Pages: 1 2  Next -- Posted by dreamweaver at 7:13 pm on Aug. 14, 2006 I'm a second year in college (sophomore) and have gone through the whole moving out of the house thing and meeting new people.  I admit, I was scared and had no idea what to do and what to expect.  Here's a few things I have learned that could also help you survive your freshmen year; -When you first move-in, leave your door open.  That way, people just have to pop in and meet you.  Also, it's a sign that you would like to meet new people and are willing to do it.   -There is no huge difference between upperclassmen and underclassmen like in high school.  This is prolly one of the most important differences you will have to know about college and high school life.  For example, more than half of my friends are juniors and seniors.  I just had 2 really good friends graduate this past summer. -Join a club, organization, group, or sorority/fraternity.  They are really good ways to get to know new people and helps broaden your experiences. -Don't be afraid to try new things once, good or bad.  The experience is a great teacher and you could learn much more about yourself in the process. -Don't be judgmental about other people.  In college you'll learn so much more about other people and thier beliefs.  It's best to just listen and try to educate yourself from others. -A wiseman once said to me, "Never pay full price for a textbook!"  Textbooks are incredibly expensive, especially when bought brand new.  Check out other options, like buying the book from another person you know, Amazon/Ebay, eBook, etc.  See if your school has a program where you can find other students with the book you need.  There will be a few times that you will have to buy a brand new book because the professor wants an up-to-date version, though. kira suggested this site, because it searches eBay, Half.com., Amazon, etc for books and lets you compare prices (thanks, kira!):   http://www.campusbooks.com/ -Get to know your roommate and don't hold anything back.  You're going to be living together and you don't want to get into very many confrontations.  If you feel you cannot communicate with them, talk with your RA or move out. -Your first day of class, always talk with the person next to you.  They may save your butt in that class. -Talk to your professors! Even if it's to introduce yourself. Don't think they don't care about you.  They actually care about what grade you get and if you need help, they're more than happy to help out.   -If you're struggling in class, get help. See if there are programs with tutors and such.  Talk with your professor about it as well.  If you don't think you'll pass at all, dont make your grade suffer- drop it.   There's so much more to that, and I'd be more than happy to help out. Good luck to all the new freshmen! -- Posted by angie54 at 7:19 pm on Aug. 14, 2006 Thanks so much...  I'm kinda terrified about starting college next week!  I'll use all your advice..  :) -- Posted by dreamweaver at 7:25 pm on Aug. 14, 2006 Quote: from angie54 at 10:19 pm on Aug. 14, 2006 Thanks so much...  I'm kinda terrified about starting college next week!  I'll use all your advice..  :) Don't worry.  In a year, you'll be like, "That was the greatest year in my life!"  and then wonder what you had to fear about it. At least that's how I was. -- Posted by kira at 12:18 am on Sep. 2, 2006 I have one thought to add to all dreamweaver's great advice... If you get to the first weekend of college, or even a few months into it and are having a terrible time don't worry too much.  It CAN be very hard for some people to adjust to it and it CAN take a while.  When people say, "College was the best years of my life" they are not necessarily referring to the first few weeks or months. I apparently came home in October of my freshman year and cried!  A year later I didn't even remember it had happened until my mom reminded me. -- Posted by BBallAsh23 at 2:14 pm on Sep. 2, 2006 Also you might want to add that professors/instructors do not like it when you pack up early. -- Posted by kira at 1:53 pm on Sep. 3, 2006 Quote: from BBallAsh23 at 2:14 pm on Sep. 2, 2006 Also you might want to add that professors/instructors do not like it when you pack up early. Or when you plan on leaving early for some break such as Thanksgiving, because you are already not in class very many hours per week. -- Posted by dreamweaver at 11:00 pm on Sep. 3, 2006 Quote: from kira at 4:53 pm on Sep. 3, 2006 Quote: from BBallAsh23 at 2:14 pm on Sep. 2, 2006 Also you might want to add that professors/instructors do not like it when you pack up early. Or when you plan on leaving early for some break such as Thanksgiving, because you are already not in class very many hours per week. Especially CELL PHONES AND LAPTOPS!  OMG, I don't remember how many times they have freaked out on that.  