School and Sororities
 

het guys. i have a little question for you. do you go out on school nights? here is my dilemma...i want to go out on school nights cuz i feel that i am only young once and i know that college should be a really fun time where you make some great lifelong memories. however, i get sooo much homework so i really don't have time to go out that much. like for example we have a test in psych over the first 6 chapters and it takes me like 2 hours to read one chapter cuz i cant read stuff that is boring to me, and then to top it off i have to take notes on it. i go out on the weekends and stuff, but i feel like i'm missing out. and i want to be more involved on campus like in a sorority but i dont know if ill have the time....and i made the hugest mistake of taking an 8 a.m. class....that leaves no time for late nights w/ the gang. any ideas?

Ummm....you are in college first and foremost to get an education. If that isn't your main reason to be there then you are not going to do very well whether you go out on school nights or not.

Some of the best memories you'll have will just be of hanging out in the dorm or at the caf with your friends. You don't have to be out partying every night.

If the 8 AM class is that impossible for you to make, drop it while your drop/add period is still in effect and resolve to never make that scheduling mistake again.

I definitely understand what you are talking about. When I first got to college I couldn't believe that all of the parties were during the week - and being a math major I also have a lot of work. First of all, I have sympathy for anyone with the dreaded 8 AM class - I had an 8 AM three times a week last semester, but I don't require too much sleep, so I went out a lot. I am at school for an education, so my classes must come first, but I figure that as long as I finish my work before I leave for the party, then I can go out and have some fun. I know that if I didn't do my work and went to a party I would have that in the back of my mind the whole time and I wouldn't have as much fun as if I had finished all of my work. The key to partying during the week is to manage your time. Last semester I stayed in a lot to study, while others partied, but there were also times when others stayed in while I was out. Parties aren't everything. I have fun just going to the dinning hall with my pals, or going to the gym with my big sister. Yea, sometimes I think I missed stuff, but sometimes when my pals get home they tell me that it sucked and that I didn't miss a thing. Basically, try to manage your time and do your work on the weekends if you want to party during the week. Another suggestion that I have is that you schedule later classes next semester. At my school Thursdays are party nights so on Friday I scheduled my earliest class for 3:30 in the afternoon. This will give me plenty of time to sober up before class. I learned from last semester that I no longer want 8 AM classes - showing up hungover to class is the worst! Well, I hope this helped - sorry it is long. Good Luck with everything!

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Jaclyn S.
Delta Xi Delta @ MSU

True, you are only young once, but now's the time to figure out what your priorities are. I remember my freshman year--Fall 97 GPA was 3.75, Spring 98 was a 1.07...and that was because I didn't get my priorities straight.

I'm not saying you should cut down on going out with the gang. I agree, 8am classes are difficult to wake up to. But later on in college as you progress the classes you really need to take may only be offered at 8am!

You are in college to receive an education. And with this new found freedom also comes responsibility and time management. I didn't think that I could handle being in a sorority, either, but my sorority puts a LOT of emphasis on time management and organization. There's always going to be times to go out and have fun, and don't feel like you're missing out on anything during the week. Judging from your name I'm going to assume that you're a freshman. Freshman year is THE year to establish yourself in the classroom. A lot of people don't think so, but a great first year usually helps in the long run.

I hope this helps..and good luck!

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*I'm an Alpha Gam...Yes I am, Yes I am!*

This is very true. It's much easier to bring a GPA down than up! We go on the quarter system here. My first 2 quarters, 3.1, 3rd quarter, 2.7, then a 2.35, 2.19, 2.35, and most recently a 2.87 (hopefully this is an upward swing!) At the end of my soph year, i had like a 3.65. The last GPA only brought it up to a 3.68. However, the first 2.35 brought it down from a 3.0 to something like a 2.8. Hopefully, by the middle of next year, I can be back up to a 3.0!

