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Tips For Incoming 2002 Freshmen
An Anonymous Freshman asks: "I, along with many other individuals in my age bracket, will soon be heading off to college. It seems that it would be quite easy to become bombarded by the many changes and potential pressures that are on the horizon. So, as the fall semester/quarter rapidly approaches, I would like to take this opportunity to ask what seems to be an experienced (and, overall, educated) community for any suggestions that would aid myself and the numerous other 'freshman-to-be' in adjusting to college social life (or lack thereof), academics, and the like. I would especially appreciate comments related to the potential necessity of time management in response to increased study requirements (and the desire to have an existence, otherwise)."
Don't drink before exams.
Don't go to bed if the sun is going to rise in an hour.
Carry 2 condoms.
Don't go on that date if she's got an adam's apple.
My biggest regret about college was that I didn't plan ahead for the real world.
I don't mean that I regret meeting girls, hanging out with friends, occasionally forgoing my studies. That was all fine and if anything I regret not doing more of all three. I regret not being more physically active and losing touch with friends and family back home. I regret not being involved in more extracurriculars.
College is different than High School in that nobody is forcing you to do all these things. Parents and Teachers are not breathing down your neck and telling you what to do all the time. But this added freedom requires self-discipline to take advantage of it.
And remember the world outside of College. Plan ahead, think about whaty you'll want to be doing 2, 5, 10, 40 years down the road. Will you want to pursue a profession, start a family, get involved in changing the world, amass money and power, do some great thing?
Start thinking about it now. Don't wake up thirty like yours truly and realize you've wasted a lot of your life.
And don't watch so much tv or play so many video games.
And form study groups. They're a good way to make friends, and you learn a lot more.
evanchik.net
Live in the dorms, or find someone who does and hang out there a lot. My first year in college sucked because I lived by myself and I didn't know anyone. So I ditched that place and answered an ad for a roommate with 3 other people. Yeah, it detracted from my study time, and it definitely hurt my grades. But I'm probably a better person because of it.
Oh yeah, Frats suck, don't waste your time. After a year or so, you'll start to notice how much people despise frat boys, you don't want to be one of them.
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Don't be overconfident. Don't be underconfident. Just try to go through things and evaluate as you go what exactly is required of you.
Your previous successes don't mean a thing, and your failures really don't either. Going into University, you've got a clean slate. Do not waste it by assuming that you'll succeed without working, nor by assuming that you'll fail no matter what you do.
"You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help" -- Calvin
By that I mean:
1. Live on campus if at all possible. You get to network with so many more people that way. That is important for the next points.
2. Get to know your (potential) instructors before you register for their class. Meet as many people in your major as you can, preferably who are a year or more advanced than you are. That way you can look at your proposed schedule and ask them what to expect from particular professors - the sad reality is that some instructors just do not care about teaching. Also, put your browser to good use - download the syllabus and read it before you register, compare one professor to another if possible.
3. A 3 hour class means 3 hours a week in class, and probably more than that in preparation. You will be given a warning by someone at some point that for every x hours in a lecture you need to spend y hours preparing. Take this seriously!
4. And when spending the time as noted above - don't just do the manditory problems in a math class, try to do at least some of the optional problems, and for lit/english, Cliff's notes are your friend, but read them AFTER you have read the whole story at least once, NOT as a shortcut.
4. Party when not doing the above, but don't get behind the wheel while you are blasted, and don't knock anyone up/get knocked up/catch an incurable disease. Use latex.
5. Finish the degree and enjoy these years. Once you join us out here in the real world, you will regret it if you did not take the time to enjoy yourself. Youth is wasted on the young - don't let that old cliche apply to you.
Try all kinds of new things; take the harder classes if they are topics you don't yet know about but are interested in. Find the people who will be good, reliable, long term friends, and stay in touch after college.
Go to parties, get laid, but be responsible! Know if you are the kind of person who is prone to abuse, and if so, address the issue. Otherwise, do some drinking, or whatever (stay AWAY from E), and have some fun. But find out about emergency contraception, and don't do anything to excess.
Manage your own bills, try to find roomates or housemates who will elevate you, not bring you down. DON'T watch lots of TV (unless it is in a social way), but go to movies with friends.
Go to the library, walk around, check out the journals, books, etc. All the ones you haven't seen before. Don't blow off the required classes that aren't in your major; try to find rewarding or interesting ones, and pay attention. Don't expect to end up where you think you will, expect to find NEW things. Talk with the professors in their office hours, and get to know a few (but don't be too pushy, just drop by, even if you don't have to)
If you like doing things on your own, try to find partners to do projects with. Expect LOTS of people to be working together, on homework, projects, even tests. Students cheat, don't let it surprise you. Learn to collaborate (and give credit when it is required), while turning in work that reflects what you have done.