Maybe not laptops so much, but especially cell phones. -- Posted by Eplisonmoney at 11:55 am on Oct. 28, 2006 I concur with Dreamweaver, just make sure you set you limits with your roommate the most important thing. I had a roommate last year that didnt give a rats ass about me and my sleeping hours, but my roommate for this year is really good and cool about it. Make sure you do well your freshman year its really important, an upper classman once told me if you rock solid GPA you wont have to work as hard as next year or year after because you wont have to make it up. Our parents pay 40,000 USD not for us to fail in college but to succeed. So make the best of it of freshman year. The best advice that my best friend gave me and he always says PARTY HARD AND WORK HARD!!! The most important thing in freshman year is you find that balance and due well. -- Posted by Century 25 at 7:02 pm on June 6, 2007 Quote: from dreamweaver at 11:00 pm on Sep. 3, 2006 Quote: from kira at 4:53 pm on Sep. 3, 2006 Quote: from BBallAsh23 at 2:14 pm on Sep. 2, 2006 Also you might want to add that professors/instructors do not like it when you pack up early.    Or when you plan on leaving early for some break such as Thanksgiving, because you are already not in class very many hours per week. Especially CELL PHONES AND LAPTOPS!  OMG, I don't remember how many times they have freaked out on that.  Maybe not laptops so much, but especially cell phones. You're kidding me . What if I'm using the laptop to take notes or record the teacher's voice? -- Posted by icekiss45 at 8:54 pm on July 30, 2007 I think that i'm nervous and i don't want to admit it...lol. or either im really sad...i dunno...but im not as excited right now as i though i would be. -- Posted by dreamweaver at 12:42 am on July 31, 2007 Quote: from icekiss45 at 11:54 pm on July 30, 2007 I think that i'm nervous and i don't want to admit it...lol. or either im really sad...i dunno...but im not as excited right now as i though i would be. Don't worry about it.  Everyone has their own way of handling situations, especially when they know their life will be different from then on. -- Posted by death2fairytales at 10:01 am on Aug. 10, 2007 thanks for the help -- Posted by Croissant at 10:37 pm on Aug. 21, 2007 Is it really common for people to use their laptop in class?  I wasn't planning on taking mine to class....should I? -- Posted by surepapers at 11:36 pm on Aug. 21, 2007 just be yourself, make friends. college life is hard, but it's fun too. -- Posted by toomuchfun at 11:52 pm on Aug. 26, 2007 This was sweet. Thanks for taking the time to type it! -- Posted by Majo at 12:00 pm on Aug. 29, 2007 I was terrified, too. I'm still a little scared that I'll mess up but I'm feeling much better than I did four days ago, thank God. -- Posted by HatesYou at 2:43 pm on April 7, 2008 this is awesome advice, thanks a mill! -- Posted by sassbidefan89 at 11:32 am on April 13, 2008 That's really good advice thanks! -- Posted by dreamweaver at 5:58 pm on April 13, 2008 Quote: from Century 25 at 10:02 pm on June 6, 2007 Quote: from dreamweaver at 11:00 pm on Sep. 3, 2006 Especially CELL PHONES AND LAPTOPS!  OMG, I don't remember how many times they have freaked out on that.  Maybe not laptops so much, but especially cell phones. You're kidding me . What if I'm using the laptop to take notes or record the teacher's voice? Very good question... You'll find out for sure if it really bugs a prof the first day of class. Usually they have it in the syllabus if they allow you to take notes or not with laptop. That's pretty much up to them- most of them don't mind you using them while some think it's more of a distraction in class. -- Posted by theshootergirl08 at 12:50 am on April 17, 2008 I'm going to be a college freshman in August and I'm super excited but I'm also nervous as hell. I'm not going to have a laptop (my parents got me a brand new imac for christmas) or a car. BUT i do know who my roommate is going to be. I'm going to Memphis to be on their rifle team and she's going to be on it too so I can get rides off her. But still nervous about how I'm going to handle things once I get out there. -- Posted by brp002 at 7:38 pm on May 21, 2008 Do not gain the freshmen 15 -- Posted by planetTK at 8:49 am on June 21, 2008 Some proffs hate when you use a laptop otheres dont mind it, depends on the teacher. Def. keep your door open thats how i meet a lot of my best friends.  don be afriad to roam the halls of your dorm o meet people... once you make friends college will be the best. What everyone says about college being the best time of your life is true if you make it that way, so have fun and study, and dont get to wrapped up in the partying, remember to do your work to. thats what i learned at school. Good luck to all the freshman! -- Posted by firestarter122 at 8:35 pm on June 24, 2008 Keep your door propped open for the first 6 months, and meet as MANY people as you can! It was the key to my success in college. -- Posted by CollegePrincess at 4:39 am on Aug. 13, 2008 I'm going to be a freshman as well in the end of august and I wanted to what was some of your hardest classes? -- Posted by Punk4Trev at 2:18 pm on Sep. 19, 2008 One word of advice. Totally try to make as many friends as you can. It really helps to now be alone at college. -- Posted by TigressaLynnMae at 2:30 pm on Sep. 19, 2008 -When you first move-in, leave your door open.  