Saturday, July 31, 2010

What advice would you give to high school seniors about to enter college?

What should students know about college life that will help them be successful in all areas, not just academics? Think of things that you wish you knew before you went to college.What advice would you give to high school seniors about to enter college?
* There will always be someone in your dorm that drives you nuts. Try to minimize contact with them - or just give them a fun code name! (LBU -- where are you?)


* Don't eat donuts for breakfast every morning, even if they're really good and chocolate frosted!


* Get a job on campus - working part time helps you manage your study and play time more wisely.


* Talk to your professors. Most of them, even the ';mean'; ones won't bite, and will actually help you if you approach them respectfully.


* Do your reading. You're paying $80 for that book, better use it :)


* Take a class just for fun every semester - don't burn out on academics.


* Wear sandals in the shower


* Don't be rude to the custodian. S/he can make your life miserable!


* Don't bring all of your clothes. You won't wear all of them, and you'll just drive your roommate nuts.


* Buy lots of underwear; you won't have to do laundry as often :)


* Don't eat an entire case of Easy Mac in a month!


* Find cool things to do around the community - hike, volunteer, support local businesses, etc.


* Break out of your high school ';cliques'; - people you thought you'd never get along with may become your best friends.


* Don't be afraid to go far away from home to go to school. You may lose some of your old friends, but the ones you keep will become that much more special to you. And you'll get to meet a lot of new people!


* Join clubs/sororities/fraternities


* Use the library on campus - it's an amazing resource (I never even went inside until the end of my freshman year...big regret!)


* Call your parents!What advice would you give to high school seniors about to enter college?
Take a friend to watch a sunrise once a semester.

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these are good peices of wisdom!

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ramen noodles become a food group. mt.dew works wonders for all-nighters which are very painful. don't drink pop near your laptop(lost two that way). get involved!turn everything in!!


if your not a morning person don't schedual a class in the morning. have a day in the week with no class.

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Go to class. Professors won't want to help you if you don't make an effort to be there!

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- Don't live at home under any circumstances.


- Respect your roommate.


- Join clubs, teams, student societies, etc. to make friends, fill out your resume and create opportunities for scholarships / bursaries.


- Moderate your alcohol intake and eat healthy foods. Cook for yourself as much as possible. College students get too fat.


- Try to create a schedule that allows you to take Friday or Monday off. If this means going to class from 8.30 to 20.30 some days, it's still worth it.


- For big, lecture-hall style first-year classes, you don't really need to attend the lectures if you read the book.


- When you're writing research papers, look for resources that other students won't use. Go to academic journals, in-person interviews (tape-recorded) and the microfiche room to impress your professor!





If I could go back and do my undergrad degree again, I would join more clubs, drink less, and keep my legs closed!
1. Be very careful of your belongings, especially electronics and textbooks; so many things get stolen.


2. As a freshman, be very open and active. Try lots of new clubs and activities. During orientation, talk with people. You will never again have the same opportunity to meet people and make friends as you will as a freshman, so take advantage of it.


3. Go to class. Yes, I know that sleeping in is wonderful, but trust me here.


4. Don't be afraid to ask for extensions. Mind you, probably never more than twice from the same teacher and always at least a week ahead of time if possible, but many professors will let you have some extra time. This can greatly cut down on stress.


5. Spending all your time working is nearly as bad as spending all your time partying. Mix work with fun, and if you drink, just do so responsibly.
Here's a random list of stuff I learned while in college, in no particular order:





-- roommates are an iffy proposition


-- everyone breaks the rules if you live in a dorm


-- the first semester, you will probably get one major attack of homesickness and you will survive it


-- your freshman classes may be huge and impersonal


-- you may not get to know your professors during your first couple of years due to the huge numbers of people in classes... and then again you may


-- schedule your classes as early as possible and get them over with... you'll be fresher and you'll learn more


-- the people who schedule early are usually more motivated; people who schedule classes after noon are sometimes less motivated, or they are working, or have other things going on in their lives other than school


-- the friends you make your freshman year may or may not last


-- make an effort to get to know people in other dorms, other majors, other disciplines... you'll develop a core of friends from your major, but other friends can be nice too... and you won't be socially limited


-- realize that college students are prime targets of credit cards, and it's really easy to get a credit card and spend yourself into LIFELONG debt... don't get a credit card until you have a job! Please!


-- STDs are common, unfortunately... use protection, every time, with everyone


-- no matter what your major, take classes that stretch your intellect and make you think outside your comfort zone... even if your employers only care that you got the degree, this will make you a deeper, more well-rounded and more educated person. Don't just be a vocationalist.


-- this is a time of ';friendshifts';... you will make new friends, but you may not keep all of them, and the friends you had from childhood and from high school may stick with you or they may fade away... be prepared for changes


-- college is a time of a lot of change, so keep an open mind, be adaptable, and prepare yourself to be challenged in every aspect of your being.





Good luck. Cheers, K (BA 1990, MA 1995, English teacher, former journalist)
manage your time





find ways to get involved in the local community





wear shower sandals in the dorms!!!!

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