31||0|2915|0|yes 0|0|0|||1||Off to college...|SilenRevered||23:50:56|06/27/2012|...in the fall and I%27m wondering if anyone has any advice you wish you had gotten%2C or things that you learned the hard way and don%27t want anyone else to repeat. 1|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|Pasha||02:17:07|06/28/2012|%3E...in the fall and I%27m wondering if anyone has any advice you wish you %0D%0A%3Ehad gotten%2C or things that you learned the hard way and don%27t want %0D%0A%3Eanyone else to repeat. %0D%0A%0D%0ADon%27t drink too much.%0D%0ATake at least one class a semester that you don%27t have to%2C that just sounds cool.%0D%0ANetwork. It%27s just as important to work afterwards as the actual degree.%0D%0ARemember the 1%2C3%2C5 rule%3AMinimum of 1 Shower a day%2C 2 Meals a day%2C 5 hours of sleep a day.%0D%0AShowing up to a party for a couple of hours and then going to study again is a doable thing.%0D%0AIf you have six weeks for a project%2C start with no less then 5 weeks to go.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha%0D%0AWhat was that feeling again%3F%0D%0AOh yes.%0D%0A-Rage- 2|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|A Vile Gangster||02:26:25|06/28/2012|Unless no other opportunities present themselves%2C AVOID private loans.%0D%0A%0D%0AGo in with a PLAN. It doesn%27t have to be the plan you keep%2C but having a plan gives you something against which to weigh what classes are useful to you. Starting at a junior college%3F Find transfer catalogs for the four-year schools you want to attend. They%27ll help you avoid taking classes that will not benefit you.%0D%0A%0D%0ADisregard what I said above. Don%27t be afraid to take a few classes just because they interest you%21 Set aside some elective hours for personal growth%2C besides chasing your major%28s%29. You may never get the chance to try some of these things again%21%0D%0A%0D%0AMake friends with the faculty. You could possibly learn more in a professor%27s office than you may in a classroom. Also%2C these people tend to love what they do%2C and motivated people make their jobs worth doing. These could be future letters of recommendation%2C in the making.%0D%0A%0D%0AStudy groups. Seriously%2C get alpha%2C and track down the motivated ones in your classes. If you find some%2C study together%21 %22If you want to master something%2C teach it%22. %0D%0A%0D%0ACheck out your college%27s honors societies. Many honors societies have benefits accessible only to members%2C such as scholarships%2C or travel opportunities. eighty or one hundred dollars here could save you potentially thousands down the road.%0D%0A%0D%0AAbuse your phys-ed facility privileges. Cardio%2C crosstraining%2C yoga%2C swimming%2C whatever. Get the blood moving%2C and make it more efficient at carrying oxygen. %0D%0A%0D%0ACritical%3A Don%27t beat yourself up over small failures%21 Accept them%2C learn from them%2C use what you%27ve learned to make yourself better the next time. %0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s about it. Congrats on taking the plunge%21 Good luck%21%0D%0A%0D%0A----%0D%0ANow Playing%3A%0D%0ASoundgarden -- Outshined %28Badmotorfinger%2C 1991%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bi%5D...%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%3C THIS SPACE FOR RENT %3E 3|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|BeardedFerret||04:03:04|06/28/2012|Condoms. If your %28new%29 partner won%27t use them%2C they%27re not worth sleeping with.%0D%0A%0D%0ABe prepared for your outlook%2C and so the direction of your life%2C to change. Go with it. %0D%0A%0D%0AFeed yourself well. If you get the opportunity%2C learn to cook good food %28including fruit and veg%29 for yourself. Ramen is not good food.%0D%0A%0D%0ALook out for your mental health. If you need to get help%2C get help and don%27t feel like that%27s something you should be ashemed to do.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis will be just about the last time in your life it%27s acceptable to drink before lunchtime on a %27work%27 day. Savour it. 4|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|twipper||10:32:27|06/28/2012|Remember that now days%2C only a relatively small percentage of students actually graduate in the academic field they thought they would when they started college. Your topic of major study or studies might change after a couple of semesters experience. %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ll reiterate the advice about taking at least a few classes that %27simply don%27t apply%27. If you%27re going to a liberal arts school%2C you HAVE to take so many out of major classes. But a close examination of the course offerings can dig up gems that count towards your liberal arts requirements other than the ones everyone else takes%2C just to get them out of the way.%0D%0A%0D%0ACheck out the campus organizations. The odds are your leisure time activities are at least in some way covered. Can be a great way to find a social group you might actually be interested in joining. %3A%29 In other words%2C yes%2C the degree and a future job are important things to keep in the back of your mind%2C but all work and no play makes Johny potentially pre-psychotic.