General advice for college freshmen? - Page 2

DubaiSis · #1 08-03-2013, 08:51 PM

Admittedly, the scenarios where I waited to buy the books was not my freshman classes. As a freshman, do as Sciencewoman says and buy the books. Later on you can figure out when teachers are oblivious to what books cost and react accordingly.

And yes, GO TO CLASS. I was able to survive while skipping a lot as a freshman, but getting by is no way to go through college and I spent the rest of college trying to get my GPA out of the tank. And on that note, unless you absolutely positively have to, don't schedule classes early. For me, a good first class was 10:30. For others it might have been 9:30 or even 8:30, but be realistic about when you're really going to be able to get up, have breakfast and be at class on time, and as a freshman, I'd err later.

LouisaMay · #2 08-03-2013, 09:04 PM

Don't be too hard on yourself! Everyone has hard days or weeks or even a rough first semester. Do not decide to transfer based on a hard transition. There are many real reasons to change schools, but never make that decision in the midst of one of the biggest transitions of your life. Give everything time.

I really want to echo what others have said regarding your professors. I've been teaching in higher ed. for 12 years. Talk to your professors. If you are struggling with something or unclear about instructions, ask. If you really mess up and are feeling desperate, DO NOT DISAPPEAR!!! Go to your instructor and ask for support. I've had to fail way too many students who produced high quality work but completely bailed on the course because they got scared.

Don't plagiarize! No matter how close the deadline is or how freaked out you might be about the criteria, asking for help is 100 times better than cheating.

Lovethesand · #3 08-04-2013, 12:23 AM

Some high school relationships will struggle to make it through this transition year. Even bffs. Change is inevitable.

KSUViolet06 · #4 08-04-2013, 12:40 AM

^^^Yes.

You know that boy you've been dating since 10th grade whom you just swear up and down you're going to marry? You are about to be apart for the first time in your life.

He is going to hang out with other people and change. So are you.

I understand that you want to see/talk to each other, but I've seen a lot of girls spend their entire freshman year visiting their boyfriends or sitting in the dorm talking to/FaceTiming/Skyping them.

You can't meet anyone if your sole focus is on your bf at home and going home to see your bf.

AGDee · #5 08-04-2013, 02:26 AM

The book thing is tough. Hypo's school does things very strangely, IMO. The first two weeks of class are the shopping period. Students go to lots of classes to decide which ones they want to have. If you bought all the books ahead of time, you'd have books for several classes that you don't actually have. Additionally, she has found out at the first class of the period that there are too many students registered and they are doing a lottery to see who gets to stay in the class. Last year, she had a lottery for her psych lab and got in. Then they had a lottery for her psych lecture and she didn't get in. Then they added a section for all the kids who didn't get in. The two sections used different textbooks. She got burned and spent a ton of extra money because she bought that book when she got into the lab. I think it seems like a really messy system, but the students really like it, for the most part.

My advice is: There will be times in your first year when you feel really lonely, especially if you are used to an environment where you knew everybody (smaller town/high school). You may not make instant friends, but those friends you've left behind weren't instant either. Those friendships were the result of years of cultivation. Regardless, you will make friends.

It's ok to be scared. It's a huge life change and everybody is feeling scared, even if they don't admit it or act like it is no big deal.

HQWest · #6 08-04-2013, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGDee

The book thing is tough. Hypo's school does things very strangely, IMO. The first two weeks of class are the shopping period. Students go to lots of classes to decide which ones they want to have. If you bought all the books ahead of time, you'd have books for several classes that you don't actually have. Additionally, she has found out at the first class of the period that there are too many students registered and they are doing a lottery to see who gets to stay in the class. Last year, she had a lottery for her psych lab and got in. Then they had a lottery for her psych lecture and she didn't get in. Then they added a section for all the kids who didn't get in. The two sections used different textbooks. She got burned and spent a ton of extra money because she bought that book when she got into the lab. I think it seems like a really messy system, but the students really like it, for the most part.

