Keep in touch with your parents. They haven't slept a wink since they dropped you off at State U. Seriously.

Oh and remember how incredibly dumb they got while you were in high school? Like, they didn't know anything? Amazingly, they have straightened themselves out and are a great resource for things like teaching or telling you about coupon clipping, saving money, credit cards, balancing check books, installing a light bulb and doing laundry.

Also, they're getting older and tend to be a bit forgetful. Hound them about getting their taxes done early so you don't get ripped on the FAFSA. I promise you that both you and your parents will be glad that you stayed on them when you're getting merit-based scholarships early in the financial aid cycle instead of receiving only loans.

They will also be good for helping you plot out classes. Use them as a sounding board. I doubt mom is using Calculus as much in her daily life, but she may be able to suggest some classes that may help you get ahead.


Also, now that you've picked a major... are you 110% certain you will be in this field your entire life? I didn't think so. Stick with the major, but take some courses outside of it to get a more liberal range of electives. If you're an English major, take Statistics and an Economics course. If you're an engineering major, take a non-technical writing course.

If you're pre-law, don't major in pre-law or poli-sci. Go with English or philosophy or liberal arts-- something more theory-based than vocational. The law schools see a ton of pre-law majors. Stand out. If you're going to get an MBA someday, you don't nececessarily need to major in a business-related field right now (much for the same reasons.) I've done my fair share of research on both of these professional degrees-- a unique profile stands out. Just make sure to earn high grades, get involved in a few meaningful activities/community service (excluding Greek Life) and work for a couple of years post-college. Then kick butt on the GMAT or LSAT.

Take one night a week where you do nothing with the sorority. Just kick back and chill. Sometimes it is good to have a girl-free day to put things in perspective. Oftentimes, whether you live in the house or not, living on top of so many women can stress you out. This can also be true of living in an apartment or dorm. Find your getaway spot.

As we've all been hammering home, don't make a mockery of yourself by fooling around with boys and wondering why they don't call. Here's a tip: you put out (or came close) and they got what they wanted. It's not 1956, but boys do still want a bit of chase. And guys in college tend to not be quite so relationship minded as they were in high school. Don't be one of their conquests. Respect yourself.

Go to bed at a reasonable hour.

Take time putting your schedule together.

If you're not a morning person, don't fool yourself into thinking you'll be up and at 'em for a 7:30 class. If you fall asleep around 4 every afternoon, don't take a 3:30 class where they're going to be showing films or PowerPoint presentations in a darkened auditorium.

Also - if you are hopeless in a particular subject which is required to graduate:
This may only work at schools with huge sports systems, but when I failed Calculus at Giant State U (in spite of tutoring and intensive studying), someone suggested I find out when the football team took Calculus. Huh? Well, it turns out that some classes are way over-subscribed with sports stars who may not be the sharpest knives in the drawer. They're popular with the Jocks because the person in charge of team scholastics (and keeping the Big Dummies eligible) has discovered that they may be paced or graded so that even Mouth Breathers can stay in school. I was the only female in the class, (and the only person who weighed under 250) and I kid you not, all the CALCULUS tests were all true/false, and a 51 was a passing grade.

And yes, I passed (barely - thank God for the matricies chapter at the end of Calc, where I got 100%, because that pulled me up to a 52% and a barely-passing D.) :)

Why didn't I have smart friends like that to tell me these kinds of things when I was in college?

Don't get used to taking afternoon naps and watching soap operas. The real world will quickly burst that bubble when you have an hour long commute and have to be at work by 8:30 AM. Get in the habit of treating college like a full time job in your junior and senior year and prepare for the inevitability. Do take a morning class in the fall and actually go to the class. You will be amazed at how much you can get done before 1 PM! I understand that not all of us are early risers or some are used to their afternoon nap-- but there are no milk and cookie nap times in the working world, so break that habit now while you can.

ETA: Greek Life is fun, but get involved in some other activities like a pre-professional club. If you're moving onto grad school, listing your sorority office on your resume as your greatest accomplishment looks trite. This isn't coming from me; just advice I have received from adcomms. Also remember that you're in school to get an education. Class before boys and socials.