%0D%0A%0D%0ABrian%0D%0A 5|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|The Traitor||10:44:18|06/28/2012|Do as you please.%0D%0A%0D%0ASeriously%2C the only way you know who you are is by failing at being someone else. It might cost you a year or two%2C but it pans out for the best in the end.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends 6|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|ebony14||11:01:23|06/28/2012|Truthfully%2C the Traitor%27s pretty much got the best of it. Do what you want. Just think about it first. If you want advice%2C I would say get plenty of sleep%3B the parties and the free cable in the dorm lounge go away if you fail because you slept through an exam. Also%2C take advantage of any out-of-class resources that your professors offer you. There were several classes that I would have failed if I hadn%27t gone to a TA%27s after-class tutoring sessions a couple of times until the concepts gelled. And finally%2C your academic advisor is there to answer questions for you%2C but only if you ask them. Be sure to do so in a timely fashion%2C otherwise you find out about classes you were supposed to take in your last semester before graduation or classes you weren%27t supposed to take after you failed them.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AEbony the Black Dragon%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Life is like an anole. Sometimes it%27s green. Sometimes it%27s brown. But it%27s always a small Caribbean lizard.%22 7|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|DaPatman89||17:26:42|06/28/2012|Set an alarm%2C and stick to it. There is no point going to college if you%27re going to miss lectures due to oversleeping on a regular basis. What time you go to sleep will depend on what time your alarm is set for%2C but ideally it should be a multiple of 90 minutes before your alarm goes off%2C as this means you will wake up between sleep cycles%2C and so won%27t feel as tired as if you had woken up in the middle of one. %28As a side note%2C it takes about 15 minutes for a person to fall asleep - this will also need factoring into your calculations.%29 Ideally you should start doing this before you go to college%2C so that it has become a habit by the time you get there.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C make sure you eat a balanced diet. One of my old teachers once told me about a former pupil of his who went to Glasgow University. The boy wanted to spend as much money on alcohol as possible%2C so he sat down and worked out how many porridge oats he%27d need if he was to have three meals of porridge a day. Once he%27d worked out how much he%27d need%2C he went out and bought it. By the end of the term%2C he%27d become well known throughout the university as Glasgow%27s first case of scurvy in over a century. That example of what not to do may be a bit extreme%2C but hopefully you get my point. 8|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|McFortner||17:54:17|06/28/2012|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jun-28-12 AT 05:56 PM (EDT)]Don%27t borrow more than is absolutely necessary to pay for classes and books. Everything else should be paid for by a job. Student Loans don%27t go away with a bankruptcy and they can and will come after you with no mercy. The less debt you have when you get out of college and are starting out your career%2C the better.%0D%0A%0D%0AWait until you are finished with college before buying all those neat%2C new toys. There is no shame in making do with older%2Fused equipment if it gets the job done. If it still works%2C keep it. If it can be fixed%2C fix it and keep it. Don%27t try to keep up with all your friends%2C you aren%27t in college to do that. Once you have a well paying job you can think about a new car and fancy%2C shiny electronics.%0D%0A%0D%0AStay flexible. The real world is under no obligation to do things the way you plan it to. In fact%2C most of thew time it will seem like it is out to get you. And it probably is%2C so keep a savings account for when things go non-linear on you. But dip into this only when you have no other choice. Today%27s emergency may pale in comparison to tomorrow%27s.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat sweet young thing you are infatuated with may not be %22the one%22 for the rest of your life. If they are %22the one%22 then getting serious and spending your lives together can wait until after both of you graduate. If it can%27t wait%2C then they aren%27t the right one. %0D%0A%0D%0ADon%27t forget the friends you leave behind after High School. Twenty years from now after you have lost contact with them you may find that you miss them most of all. And often%2C you can never look back and undo the damage you have done after all those years. True friends will stick with you%2C but only if you stick with them.