Advice to pnms beginning their College/University experience…

[tunatartare]

Yep. One of my sisters wanted to recycle a paper from a different class, and she had to get permission from both professors to do that.

[Ocalagirl]

Originally Posted by ucfpnm

That's lame...I did that several times in high school. I wouldn't call it "plagurism"..."lazy" perhaps. Plagurism is defined as taking someone else's work and calling it your own. How can you do that to something you wrote? Silly rule.

I'm definitely with you on that! I've had professors tell me do to do instead of working harder. To me plagiarism is taking credit for someone else's work and not giving them credit. Granted I have never done it, but if the oppurtunity arose I would definitely consider it.

[KSUViolet06]

*I don't care if this has already been said, but DO NOT SLEEP WITH EVERY SINGLE GUY/GIRL WHO SAYS HELLO TO YOU.

*If you're single going into freshman year, it's nice to meet new guys, but take it easy. You don't have to date every guy who shows interest in you just because you're single.

*Alot of times, if you do have a boyfriend, this is the first time you're going to be spending away from each other. I know it's good to keep in touch but don't spend EVERY MINUTE of the day calling or texting him. Don't be so wrapped up in your boyfriend that you miss out on opportunities to have fun.

*Try to make friends with people in your major who aren't freshmen. They're very helpful when it comes time to schedule classes and figure out who to take for which classes.

*I recommend that you be familiar with the locations of the following places before you come to campus: at least one grocery store, 2 gas stations, your bank, Walmart, at least one mall, Starbucks, Kinko's, the police station, and the nearest hospital. These are all places off campus that you will most likely need at some point.

[AUDeltaGam]

Originally Posted by JocelynC

*Alot of times, if you do have a boyfriend, this is the first time you're going to be spending away from each other. I know it's good to keep in touch but don't spend EVERY MINUTE of the day calling or texting him. Don't be so wrapped up in your boyfriend that you miss out on opportunities to have fun.

AMEN!! I made this mistake, and definitely regret it now.

[KSUViolet06]

*Alot of times, when you come home from colege on breaks, you might get discouraged because your HS friends might not call you all the time or be readily available to hang out liike they were in HS.

Don't freak out. People change somewhat when they go off to school. They most likely have new friends and interests and stuff. They probably still want to be your friend, but they're just trying to figure out where their HS friends fit in with their new life at school.

[Stef the Pef]

Originally Posted by Sailboat Sis

www.pick-a-prof.com

Thanks!

[KSUViolet06]

*Another pretty decent tool is www.ratemyprofessors.com(it's free).

[I_Love_Penguins]

I'd say get a job as soon as you can. Even if you only take a few hours at first and build from there, it's worth it. You'll meet great people and you'll learn responsiblity. Supervisors are usually very flexible about scheduling around classes and extracurriculars. Plus who doesn't want to have a little extra money in her pocket? LOL.

And the job I started last year and will be returning to this year taught me time management...and they don't even know it. I knew when my classes and work hours were, so I could arrange around that for free time, homework, and any activities I wanted to do. My GPA went up a little bit both semesters from my freshman year (I worked freshman year, but my schedule was not as steady...it was almost a little too flexible, meaning I slacked a lot more than I should have). Not a drastic increase, but enough to know that I really could manage my time. I'm not saying you can't learn time management without a job, but since I had a steady schedule, it really helped me grasp the time thing.

It is normal to be nervous about going to college, but don't do what I saw some girls do and go home after the first weekend (yes I actually saw this happen freshman year). You need to stay at least one semester and see how things go for you. Everyone has rough times at some point in their freshman year and even throughout college. You won't know you don't like it until you stay awhile. Then after your first semester, if you really hate it, go ahead and transfer. But don't leave in the middle of the semester or at the very beginning. I just talked to an incoming freshman today who almost decided to not move in at all. Nervousness is normal. Don't let it get the best of you until you really have a feel for college life.

You can still have fun without getting drunk on the weekends. I know I did. I went bowling, visited a nursing home on Valentine's Day, went Christmas caroling, particpated in choir (which included a trip to Washington D.C.), and went on a campus ministry retreat. None of these events included alcohol and everyone still seemed to be enjoying themselves. Also, you will meet people who do not do the whole party thing. Not EVERYONE does it. I met a good amount of people who do not party and didn't seem to have any regrets about not doing so. I am 21 now and while I will be going out a bit more on weekends for drinks, I know I won't be going out all the time and it's not all there is to do with your friends. I actually want to remember college, and I don't want to be in a position where I don't have stories to tell b/c I was out drinking all the time. I didn't have any alcohol while I was underage, and my life was easier that way. I didn't have to worry about coming back to the dorm and getting busted...I didn't have to wonder how I could sneak alcohol past the RAs...I just felt better about myself by not drinking.

Only go out when you have the extra money to do so. It's common sense really and I know you'll be thinking your life will be boring, but you can't spend money you don't have. ATMs can be death if you withdraw too much from your account. Only withdraw cash when you absolutely have to and if you spend it all before you want to go out on the weekend, your best bet is to stay in for a movie night or something.

Hmmm...I think that's all I have to say that hasn't already been said.

[KSUViolet06]

I'm a mentor for freshman students in the English department. One of my freshmen FAILED a paper because of this, so here's some advice:

*When you are asked to use scholarly sources for a paper, Wikpedia DOES NOT EQUAL scholarly and neither does Urban Dictionary. Go to the library or log on to whatever electronic journal sites your school has access to. Please.

