I'm going to college!?

I used to be a college librarian and it was quite an education for me.

1. If you're going away to school remember that you aren't bound anymore by the expectations and reputation, good and bad, that you had at home. This means it's the best opportunity you'll have in your life to discover who you really are unburdened by your past. Take advantage of that and stretch yourself and get out of your comfort zone. You may discover things about yourself that you never knew were true.

2. This is the golden time to learn how to balance work and play and to develop good habits that will stay with you for life. That means learning how to really study, how to manage your time wisely, eat healthy on a budget, etc.

3. Make the right friends. Running with a crowd that will have your back will make or break you in college.

4. Take advantage of the writing center, the health center, the career center, and the counseling center (should you need it). Your tuition is paying for them and they can really help you in unforeseen ways.

5. Learn about safe sex and consent if you haven't already. You don't want to leave college with the unexpected "gift" of fatherhood or an STD.

6. Get to know your advisor and professors. I learned so much about my academic fields and life in general from chatting with them in their offices during their office hours. My sophomore year I lost my financial aid through no fault of my own (FAFSA lost my forms.). I went to my advisor in a panic and he helped me secure financial aid that year. I still had to get an off-campus job instead of a work-study job but he truly saved me. He also helped me obtain two internships. My graduate advisor also helped me land my first job in my field. My dh and I attended the same school. Even though we didn't get married until several years after graduation, we still invited a few professors to our wedding that we'd kept in touch with. One of them at the time was serving at his graduate thesis advisor even though my dh was getting his master's degree at a different university.

7. Get to know the librarians at your university as well. I've saved the bacon of many a college student who came into the library stressed out about a research paper they had to write about a topic they knew nothing about.

8. Meet and befriend people who are different from you. Join groups and organizations that expose you to new experiences.

9. Get involved in campus events. Attend outdoor concerts and symposiums.

10. Have fun and do crazy things that you never knew were possible.

11. Don't be afraid to say no or stand up for your beliefs. Going along with the crowd just to be accepted can get you into a lot of trouble and lead you to do things you may later regret.

What a fantastic list, tcufrog! :thumbsup2


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I can't add much more OP. That is a such a great list. Covering virtually everything.

Find your balance, not what makes sense for another. For me, when I went out more - went to more parties my grades only improved. Strange but true. Everyone is different.

If you study - and go to class - exams can feel exhilarating. Truly. It was a natural high for me to flip through an exam, and go "Yep, got it, boom".:rotfl:

Try flipping through an exam from beginning to end first and timing each section, taking in the points structure. A lot of people just start at the beginning. I used to start where I felt the most confident and where the grade structure was high.

Have fun. It goes by so quickly. Then and after! Cherish your memories and your friends.

Congratulations Carly. And enjoy camp.
 
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Overall advice -

"Balance is the key to life."

Go to class, study hard...but once in while, when a really great adventure presents itself, slack off for a few hours. That's where the memories are.

Get outside some, get a little exercise, and give all sorts of people a chance.


Practical advice -

I definitely second a good calendar system (whatever kind strikes your fancy) and not waiting until the last minute!!

When there's still too much to keep up with, read the first and last chapter of the novel. That will tell you which parts of the middle are most important, so you can go back and read those.

Think about your perfect schedule when registering for classes. - Are you a morning person or a night owl? Do you like things clustered with long breaks or spread out with shorter ones?

Make friends with upperclassmen, and ask them who the best professors are!


Sentimental advice -

Keep a journal.

Text your family once in while.
 


some 'housekeeping' advice i've gleaned by virtue of living adjacent to a 'university town' and overhearing meltdowns while doing my errands at local businesses/service providers (these largely apply if you are going away to college vs. living at/close to 'home')-

1. prescriptions- for any on going meds make arrangements well before you arrive for the pharmacy you will use. just b/c you use a national store pharmacy doesn't mean you can go into any location and get your meds. likewise-if you are attending out of state you may need to establish with a local doctor to get your prescriptions (and the closest ones to the school can book out months in advance).

2. banking-if you are getting any kind of financial aide/scholarships then they will likely direct deposit your portion (after tuition/fees....are paid). it's much easier to deal with a hiccup if there's a brick and mortar bank you can walk into. likewise-if your non local parents have to help you with anything banking wise (make a deposit into an account that's running low:rolleyes:) it's much easier if your bank has a location near them as well OR is something like a credit union w/in a shared banking network.

3. groceries/toiletries-even if you are on a meal plan there will be times you want to grab some food (or need some personal care items). check ahead of moving and find out if there are some convenient to your housing stores that offer free membership/reward cards. it kills me to see students who are pinching their pennies but paying double for an identical item i'm purchasing when if they just took 5 minutes online to sign up for the store's free card they would be getting it on sale (or in some cases free on a promo deal).

4. mail-our post office is a mad house when the school starts and ends. it's b/c of everyone putting in forwarding or change of address orders. i honestly think it's best if possible to get a p.o. box that you can keep all the years you attend-that way if you live in the dorm this year but move back home during the summer then move into an apartment year 2, back home that summer, a different apartment year 3.....you have one address throughout. CALL NOW to see if there are p.o. boxes b/c they become available as school lets out and are gone within the first couple of days.

