share your general college tips!

[s1lver]

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After two semesters of college, here's what I've learned:

* Wait at least a week or two before buying the supposedly "required" textbooks. University bookstores will r*pe you. Don't have the cash? Rent books cheaply at Chegg. I'm renting a $15 book for 3 months that would have cost me $110 at the uni bookstore and $85 on Amazon... and then I'd have to worry about selling the book back after the semester.

* RateMyProfessor can sometimes be a grade-saver. If a Prof has 50 reviews and 47 of them are telling you to "AVOID THIS PROF AT ALL COSTS!!!" you probably should.

* Visit your Profs during office hours at least once or twice per semester and ask good questions.

* Meal plans are way overpriced, don't taste good, and should be illegal. :/

* This I just found out a couple of weeks ago - I was always falling asleep in my Philo class and couldn't figure out why since I like the subject, I get 6-8 hours of sleep every night, and this is only my second class of the day (10-11AM) UNTIL I came to class late one day and instead of sitting at the back of the class as usual, I had no choice but to sit in front of the class (since the back seats were all occupied) and BIG DIFFERENCE! Sitting in front of the class apparently does wonders. It sort of forces you to pay attention. I wish someone had told me this last semester...


Please share your tips! 👍

 

[brooklynblunder]

Don't even bounce, not in my house
Better hope you make it otherwise you naked

 

[bigal40]

Don't even bounce, not in my house
Better hope you make it otherwise you naked

1. time isn't wasted when you're getting wasted
2. don't pass out with your shoes on
3. don't leave the house 'til the booze gone

 

[SDSU EB]

Work the system.

If you have a problem with your classes and you go to see the academic advisors, even if they're the ones who made the mistake. Never say that, or you've just shot yourself in the foot. If you are polite and come to them and ask for their help because you're lost and you're not sure if you did something right or wrong, you will get far more accomplished than if you come in saying, "this is your fault, fix it"

 

[Tatastrophy]

Plan ahead:
-Not all classes are offered each semester or even each year-find out what you need for your major/med schools you are likely to be interested in and make sure those classes will fit into your 4 year plan.
-Also, if you have enough credits and plan wisely-you can easily avoid having multiple labs each semester: Orgo lab and Bio lab together are NOT fun.
-In the required "English" classes, if you are not a writer....and even if you are, see if the professor will critique your rough draft. It may seem like a huge hassle to write the paper early but that is how you get the professor to want you to succeed and give you a little more leeway when it really counts (besides the obvious advantage of knowing what your professor expects, likes and doesn't like)
-If you forsee a class being especially difficult for you-like Calc II seemed to me-go to every office hour you can, I mean every. You will get extra practice and lots of personal attention of the professor, and I promise there will be other people doing the same thing. I did that and I now know Calc II backwards and forwards, and tutor in it.It is worth your while.
-As far as ECs go-use your resources and focus on activities that you truly enjoy. I enjoy teaching and tutoring, I have done it for the past 3 years, it isn't a big issue for me because it is fun. Yet it shows that I am committed to my passions.

Once you get to the point of interviews-smile and take every opportunity you are offered-you never know what great things may come of it.

 

[brooklynblunder]

1. time isn't wasted when you're getting wasted
2. don't pass out with your shoes on
3. don't leave the house 'til the booze gone

1. and dont have sex if shes tooo gone
2. when it comes to condoms, put two on

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Take as many gen ed courses over the summer as possible. They're easy so you will have plenty of time to enjoy the summer without having too much homework, and you'll have more time during the school year for more difficult courses.

GO TO PROFESSOR'S OFFICE HOURS.

 

[jka0067]

1. Go to every single one of your classes. Sit near the front.
2. Go to bed by 2 AM and get up by 10 AM every day during the week.

I had to learn the above two lessons the hard way.

 

[Insulinshock]

1. time isn't wasted when you're getting wasted
2. don't pass out with your shoes on
3. don't leave the house 'til the booze gone

+100 on knowing how to work the system. I have a 3.84 right now, and as bad as it sounds it would probably be a 3.7 if I didn't work the system sometimes (in a non-cheating way).

 

[drivndetermined]

Party it up in the first and maybe second undergraduate years because your final 2 years can get pretty rough lol

 

[FloatOn]

Learn the art of power-napping.

 

[Sammich117]

Learn the art of power-napping.

👍

 

[naomi6225]

Caffeine, caffeine and more caffeine 🙂

 

[bigal40]

Party it up in the first and maybe second undergraduate years because your final 2 years can get pretty rough lol

I found the opposite to be true.

 

[Algophiliac]

* Meal plans are way overpriced, don't taste good, and should be illegal. :/

This.

And...
* University housing is overpriced, louder than hell, and should not be a requirement for incoming freshmen.
* Nobody cares about how well you do or do not fit in...this really is a change from high school for me.
* Have multiple schedules planned out before the registration day, especially if you are at a large state university, because the chances of you getting every class you want at every time you want is practically 0.
* Don't antagonize your roommate. Seriously.

 

[boaz]

Caffeine, caffeine and more caffeine 🙂

I would intersperse that with a beer here and there 🙂.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

.

 

[SevoInduction]

Homework... do your homework... seriously!

 

[anbuitachi]

Seriously, play as much games as you can and do w/e fun stuff. cause soon you wont have the time.

 

[Tots]

* Don't antagonize your roommate. Seriously.

Personally I find this to be one of the most enjoyable things ever!

 

[Poliscidoc]

1. Kiss ass like your getting your PhD
2. Have fun, don't be a typical "Pre-Med"
3. Drink but dont do dumb ****, i.e.- DWI/DUI
4. Kiss ass
5. Kiss ass and suck up
6. And I mean really suck up
7. Randomly hook up
8. Tailgate at football games and get hammered
9. Do some dumb **** so you and your buddies can talk about it for years.
10. Make friends that no matter what happens you can always call them to come get your dumb ass.......

 

[JonSwan]

1. If you have a procrastination problem, fix it ASAP - don't put it off. Procrastinating = #1 undergrad killer

2. Don't get into a studying rut. Experiment with different methods to figure out how you learn best (favorite new study tool = Anki... google it).

3. Never panic. Panicking decreases your performance and makes you waste time worrying. Chances are if you are freaking out, so is everybody else. Keep a cool head.

 

[Gallix23]

r

t (favorite new study tool = Anki... google it).

That actually seems pretty cool, is it working for you?