My advice is: There will be times in your first year when you feel really lonely, especially if you are used to an environment where you knew everybody (smaller town/high school). You may not make instant friends, but those friends you've left behind weren't instant either. Those friendships were the result of years of cultivation. Regardless, you will make friends.

It's ok to be scared. It's a huge life change and everybody is feeling scared, even if they don't admit it or act like it is no big deal.

Thats messed up. (The lottery for classes) They might be pinching pennies on putting together their class schedules? I would have thought a school like that wouldnt have those problems?

There is a new law out that says to help students plan their college budgets we have to tell them which books they will need ahead of time so that you can buy early or get an ebook and save money

samaroni · #7 08-04-2013, 03:16 AM

Here is my advice. I narrowed it down to 10 big ones, I could go on and on.

1. On the topic of books since everyone seems to be talking about them. Get your math and science books as soon as you know what books to get. Your gen ed books or english/history classes it is tougher to tell whether you will actually need them. I've had plenty of classes where I didn't even open the book. Most professors will tell you flat out if you need it the first day of classes. So I'd wait to get those books, or if you want to be on the ball, ask upperclassmen whether they used the book. Sites like Half.com and Chegg are great to for getting your books just make sure you get the right edition.

2. Schedule your time. This helped my a lot because I procrastinate. If you schedule everything you do during the day it really helps figure out your study schedule, and when you can spend time with friends. Even schedule things like showering, working out and brushing your teeth because as much as you think they are quick things they add up and in college every minute in a tight schedule is important.

3. Don't spend money on things you don't need! My freshman year I spent over 300 dollars in one semester on coffee because there was a Starbucks on the same block as my dorm. Don't do it. Going out to dinner, going shopping, the late night fast food/pizza, Starbucks, etc. should be treats, not a regular occasion or else your money will go out the door quicker than you make it.

4. Keep track of your bank account. This is for multiple reasons. Overdraft fees as insanely costly, and can be avoided easily. Also, identity thieves prey on college kids because we're naive and new to managing our own money (or so I've been told)

5. STUDY! its so easy to get distracted with everything else going on but sometimes you need to just stay in and study. You're there to learn after all.

6. Going along with studying, Don't focus solely on your hard classes. Its easy to let your grades slip in the "easy A" classes if you become too worried about your hard classes and don't put in the work for the easy classes.

7. Experience everything! I think this one might be the most important one. You will never have an opportunity to try so many new things as you do in college. Go to parties, go to the "lame" events that sga puts on, most of them are fun with the right people, study abroad. My school has an international night where foreign students make food from their countries, I learned all about new foods and it was a great experience.

8. Get involved. Whether it is greek life, sga, honor societies, a sports team. Do something, college can get really boring if you are sitting in your dorm while all your friends are on campus with their respective organizations.

9. Don't expect to stay best friends with the first people you meet, or marry the first guy you date. Especially at a big school, you will be around a ton of new people and it can take a while to sort through those people to find your people. Your first semester you will be friends with just about anyone you meet because you don't know anyone, as you get to know the school and the people around you it will become easier to make friends who are truly the people you want to surround yourself with.

10. Your roommate does not have to be your best friend. They sometimes can be though. A roommate just has to be someone who has the same ideas on how to live. (i.e. cleanliness, study habits, bed times, rules about guests) When choosing a roommate in future years make sure to think about these things and don't just pick your best friend. Living with your best friend can actually harm the friendship. And don't be disappointed if you meet this years roommate and you don't have all the same interests, you'll make other friends

Sciencewoman · #8 08-04-2013, 10:24 AM

I've already posted my fall syllabi and activated my course sites, and the university book store has had our books listed by section for a long time now. We have to submit our book orders months in advance. Students can see the reading assignments on the syllabus. In this case, there really isn't an excuse for anyone who's registered ahead of time to be book-less. Our bookstore also has a full price return policy if students drop a class by the drop deadline. All-in-all, in this case, buying at the campus bookstore tends to be better. My daughter has rented quite a few books this year at her campus bookstore...that's also been a money saver.