Don't know if this was mentioned or not but:

-If you are stuggling in a required class, GET A TUTOR. Your school offers free tutoring. Do not wait until the day before exam to go, because you'll be in a world of hurt. If there is someone on your floor that have taken the class and done very well, aske him/her for help.

-If someone in your hall is being too loud and if you are studying or sleeping, tell them. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP. You hate to be a b, but you have to take care of your business. If thik problem continues, tell your Resident Advisor.

-If your Resident Adviosr (RA) is being difficult, DEAL WITH IT! You will deal with difficult people for the rest of your life (your boss, supervisor, etc.) If you had a difficult teacher in elem./middle/high school, you should be able to deal with it. He's/She's in charge of the floor and you have to go by their rules.

-If you want to get a good selection of classes for next semester/triemster, GO TO YOUR ADVISOR EARLY. If you do not, then expect the classes you want to be filled. And you may have to take night classes.

-If you walk on campus at night, have someone to walk with you. If you have no one, then CALL campus police for escort service. Many people say it's babyish, but you rather be safe and sorry, right? This is a must if you attend a school in a big city or attend a large school.

-On the first day, BRING NOTEBOOK AND PEN. On some classes, you will have to take notes. On others, you don't.

-Ignore the people on campus that are passing out credit card applications. Do not make eye contact. Get a debit card instead.

-Compromise with your roommate. You may not like him/her, but if you talk to him/her and agree on some guidelines, things will be much easier. For instance, if you have a 8 AM class, and you need to be in bed by 10 PM, tell her that. Because if you don't, things will be problematic.

-Establish a strong relationship with your professor. The more you get to know your professor and vice versa, the better the recommendations for grad/med/dental/business schools will be. But in order to get a good reccomendation, you have to meet with your professors and do well in the class and participate in class discussion.

-If you signed up for a class that you don't like the first day, drop beofre you receive a "W", because that "W" will appear on your transcript. And too many "W"s will harm you in getting into grad school.

At the risk of sounding like a PSA, get all your vaccinations, even the ones that aren't mandatory, including meningitis.

Wow, very prompt and prudent bump.

Some thigns to add:
+ Study abroad. Do it. Yes, you CAN afford it, hell, I afforded it and now I'm talking iimmigration. Be prepared for it to be the best experience of your life, and be prepared to have a learning curve. When in the country, eat what the locals eat, go where the locals go, and if someone offers you a cup of tea, accept, even if you don't want it.

+ Exercise. It makes studying a ton easier. I usually find that I can plan things out very clearly if I'm out running or on my bike. Add to it that it fights off depression and keeps off the freshman 15. This is all the more important in winter. If you're not keen on the student rec center (i'm not, for various reasons) think about a community centre/church group or find a trail on your own. A healthy body contains a healthy mind.

Also:

Go to career fairs. Even as a freshman so you can get the feeling of how it works.

Keep an open mind about co-ops and internships. They help out a lot.

Don't forget that at the end of each semester you can sell back you books to the bookstore (you won't get that much back but its something) or you can sell them to other students.

Find out if there is an escort service if walking around campus late at night.

Don't go out to eat so much. It might not seem like much but it will add up.

More Tips:

-Learn to say NO. For instance if you have an exam the next day and you're roommate ask you to go to a party, simply say no. Exams have an effect on you more than parties.

-Abstain from alcohol the night before exams.

-CREATE a schedule. If you do, you are more likely to be organized and more likely to make better grades and stay focused.
Example:
MWF
6 Wake Up Time
8-9 English 101
9:15-10:15 Chemistry
10:30-11:30 College Algebra
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-4:00 Free Time (arcade, go to the gym)
4:00-6:00 Chores (i.e. Laundry on Wednesdays)
6:00-7:00 Dinner
7:00-10:00 Study Time
10:00 Sleep Time

TR
Same Wake Up time
8-9:30 Psychology
9:45-11:15 Spanish
Rest of Schedule same as MWF

-Also AVOID peak times to wash your clothes. Wash before 6 otherwise you will wait all night to wash your clothes. I remember one time that I have to wait until 1 AM to wash my clothes! Don't make that mistake.

