going to university!

[PersonalMe]

well im going to uni in june, and itll be the first time im all by myself (no parents) i was wondering, since many of u r older: do u have any tips? just ANYTHING, little or big, just things that u would have liked to know before u went to college by yourself. anything from social things, to career things, id appreciate it! thank u!

PS im really excited so hopefully u wont say anything too drastic that might scare me! thanx!! bye!

[Relationship Coach]

PM,

Live as though you are still at home! By this I mean, don't stay out all night because you're not in fear of being grounded! Partying and Booze is always available, like food on a cruise ship. You're at school to learn and get a degree, not put on 100 pounds and get a spot on the Liver Transplant list!

 

I often thought that for many college at 18 was too difficult, being away from home tends to cause good students to lose focus and bad students just get worse.

 

Learn to be accountable and not go nuts just because you are away from Mom and Dad. The reason you have a shot at going to college is probably because of your parents. All of those dumb rules they made you follow probably kept you form getting in to trouble and kept your studies up. Have fun but always keep in mind why you are there, to get a degree to secure your future.

 

RC

[Carnatic]

This advice may not apply to you because you may be in a different country to me with a different educational system.

 

But, try to do as much as you can in first year. Socialising, Partying, Activities and the like. First year is usually much easier than the college of 6th form or whatever you have just come out of, and sometimes (in the UK at least) doesn't count towards your final degree, so all that is required is that you pass it with 40% (check that this applies to your course before acting on it).

You have a chance in the first few weeks of Uni, probably the only chance you'll ever have in your whole life, to be among thousands (depending which uni you are at, but loads anyway) of people your age, and be able to socialise and start conversation with anyone you want for no reason, just because they are there. Even someone who is shy can do this.

If you had problems socialising at home then no matter how much you change, people will often remember who you were and not see who you are, if this applies to you then now is the time to 'reinvent' yourself, emphasis everything good about yourself which you have managed to change and be able to meet people who see you the way you are now, not the way you used to be.

Find activities and societies that interest you, typically freshers will go to freshers' fayre and sign up for 200 societies and never go to any of them more than once. Pick out something that will really interest you, it is a way to meet people with your interests, and have something engaging to do once a week or whenever... if you can't find any societies representing your personal interests then just go for something completely new.

Make friends, but don't do what I did and make too many friends so that you have hundreds of people who will drink with you in the student bar but noone who is especially close, again it depends on your situation, but in catered halls, you aren't put in a flat automatically with people you have to develop a closer relationship with, it is more like a hotel, everyone is independent and must make their own friends. But in 2nd year you probably have to move out of halls and find a student house or somewhere with a smaller group of select friends.

Wear Sunscreen

And if it gets to a point where either socialising or studying has to take priority give that priority to studying, but again, don't study too hard so that you never come out of your room, that would be bad for your mental health.

Things will change a lot in 2nd year, so make the most out of 1st year.

[ShySoul]

Take advantage of the opportunities, social and academic. But don't go wild. Too many think that going off to college means that they can do whatever they want. Then they go overboard and have a rough time. Try to find a balance. Study, work, and have fun. College opens lots of new doors, take advantage of them.

 

The other thing I notice people have trouble with is that you aren't watched over as much in your classes. Some teachers don't take attendence, so you can miss classes. Some don't collect or check over homework. You aren't in class everyday. So you really have to watch over yourself and use good study habits. Keep on top of the work, its really easy to fall behind.

 

And most of all, enjoy yourself. College should be a good experience. Not something that makes you feel miserable.

[futureholdswhat]

Love every minute you have at uni or college. It will be the best days of your life. At first it may seem a daunting task and your worried about meeting new people, but that's the easiest part of it all! There are so many interesting, exciting and friendly people, who will all be in the same boat as you, but just go along, and have a laugh!

 

As ShySoul says, learn how to balance between work and play. My experience of such things, are friends who I had at uni, went completely mad because it was their first time away from home, and they lost all interest in their work, thus ruining their future careers (let alone their bank balances!). But that's not to say stay in studying books all the time, just be able to manage it! Get a diary, i'm surprised how I kept up to date with assignments without it! They help you manage and remember far off reports, dates and college parties etc!

 

Again, work is a major factor in college. Love what you study, put your heart and soul into it, it will pay off. If your not sure, don't worry, your college want to keep you there, so if you're not happy with what your studying, they will be more than happy to help you decide what options you have. Just remember to keep in touch with your college, tell them any problems you encounter, they will not turn you away, they can help with any situation.

 

It really is a wonderful experience, you will meet so many truly good people, whom you will forge long life connections with. I want to wish you all the best in your studies and hope it will be a great time for you!

[mystik]

hey there! firstly, congratulations!!

 

Secondly, EVERYONE who already posted has given great advice, none of which I can disagree with.

 

SO! I'll try to share something different...some things I wish I had known before moving onto residence with 2000 other 18 year olds! (I'm in third year now).

