Here's one for those of you who are either in college or out of it: Got any advice for surviving my first year?

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Answers

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Class of 2000:

Wear sunscreen. If I could only {bang bang bang bang bang} SHUT THE FUCK UP!

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Hey, I still like that song...

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

But as for my advice, I have no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice... now. [cue music]

Hee hee. I like that song too. But anyway, I do have some REAL advice.

1.) Join a club. Join *something.* I really, really regretted not doing this. Actually, I'm a junior now and I *still* haven't joined anything. I was Queen of Extracurriculars in high school, which makes my apathy at college somewhat more mysterious. Now I'm going to have to join three or four clubs this fall so I have stuff to put on internship applications.

And, more importantly, clubs are a great way to meet people. Or so I hear. Heh.

2.) This may sound like sort of a no-brainer, but ... study. It's easy NOT to, though, especially in lecture classes where there are no assignments outside of the midterm and the final. Do a little reading each night, and then you won't end up trying to read fifteen chapters of Sociology in two days, as I did (or tried to do) once. Pretend you're still in high school and spend time defining vocabulary words and answering the questions at the end of chapters. It really DOES help.

3.) Get to know professors outside of class. That is, go to their office hours and such (though I suppose you could go to coffee with your professor if you really wanted to...). It lets them know that you're interested in their class, and they won't look at you strangely in the future if you have to ask them for a recommendation letter for grad school or a job.

The list could go on for a while, but I think I'll stop there for now.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Read. That's all you have to do.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Everything that Laurie said, especially about the professors.

Also:

1) Bring stamps. You'd be surprised at how many letters you mail. 2) Dryer sheets! Important. 3) Don't bring a lot of books from home. You'll get enough for your classes, there are most likely libraries where you are going, and they just take up space. 4) You don't need that many clothes, really you don't. Underwear, on the other hand....you can never have enough. 5) Stay away from the computer for the first week (or the first 2). I got a new computer when I went to school, and it didn't get there until the third week of school....I'm convinced that I would not have met so many people and made so many really, really close friends if I had my computer right away...I would have spent hours online, talking to everyone from home and all who were familiar, instead of venturing out into a new scary world. Damned glad I didn't have this computer. Excessively glad. 6) Roommate respect is *utterly* important. If I had one gripe about college, it would be about my roommate. She was hardcore Southern Baptist, but that wasn't the (main) problem. It was that she had no consideration for others...I think she was too ditzy to realise, but still, that's no excuse. Example: once, when I was taking a nap, she was walking around the room, wearing windpants, bumping into things (she was very clumsy). Then she came over, and, right by my head (this was where our shelf was), proceeded to eat crackers. RIGHT BY MY HEAD. She also walked around naked a lot, which I guess was not such a big deal, just that I wasn't comfortable doing that around her, really....because she stared. Creepy. Roommate Etiquette. Should be a class, really. Very important.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Girls, stay away from frat guys. They always want you to do some kinky lesbian shit with your friends or something else disgusting. I've had nothing but bad experiences with them.

Also, prepare to discipline yourself. College, aside from the intellectual aspects, takes a tremendous amount of discipline. Make time to study and always be prepared. You have no idea how easy it is to wake up at 10:30 and decide to skip your 10:45 Poli Sci class because you feel like it. The temptation is too great.

I didn't live in the dorms so I have no dorm advice.

Enjoy yourself.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

[a] bring flip-flops for the shower. trust me. you will need them!
[b] college is all about time management. procrastination is the enemy and there are so many distractions to be found at school, especially when you are dorming. a walk to the bathroom can turn into a three hour conversation..ie, you run into people you know and start talking to them, etc..
[c]you don't always have to do the reading, and you don't always have to go to class.
[d] reading period (if your school has one) is HELL.
[e]drinking & drugs aren't that bad..but moderation is key. [f] be honest and lay down the law with roomates.

thatisall.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Yes, I'll be redundant. -READ. Just read the assigned reading. It makes tests SO much easier. And don't wait till the last minute to read either. -SOCIALIZE. If you want to make friends do it in the first week or two. After that everyones established their lil groups already. It's a lot easier to make friends when everyone doesn't know each other. -BIKE or ROLLERBLADES? If your campus is big, these babies are lifesavers to getting you to class on time. -STORAGE SPACE. Most likely the dorm will be small and you'll need room for stuff. A closet & dresser isn't even enough. Get lil storage drawers to stick inside of your closet, they help. -ESTABLISH RULES W/ROOMMATE. Mine ate my food a lot. If you lay down the law at the beginning, it'll be much better at the end. And you don't have to be mean about it. Really. :) -HAVE FUN! You learn a lot outside of class, so have fun!!!

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

Oh, oh, OH, I almost forgot: wait until after you have had your classes to get your books. This might sound stupid, but then you can get all of your books in one shot. Plus, the prof may have changed the required reading, or might have "supplemental" (read: this will be on the test, whether you like it or not) reading added. The lines will be longer, but you will only have to go once.

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2000