-Get plenty of quarters for washing and drying.

-When the fire alarm goes off in your dorm, GET OUT. If you don't, you will be written up.

-If you live at the dorms, make sure you follow the rules (i.e. quiet hours) and do not have illegal stuff (i.e. candles, George Foreman grills, drugs (duh)). If you don't you will get written up and you may be possibly fined.

-If you haven't declared a major yet, don't sweat! Just because your friends have not declared a major, doesn't mean you have to. Wait for at least a year, tops, and take the general education classes first. They include English, Math, Science, History, etc.

-If there is a welcome convocation, ATTEND it! You will meet the president of the univerisity, meet new friends, learn more about activites and clubs.

-If your roommate is homesick, talk to her. Maybe go out with her to a movie or bowling. But ask what her interests are. If you roomate is new to town, but you know the town very well, show her around.

-If possible, get the name and phone number of your roommate before you move in. Discuss with her what you would bring and compromise with the room situation.

bit of advice from someone who knows
 

Another good rule of thumb is to talk to you people you know about which professors to take. And take their advice! It will make taking classes easier and less painful on you! If you do not know anyone like me, go to http://www.ratemyprofessors.com or the professor grading system on Myspace.com until you meet people at your school.

Don't make the mistake to slack around the first two semesters. I made that mistake and it takes sooooooo much more work to pull up my GPA now and I could just kick myself for it!

Look closely at your syllabus!

For me I tried keep two calenders, one for homework, papers, etc. and the second one is just for social events. Just use one! It may sound like common sense to use one, but it is a lot easier.

Don't be over involved at your school, but don't be under involved. You have to find that happy balance between school (1st priority by the way), work (if you choose), and clubs and organizations.

Have FUN and meet NEW people, not just the ones you live with or have known since high school.

This advice is coming from a college junior so I know the game.

Actually George Foremans were allowed at my school. They don't have an "open heating element" like a toaster.

You're lucky! At my school, they weren't allowed.

* Go to the programs put on in your residence hall! Some may be stupid but others can be quite helpful. We had a course on self-defense which was great b/c I had a lot of night classes and did not always have a buddy to walk back with.
* And on that note, pay attention in your class to look for familar faces. Not only could you find a study buddy, but you could also find someone you can walk home with from a night class. Aviod being alone if you can. If you can't, find out where the public safety phones are or if your campus provides rides for students walking back late at night.
* Move in as early as you can so you can just wander around. This goes for your campus and your city/town. You'll find some cool places and probably some places to avoid as well.
* If you do get a credit card you only need one, not 17. And if you find you can't pay it, call the company and try to work something out. Also at that point, cancel the card and cut it up!!!!
* Most importantly, keep an open mind! You may meet types of people you have never encountered before. This is what the real world is like.

...OR PROFESSORS! No matter what the perks are, that's just a bad idea. Sure, it's okay to flirt, especially if they're towards your age or especially charming. But for the love of bob, don't pursue a relationship if he's in your major or minor! Good grief, you don't want your dirty laundry running around your major profs' minds when they're handing out grades, do you?!

Better yet, bring someone who knows the tunnels (or spires, if you're at a college who loooooves to put towers on every building). Our tunnels have an alarm system in them, so it's best to bring someone who knows where those alarms are, how to spot them, and how to avoid them. Do explore things like tunnels and towers, though, if for nothing else than the graffiti is a fun read.

Good grief, where is that?

Other assorted advice:
*It's okay not to drink. Most college students (aside from a few "whooo! no parents!" freshmen) will respect that if you don't because of religious reasons, because you know how you get when you're smashed, or if you'd just rather not risk it. It's better not to be trashed at parties because there are so so many things that can go wrong there! If you're the type of drunk who's prone to dancing on tables and hooking up, wait to explore the wide world of alcohol with a small group of trusted friends and not at parties. Your sorority's standards board will appreciate that.