 

Do:

 

-Meet as many people as you can in the first few weeks - especially those in same program if possible. You'll need them to eat meals with, go to parties with, have fun with...but you'll also need people you can borrow notes off of if you happen to miss class and form study groups with when exam time comes. Make sure ALL your friends aren't complete party animals or you're going to almost fail out first year (like me ), or even worse, fail out. Try to find some who can have a good time, but also know when it's time to buckle down...or find some friends of all kinds (hardcore partiers, mixed, total bookworms) to have a good mix. You'll really appreciate some good study partners later on.

 

-attend all first year activities in the beginning of the year...some people find them lame, but you never know who you'll meet. Besides, what's the alternative, sitting in your room by yourself?

 

-like Carnatic said, after a while, try to find at least a few close friends. You'll need them in later years when people aren't in the "LETS MEET EVERYONE AND BE FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE" mode anymore. Besides, you'll need those extra trustful friends to gossip about your crushes!

 

-drink if you want, but don't overdo it. Be careful, watch who pours your drink, who buys its for you, where you leave it. I haven't heard of anyone drugging anyone else in my university, but you do hear about it in the news. Also, don't get so drunk that you wake up in a random guy's bed every weekend... it might be all fun and games at first [especially if it seems like EVERYONE'S doing it] but you can have loads of fun without doing stuff like that. Plus, if you live on residence, you don't want to become known as "one of those girls." Don't do ANYTHING you're not comfortable with or you'll regret it after. If some guy doesn't respect that, then you don't need him. Contrary to popular belief, sleeping with as many people as you can is not cool, and neither is getting as many different types of STD's!

 

-now on to academics.........DO go to your classes! Stay on top of things. Even if you want to party every night (people WILL come a knocking..hehe), maybe right after class everday before dinner, do all your school work, then you won't feel so guilty.

 

-do NOT assume that highschool is the same thing... I thought I was so smart coming out of highschool (high 90's) and I figured, no need to worry bout studying so much...everyone else is partying, it'll be fine. GAH I wish I could turn back time and kick myself. Remember that everyone else who is there, was also at the top of their classes. People who go to university are *usually* academically motivated individuals... so like everyone else said, remember why you are there in the first place.

 

-explore and take as many electives as you can first year if you are unsure what you want to major in. Don't be afraid to try new things. Don't be afraid to change your mind...don't be afraid to hate something you thought you loved. I was in Science first year and hated it... now I'm in Psychology and wonder why I was so reluctant to change over. I'm behind a year because of it, but it is worth actually enjoying what you're studying.

 

-engage in your school's traditional events/activities. For example, at UBC where I go, in the first month of the school year, there is something called "Day of the Longboat." Almost all the students (that's 40,000) get into teams of 10 and race in giant longboats for a day. Trust me, no one has any boating experience so half the boats flip, yet it's been a tradition for years and it's superfun.

 

Anyway, I think I wrote too much...but I suppose I am getting excited for you - I remember I couldn't sleep for a week before I started. So GOOD LUCK!!! Keep us posted or PM me if you have any questions later. Don't forget to study*! lol

[Caldus]

OK I just want to address something. Being a 3rd year college student and all...

 

One thing I notice at every college is this 'need for other people' all the time. It kind of bothers me to be honest. Maybe it's because of my nature (very independent, career-oriented, high on life itself, philosophical/contemplative, lol). While college is a perfect time to meet lots of people, it is also a perfect time to begin working on yourself. It is just as important, if not more important, in my opinion, to be conscious of your self-growth and not get deeply lost in the party scene or just deeply lost in other people. It's not healthy in my opinion. I liked the diary idea someone mentioned earlier. Find out who you are (or in my terms: just becoming). I think clubs are a great place to challenge your mind (and go to the gym too: challenge your body and have fun exercising) while meeting new people (unless it's some fraternity or some purely social group which was never for me).

 

I made the mistake of my first year sitting in my dorm room every night doing homework or working on websites/other computer stuff for myself or other people (or playing video games). I did join clubs and such my first year but I never really met many people. So I agree, I wouldn't make that mistake either. In fact, I still haven't met many people here and it's my 3rd year. I realize it's simply because I am just a very different kind of person. Nothing wrong with it. Never really felt the need to be around lots of people in my life. That's just me though.

 

Oh, and if you don't choose classes you're truly interested in, then you probably won't do well in them.

[littlepinkpunk]

Living on campus is a great experience, and it is really what you make of it. I go to school two hours away from home, and i have learned sooo much in the past two semesters. Remember that many, if not most people you will meet are in the same/similar situation. Right off the bat, say hello to everyone, make some friends and acquaintances, and just have a good time and relax. Second, as many have said, this is not highschool. i almost never studied for highschool and i was an honor student. I failed the Hell out of my first exams, but after that you realize what you need to do to improve. don't freak out and worry that you can't make it, because you can, it just takes a little adjusting. Take advantage of your opportunities, universities offer alot of services that help you more than you know. You have alot more freetime, now than in highschool, and use it to your advantage. most of my time goes to studying or writing papers, but if you're comfortable enough, take on some groups or greek life. or a job if you need it.