5. parental authorization forms. if you have the kind of relationship with your parents where you may want them to help you out with things then do the paperwork for the college as well as medical providers that allows them permission to do so. if there's a glitch with your health insurance and the provider it's impossible for a parent to help out with what can be an eternity on phone hold without authorization on file. if there's a hiccup with financial services at the college and the office is only open for walk-ins when you're in class, absent the proper authorization paperwork on file with the college your parents can't try to resolve it over the phone for you.
 
Beware of pranks. One of my flat mates got on the wrong side of another and came back one day to find his lock picked and all his furniture on the lawn outside, in the exact layout it had been in the room before...
 
Congratulations!
Major in a health/medical field or Business/Computers to find a best job when you graduate

At college - yes attend all classes and all your reports/home work must be handed in on time.
Learn to do your own laundry
Bring good storage containers and one that can be used for a seat
Rent books from Barnes and Noble unless you want to keep it
Bring a small fan to circulate the air in the room
Desk light for a dim room
Hangers for the closet
Go to Bed Bath & Beyond and get a free college list of things to bring
 


#1 tip of all: If you can manage your time, you will do well in college. Create a system that works for you. I used to put together a master calendar /used colored pens to write in reading and tests for different classes ... my oldest made something similar to a bullet journal so she could SEE how much was behind her /ahead of her ... my youngest is a calendar + checklist girl. You'll find so much to do on a college campus; if you don't have some system for keeping up with your studies, you'll be the kid who suddenly realizes that a paper is due tomorrow, or a test happened yesterday. Schedule time for reading for each class ... you will be reading SO MUCH. Knowing that you're on top of your time management will help your grades, and it will reduce stress. Your schedule is something within your control, but you must make the choice to do it.

Lesser tips:
- Yes, go to class. Always.
- When you're in class, BE IN CLASS. Put away your phone, take notes, take in everything the professor says -- FOCUS. This is what you came for.
- Sit on the first or second row. Fewer distractions ... lots of college students like to sit and play on their phones or computers during classes /my younger daughter was shocked one day when a kid in front of her was watching porn in class -- well, okay, she knew the guy from high school, so she wasn't too shocked. She became a dedicated first-row girl the very next day.
- Your advisor will push you towards taking just GenEd classes your first year. I say jump into an intro-level class in your major. It'll give you a chance to learn whether the major is what you think it is.
- Determine early on where and how you study best. Your room? The library? The study rooms on your dorm floor? With other people? By yourself? With flashcards? Does highlighting help you?
- At some point, you're going to get a bad grade -- yes, you -- even if you never earned bad grades in high school, eventually, you're going to see an ugly number on a test or paper. It's okay to be upset because -- yeah -- it matters, but you have to bounce back. If you didn't study enough, you know what to do. If you really don't know what went wrong, go talk to your professor. I remember clearly the first paper I wrote in college; I always made As in high school, so the 55 shocked me. I quickly realized that I had to step up or get out ... so I stepped up. I realized that I actually needed to use the writing steps they'd taught me in high school. I never earned less than a B on any paper for the rest of my college career.
- Don't borrow. If money is a problem, search out cheaper options: Become an RA to get a free room, choose community college for the first two years, work two jobs in the summer. It's possible to graduate debt-free, but most people don't make the tough choices that it requires.
- Read EVERYTHING the college gives you. They'll tell you about the support systems /opportunities available to you on campus, but so many people don't bother to read things. Here's a small example: My older daughter's college food service sent out emails about healthy eating /healthy living every two weeks ... and they contained coupons for the dining hall! For example, buy a sub sandwich /get an apple for free ... pay for a small burrito /get a large one ... buy a bowl of soup /get a grilled cheese sandwich for free. She was allowed to print as many coupons as she wanted, and it was a nice meal-plan stretcher. The dining hall ladies often commented to her, "So few people use these!" Reading everything the college provides will let you know what items you can reserve in the library ... how to make an appointment at the health center ... how to reserve a study room in your dorm ... and so much more. You've paid for all these helps and supports on campus -- use them!
- Seek out clubs and other groups on campus -- aim for some social groups that you'll enjoy, but also look for professional groups that you can include on your resume.
- Your dorm splurge item should be your bed. Choose a good foam topper, comfortable sheets, a gooseneck lamp that can clamp onto your bed, and anything else to make it comfortable. You need good sleep.
- Mind your health: Plenty of vegetables and water. You'll do more walking than you expect, but also check out the workout facilities on campus.
- Take with you one professional outfit for the day your professor requires your class to go to a job site or conference ... or the day you need to do a presentation for your class. Do not confuse "nice club outfit" with "professional outfit".
- You really don't need a car on campus your first two years, and keeping a car on campus is very expensive. Worst of all, at my daughters' school, the freshman parking is 2 miles down the road, so you have to take the campus bus to get to your car. College tends to be highly walkable. What you DO need is comfortable shoes.
- Finally, enjoy it! You'll meet plenty of people in your dorm, you'll become involved in social activities. Have a good time ... allow time for that on the time management schedule you're creating.
 

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