%0D%0A%0D%0ATrust what your parents tell you. Contrary to what you may think%2C they know what they are talking about because they have been in your shoes once. And more than likely they didn%27t listen themselves and have paid the price. Each generation thinks it is special and different. It%27s not. Each generation merely plays the same the same song%2C just the instruments are different.%0D%0A%0D%0AI wish I had paid heed to these when I was starting out. Unfortunately I didn%27t listen when family tried to help and I ended up paying the price for it. %22You can never go home%22 is so%2C so true. %0D%0A%0D%0AMichael%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22black%22%5DMichael C. Fortner%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22green%22 size%3D-1%5D%22Maxim 37%3A There is no such thing as %22overkill%22.%0D%0AThere is only %22open fire%22 and %22I need to reload%22.%5B%2Ffont%5D 9|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|Gryphon||17:58:44|06/28/2012|Always... uh%2C never... forget to check your references.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5DI think the young people enjoy it when I %5Bi%5Dget down%5B%2Fi%5D verbally%2C don%27t you%3F%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D 10|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|acarr||20:58:09|06/28/2012|Two things stand out from my.... career as an undergrad.%0D%0A%0D%0A1%29Live in the dorms at least a year. You will never again be exposed to such a variety of people in such close proximity.%0D%0A%0D%0A2%29Group projects happen and they generally suck. The only way to make them not suck is if you take control of the group %28if you don%27t%2C who will%3F%29 and be ruthless about making sure that the other members are pulling their weight. %0D%0A%0D%0AOkay%2C 3 things %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A3%29 Time management. This is the only way to manage stress%2C pass classes%2C and enjoy life. Check out the student resource people like someone said. %0D%0A%0D%0A-- Andrew 11|2|10|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|Pasha||21:24:21|06/28/2012|%0D%0A%3E1%29Live in the dorms at least a year. You will never again be exposed %0D%0A%3Eto such a variety of people in such close proximity. %0D%0A%0D%0AThis is probably my biggest regret %28that I never lived on campus of any of the schools I attended.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E2%29Group projects happen and they generally suck. The only way to make %0D%0A%3Ethem not suck is if you take control of the group %28if you don%27t%2C who %0D%0A%3Ewill%3F%29 and be ruthless about making sure that the other members are %0D%0A%3Epulling their weight. %0D%0A%0D%0AIf you%27re going to be that person%2C make sure that you include yourself in with the pulling of the weight. You wanna learn to be a manager%3F Go to f%27ing business school. You wanna learn to actually work with others on a team%3F learn to work %2Awith%2A them%2C not them working for you. Nothing pisses people off quicker then someone unqualified trying to lead.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E3%29 Time management. This is the only way to manage stress%2C pass %0D%0A%3Eclasses%2C and enjoy life. Check out the student resource people like %0D%0A%3Esomeone said. %0D%0A%0D%0AReally%2C a lot of the suggestions boil down to this one. The OP is %28I%27m assuming here%29 young%2C and this is their first time away from home. You%27ll fuck up %28in some pretty spectacular ways%29 but at least try to make it to classes and pay attention. When planning your week out%2C have a budget for %22fun%22 and at least try to stick to it. %0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha%0D%0AWhat was that feeling again%3F%0D%0AOh yes.%0D%0A-Rage- 15|3|11|||||RE%3A Off to college...|acarr||13:13:54|06/29/2012|%3EIf you%27re going to be that person%2C make sure that you include yourself %0D%0A%3Ein with the pulling of the weight. You wanna learn to be a manager%3F %0D%0A%3EGo to f%27ing business school. You wanna learn to actually work with %0D%0A%3Eothers on a team%3F learn to work %2Awith%2A them%2C not them working for you. %0D%0A%3E Nothing pisses people off quicker then someone unqualified trying to %0D%0A%3Elead. %0D%0A%0D%0AWhoops%2C that%27s what I forgot to detail. Silly self-assumptions that everyone can mind read %5E_%5E%0D%0A%0D%0ABasically%2C the best class I ever took that I have used the most was small group dynamics from the psych department. This class was brutal in classifying people via the roles they play in groups. Like Pasha said%2C you really want to learn how to work with people. I wish I could give you some references to look up but I never kept track of those. %28non-major and didn%27t even count class so I chucked the book asap after the final... really stupid mistake%29 Try googling %27Small group communication%27 and %27small group psychology%27...%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AAndrew%0D%0A 12|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|Polychrome||22:59:15|06/28/2012|Life happens. Be prepared.