*Pay attention to your health! Eat right, take breaks away from the books from time to time, and get some sleep. Developing problems like anemia or migraine headaches due to that academic perfectionism isn't worth it, and will ruin your grades. Taking the time to eat, sleep, or work out won't ruin your GPA if you manage your time well.

*Save your doctor's notes! They come in useful for challenging grade decisions or missed work.

*Be friendly! Don't be afraid to say hi to people in your classes or your other activities. Keeping to yourself all the time is no fun.

*Find student or school-related websites. Talk to existing students. Get to "know" other students or alums before coming to school and you'll be less nervous about the transition. My honors program had a message board set up for us that let us find out a little bit about each other before we even showed up. We kept meeting each other in person and going, "oh! you're so-and-so from the BIC boards who likes blahblahblah." :) Ask older students and alumni questions, too! We don't bite, and we've been in your shoes before and know a thing or two about many of the questions you ask.

*Go to your school's Orientation and Welcome Week programs. You get to know a lot of useful information through those.

*Go to athletic events! Tailgates are wonderful and games are usually a welcome break from stressing the heck out of yourself. Go with friends, and be loud!

*HUGE AMEN to not going home every weekend. Eventually your mom has to undo the umbilical cord, and at college, you need to start learning how to be independent. Unless there's a good reason for going home at every opportunity like a family member with a terminal illness, going home that often is just lame. You miss out on important things to do with friends if you're not there for the weekends.

*Don't over-pack--the move-in crews will thank you, and so will your roommate!

*If you have roommate issues, apply to switch. Sometimes there are singles reserved for people with certain health issues that aren't used every year, and you can go into one of those if you're lucky. Just remember that it's better to get out of a bad roommate situation than stay there.

*Community appliances SUCK. Out of the two microwaves in my dorm, both got broken on a regular basis and were unusable for about a week afterwards. If you can bring your own (or if your roomie can bring one to share), bring it. Same goes with things like TVs, computers, coffee pots--it's just better to know that you can have access to them when you need them. Another option would be getting a computer with a built-in cable TV hookup--it saves a lot of space and you won't have to worry about your required watching of political debates/____ documentary/whatever strange assignment your get that might involve TV conflicting with the masses' Desperate Housewives hour.

All this talk about dropping classes if they are really hard, you are flunking, etc., keep in mind that some orgs./individual chapters may have a policy that the member must COMPLETE (NOT attempt) a certain number of hours to be in good standing the next semester.

Yes, make sure that your New Member Coordinator, Scholarship/Academic Coordinator, etc. knows that you are struggling and need help so at the end of the semester when grades come out, there won't be so much shock.

Most chapters try to have Initiation during the semester you pledged, but if it is delayed to the next semester, you want to make sure that you have a high enough GPA to be initiated.

After all, the chapter is expecting EVERYONE to make the required GPA EVERY SEMESTER. One low GPA can cancel out 3-4 high grades of other members for the overall chapter GPA.

Also check to see if any mid-semester courses are offered, in case you need to drop a class. I don't know how many colleges offer them but they are only worth 1-2 credits and will help you maintain fulltime status.

Invest in a Pick-A-Prof account. Do it with a few friends to spread out the cost. It's well worth it. Don't just look at the grade distribution though. Read the reviews (with a grain of salt) to see if a professor's style of teaching is similar to your style of learning.

Set a GPA goal for yourself each semester, in each class. Having a "carrot" in front of your face is a great way to stay motivated throughout the semester. I'm aiming for at least a 3.6 this semester.

For the love of God, use Academic Advising and Career Services! Keep in mind that the top internship programs have early application deadlines. Start thinking about what you want to do in the summer in the fall.

Keep your Facebook profiles clean and neat! Don't have "drinking" under your interests, sloppy make out pictures of yourself, etc. Your profile is accessible to everyone and reflects you and your sorority.

Don't avoid the library. It's a great place to study, you just have to find the right spot. :)

After rush is over and done with, don't bother waking up bright & early to look cute for classes. You don't need make-up, a blow out, etc. for your 8 or 9 AM class.