Get outside, go to events. Hang out in the field; go to the gym. Try not to eat crappy cafeteria food all the time. Take some extracurriculars (aikido, fencing, swimming, whatever).
Don't shy away from theory stuff, even if it isn't your thing. If you are all about theory, get some practical stuff as well (and get to know people who are good in what you aren't, and talk with them). Geek out and enjoy, if you wish. But not always. Look into exchange student programs, and consider some studying abroad, in exotic locales.
Enjoy. I went in as a skeptic, and am very glad I went.
"It's overkill, of course. But you can never have too much overkill." - Anonymous Slashdot Coward
I lost the essay I had started so here's the four things I wish I'd listened to before college:
Take advantage of opportunities that you won't get later in life or didn't do before. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't take fencing my final semester.
Try to expose yourself to as many different types of classes as you can. I realize that it's very difficult to graduate in 4 years in a hard science without concentrating fully on your major, but at least spread out your electives.
Don't be afraid to change majors, even if other important people in your life expect you to do one thing. All through high school, everyone expected me to become an engineer, and I went to an excellent engineering school, Rose-Hulman, however, two years into the electrical engineering curriculum, I realized that I hated it, and wouldn't enjoy a job in the field nearly as much as I thought I would. So I transfered and finished my degreee in economics and finance. I loved that program, and my current job. My family was very supportive of the change, but if your's isn't don't let that stop you.
Finally the key to life is balance, if you learn that now your college experience will be much more fulfilling. If you study all the time or party all the time, you will miss out on quite a bit of the college experience. Good luck at college.
Degaussing scares the bad magnetism out of the monitor and fills it with good karma.
I'm only 21 and am not out of college yet, (I will graduate in May), but this is how I did it and here's how I'd reccomend new freshmen do it. YRMV.
Semester One: Take a light load of classes, spend most of your time meeting people and profs, developing good solid relationships that will last the rest of your college career.
Semester Two: Take a slightly heavier load of classes and perhaps join a group or organization that won't suck all your time up, but that helps you develop more good relationships. Here's the biggie for Semester Two: FIND A PROF THAT YOU LIKE A LOT AND LATCH ONTO HIM/HER!!!! This is the best advice I can give, offer to help them with projects and stuff, you'll learn a ton and make invaluable contacts.
Semester Three: Keep takes classes and somehow aquire the balls to ask that girl out that keeps staring at you in your mandatory Ethnics Studies class.
Semester Four: Keep takes classes and start looking a CO-OP or intership positions for the next semester.
Semesters Five and Six: Do a full year of interships at a cool company that will give you some autonomy to do cool projects, real world experience is so helpful. Not only for the work experience, but in learning about how insurance works, taxes, retirement, and all that "real world" stuff.
Semester Seven: Now your are done with your co-ops, start your own company! Yes, just a little one, I started cloudcitydigital.com when I was in school and it's been awesome. Keep taking classes and incorporate your classwork into your business where possible.
Semesters Eight - Graduation: Keep building your little company and using indpendant studies to satisfy both client and work projects! Kill two birds with one stone! Then graduate, throw a party, marry that chick from ETHN 101 and join the real world!!!!
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!
Also, drinking is overrated. As is studying. Have fun and use the resources available to you at school to LEARN. You are there to LEARN, not to get good grades!!!!
Cloud City Digital: DVD Production at its cheapest/finest
Learn how to cheat, and cheat well. Learn the things to do so you don't get caught. When I went through university I worked my ass into the ground to get good grades, while those around me cheated and copied and stole exam papers from professors' offices. They had great fun in university, and have high paying management jobs now. I worked my ass off and now I'm unemployed. If I had to do it all over again I'd cheat like a motherfucker.
Three suggestions -- two I learned in time and one I picked up in hindsight:
1) Don't just take a high school schedule in college. A lot of freshmen, in particular, go in and sign up for math, English lit, history, chemistry because that's what they know. You're paying a ton of money -- take a few specialized seminars, a class in linguistics, Asian studies, art history, a course with the world's leading expert on something.
2) Learn a language or two. (If you're not American or Anglo-Canadian, you probably don't need to be told this.) It will stay with you far longer than you'll remember what the hell the Aeneid was about.
3) You'll have a once in a lifetime opportunity to take flying lessons, pick up a sport and play it on a serious level, do internships -- all sorts of things that you couldn't do before and will not have the time for later in life. Make the most of it!
(Note: 1 and 3 assume a major university or college, for the most part. To people who attend something else, no disrespect meant. Just writing what I know.)
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
It's another '"this'll be a lot harder once you're out of school" thing, it's a break from the stress of classes and at a lot of universities, it's cheaper to go abroad than to stay.