%0D%0A%0D%0APolychrome 13|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|zwol||23:07:01|06/28/2012|A lot of things I would have said have already been said%2C so I%27ll keep it short.%0D%0A%0D%0AGET ENOUGH SLEEP. It has actually been scientifically proven that people who get a full night%27s sleep beforehand do better on their exams than people who stay up cramming. Also%2C if you undersleep for months on end you may burn out your ability to function on not quite enough -- this happened to me%2C I got only five hours%27 sleep a night all the way through freshman year and since then I%27m a zombie all day if I don%27t get seven or more.%0D%0A%0D%0AYou may discover at some point that all of your friends are assholes. If this happens%2C go down the hall and make some new friends. You will find it easier to do this while you%27re still in college than ten years later.%0D%0A%0D%0AYou%27re going to be assigned far more reading than anyone could possibly do. The professors may not admit it%2C but they don%27t %5Bi%5Dreally%5B%2Fi%5D expect you to do all of it%3B they expect you to learn how to skim for the important bits. Yes%2C it would probably be better if they taught this explicitly%2C but it%27s always been done this way%2C and there%27s not enough course hours to go around.%0D%0A%0D%0AIf you%27re struggling with a course%2C go talk to the TA or the professor during office hours%2C %5Bi%5Das soon as possible%5B%2Fi%5D. They can help you a lot more if you show up early in the term than if you show up the day before the final.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd finally ... it sounds ridiculous%2C but the single most valuable class you will ever take is probably freshman composition. 14|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|BlackAeronaut||02:36:13|06/29/2012|Safety Breaks%21%0D%0A%0D%0AReally. Don%27t just plow through your studies. Get up and do something every twenty or thirty minutes. Spending a few minutes doing something that is genuinely entertaining in the middle of studying has shown that you will actually retain stuff better. It%27s what I do and I have freakin%27 ADD. The trick is to kinda make a deal with yourself - watch x-amount of youtube clips %28or whatever%29 in return for 30 minutes of hard-core study time%2C and stick with it.%0D%0A%0D%0ADefinite must on the dorm living thing. The closest I ever came to that was living with my roomies in Richmond%2C VA. There was this cynical bastard there and he would easily have me dying of asphyxiation every time he went off on one of his tirades. In college%2C people like this are a MUST to have around.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bhr%5D%5Bfont size%3D%222%22 face%3D%22Arial Narrow%22%5D%5Bb%5DBlack Aeronaut Technologies%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0ACreative aerospace solutions for the discerning spacer%0D%0A%5Bi%5D%22Murphy never sleeps%2C but that%27s no reason to poke him with a sharp stick.%22%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D 16|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|JeanneHedge||16:00:40|06/29/2012|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jun-29-12 AT 04:09 PM (EDT)]So many good suggestions%21 So a few more %28some may be echoes%2C some may be variations%29%0D%0A%0D%0ASanity breaks are important.%0D%0A%0D%0ADon%27t go getting drunk every night. It might be fun %28YMMV%29%2C but it%27s not healthy.%0D%0A%0D%0ASit in front. Being known to the prof and%2For TA as more than a name on a list has saved more than one undergrad.%0D%0A%0D%0ADon%27t necessarily hang with the on-campus contingent from back home. How are you going to make new friends if you don%27t expand your circle%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AAs has been said many times in many ways%2C get involved with some kind of group. Great way to meet people%2C make friends%2C learn something new%2Fshare what you know%2C relax%2C de-stress %28both always helpful%29%2C not to mention possible networking opportunities.%0D%0A%0D%0AYour friends %28old and new%29 may be asshats from time to time%2C but you will be too.%0D%0A%0D%0AIf you have Psych classes%2C being the guinea pig can be fun %3A%29 %28back in the day at my school%2C Psych 101 had a requirement to participate in X hours of experiments%3B you got to pick the experiment%28s%29%2C with each having a different number of hours assigned to it%29%0D%0A%0D%0ADon%27t be afraid to ask for advice from good sources. You don%27t have to take it%2C but you should consider it. %28and your parents aren%27t nearly as dumb as you might think they are - it%27ll be amazing how much smarter they%27ve suddenly become about 5 years from now%29%0D%0A%0D%0ABe careful with the credit cards. They%27ll get you into trouble even faster than loans%2C and unlike loans they want payment %2Anow%2A%0D%0A%0D%0Are%3A the comment about changing majors%2C don%27t let changing bother you one bit%2C nor ultimately finding a job in your major. I changed majors one time%2C causing me to take 5 years to get through. I%27ve worked in 6 fields since then%2C and only 1 had anything to do with either major.