That way, people just have to pop in and meet you.  Also, it's a sign that you would like to meet new people and are willing to do it.   But don't do it if you have a lease that tells you cannot. We have a 50$ fine, each time our doors are left open. In this day and age, my best advice to you would be NOT to leave your door open. Trust is not as high a process, in today's time. -There is no huge difference between upperclassmen and underclassmen like in high school.  This is prolly one of the most important differences you will have to know about college and high school life.  For example, more than half of my friends are juniors and seniors.  I just had 2 really good friends graduate this past summer. But the strain is still there. -Join a club, organization, group, or sorority/fraternity.  They are really good ways to get to know new people and helps broaden your experiences. Sororities and fraternities are just God's way of making you pay for friendships. I wouldn't suggest them. Work with your degree, and your classmates. -Don't be afraid to try new things once, good or bad.  The experience is a great teacher and you could learn much more about yourself in the process. But don't spend your time trying new beers. ;) -Don't be judgmental about other people.  In college you'll learn so much more about other people and thier beliefs.  It's best to just listen and try to educate yourself from others. Learn from others, and learn from yourself. -A wiseman once said to me, "Never pay full price for a textbook!"  Textbooks are incredibly expensive, especially when bought brand new.  Check out other options, like buying the book from another person you know, Amazon/Ebay, eBook, etc.  See if your school has a program where you can find other students with the book you need.  There will be a few times that you will have to buy a brand new book because the professor wants an up-to-date version, though. Wait until after the first week, until you've talked to your professor, before buying a book you'll end up not needing. kira suggested this site, because it searches eBay, Half.com., Amazon, etc for books and lets you compare prices (thanks, kira!):   http://www.campusbooks.com/ Half.com is not a reliable site for textbooks, nor is ebay. Amazon.com for the win. -Get to know your roommate and don't hold anything back.  You're going to be living together and you don't want to get into very many confrontations.  If you feel you cannot communicate with them, talk with your RA or move out. Even if you can't communicate with them, that's not reason enough to move out, at least according to our housing department. There has to be a more...'mental' reason. -Your first day of class, always talk with the person next to you.  They may save your butt in that class. But don't make it seem obvious that you're new. -Talk to your professors! Even if it's to introduce yourself. Don't think they don't care about you.  They actually care about what grade you get and if you need help, they're more than happy to help out.   They dont' really care what grade you get. They're willing to help, but the grade you get is on your head, not theirs. -If you're struggling in class, get help. See if there are programs with tutors and such.  Talk with your professor about it as well.  If you don't think you'll pass at all, dont make your grade suffer- drop it.   Always try the first test. And forget tutors. Got to the mentors. There's so much more to that, and I'd be more than happy to help out. Good luck to all the new freshmen! :) -- Posted by dreamweaver at 6:13 pm on Sep. 19, 2008 Quote: from TigressaLynnMae at 5:30 pm on Sep. 19, 2008  -When you first move-in, leave your door open. That way, people just have to pop in and meet you. Also, it's a sign that you would like to meet new people and are willing to do it.   But don't do it if you have a lease that tells you cannot. We have a 50$ fine, each time our doors are left open. In this day and age, my best advice to you would be NOT to leave your door open. Trust is not as high a process, in today's time. This is mainly for the dorms, not apartments. -- Posted by TigressaLynnMae at 5:32 am on Sep. 20, 2008 This is mainly for the dorms, not apartments. Dorms, apartments, nor suites can do it, on my campus. Plus, dorm or apartment, it's not safe. -- Posted by austin s23 at 10:26 pm on Nov. 26, 2008 i love college -- Posted by baller23 at 12:30 pm on Feb. 11, 2009 i think the biggest fear in college is want to be accepted. Just forget about that fear. The best thing is to be yourself and that way you'll actually find other people that are like you, not other people that are trying to act like you. Also, don't spend sooo much on books you'll never use. Try to wait and see if the teacher actually uses the book, and try to buy from other students. Most of all, have fun but get through. Pages: 1 2  Next