I was totally burnt out by senior year. Some travel would have done a world of good, and left me in better shape when I got back.
Also, your chances of hooking up are significantly improved -- in a foreign culture, your geekiness is less apparent.
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
For some, college may be the first time you're out making your own rules. Most of the people in my hall I started Freshman year with flunked out. They couldn't figure out how to stop partying.
Partying is ok, but at some point, it's time to stop, and start studying.
The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
I wasn't able to live on-campus, so I commuted every day. I can't give you info on dorm life, but I do have a few tips:
1. Schoolwork comes first. You're going there for an education, and someone (whether you, your parents, the government, etc) is paying a lot of money for you to get an advanced education. Make sure you get it! I knew a _lot_ of people who played around freshman year, and didn't come back for a second year because of poor grades.
2. There are no easy majors. You will hear lots of "urban legends" that the social sciences - Psychology, Sociology, etc - are easy. That's pretty much wrong. Some majors are easier than others, but once you get into 300 and 400 level courses, they will all be difficult.
3. Don't be afraid to explore campus. You may feel dumb just walking around aimlessly, but you'll feel worse being a 2nd or 3rd year student and not knowing where Building X is. (I'm guilty of this one!)
4. Plan for graduation. Sooner or later you're going to get a job and think about a career. Find out what you like now -- both in terms of employment and hobbies. Don't go for a major you dislike because of a lucrative career path. You'll be able to tell when someone is taking a class "just for the money"... it's not a pretty sight.
5. Be safe. If you're going to party, drink, or do drugs, don't do it to excess. It seems like every year there are a few college students in the state (Maryland, FWIW) who end up dying from alcohol (either intoxication or drunk driving). Likewise, find out how safe the campus and surrounding areas are. Getting mugged at an ATM is a real possibility in some places (like my school).
6. Enjoy yourself. Freshman year is difficult for everyone, but by the second semester you'll be more comfortable. Take some time for yourself: hang out with friends, go to parties, etc. College is the last chance you'll get to enjoy your youth and freedom before you enter the real world. You can make mistakes in college that won't follow you around in your "adult" life.
#6 is my one regret -- that I really didn't get into college life until my last year.
Three pieces of advice for incoming Freshmen:
1) Grow. Allow yourself to expand your mind and experiences. If there is something you always wanted to do, do it. Keep your eyes and ears open to what other people have to say. Don't stay cloistered in your narrow view of life, find out what other people have to say, think. I'm not saying that you need to violate your morals, if you have a strongly held belief stand by it, but don't be afraid of what other people have to say or think. The only way a person can change their beliefs is if THEY WANT TO CHANGE.
2) Be Teachable. There is a lot to be said for being willing to be taught, the entire amount of time you spend at college is a time of learning, if you aren't teachable you will miss half of the college experience.
3) Get Laid. Seriously, get laid, there will never be so many single, attractive people in your age bracket that close to you at any other time in your life. Capitalize upon the opportunity, but please think intelligently, wrap your equipment before you use it.
I would also so be careful, think intelligently and don't do what's cool, do what's right. You'll be happy you did!
Rule of Life Number 2: Remember, it can all go to hell at any minute. --Jimmy Buffet
Wow, I am really impressed. While some responses are amusing, most are seriously thought out and most stress the importance of diversity.
Take the outlandish class, interact with your classmates and enjoy the time. This is a rare time not to be seen again in most people's lives. When going through it I missed some of the experience as I attempted to "focus". Luckily, I met a lady who helped me see the forest through the trees. [We met the first semester in a Dark Age Studies class, an optional course that just sounded interesting. 20 years later we are still together.]
Good luck and thanks to the slash dotters who showed why I read here daily.!
In the next few months, you'll be deluged with advice, not just here on slashdot, but from all kinds of people on campus, from upper classpeople to profs to counselors to people who never even went to college but still like to give advice. The best advice I can give you (this comming from a senior at Michigan State) is to decide for yourself what the best decisions are. If you follow all of random pieces of advice ("you *must* get this prof!!), all of the rules of thumb (x hours of studying per y credit hours), and even all of the rules (no drinking, he he) you'll really shortchange yourself out of the true college experience, which is finding out what works for *you*. It'll take some time, and probably at least one semester that you'll have to write off as far as grades are concerned, but not only will you be a better college student, you'll be a better person as a result.
Or, more simply, 'Be open to change.'
/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward does on a Linux box, how to handle isakmpd on an OpenBSD box, , the usual shit.) Open-and-closed case, right? A born comp sci or comp engineering major.