AOII Angel · #9 08-04-2013, 11:00 AM

Go to class. Students can pull at least a C just by going to class. You have to be EXCEPTIONAL to make great grades while skipping. When you don't have your parents there to make you go, you can make lots of excuses not to be in class, but school should be your top priority. Go to class!

AGDee · #10 08-04-2013, 11:24 AM

Yeah, and they file a tentative program plan in spring but can change it all summer and nothing is set in stone until after the shopping period. I think its weird. The kids like being able to get the syllabus, sit in a lecture or two and then decide which classes to keep. It seems chaotic to me.

HQWest · #11 08-04-2013, 06:36 PM

Not buying a text book = @$200
Taking a class over again? @$2500+

Sciencewoman · #12 08-04-2013, 10:05 PM

For her spring term class, my daughter had about 100 pages of reading to do ahead of time from two different books, and a paper due on the first day of class!

ASTalumna06 · #13 08-04-2013, 10:16 PM

My advice: If you're struggling in your classes, don't just talk to your professors, but also considering talking to your advisor.

I didn't know (along with others here, and many students who enter college) that you could drop classes. If I had known, my GPA wouldn't have been so awful after my first semester. And it wasn't until we had someone from the school's Career Development Center speak to one of my freshman classes during my second semester, that I realized that Engineering might not be the best option for me. A week after that person came to our class, I dropped out of Physics in the middle of a test (literally, after struggling for 10 minutes, I handed the test in to the professor and essentially said, "I won't be back"), and I went to the Career Development Center to see what my options were. I took interest tests and talked with my advisor to map out a plan for my new major.

There are so many resources available to you in college, and many aren't advertised on Day 1. If you're struggling, talk to your advisor about your options. And be honest with yourself! Don't feel pressured to stay in a class/major that you don't want to be in. This is the rest of your life. You want to be in the right place.

DaffyKD · #14 08-05-2013, 12:01 PM

It is hard to believe it has been 10 years since my daughter and I went on the college tour trip. At that time she informed me she was not going to go through recruitment. Reminded me of it over and over. The school she chose had a KD chapter. Oh how I wanted her to go through recruitment. I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT on that one. I did tell her and this is the advise I give all those going off to college/university:

1. I don't care if you go through recruitment or not, but you have to join something and be active. Do not hide away in your dorm room by yourself

2. This is a time to explore subjects you may or may not have thought about in the past that are not part of your major-- take fun classes! You will probably never had the opportunity to take "Underwater Basket Weaving" again.

3. In my daughter's case she entered school with 22 units and the school paid her out-of-state tuition. I told her not to graduate early but use the 22 units she was ahead to take those fun classes I mentioned above.

4. Have fun but remember, the main purpose of attending school is to get an education!

DaffyKD

ThetaPrincess24 · #15 08-05-2013, 12:43 PM

1. Guard your reputation. A college campus (no matter the size -2200-60K) is a lot smaller than you may think. Greek Life makes it even smaller and odds are, someone always knows/has a connection to someone else you know--from home or someone you just met at your first college party.

2. Your entire life does not need to be on social media. What you post now can affect that awesome job prospect in 4 years. NOTHING leaves the Internet (simply deleting something doesn't cut it and privacy settings are a joke for the most part). Be smart about what you put out there! Your social media should reflect and build on your personal brand.

3. GET INVOLVED! Greek or not, get involved in something! Every major just about has their own group. Join it. Every religion/denomination usually has a group--if this applies to you, join one. If religion isn't your thing, agnostics and atheists typically have a group too. Just about every political spectrum tends to be represented on a college campus. If you like politics, find your group! Like playing sports but not well enough to be on your school's team? Many sports have their own clubs or intramural teams. Find one you like and join it.