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AJeanne%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22 width%3D%2280%25%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd align%3D%22center%22 width%3D%2210%25%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%2Fmisc%2Foldowl.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bfont size%3D2%5D%5Bb%5DJeanne Hedge%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%5Blink%3Awww.jhedge.com%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bi%5D%5Bfont size%3D1%5D%22Believe me%2C if I have to go the rest of my life without companionship%2C knowing myself won%27t be a problem.%22%0D%0A -- Gabrielle of Potadeia%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D 17|2|16|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|twipper||17:35:23|06/29/2012|I graduated with a BS in Biopsychology. I obtained an MS in Biology%2C started working%2C picked up an MA in Urban Environmental Planning while doing regulatory oversight for a municipal government.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd then spent the last 10 years doing health physics work%2C which is where I%27m currently.%0D%0A%0D%0ALife often ends up not taking your degree major into account. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A 18|3|17|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|JeanneHedge||18:04:54|06/29/2012|%3EI graduated with a BS in Biopsychology. I obtained an MS in Biology%2C %0D%0A%3Estarted working%2C picked up an MA in Urban Environmental Planning while %0D%0A%3Edoing regulatory oversight for a municipal government. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAnd then spent the last 10 years doing health physics work%2C which is %0D%0A%3Ewhere I%27m currently. %0D%0A%0D%0AWhereas my degree is in Health Physics%2C and that%27s where my first post-degree jobs were. Among other post-dgree jobs were IT%2C teaching school%2C and now state government health%2Fsafety inspector.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ELife often ends up not taking your degree major into account. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0ANot at all. My dad used to say that when it comes to getting a job%2C all a college degree is good for is to show you know how to find information %28note%2C not learn or retain information%2C just know how to find it%29. Can%27t say I completely agree with him%2C but that does seem to be a big part of it.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AJeanne%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22 width%3D%2280%25%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd align%3D%22center%22 width%3D%2210%25%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%2Fmisc%2Foldowl.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bfont size%3D2%5D%5Bb%5DJeanne Hedge%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%5Blink%3Awww.jhedge.com%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bi%5D%5Bfont size%3D1%5D%22Believe me%2C if I have to go the rest of my life without companionship%2C knowing myself won%27t be a problem.%22%0D%0A -- Gabrielle of Potadeia%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D 21|4|18|||||RE%3A Off to college...|Star Ranger4||11:01:15|06/30/2012|%3ENot at all. My dad used to say that when it comes to getting a job%2C %0D%0A%3Eall a college degree is good for is to show you know how to find %0D%0A%3Einformation %28note%2C not learn or retain information%2C just know how to %0D%0A%3Efind it%29. Can%27t say I completely agree with him%2C but that does seem to %0D%0A%3Ebe a big part of it. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0Ait also demonstrates a certain amount of self discipline %28getting your classwork done in the face of the temptations of alcohol and the opposite sex%2C for example%29 as well.%0D%0A 19|1|0|||1||RE%3A Off to college...|trigger||00:07:56|06/30/2012|%3E...in the fall and I%27m wondering if anyone has any advice you wish you %0D%0A%3Ehad gotten%2C or things that you learned the hard way and don%27t want %0D%0A%3Eanyone else to repeat. %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DAsk for help.%5B%2Fb%5D %0D%0A - Yes%2C it seems obvious%2C but this is actually ignored by 90%25 of incoming freshman. Which is why the other 10%25 rule the world. Don%27t know what%27s going on%3F Ask for help. Not sure if the class you%27re taking is going to sink your GPA%3F Ask for help. Not sure what to do when you start to fail %28and you will fail%29%3F Ask for help.. Sick%3F Ask for help. Suicidal%3F Ask for help. Nobody made it to the top of anything without help. You are not an island%2C you%27re not invincible%2C and don%27t waste your energy trying to do it all. You%27re a social animal and smart social animals ask for help and admit to people they trust that they%27re over their heads. %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DGet a mentor%5B%2Fb%5D - someone who has successfully graduated in the last 20 years who will have your back.