[tunatartare]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I'm a mentor for freshman students in the English department. One of my freshmen FAILED a paper because of this, so here's some advice:

*When you are asked to use scholarly sources for a paper, Wikpedia DOES NOT EQUAL scholarly and neither does Urban Dictionary. Go to the library or log on to whatever electronic journal sites your school has access to. Please.

Ironically enough, my international economics professor actually told me that sometimes you can get all the information that you need to write a paper just by doing a Google or Wikipedia search.

[PenguinTrax]

You can get the information, but it is not verified and most institutions will not allow Google or Wikipedia to be used in your bibliography or footnotes.

[KSUViolet06]

This one deserves a bump since it's almost that time of year again!

[Soliloquy]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

15. If you're in the mood for drama. Attend SGA meetings.

I can't tell you how hard I laughed when I read that, because it is SO true. I've always been actively involved in SGA and continued that interest in college, boy was I suprised by how heated debates can get. It's a lot of fun though, especially if it is something you are passionate about and have to convince your fellow members that its worth the time and money.

I also have to comment on a few other things:

1. Credit cards: I don't know if you all actually know this, but when you make a purchase on a credit card and pay it off completely when you get the bill, you are delaying the benefits. Sure it will reflect that you are capable of handling the responsibility associated with credit cards and it will raise your credit score, but slowly. Let's say you have a $200 balance on a credit card, make a couple of large payments to pay it off within 3 months! Do not let a balance sit long enough to acrue a ridiculous amount of interest. You should have read all the fine print to know what the APR is on the credit card and when balances begin to gain interest! Also, for the love of God 19.9% APR is NOT a good deal!!!!! Anyway my point is that if you make consistent large payments (way over the minimum) you will raise your credit score quickly, especially if the balance is paid off within 3 months. Having friends in the finance curriculum pays off My credit score has skyrocketed in the past year because I followed this formula.

2. Classes: You will be suprised how wrong sites like ratemyprofessor can be. I took a class with a professor that had been praised on that site! There were very few negative reviews on his teaching style and testing. Granted his tests were incredibly easy, but I felt like I didn't learn a damn thing because he was SO boring. I think most of the class slept or entertained themselves with their laptops. I'm pretty sure the only reason he came so highly recommended was because he was so easy.
Also, I took a teacher that had some pretty tough reviews. Overall the comments said he was a great guy but graded really hard and his tests were insanely difficult. Well I didn't have a choice and I had to take him, but this was also in a subject that I am rather confident in (my minor). I worked my butt off in his class, but learned a great deal and made an A. I sucked it up and took a class against others advice. Sometimes listening to other people's opinions won't get you far and you won't learn a darn thing. Don't forget, you are in college to learn and to be challenged- so make sure you do exactly that.

3. Office Hours: I just feel I absolutely have to repeat this because of its importance! Please do not feel intimidated by asking for help! You are not weak or dumb when you ask for help, you are actually demonstrating that you care about the class and want to do well. Also, like others have said, you never know what kind of personal connections you will get out of it. I became pretty close with two professors this past year and they are so supportive of me. The professor who I mentioned in my #2 rant has definitely become my mentor and he has "demanded" that I take him for the rest of my classes required by my minor! He has so much faith in my capabilities and wants to do everything possible to help me succeed, so that's why he wants to make sure he's the one prepping me for my future. How awesome is that? I've got this incredibly powerful professor (he's the interim department head!) in my corner because I would pop into his office for help, but we would also talk about random things- like music. Also, don't waste their time either. Don't go to the office unless you really have valid questions and really want help. You'll be taking time away from students who really do need the professor's assistance and you'll probably annoy him/her. Like I said, by all means if you are there for help and somehow another subject rises into the conversation- go with it. Just don't go there for tea and cookies, ya know what I mean?

4. Nightlife: Ok, there is way more to college nightlife then college parties. If you are musically inclined, you will be suprised how many incredible bands will be playing near you. Good local, and small national, bands love playing in college town bars. Not only will you be exposed to different kinds of music, you will be suprised how many people from campus you meet. That cute guy in your bio class might be there and it would be a splendid time to talk to him. I've talked to people in classes that I might not normally had the opportunity to have a conversation with, and I've met people involved with all sorts of organizations. So look around campus for music flyers, find out the rock hot spots and get to it! Great way to get out on the weekend!

[sunnyhibiscus]

Soliloquy, I agree with you on the ratemyprofessor.com deal. I took a math teacher that have received negative reviews. I was scared because I was terrible in math. However, she was a good professor, and I gave her high marks there. You just have to not fall behind and do your homework.

And some of the negative reviews on the site come from people who don't study or don't give an effort.

[flirt5721]

Originally Posted by sunnyhibiscus

Soliloquy, I agree with you on the ratemyprofessor.com deal. I took a math teacher that have received negative reviews. I was scared because i was terrible in math. However, she was a good professor, and I gave her high marks there. You just have to not fall behind and do your homework.

And some of the negative reviews on the site come from people who don't study or don't give an effort.

I agree with you too. However sometimes a professor can be a really bad lecture teacher but be a better one on one teacher. Don't just judge the professor in the classes room. A lot of the bad review might come from students that did not bother to go to the office hours or make and appointment with the professor. Go to their office hours and they can help out so much more (most of the time).