:)
I went to university relatively determined to be
an ubergeek. In high school I taught myself LISP, C, Perl, and pretty much all the usual ins/outs of UNIX (eg. intimate familiarity with vi, sed, bash, emacs, what the fuck
Four years and two universities later, it turns out that I'd rather be doing something else! Although for the past year I've had a comfortable 'junior software engineer+net admin' job and a relatively high degree of success here in this anteroom to the 'real world', I now desperately want to go back for two extra years (!!$$) so I can get accreditation and raise my GPA for what I really want to do -- graduate studies in philosophy. You will *not* want to see my student debtload two years hence.
Pay attention not so much to what you're doing (although do that too!) but to what you *feel* about what you're doing. Take as diverse a course-spread as you can manage --- abstract algebra, physics, bio, chem, and certainly those lovable, wacky humanities. Read things not published by O'Reilly. Read Heidegger. Read Faulkner. Read your mood, but don't try to read the future --- unspoken feelings of 'destiny' and 'fate' are often simply disguised habit and fear of uncertainty. Do not cleave to your adopted 'tribe', geekiness, simply because it is yours; if you ultimately follow this path, do so because it is the best possible option! If the *only* thing about university that you enjoy is the bit with the beer and the friends, take it as a big, flashing warning over the course, and courses, you are taking.(Although you are allowed to enjoy said beer a little bit.)
Less melodramatically: Think of the following four+ years of your life as a 'random walk' optimisation algorithm in n dimensions: To find the best solution, you'll need to step off of the coordinates upon which you currently stand.
But watch out for those downward asymptotes.
- undoware.ca
Most of this has been said already, but I'll repeat it to add my vote. However, I'll start with one biggie I've not seen elsewhere:
Toward the end of your course start to think about what you're doing afterwards (so this is probably off-topic as I certainly do not think you should be thinking about this in your first year - quite the opposite! But I do recommend you keep it in mind. Maybe you think you know what you want to do. I would advise you that it's very possible that can change. This may be as a result of changing priorities, changes in your character (college/uni is all about growth in your character, and if you're a typical geek this hopefully means change for the good - tho be proud of the good parts of geekdom!). It may be that your experience of your chosen subject (likely science I guess) doesn't match your expectations. Don't feel bad if you end up changing courses.
The main reason I bring this is up is to recommend that you think about your job and career before you leave and enter the big wide world with nasty amounts of debt (something getting worse here in the UK). Keep in mind that lots of tech companies will target your college so keep an eye out and stay informed during your time there. Something to think about as you progress. Don't leave it til you're panicing about finals.
In all you do, be informed. Sex, drugs, new social groups and events, course decisions, whatever. Ask other people for their experience - this is a very good first step! :) Ask different sources, a lot of things you may have to deal with for the first time are in my opinion a matter of choice based on what is important to you. You can only listen to what others say, weight that up against your ideals and morals, and make a decision for yourself.
As others have said, play fun but play safe. Carry a condom, even if it doesn't look like you're going to need it. If the miracle happens you do not want to be stuck without one. (This goes for girls too - don't rely on guys.) When you're out doing whatever (which is probably a lot - and more extreme than you're used to - in your first year) make sure there're people there to look out for you. Ideally ones you can trust.
Build good friendships! Some of my best mates are from uni. People there will hopefully be well educated - you will have important discussions with them. That's part of the age you are and the atmosphere of uni/college.
When it comes to the crunch - work hard. Especially for your finals. This is something I regret - I could have and should have got a better grade. For me the difference won't make much differnce long term but it is something I would change if I could. However, you do not need to go to every lecture, work every day, etc. Party like the rest of them. But if you get yourself into a bad situation where you know inside you need to work then do it! Then go and get horribly drunk afterwards. :) Again, work is not the most important thing long term from uni/college, but it is a reason for being there. So for the important occasions, bother with it - otherwise it's just an annoying distraction and do what you need to. Of course if you really enjoy your course or find it easy then great! But it's quite possible one of other of those things will not be true at times.
You will probably be more free than ever before, and quite possibly than you ever be again (real jobs suck)! Take full advantage of this. I can't stress it enough. If you have an opportunity to go and do some random trip - take it! Party hard (but safe) - there're things we do and experiment with in these years we don't or can't do later in life. I'm not saying you should go try every drug out there, but if you're considering that or other things now is the time. Drugs are a bad example, but an easy one... I mean other stuff too. You'll probably know what this is relevent to in your own life.
Another thing people have already said: live in dorms/uni owned buildings - it is so worth it. Often cheaper (don't know about in the US), but the social contact is like nothing else. Get into different societies. Test yourself with new things you wouldn't normally do. Sign up for loads of stuff in freshers week - you can always ditch stuff later.
I could go on but that'll do. Good luck and enjoy yourself!