Credit cards: only have one. Pay off your balance every month. Do not graduate with c/c debt and a bad credit rating... you'll be screwed. For purchases under $10, pay in cash ONLY.

MAJOR IN SOMETHING YOU LOVE. Your GPA will thank you. Concentrate on a high GPA, a great resume and good internships. It will get you and interview where you can really sell yourself. So many people in hiring have told me this. Also, don't feel like you have to major in political science to work in D.C. or in biology for med. school. DO WHAT YOU LOVE!!

So, what is Pick-A-Prof? Address? Link? TIA.

One thing that I thought about when writing out rush recommendations--

After you graduate from high school, NO ONE cares what clubs you were in or what your parents did. Really.

Are you 110% sure that what you're majoring in will be your career for the next 40 years? That you'll never, never ever change it or consider going back to school?

I didn't think so.

I know you English majors hate math, or that the engineering students could care less about diagramming a sentence, but DO take classes outside of your field of interest. Take some challenging courses, like Philosophy or Economics instead of the fluff courses like Tennis & Self Defense for Women. This will help you learn to think more analytically, and if/when you go to apply to graduate school, these courses will be more seriously regarded. Whatever classes you do take, take them seriously. Grades are of little importance for post-graduation entry level classes, but they become HUGELY important for advanced degrees. And again, unless your 10000000% certain that you'll never, ever have any other career than the one you are planning now, take this advice. (See, I was one of those people-- completely sure--- and 6 years post-grad, I'm going back to school! I'm glad I got good grades then, but if I had to do it over, my course selection would be more varied.)

Also, rah-rah-Hooray for Greek Life. Get involved, but you need to get involved with other activities, too. Most (not all, but a decent chunk) employers and graduate admissions offices see Greek Life as frivolous or they buy into the stereotypes, so your 4 year membership in ABC can be viewed as trite, when someone else with the same grades has had internships and leadership in honor societies, pre-professional organizations and student government. Make a life in the sorority and have fun and hold offices, but also get involved on campus. This will help you to become more well-rounded and also keep you sane (living and working with 60+ women during the school year can be fun and draining at the same time).

Don't go to college and pick easy, bs classes/ majors with the intent to find a husband, be a trophy wife, and never have to work. This is 2006- you never know what will happen later in life! It's nice to have a major that you love, feel proud of and will enjoy working in that field in the future.

I didn't think that thought crossed the mind of anyone born after 1970.:confused: :confused:

lol That's what you'd think, but it's very, very common! Many girls still go to college to find nice, educated husbands. There's nothing wrong with wanting a nice, educated husband, but when that's the ONLY thing you're going to college for (oh yeah and the parties and social connections too)... I have several friends (who will remain nameless) who honestly just can't wait to be Mrs. Trophy Wife.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I'd say MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR ROOMMATE. Even if she's the weirdest person alive. Even if she smells. Even if she's annoying as all get-out. Make nice, talk to her, share a little bit about yourself, and hope that she shares as well.

My freshman year roommate and I should not have been friends. At all. But, we used to have pizza at least once a month, just the two of us. It worked out well for me, because I spent most of my Freshman year with some sickness or another. I caught the flu within my first two weeks, and it was my roommate who took care of me. She even walked to the health center to get me when I got there, saw the doctor, and didn't know if I could make it back on my own (it was that bad).

Wash your hands, often. Even if people think you're compulsive. Carry some sanitizing gel in your bookbag. You'll get sick, freshmen all tend to mix all their diseases together because they live so close together and you haven't had all of their diseases. Also, other people don't necessarily have the same hygeine as you. Not washing their hands after they use the potty? It'll happen. Coughing all over everything? Yup. Don't let someone else's bad habits become your illnesses, if you can help it.

DO NOT SHARE CUPS/SILVERWARE/DISHES WITH ANYONE. If it's a cup, you don't know what's in it. One of the fastest ways to get mono. Remember, too, that a lot of people can be carriers of mono without having symptoms. Don't go around kissing all the boys on campus. You get it from one of them, and before you get symptoms, you'll have passed it along to half of the Freshman class!

