College.

[jemcam]

bump for my great advice above. Old guys are worth something you know.

 

[Vinny N]

Lotsa sound advice in this thread.

It's going to go by fast, don't waste a moment. I can't believe I'm starting my 3rd year in a few weeks.

highlights so far:

-stay away from drugs. (yeah that can mean alcohol too). If you aren't a drinker, you don't have to start. Believe it or not, plenty of people DO respect that. Hell some might even call it "hardcore".

-"don't join the party fraternity, join the one with the best looking little sisters" -- there seems to be at least one nice fraternity at colleges with greek societies, whether it's a coincidence that they're dry fraternities I don't know...

-roadtrips rule they can be quite tiring but spending the weekend off somewhere you've never been or at a new friend's house for thanksgiving or easter is awesome!

-stay out of your room if you can, it keeps you a bit offbalance, going to events, meeting people, etc

-if you have to stay in your room, keep your door open whenever you can, it's just friendlier and more likely to get visitors.

-don't hesitate to wander, especially in the dorms your first year, especially if it's a dorm or floor of first years, it's a great way to meet people.

-think twice about a workstudy. Unless you really need the money or you're REALLY good at managing your time, no matter how much free time you think you might have, you'll have none when you need whether it's for hanging out or for writing a paper

-get familiar with the town/city you'll be nearby. it's handy for buying stuff you need, and it never hurts to know a couple of nice places in town to eat if you need to take a girl out

-did I mention meeting people?

 

[worth]

How competitive are intramural sports? I want to do intramural soccer, but I'm afraid I'm not good enough

 

[Warthog912]

Man, am I glad I read this thread!!!
I knew that there was something REALLY worth reading in the OT-
All of the useless knowledge of college is gathered into this one thread

Thanks Fellas

 

[Vinny N]

Originally posted by: worth
How competitive are intramural sports? I want to do intramural soccer, but I'm afraid I'm not good enough

How competitive? It probably depends on the college/university and the sport, but intramural sports are open to everyone and are generally more about fun from the games I've watched. If you really enjoy playing, just give it a shot I'd say it's pretty informal, just better organized than a bunch of people getting together. Though that option is just as viable, and might pan out better if you find people who are interested but want something more informal or on a different schedule than intramural.

 

[rh71]

I had an 8am class M-F in my first semester of college. Talk about an impression. It was alright though... I was fresh out of high school and you know the high school hours. It let me get the day off with an early start and by 2pm or so, I was free most days. Great times throughout my dorming years. After you move out, it's more like HS with random-scheduled classes.

Intramural sports are fun. Co-ed too. Skill levels depend on what you sign up for - they usually organize them by divisions. Heh, my roommates hated the smell of sweaty hockey equipment. What am I supposed to do - leave it in my car so that'll stink even worse? Goalies' equipment smelled so bad they had to leave it in the hall bathroom all the time. Anyway, oddly enough, people still came to visit our room.

This thread makes me miss college so much more. I loved having the day to myself by around 2pm. Meeting new people. I wish I could go back.

 

[uclaxman]

awesome AWESOME time...
a growing experience....in all aspects...socially, mentally, emotionally....

just enjoy it....

 

[EvilYoda]

Talk to your counselors. seriously.
Have fun, but not too much...and find something interesting, something that's different, something that changes from day to day. If you get stuck in a rut, or a rhythm at school, it'll suck. Sad to say, I had a period my freshman year where there was nothing interesting to do, none of my friends were fun, they just sat at their computers (I did too, but still), and I was probably depressed for about a month...I hardly recall anything in a 2-week period. Not cool.
Go to parties. like others have said, meet girls, pick up girls, take girls home.
Walk around town sometimes, look for something that you've never known was there. (Granted, not everybody is in a college town like Ann Arbor)
Something that provided me a lot of happiness: singing/a capella. It's very big in certain schools, east coast particularly. Plus, if you sing well, the whole girls thing comes into play again.
Early classes are up to you...as a freshman, you may not be able to avoid them, and hell, you might like them like one of my friends does. It is nice having the whole day ahead of you...but that whole waking up early thing....blech.

Just go, have fun. The second that you think you aren't, drop everything, find something new. College should have so much to give, that you'll never see it all. all you can do is try.

Oh yeah, don't fail your classes, that's bad.

 

[rh71]

Oh yes - you'll have to babysit your laundry (study or something). People pull them out of the dryer before the 60 mins for whatever reason.

 

[gotsmack]

Originally posted by: Killbat
Well I'm at an engineering school so the chick statements here don't apply to me. (The guy/girl ratio is some astronomical number that Earthly mathematics have no symbol for.) Also, the people I've come to hang out with and I are a little bit different. But anyway, I can tell you firsthand that the following things are awesome about da college

I believe it is: nil

 

[BD2003]

Yeah, ALWAYS babysit your laundry. Although I've never had my clothes stolen, I do have a pretty funny picture from someone who did...

Just 2 and a half more weeks...

 

[JeremyJoe]

Just finished freshmen year, best year of my life ever!!! Parties, friends, staying up to the late hours, the girls, learning tons of new things, meeting tons of new people, the dorms is a must the first year, DO NOT get an apartment because people who did or lived other where besides the dorms the first year said college sucks but for all those in the dorms didnt want the year to end...trust me it will go by fast unlike boring highschool

 

[quirky]

dont ask everyone and their mothers who the easy professors are. god that is so annoying.