%0D%0A - at some point you will encounter something you%27ve never done before. Or have decisions to make that might haunt you for the next 20 years. a mentor %28or better a pack of mentors%29 will offer you the type of support that should allow you to do what you want without ending up without a job%2C estranged from your parents%2C and dependent on your boyfriend. Mentors will help do the thinking when you can%27t and they%27ve been there %28probably%29. They%27ll also help you find a job when you need one.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DNothing you experience is new%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A- So good old Ecclesiastes has it right%3A nothing is new under the sun. But it%27s new to you. So enjoy it%2C have fun with it%2C but for the love of god%2C don%27t think you%27re the only person on the planet to have X happen. You%27re not. And if X is bad%2C then see my first two suggestions. If X is good%2C then share it with friends.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DDon%27t trample over your family%5B%2Fb%5D on your quest to adulthood%0D%0A - This one is flexible. No matter how dysfunctional my ongoing relationship is with the %27rents%2C it really started to go down hill in college. They just didn%27t understand%2C man. And guess what%3F They still don%27t. But for some people college bring you closer to your parents %28for example my SO%29. So if you like your folks%2C stay in touch. They%27ll be more likely to bail you out of the first time you max your credit card and help you move if you don%27t spend three years ignoring them. Plus any younger siblings will then probably not spend the next decade hating your guts. %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DText is fleeting%2C but facebook is forever%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A - Let me put it this way - when I talk with anyone these days%2C i check out linkedin on my phone and I do a quick facebook search. If I%27m hiring you and your facebook page is nothing but drunken parties and naked people%2C or worse%2C bigotry or racism%2C I probably am not hiring you. %0D%0A - Also NOTHING dies on the Internet. I keep telling my 15 year old cousin this%2C but she keeps posting pictures of her self in training bras. Be smart and geeky - good geeks know how to use privacy filters.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DSometimes you%27re in the wrong place%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A - Ok%2C so I lucked out. I went to the right college for my soul %28not my gpa%2C which is another story%29. But a lot of people don%27t. You might be one of them. If you need to get out then for the love of little green processors TRANSFER before your bollix it up. %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DUse the mental health and personal health services at college%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A - don%27t know about your school%2C but I can say that the morning after pill and the mental health people were huge helps. Don%27t worry about being embarrassed %28see the bit about %22all this has happened before%2C and all this will happen again%2C but this time it will happen to...%22%29%0D%0A - and for the love of god%2C don%27t be stupid like me and play games of chance with sex. I am damn lucky that nothing happened to me. But the stats suggest that I%27m an exception. You may not be. Roulette with your reproductive and immune systems are not worth it. Protection is cheap and so are good acute care services in most university health clinics.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DDo scavenger hunt%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A - there are opportunity that will never come again. I have never regretted skipping japanese to go on a cross country scav hunt in a car that started by crossing wires. %28I regretted japanese but that%3B%27s another story%29. My SO was nearly killed on the Mexican border when a world famous paleontologist got his students lost in the desert in June. Perhaps I exaggerate slightly%2C but that%27s the point. a good experience is worth a thousand all night cram sessions.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DThe unexamined life sucks%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A - once upon a time%2C colleges were open to rich people who didn%27t need income from the sweat of their brows. These guys %28and they were mostly guys%29 spent their time carousing and reading. That tradition exists in most american colleges%2C but some where along the way the idea of that you%27re supposed to think big thoughts about Life%2C the Universe%2C and Everything died out. Maybe you%27re at an institution that still values the concept of arete %28personal excellence%29 and the quest for truth that is the soul of every true academic endeavor. Maybe you%27re not. In any case%2C this is your best time ever to challenge what you believe and what others believe. An examined life is amazing%2C and college gives you the freedom to explore that.