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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.
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
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...