omissions While each point has it's discussion, I think the replies below merit as much or more consideration.


I was thinking the other day how a forum like this ought to benefit from a 'what would you tell next year's incoming class' type of post, and behold someone else already put together a quick list and has plenty'o'replies. I offer it for anyone's chance to learn (you don't have to be a freshman to learn something, ya know ). And more importantly, anything you upper classmen would want to convey to the recent batch of HS grads before they go off to college? Things you wish somone would have told you, or a nifty tip you found from your time on campus? Things about the social life, how to make friends and avoid nutcases, handling your finances, etc?

 

[ladyinthesky]

#1 If you want to make friends and you live on campus than go to the smoker station, theres usually someone there to start a good conversation
#2 If you do drugs on campus dont become the campus dealer lol....youll end up missing classes and things wont turn out good
#3 take time out of your social life do like thelovebandit said "STUDY FOR TESTS"
#4 learn how to serperate your social life and your school life....take at least an hour out of your day to go over notes abd organize your shit
#5 Be organized, keep a planner and a clean folder from each class so you dont fall behind or miss scheduled homework
#6 Always turn in your homework on time
#7 If you have friends going to the same university as you try to room with them, if you do that you wont end up with a crazy ass roommate
#8 Try to budget your money and returning your books for money to buy drugs is NOT smart....(i didnt do it but i know people that did)
#9 Always lock your door to your room......my roommates boyfriend ended up peeing in my room because i left the door open when i would sleep at my boyfriends and he ended up getting wasted and thinking my room was the bathroom

 

[QuestionEverything]

If I could only give one piece of advice to any person going to college it would be: Go to class!

Don't sleep in, don't skip because you're not doing anything important that day, don't skip because you didn't do your homework, don't schedule appointments during classes, be there. Most professors count attendance, and even if they don't, if you're struggling or borderline on grades, your attendance will count in your favor.

In my experience this is the one thing that I see so many people fail at and the problems that it causes are endless.

 

[Chaos Butterfly]

university is sooooooooooooooooooooo much easier if you go to class.

seriously.

You may be able to just scrape through by not going to your early morning lectures but it isn't going to help you when you didn't really learn what you needed to know, and then they build upon those concepts - that you still don't get, in your classes for next year.

So in summary, go out, have a ball, enjoy the college lifestyle, but GO TO CLASS!!

CB

 

[34-dihydroxyphen]

#1. I have to third on the go to class thing. Believe me, going to class is the difference between making an easy A and struggling to make a B.

#2. When you do go to class, TAKE NOTES. Writing something down can help your memory tremendously. The preference is to have teachers who write manually on a board or computer, but you should make an effort to take as many notes as you can even if they just zoom through power points. (I can't stand professors who do that. What's the fucking point of having notes if we can't copy them?)

#3. Do not fully trust ratemyprofessor.com. I have gotten some horrible professors with great reviews, and had great professors with horrible reviews. I only use the site now to gather facts, not ratings.

#4. As others have said, set aside time for study. You're here to learn and be successful, you have a whole life and most of your weekends to have fun and socialize.

#5. Try not to take too many classes and work heavy hours at the same time. I have seen a bunch of people fail out their first semester because they tried to take four classes at a time and work 40+ hours a week. If you must work 40+ hours, try to take 3 classes at a time. A good balance would be four classes and 20 hours.

#6. I have fallen into the habit of saving my old math and science books, since I sometimes forget how to solve a certain type of problem that I need at the next level, and didn't learn because it was fairly obscure in the one before it.

#7. As others have said, try and study group. I'm usually a step ahead of my peers when doing this, so I have the opportunity to teach somebody else. Nothing will give you a better grasp of the material then explaining it to another person.

#8. Don't be afraid to transfer from class to class early if you know you're going to have a personality clash with a professor. Some personalities just don't mesh well together.

#9. Don't fall behind or procrastinate. You will never even have to worry about studying before a test if you study from day one.

 

[PoOkIeHeAd]

can't believe no one has mentioned the biggest tip of all... practice safe sex! dont wanna ruin a good time with VD.

 

[Ravr]

3. Do not fully trust ratemyprofessor.com. I have gotten some horrible professors with great reviews, and had great professors with horrible reviews. I only use the site now to gather facts, not rating

Strongly disagree...

Just wish I knew it had existed earlier, would have saved me some headaches

 

[TheLoveBandit]

Follow up article on 18 Overlooked Things Everyone Should Bring to College


Quick list without the explanations (read the article for explanation and response)

1. Ear plugs
2. Flip flops or any type of shower shoe
3. Carrying case for toiletries
4. Plugs, power strips, and adaptors oh my
5. Cleaning supplies
6. Duct Tape
7. Hammer
8. Screwdriver (Phillips and Flathead)
9. Stapler
10. Door hangers/Hooks with adhesive backing/Something to hang stuff on
11. Storage containers/Crates
12. Bottle opener
13. USB Flash Drive
14. Pliers
15. Extra sheets
16. Vitamins
17. Air fresheners
18. Microwave

 

[DG]

This was written in a local paper for the incoming students about to arrive here in Boston:

What information should we put out for all the people who are about to come to the center of the universe. For people who will be living on their own for the first time. A guide to moving from a town so small everyone could fit on the Common, to a place so large they can't get a seat on the T. Where safe was defined as 'the stuff Dad worried about'.