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bb%5DIn order to succeed%2C you will first fail%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A - ok%2C this is the last bit%2C and nearly as important as asking for help. You are going to fail. Fail big. Embrace that now%2C because what determines your success is your ability to learn from failure and come up newer and different failures. At some point%2C this will be come second nature %28scientists call them %22experiments%29%2C and you will be able to overcome failure and think on your feet in a way that makes you happier. %0D%0A - but if you spend your whole time in college fearing failure and playing it safe%2C you%27re not going to learn a damn thing. And the real world will crush you like a bug. %0D%0A%0D%0Ahave a blast and keep us all posted on how it goes%21%0D%0At.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0ATrigger Argee%0D%0AManon%2C Maccadon%2C Orado%2C etc.%0D%0ADenton%2C never leave home without it.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22I hate to advocate drugs%2C alcohol%2C violence%2C or insanity to anyone%2C but they%27ve always worked for me.%22 - HST 20|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|CGWolfgang||00:31:52|06/30/2012|Biggest one besides enjoy yourself%3F%0D%0A%0D%0ADon%27t be surprised if you%27re in college for more than four years for any number of reasons. Switching majors%2C remedial catchup classes%2C or higher level classes that are only offered one semester a year and are either full or you were not eligible for it. Its not the end of the world.%0D%0A%0D%0AINTERSHIPS%21 Once you have your chosen profession%2Fdegree field pretty much cemented %28junior year or so%29 get a co-op or internship. The market isn%27t going to improve by much in the next four or five years and anything that can go on your resume or give you applicable experience in the field is a leg up on your competition. Plus %28and this is a necessary evil of getting a job in general%29 co-ops and internships can give you name recognition within the company and could lead to full time employment because they already know you and your work ethic. 22|1|0|||1||A general reply to all...|SilenRevered||22:32:51|07/01/2012|Thanks%2C everyone. %0D%0AHere I%92ll clarify a few things and share some other ones.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ETake at least one class a semester that you don%27t have to%2C that just sounds %3Ecool.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m going to the University of Minnesota%2C Twin Cities campus. For those of you that don%27t know%2C it%27s a... I gues you could call it a liberal arts college%2C but I%27m in the sub-college of Science and Engineering. As a liberal arts college%2C I need to take about 70 elective credits. Come fall semester%2C I%27ll be taking a class that sounds like fan fiction 101%2C just to improve my writing.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ESet an alarm%2C and stick to it.%0D%0A%0D%0AI used to be a morning person and get up super early for a class I took in high school. This fall I will need to get back into going to sleep early%2C and getting up with at least two hours before class.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EWait until you are finished with college before buying all those neat%2C new toys. There is no shame in making do with older%2Fused %3Eequipment if it gets the job done. If it still works%2C keep it. If it can be fixed%2C fix it and keep it.%0D%0A%0D%0AI have plenty of old stuff for everything%2C and don%27t mind it. Second hand stuff is fine by me.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ELive in the dorms at least a year. You will never again be exposed to such a variety of people in such close proximity. %0D%0A%0D%0AI want to live in the dorms all four years%2C hopefully as a R.A. or something like it. %0D%0A%0D%0A%3EDon%27t be afraid to ask for advice from good sources. You don%27t have to take it%2C but you should consider it.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhy do you think I asked here%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AThanks for all the advice%21 I%27ll keep you guys %28and gals%29 posted if I can think of anything worth while to say.%0D%0A%0D%0A-SilenRevered 23|2|22|||1||RE%3A A general reply to all...|The Traitor||10:22:37|07/02/2012|%3EI%27m going to the University of Minnesota%2C Twin Cities campus. For %0D%0A%3Ethose of you that don%27t know%2C it%27s a... I gues you could call it a %0D%0A%3Eliberal arts college%2C but I%27m in the sub-college of Science and %0D%0A%3EEngineering. %3EAs a liberal arts college%2C I need to take about 70 %0D%0A%3Eelective credits. Come fall semester%2C I%27ll be taking a class that %0D%0A%3Esounds like fan fiction 101%2C just to improve my writing. %0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAs a liberal arts college%2C I need to take about 70 %0D%0A%3Eelective credits. Come fall semester%2C I%27ll be taking a class that %0D%0A%3Esounds like fan fiction 101%2C just to improve my writing. %0D%0A%0D%0A%3Efan fiction 101%0D%0A%0D%0AUniversities offer courses in fanfiction%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AWe%27re doomed.