 

[Foundation]

when do you guys think i should move in??


move in starts on the 18th ... classes start on the 26th

im thinking of moving in on the 21st (wednesday)

 

[LordJezo]

Originally posted by: Foundation
when do you guys think i should move in??


move in starts on the 18th ... classes start on the 26th

im thinking of moving in on the 21st (wednesday)

I saw move in as early as you can get there.. those first few days are when everyone starts to hang out the most because no one knows anyone.

It's funny.. I see the freshmen going to the dining hall in hoards. I used to do the same thing, but now that I am almost done I go with maybe 1 or 2 other people.

You will notice it too. You will be hanging out with everyone and then the group gets smaller and smaller...

 

[Zclyh3]

You're going to have the will power to fight off temptations. That's the big thing in college. TEMPTATIONS. There will be lots of good-looking hot chicks and some of them are pretty intelligent too. But you have to keep in mind that this is college and you're pursuing your degree. It's ok to have some fun once in a while, but you have to take care of yourself first before anything else. You have your priorities and the choices you make will help shape if you graduate or not. Also, you're paying for college so you might as well take it seriously.

 

[BD2003]

Move in as soon as possible. Every day away from parents is a good day. Besides, when theres no class, people have nothing to do but hang around and party and youll meet lots of new people.

I'm not supposed to move in until the 2nd, but I'm going to try my best to get there on the 30th, I just have to dupe the RA into giving me the key. Classes start on the 3rd. How much does that suck?

If you have the chance to move in a week and a half early, I say take it. Take that extra time to get to know youre surroundings and meet some people before you have to worry about class, youll thank yourself later.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Is Calculus 240 at 8:00 Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri a bad thing? I am going after a degree in CS. I also don't know my roomate. Is that a good or a bad thing?

 

[Hooligan]

I can tell you some disturbing stories that I have experienced in college, but I'm working on binary trees. ARGH :Q

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: dparker
Is Calculus 240 at 8:00 Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri a bad thing? I am going after a degree in CS. I also don't know my roomate. Is that a good or a bad thing?

Not knowing your roomate is a good thing. Calulus at 8 in the morning 4 days a week is quite possibly one of the worst things in the world.

And if that wasnt bad enough, to add insult to injury, I'm working as a programmer for the summer, I'm a psych major, but most everyone else there was CS major. I asked them if they ever used any of the calc, linear algebra and discrete math in the real world, and they all said never ever once. Have fun in calc.

 

[Jfur]

Seeing as I have a laptop and an 18" LCD, I'm not sure that I'll be wanting to leave my dorm room door open when I'm there so that everyone can see them. It's a single room. No roomates to worry about. None the less, I really don't want anyone knowing about all the expensive tech stuff I'll have with me except friends that I make that I can trust. What do you guys think?

Alphathree33, *please* get one of those computer locks for your laptop and monitor. Even if your roomates are trustworthy (and you won't know for a long while) there are likely to be many, many people coming in and out of your room (and you'll have to take a shower sometime ). Also, be sure to have a reliable backup for your schoolwork. Keep it away from your equipment and update it whenever you can

 

[jaydee]

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: dparker
Is Calculus 240 at 8:00 Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri a bad thing? I am going after a degree in CS. I also don't know my roomate. Is that a good or a bad thing?

Not knowing your roomate is a good thing. Calulus at 8 in the morning 4 days a week is quite possibly one of the worst things in the world.

And if that wasnt bad enough, to add insult to injury, I'm working as a programmer for the summer, I'm a psych major, but most everyone else there was CS major. I asked them if they ever used any of the calc, linear algebra and discrete math in the real world, and they all said never ever once. Have fun in calc.

I've always considered math to be the best in the morning. Better yet if you have an hour or so before the next class, you can head to the library/dorm to get all the h/w done by noon. If you don't utilize any of it for CS, that's not necessarily a bad ting either, takes off all the pressure. Calc I isn't bad anyway. Do the homework and you'll be fine.

From what I hear, it's STRONGLY recommended to live with someone you don't know. I don't know a single person that's going to my college.

 

[Alphathree33]

Originally posted by: Jfur

Seeing as I have a laptop and an 18" LCD, I'm not sure that I'll be wanting to leave my dorm room door open when I'm there so that everyone can see them. It's a single room. No roomates to worry about. None the less, I really don't want anyone knowing about all the expensive tech stuff I'll have with me except friends that I make that I can trust. What do you guys think?

Alphathree33, *please* get one of those computer locks for your laptop and monitor. Even if your roomates are trustworthy (and you won't know for a long while) there are likely to be many, many people coming in and out of your room (and you'll have to take a shower sometime ). Also, be sure to have a reliable backup for your schoolwork. Keep it away from your equipment and update it whenever you can

I stress the part where I said "It's a single room. No roomates to worry about."

The only thing I have to worry about is if someone actually breaks into my dorm and takes it, which is why I was talking about not advertising what I have in my dorm except to friends that I trust.

 

[ed21x]

maintain going to church if you've gone to them consistently before, and join a youth group. Also, make sure to have lotsa drink stocked up in your fridge, don't schedule 8 am classes, go to the library to do homework (only place where you can concentrate), go out and do lots and LOTS of stuff

<~ 2nd year Cal

 

[Frosty3799]

i am staying at home first year (at least) since i will save $6k and my house is only 30 seconds from the college.

whats best way for me to meet people? just through classes and stuff? i am planning on doing intramurals too, and i will also have ready acces to a (my) car, and alreayd know the town like hte back of my hand, and the people to get hooked up with stuff.

oh, and i have a few friends that are going there too... but still, anyone else live off campus? howd you get connected?