So, lets leave them some words of guidance, a quick FAQ about Boston -

Driving into Boston

-- Please stop and grab a map of the city before you cross the city lines. Like most large cities east of the Hudson river, this city predates cars, not all our roads are large enough for SUV's or moving trucks. Some of our bridges are to low for trucks to pass. Mark your route on the map, write down the names of the roads leading up to the street you are looking for. There are no dorms or apartment buildings 'on' Storrow drive and it is not a short cut to anywhere.

Safety in Boston
-- Safety means different things to different people. No one walking on Comm Ave at mid day, has been grabbed and sold into sexual slavery. That still does not mean it is a good idea to walk down Comm Ave drunk and alone at 2 am. Don't leave your laptop, cell phone or personal effects where people can see it. Do not leave your car unlocked or anything inside. Houses and apartments get broken into, lock your doors at night, and when you are not home. Do not leave windows open. The Boston Police Department has a web page and a blog. bpdnews

Using the T
-- The T is a big spider web. Inbound means into the old center of the city, outbound means going away from the old center of the city. Your back pack, guiatar or dirty laundry did not purchase a Charlie ticket, so they do not get a seat. You get one seat per ticket, use it wisely. Use the T to get around the city, either trains or busses can get to just about every spot in the city. Or walk, for in this city, a car really is useless. http://www.mbta.com/

Friendliness
-- We are a people are nice to strangers and people in need. Just ask Novia Scotia, When we see a lost tourist, we help them find their way. When we see a lost student, we fully expect you to have studied more about the city you decided to live in than the weekend tourist did. We will ignore you. Besides, you appear to know everything already. - Except how to find the used clothing stores, or the bath tub. http://www.garmentdistrict.com/ http://boston.craigslist.org/ www.salvationarmyusa.org

-- We define being nice as leaving each other alone. We will not smile back and say hello to strangers on a train, but watch people help each other shovel out in the winter. A person with a large baby carriage or a wheel chair will get assistance at stairs. Kitty Genoviese http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/kitty_genovese/ would never have happened here. By the same token, do not expect to be the center of attention.

Nightlife

-- Any place that serves food is an all ages place as long as food is being served. If no food is served the establishment is 21 plus. Do not be mad at the bouncers, club owners or police for not letting you, or your best buds into a club. Be mad at the 22yr old guy who got his 19yr old girl friend so drunk she was taken out in an ambulance.

Do I think the drinking age is fair, not really. Does anyone here think you are responsible enough to have a drink? To be honest, if you NEED to have a beer in your hand to have a good time, then no.

Finally here is the advice my parents gave me...

-Knowledge is power
-Be nice to every one you meet, just in case.
-Always wear clean underwear

Now go study and make your parents proud.

 

[aanallein]

1. Go to every class.
2. Go to every class.
3. Go to every class.
4. Go to every class.
5. Go to every class.
6. Go to every class.
7. Go to every class.
8. Go to every class.
9. Go to every class.

In all seriousness - go to EVERY fucking class, no exceptions. The next most important thing is to get the syllabus the first day and immediately put every major event to do with that class in your calendar. Do this for every class. Check your calendar religiously every morning and update as appropriate. This isn't just a college skill but a lifeskill. Almost as important a skill as not shitting yourself if you really want to succeed.


Another thing you can do is this:
Break down your entire yearly cost for college including Tuition, books, housing, food, bills, etc. That number for some will be 30,000$ a year, for others it will be more. Now realize that if you are on quarter system that 30,000$ is only getting you 45 units a year. Each unit is costing you 667$ if not more. On Quarter system the quarters are 12 weeks with ~3 classes a week or 36 classes. Each individual class alone is costing you about 75 bucks. That is 75 dollars PER ONE HOUR CLASS. Probably a lot more than that though. College is well over 30k/yr when you add it all up for most 4 yr college students. It is more than worth your time to show up to your 2-3 classes a day. That's 150-225 bucks. Don't spend those 150-225 bucks laying in bed or smoking herb and playing xbox.

