College

[flackbait]

I am happy to report that I have finished high school(THANK GOD!) and I'm know going off to college. So any advice for living alone/going to college?

[Andrew]

Ramen.

[Snivelly]

Don't let the freedom go to your head!  Get up and go to class every day as if you were being paid for it.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Ramen.

LMAO

[BTM]

I am happy to report that I have finished high school(THANK GOD!) and I'm know going off to college. So any advice for living alone/going to college?

Actually, I have some good advice, especially if you're in an area that has both Community colleges and Four Year Universities.  First, look at the big University, see what degree(s) you might want, then (if you've planning on it) see what classes you can take at the Community college to fill them in (or just take you general stuff at the Community college).

Don't be like me, I just looked at the Community College's degrees, thinking a two year degree would be enough to get some kind of better job, and then decided to go on to the university to pursue my Bachelor's Degree.  Come midway of year three I start to realize, "Oh f**k, this degree kind of blows.." but it's too late to change now.

Also, mooch off your parents for as much as possible, and avoid credit cards (debit cards, yes, but not credit, too many people get in trouble with that crap.)

[flackbait]

Thanks for your advice so far. I probably should of mentioned that I'm already going to Central Michigan for college.

Ramen.

The cheap bachelors survival food!

Don't let the freedom go to your head!  Get up and go to class every day as if you were being paid for it.

I intend too, otherwise I'm doomed to work at burger king for life.

I am happy to report that I have finished high school(THANK GOD!) and I'm know going off to college. So any advice for living alone/going to college?

Actually, I have some good advice, especially if you're in an area that has both Community colleges and Four Year Universities.  First, look at the big University, see what degree(s) you might want, then (if you've planning on it) see what classes you can take at the Community college to fill them in (or just take you general stuff at the Community college).

Don't be like me, I just looked at the Community College's degrees, thinking a two year degree would be enough to get some kind of better job, and then decided to go on to the university to pursue my Bachelor's Degree.  Come midway of year three I start to realize, "Oh f**k, this degree kind of blows.." but it's too late to change now.

Also, mooch off your parents for as much as possible, and avoid credit cards (debit cards, yes, but not credit, too many people get in trouble with that crap.)

Sorry I should have said I was going to central earlier... anyways I'll take your advice on the credit cards. I have seen some people I know go broke because of these damn things.

[indianasmith]

Major in what you love, not in whatever will make you the most money.  I know too many guys my age who got that MBA so they could make a bundle . . .  now, in their mid-40's, they're driving a car that goes too fast thru traffic that goes too slow to get to a job that they hate, coming home to a wife they don't love and kids they don't know.  There's more to life than money.  Do what you love doing for a living and going to work isn't such a chore, plus if you love something you will become good at it, and the money will eventually follow . . . plus you'll be a happier person all around. 

[trekgeezer]

Ill give you the same advice I gave my kids.   "Don't be stupid!"

[DodgingGrunge]

Ramen.

Watch the sodium though!  I'm currently about eight months into a year-long vacation from work to pursue the finer things in life (namely not working).  I've found that white rice and teriyaki is even cheaper than Raman.  Provided you have access to a Costco-type place, you can get your food budget down to around $7/mo.    That'll leave you plenty of money for booze, women, and time-permitting, school books.  For special occasions, fry an egg or two into your rice.

But in all seriousness, college is a piece of cake, provided you keep your goals in mind and act semi-responsibly.  Anticipate a bit of a transition the first quarter or so as you learn the ropes.  For example, you may quickly find you hate morning classes.  Or night classes.  Or class classes.  Do your best to get through whatever obstacles come up and make the proper adjustments next time 'round.  Also, do not be afraid to talk to a guidance counselor.  Sure, many of them are bitter, cynical, children-eating monsters, but some of them can and will help.  If three years into your degree you discover Paleoclimatology isn't your calling, don't be afraid to switch!  Like IndianaSmith said, doing what you love is more important than anything else.

Personally, I think dragging the degree around and looking for the first real job is much scarier.  And hell, you've got four or so years before you need to worry about that.  Live it up! 

[Dennis]

Have fun, enjoy your life, college is one of the world's great experiences. Pursue a degree in something you'll like, don't be afraid to change to something else if you find you don't like your first choice. Always remember why you're there, don't loose sight of your goal. Finally, pace yourself, don't burnout on class work, it's easy to do, especially after 12 years of school. Good Luck to you. 

[BTM]

I am happy to report that I have finished high school(THANK GOD!) and I'm know going off to college. So any advice for living alone/going to college?

Oh yeah, and study hard and make decent grades.  If you're having problems, get help fast, rather than waiting, otherwise, you'll end like me!

Didn't mention this earlier, but my current degree (be graduating this summer, I hope), isn't my first time in college.  Went to college straight out of high school (graduated in '95) Long story short, had a lot of problems, depression and such, and ended up failing out of my last semester and had to eventually move back in with my parents.  Now, nearly seven years later, stuck in an area with a s**tty economy, I figure, "Okay, time to try college again."  But, like I said, didn't have a "four year" plan, just figured I'd snag a two and that'd be enough, so, now here I am.