 

most of all. do what you need to do but don't forget to have fun -=D

[littlepinkpunk]

and i must agree with caldus, i'm very much like him. i'm more independent, and i don't get into the big crowds like many people. Do not overload yourself at first (or ever really) and be sure to take some classes that interest you. I am currently taking yoga as a chance to have a class that i am interested in, get some exercise and relaxation, and another way to have a little fun.

 

i hope you enjoy the university -=D

[Caldus]

Oh wow I was actually thinking about signing-up for Yoga too (seriously). But they offer it at freakin' 7 AM. I mean I struggle enough with getting up at 7:30 AM.

[mystik]

8:00 Am courses.......GROAN. add that to the list of advice! if you're not a morning person, and you KNOW you won't be able to resist joining in late night partying (or studying), or you're generally a night owl, plan your courses for later in the morning. Heck, I make mine start after 11pm at least. I'd rather end later in the evening. That's just a personal preference since I know I won't go to my classes if they're too early. Some people can do it, and they end early afternoon. And a question for all the other posters, where do you all go?

[Caldus]

UNC Charlotte.

 

And the reasons for me taking an 8 AM course are twofold:

 

1. Only section available for required class.

2. Getting ready for the work world so need to get readjusted to normal waking hours.

[Carnatic]

University of Liverpool

Studying Town Planning

lol my department don't believe in 9pm lectures, I don't think there is a whole 8am lecture in the whole of the uni either

 

I think it is relevant where the original poster is going to uni, all this talk of electives, majors, fraternities and such has made me realise that going to uni in America or Canada is very different to in Britain, which in turn is different from France etc.

 

e.g.

In Britain:

We don't do electives or anything like that, we come to uni with a specialist what you would call, major to study for. I for example couldn't just take a module/class from the Modern Languages department out of interest, I am restricted to making a couple of choices a year between say a module on geographical information systems and a module on sustainable development, occasionally we have had the choice relevant modules (selected for us by our department) from geography and sociology. In general we don't have flexibility that you have, we can't just say do a wide range of modules in 1st year and not decide till later what we want to major in.

 

First year of University really is usually easier than sixth form (what you go to after school to get A Levels or GNVQs which get you into uni) for most courses, except of course some intensive ones like Medicine and Engineering. And it doesn't count towards your final grade and you only need 40% to pass. It gets a lot harder in 2nd year of course

 

We don't have fraternities and sororities.

 

Sports are just incidental to the univeristy, the uni itself doesn't even get involved in organising the teams that represent it, leaving that to the students' union, and the average number of spectators at a major game in a major sport, such as Liverpool v Manchester in men's football is zero

 

The drinking age is 18, so alcohol plays a massive part in most people's student lifestyles, legally of course, there are 11 bars I know of on our campus, 9 of which are in the students' union.

 

I don't know if this is entirely true, it is only based on a couple of conversations on yahoo with American students, but we appear to do much more writing. The people I spoke to said 2000 words would be about the longest essay they had ever written. It is about the lower end of our essays, with 3000 being about average, and 10-14,000 not being unusual. Coursework in our modules tends to carry the larger share of the marks for that module, with the exam (if there is one) often being only about 20%

 

Students in Britain are often vilified, the locals often don't like us in their city (though Liverpool is quite friendly), the press often sterotype us as binge drinkers and layabouts, and most people are of the opinion that we do no work whatsoever and just sit on our arses all week draining money off the state and not paying taxes.

 

That's another thing, even though we have to pay to go to uni now and we are no longer given a grant, the government is still very good to us, we get a low interest loan (or a grant if we are poor enough) and the state (as of writing) subsidises most of the cost to get us through uni, with us paying a maximum of about 11,000 a year I think (until top-up fees come in) and nothing at all if we are poor enough.

 

Anyway, I think I have rambled on enough there..

[fantasia2004]

well im going to uni in june, and itll be the first time im all by myself (no parents) i was wondering, since many of u r older: do u have any tips? just ANYTHING, little or big, just things that u would have liked to know before u went to college by yourself. anything from social things, to career things, id appreciate it! thank u!

PS im really excited so hopefully u wont say anything too drastic that might scare me! thanx!! bye!

 

I did not go away to college though I wished did. Anyway with your first semester just atke it slow and make sure you study for your exams.

It is not a good idea to go to school and work during your first two semesters, but if necessary, make sure it is part-time work. Also become familiar with the surroundings of your college so you know where everything is at. Save money, speak up, and most of all have fun!

You have four years ahead of you. Make the most of it.

[fantasia2004]

Cheating on your tests are very, very, very good!

 

 

I am kidding! Really! I am seriously I am kidding !