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends 24|3|23|||1||RE%3A A general reply to all...|SilenRevered||22:15:56|07/02/2012|%3E%3Efan fiction 101%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EUniversities offer courses in fanfiction%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s technically %22Telling Stories in the Digital Age%22 and is offered as a %22freshman lecture%22. Working on my fan- and original fiction is what I%27ll probably use it for.%0D%0A%0D%0A-SilenRevered%0D%0AAnd they better bring fan-fiction up or I won%27t consider the course complete 25|4|24|||1||RE%3A A general reply to all...|The Traitor||11:02:58|07/03/2012|%22Settle down%2C everyone. Today%2C we%27re gonna be concentrating on how to call everyone who disagrees with you a hater and why your character could beat up Wolverine.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends 28|5|25|||||RE%3A A general reply to all...|Bushido||07:13:33|07/08/2012|Your final exam will be a 10 page essay on how to avoid writing a Mary Sue character. 29|6|28|||1||RE%3A A general reply to all...|Offsides||22:00:40|07/08/2012|%3EYour final exam will be a 10 page essay on how to avoid writing a Mary %0D%0A%3ESue character. %0D%0A%0D%0ANo%2C that%27s the mid-term. The final is to write a 10 page fanfic showing that you can actually do just that...%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A 30|7|29|||1||RE%3A A general reply to all...|The Traitor||07:02:19|07/09/2012|But only if you take the elective module FF605%3A Basic Grammar And Why It Is Not Your Friend.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends 27|2|22|||1||RE%3A A general reply to all...|twipper||10:36:25|07/05/2012|Hmm%2C Minneapolis-St. Paul. Good city. If you%27re unfamiliar with the area and like greek food%2C check out Christos some time. There are 3 spots%2C one in Minneapolis%2C one in St Paul%2C and one out in Shokapee. And a great place to show up in your kilt after a long day at the Minn Renaissance Festival is the Lions Tap %28which I THINK is still open%29%3B its behind Shokapee on old Hwy 169. They only do burgers and fries%2C and they do them well.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere used to be a great comic store%2C I believe called 7th Heaven but my memory is most likely off%2C in the little old-frontage urban area just east of campus on the St Paul side of the river.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere is also a neat little district between Minneapolis and St Lewis Park on Hennepin Ave. As of 3 years ago%2C there was a jerk chicken place that started at %27why is my head sweating already%3F I%27ve only just smelled my food%27 up to something I think even Zoner would have appreciated. And my favorite coffee shop ever is down there%2C an old converted 2-story house. The upstairs has an open air porch overlooking Hennepin. Great place to people watch.%0D%0A%0D%0ABrian%0D%0A 26|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|TheOtherSean||23:55:32|07/04/2012|I went back to college at age 30 to finish my degree%2C and just graduated a few weeks ago. Best wishes to you as you begin your own college adventure. And here are a few pieces of hard-won advice you can take or leave%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A1. Try to attend class regularly and do the required assignments and studying. %0D%0A2. If you%27re having trouble%2C talk to the professor or TA.%0D%0A3. If you%27re not succeeding in a course%2C either because you screwed up or because you just can%27t understand it even with help%2C be sure to drop or withdraw from the course before its too late and impacts your GPA in a negative way.%0D%0A4. If at first%2C you don%27t succeed%2C try again. But remember what Einstein said about trying the same exact thing and expecting different results.%0D%0A5. Remember the basics%3A sleeping%2C eating%2C and personal hygiene.%0D%0A6. And don%27t forget to take some time out to have some fun along the way%21%0D%0A 31|1|0|||||RE%3A Off to college...|zwol||19:03:46|01/03/2013|I%27m%27a necro this to report that while I have not read them myself%2C I hear very good things about the books %5Bi%5DHow to Win at College%5B%2Fi%5D and %5Bi%5DHow to Be a Straight-A Student%5B%2Fi%5D by Cal Newport. Mine informant sayeth%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bblockquote%5DI like these books because they%27re short%2C well-organized and well-written%2C and written from the viewpoint that strategies for time-management and organization have to be easy and practical.%5B%2Fblockquote%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AHe also writes the blog Study Hacks%3A http%3A%2F%2Fcalnewport.com%2Fblog%2Fabout%2F%0D%0A