Hopefully though, when I graduate, it'll help me get a FULL TIME job I can halfway enjoy, so I can start crawling out of the pit i"m in. 

I'm sorry, you asked for advice, and here I am wallowing in my misery..

But, my point is, if you're having problems, seek help sooner rather than later, and keep seeking it if (even if you have to go elsewhere) if you think you're not getting the help you.

Best of luck!

[ulthar]

Well, congrats!   

A couple of comments from "the other side."  I've been teaching college courses on and off, not counting stuff I taught while IN college, for 14 years.

(1) Remember that your teachers, on the whole, know what they are doing.  College is not high school; profs typically don't assign "busy work."  If they give you work to do, or ask you to do things a certain way, THERE IS  A REASON.  And that reason is almost always to HELP YOU learn things the right way.

(2) Stay focused on learning the material and less so on your grades/GPA.  In my experience, students obsessed with GPA tend to be among the worse students I have taught (attitude wise), ranking a close second to those that do nothing.

(3) Again, college is not high school.  Part of the bigger lesson is to help you learn to take care of yourself - to be responsible for your own education.  Don't expect your teachers to hold your hand.  Show some initiative.  Read the book.  Don't EVER, EVER, EVER say, "you did not tell me I needed to know that."  That's an excuse for weakness.  Say it with me now, college is not high school.  Realize as early as possible that for the most part, college is NOT about spitting back what the teacher has said - it tends to be more about understanding things at a deeper level.  Sometimes, you have to WORK to understand things at a deeper level.

(4) Listen to what your teachers SAY.  Sometimes, it is better to put the pencil down and just listen.  In my classes, I often tell my students just that - "put your pencils down and LISTEN.  I'll repeat it again in a minute so you can write it."  While taking notes, don't try to create a transcript of the class - write what is important.  This includes examples, conclusions, basic definitions, etc.  I mention this because you would be surprised at how many students, younger ones especially, just don't know how to take good, helpful class notes.

(5) Realize that college is not high school.  The study habits that got you by in high school will probably be woefully inadequate in college.  On the average, it seems that students don't tend to "mature" and learn how to be good college students until they are about in their Junior year.  You can get a jump if you try to develop "college level" study habits earlier.  This means ACTIVE studying (writing) as well as reading, re-reading and reading some more. 

(6) Finally, work hard, but leave some "fun time."  This translates to developing efficient time management skills.  Keep weekends, holidays, breaks, etc, for relaxing and letting go.  But, to do that, that means that work time must be work time.  I've had students who "worked" on schoolwork less than 5 hours per day (that includes time actually IN the classroom) and wondered why they scored in the 20's on my tests.  Being a student is your J-O-B, so give it 30-40 hours per week and you will probably blow everything out of the water.

If you work 40 hours per week and sleep 8 hours per night, you have 72 hours per week to "play."  Do the work first, enjoy the play more.  :)

[DodgingGrunge]

(5) Realize that college is not high school.  The study habits that got you by in high school will probably be woefully inadequate in college.  On the average, it seems that students don't tend to "mature" and learn how to be good college students until they are about in their Junior year.  You can get a jump if you try to develop "college level" study habits earlier.  This means ACTIVE studying (writing) as well as reading, re-reading and reading some more. 

  Excellent direction, Ulthar!

One of the greatest inventions in the world is the highlighter.  It is this magical type of marker that doesn't obscure text beneath it!  Get some!  In college, you purchase your books, which costs a fortune, so do your worst!  Beat them up!  When you are assigned to read a long text on the mating habits of Müller's Bornean Gibbons, highlight as you go.  Then go back and take notes based on your highlights.  This may seem like a pain, but your notes will be concise and pertinent and come study time, you'll be in great shape.

[flackbait]

Thanks again for all of your guy's/gal's imput and congradulations. I am glad to get advise from a college professor, that should really come in handy for college.

[Mr. DS]

What I can suggest from my own experience...I went to a community college and finished at a 4 year school...

1.) Get involved in campus activities as soon as you get settled.  For example,  I waited until my last few years of college to do campus radio and I would have loved to have been doing it much longer.  Just remember to keep focus of what you're there for...to get a job someday. Aka, know when too much fun is enough.

2.) Realize campus life isn't the only existence.  I've seen so many students in the past waste their life away in the dorms playing video games and drinking.  Go out to different areas if time and conditions permit.  Travel, see whats out there.  When you get older time, work, time and family will ultimately kill many of these plans. 

3.) Depending on what you want to do, internships are a great way to get experience.  Granted there is usually no pay but if you get into the right places, you'll learn usefull information.  Ask around for the best ones out there. 

4.) Theres going to be a few useless classes taught by boring professors you're going to have to take.  Just do well and know you won't ever have to remember them in the real world unless you're watching Jeopardy.  I won't go into which ones I think are useless but you'll figure it out. 

5.) Don't be surprised if you end up changing your major.  Take classes (worthy of credit) in different areas and see whats out there. 

Good luck and keep in touch about this cool time in your life.