Also, make sure you check the reading list before going to class, regardless of whether or not you did the reading. A. You don't want to carry all your books for every class around with you. B. You'll look like you didn't do the reading if the professor refers to a certain book, everyone else pulls it out, and you don't have it. Make sure you have the right book for each class! It should be on your schedule that's part of your syllabus.

-You can use ratemyprofessors.com for info about professors, but don't rely on it too much. Some students that put poor ratings are either:
1. not attending class
2. not studying
3. procrastinate
4. other things

I have a professor that have receive poor ratings, but I disagree with them because she is a good professor. Some of the things on ratemyprofessors.com are true and some are not.

-Also, DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!! After a professor gives you guidelines for the paper, start on it NOW!!! Do not wait until 3 days until due date.

-DON'T even think about copying off work (i.e. internet). This rule have been stated before in high school, but when you're in college, and if you plagarize, you will be in serious hot water (i.e. fail the course, get on academic suspension, or worse, expelled). Some schools use a website called turnitin.com to catch plagarism. For the first rough draft, 18% of my work is considered plagarized. When I got to the final draft, only 4% of my work is considered plagarized (and that's from bibliogragpies only).

-Take your paper to a writing center (if there is one avalible) for proofreading. I don't care if you have grammar problems or not. This is helpful, because tiny mistakes can be the difference between an A and a B (or a B and a C, and so on).

-Another thing, if a professor ask you to write a 3 page paper, WRITE 3 pages. If you don't, you will get penalized. I've got penailized 10 points for not having 3 full pages in one of my classes, and my final grade was a B+, and I miss having an A- by 2 points. And those penalty points can hurt your final grade. On a side note, when I had to write a 20 page paper for my History of Psych, I nearly wanted to quit, but I was not doing well in the class and I had to write 20 pages so at least I will come out with a decent grade. And so I wrote 23 pages and ended up getting a B. The others that did not write a miminum of 20 pages got low grades.

We have that as a facebook group. "I'm going to college to find someone rich to marry".

Did you know it's considered as plagiarism to submit one of your OWN works more than once, without acknowledging it? Like if you did a paper on Legalizing Marijuana in your criminology course, and eventually submitted the same work in a debate course or something.

I have a sorority sister who at age 19 was crying, "I'm past my prime." She's 26 now and when I remind her of that, she laughs and says, "I'm so glad I'm still single and didn't get married out of high school like all of my friends did. All of them are unhappy or divorced or on their second marriage already!"

There are plenty of young women who come to college conditioned by their families that unless they are married or engaged by 22, they should resign themselves to being an old maid. As a result, a lot of girls start husband shopping the minute they get to freshman orientation... only to find that the guys that were the relationship-type in HS have ditched their sweeties to sow some wild oats, and that with a very few rare exceptions, you won't find true love over brews at the fraternity party.

When looking for your textbooks, check first online at www.bigwords.com

I love it. It searches the used and new book sites (you can specify which you prefer) and finds the best deals. I always called ahead, or visited campus early, to get my book list and then bought them online. Make the judgement about whether it's worth it to get them shipped or pay a few bucks more in the bookstore.

Think about which books you may want to use later. My intro Bio/Chem books got shelved but my 400 level Psychology books stayed with me. Sell back what you don't want but do think about keeping some.

That is true, especially here in the south. There is plenty of time to find the right man. It's not like we're living in the 1950s, thank God. During that time, if you weren't married by age 25, you're considered old. I'll be 24 in a couple of weeks, and I haven't found a man yet. Do I consider myself old? I think not. Now, I've been impatient a few times because I've seen many couples of campus and many of my friends have boy or girlfriends, and I was jealous and desperate, but I have learned to value myself first before I can value others.

No, it really is Plagiarism. There was a football player in my Public Speaking class that failed because he gave a speech that he had given before and didn't acknowledge it.

No comment on the Brit Lit term paper that also became my highschool and college Music Appreciation theses.

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.

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.

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