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

While as a Frosh, you will be takeing general courses till you can find out what you really want to major in. In my first college I was a history major and did PEE POOOOR. Got kicked out and transfered to another schoola nad cchanged majors to business. While I was on probation, got kicked out of a Fraternity and started my own. My first class wass 7:30 AM and got out at 11:00 AM. Bars opened at NOON. I had many prioritys with Fraternity being the Founder but my last sem., I had a 3.89 and graduated barely. It is not all fun but think of flipping burgers or cashering at the local store. As a Frosh. you have many things that will interfer with your time but the most important thing is what are you going to do with your life after school. That is the real world not school! School should be fun but also a learning experience to teach you what it is all about. That is why GDI"s dont really have a clue when they get out! Good luck to you as you have many Brothers and Sisters out here to guide you along.
Yo Corbin What is Going on?

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Tom Earp LX Z#1
Pittsburg State U. (Kansas)

I agree with everyone else, its all about time management. I am an honor student, so I have GPA requirements that are really strict. What works for me (maybe it'll help)- if you study at night- take a break for a little while and visit a party that your freinds are at (but don't drink and make yourself go back and finish your work)
try to work stuff out so that you can go out one night a week (you don't have to stay out all night, but a couple of hours away can keep you from feeling left out)
My sorority is really easy-going, if I have some kind of class thing (like a study group, project, etc.) then they exempt me from meetings or whatever I need. Also, we have studyhall hours and GPA requirements. I think that most sororities are understanding about studying, after all, most members in most houses are in college to become more educated.

If you have that much stuff to cover, you must have awhile to do it. 1 or 2 chapters a week (if the test is in a month) really isn't a lot if you break it up & do some each night or each class day. Long assignments like that, in my experience, mean that the questions will be very basic.
If you really feel over-loaded, talk to the prof, & ask how to break it up into managable chunks. You can handle it. After all, you made it this far! Good luck
Heidi

Definitely make sure your priorities are in order. But the absolute best thing you can do is to have two roommates. One who is always ready to party and one who thinks a SHORT DAY at the library is EIGHT HOURS!!! If your lucky she'll let you eat lunch. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif GOD BLESS MY STUDY ROOMMATE!!!! For w/o her I would not be a graduate today!

I think that the number one priority of college is to get an education. At the same time I also think that part of the reason that one attends a four year university is to be able to experience college. However, experiencing college isn't always about partying till you pass out.

One thing that alarms me about the original post is that "Frosh" wants to go out on school nights and then seems to associate this with getting more involved...ie joining a sorority. Frosh...I'm in a sorority...take 8 am's, occassionally go out during the week and still manage to make the dean's list. The thing about college is that you have to prioritize your time. Sometimes you can't go out, some times you can. You have to know yourself, and know that if you go out on a weekday you still have to make it to that 8 am class. And if you have a test...don't go out that night. Each person has to find out what works best for them.

Kymberleigh

Delta Delta Delta

My sorority's symphony could help you find the answer to that question...
"Scholarship before social obligations."
BELIEVE ME! Grades are so important. True, you are only young once. But some people only get one chance to proove themselves in college. Do you know how hard it is to raise your cum. GPA? It's VERY hard! So hang tight and work hard. There will be plenty chaces to mingle and have fun. In the meantime I suggest doing all you can to get those good grades so when you're faced with even harder classes you won't be as overwhelmed and then you can afford to go out. Best of luck!

Actually, you're only as young as you feel. Age shouldn't matter. You can still go out partying after college. I'm 22 and I love to go out. I just don't overdue it. I know what my limit is and so should you. When I lived in the dorm, I didn't go out during the week b/c I had an 8am, MWF class. It sucked and I rarely went to class and got a really bad GPA. I decided after that semester to prioritize my studying time and my partying time. I did not have any Friday classes that next semester so I spent my Thursday and Friday nights partying. Saturday and Sunday was used to get back on the path of studying and doing homework. I knew what I had to get done and I knew I had to get my GPA up. I ended up getting a 3.2 GPA that semester. As everybody is saying, it's a matter of prioritizing your time. Don't do things just b/c you think your friends are going to think you're a geek for not going out or something like that. You'll probably do a lot better in school than they will and then you can laugh in their faces. That always compensates for sacrificing a Saturday to study. You have plenty of time to party. Just make getting an education the priority. Good luck!