 

[Infinite Jest]

1. Go to class (I'll jump on that bandwagon)
2. Talk to your professors - if you're not understanding stuff, ask them questions - via email or after class or in their office hours or whatever.
3. Wikipedia is not the end-point of your research (though it could be a useful place to start, to learn key terms and to find links to other resources). Same goes for any encyclopedia.
4. The web has lots of useful information; but the really good academic stuff is usually buried in databases. These take a bit more time to learn to search than does Google, but will get you better results.
5. Talk to your librarian (some of you could see that coming ). Seriously though. We are highly-qualified and trained professionals who know where to find stuff - the stuff that YOU need to write good essays and to pass your exams. Books? Journal articles (in print, on the free web or in databases)? Websites? Blogs? We got 'em covered. We're paid and trained to help you do this stuff. (Plus, if you don't come and ask me questions, I got nothing to do but post on BL all day).

 

[ChemicalSmiles]

Always lock your door to your room......my roommates boyfriend ended up peeing in my room because i left the door open when i would sleep at my boyfriends and he ended up getting wasted and thinking my room was the bathroom

that made me lol

 

[dankstersauce]

If I could only give one piece of advice to any person going to college it would be: Go to class!

Don't sleep in, don't skip because you're not doing anything important that day, don't skip because you didn't do your homework, don't schedule appointments during classes, be there. Most professors count attendance, and even if they don't, if you're struggling or borderline on grades, your attendance will count in your favor.

In my experience this is the one thing that I see so many people fail at and the problems that it causes are endless.

Go to class!!!!!^^^
It somehow took me 2 semesters to realize that i need to go to class to do good. Oh yeah and don't smoke pot before your classes. Remember that you're at a college/Uni to learn, not to get wasted and sleep around. I learned my lesson I'm supposed to be graduating this year but I'm about 10 credits short of being a junior. That means an extra 2 years if i bust my ass, if not more.

if you are too lazy to go to class, wait till you get flunked out, go get a shitty job and then realize how fortunate you were in school, and go back to college/uni....thats what i did.

 

[euphoria]

1. Go to every class.
2. Go to every class.
3. Go to every class.
4. Go to every class.
5. Go to every class.
6. Go to every class.
7. Go to every class.
8. Go to every class.
9. Go to every class.

In all seriousness - go to EVERY fucking class, no exceptions. The next most important thing is to get the syllabus the first day and immediately put every major event to do with that class in your calendar. Do this for every class. Check your calendar religiously every morning and update as appropriate. This isn't just a college skill but a lifeskill. Almost as important a skill as not shitting yourself if you really want to succeed.


Another thing you can do is this:
Break down your entire yearly cost for college including Tuition, books, housing, food, bills, etc. That number for some will be 30,000$ a year, for others it will be more. Now realize that if you are on quarter system that 30,000$ is only getting you 45 units a year. Each unit is costing you 667$ if not more. On Quarter system the quarters are 12 weeks with ~3 classes a week or 36 classes. Each individual class alone is costing you about 75 bucks. That is 75 dollars PER ONE HOUR CLASS. Probably a lot more than that though. College is well over 30k/yr when you add it all up for most 4 yr college students. It is more than worth your time to show up to your 2-3 classes a day. That's 150-225 bucks. Don't spend those 150-225 bucks laying in bed or smoking herb and playing xbox.

-werd-

lol i think about how i paid for the class now every time i think about skipping....
im going back to school now after about a year break... and last time i was in uni i skipped class about 3-4 times a week... WORST IDEA EVER. i got all C's and one B. and all my profs hated me!!! (we had really small classes so they KNEW i wasnt ever there)

anyways.... yeah i'll never skip again now that im thinking about the waste of money it is to NOT be there for a class you paid for...8)


... and about getting high before class.... definitely not a good idea. you think you can pay attention... but your mind will always wander...

 

[RockWell]

Just rember when you take a test A = Adderall

 

[syymphonatic]

go to class!!! 2+ rough years and a handful of fails and withdrawls has made me realize this finally.


and, if you're having problems with ANYTHING... course content, your life, your schedule, and it's affecting your performance... TALK TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR!! they are more than happy to help out; all they really want if for their students to succeed.

 

[VerbalTruist]

Everyone says go to class... its very true.

 

[Strange.Days]

College freshy here. Going to class is key. Another thing I think that should be pointed out tho- try to relax. I see too many kids get stressed out, and then look for all the wrong ways to escape.

 

[qwe]

i skip tons of classes and do fine

the lectures are basically outlines of what is in the book, but with less depth because they only have 50 minutes to talk

so, EITHER go to class OR read the book

most people hate reading the books so if you are one of those people, go to class i guess

 

[phactor]

If I could only give one piece of advice to any person going to college it would be: Go to class!

Don't sleep in, don't skip because you're not doing anything important that day, don't skip because you didn't do your homework, don't schedule appointments during classes, be there. Most professors count attendance, and even if they don't, if you're struggling or borderline on grades, your attendance will count in your favor.

In my experience this is the one thing that I see so many people fail at and the problems that it causes are endless.

Number 1 thing you must do if you want to be successfull. Only skip if you really need too.

It took me way to long to learn this, but once I did I haven't gotten anything lower then a B.