The college is in Chicago, which will be a big change from sunny California. I know I'm going to need a very warm coat, and water-proof shoes, and I'm bringing those.
I'm also bringing my desktop computer and as many games as I can fit in the cracks between clothes and the other essentials in my luggage.

Any advice from the Snarkpitters who have done it already? Something besides telling me to actually go to class?

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

Study. Seriously.

It helps if you're actually interested in the material (which wont always be a guarantee), but High School is nothing compared to the work load and effort you will need to put into college (eventually). At first, College is pretty easy, but it gets hard FAST.

This may or may not be good advice, feel it out for yourself. I'm not sure how the universities in Chicago work, so it may not be this way there. But, as I've experienced, most instructors really act as if the students are peers rather than beneath them, so treat them the same way. Don't go "crying" to instructors with minor problems, they have no qualms about you passing or failing, so most of the time they wont care either way. But, it might be good to get to know the faculty (especially in your own department), this will help you tremendously, especially if you want to go further than the curriculum (which you should if you do indeed enjoy your field).

Professors are pretty easy to talk to, and you should do just that. Even casual conversation works pretty well.

Another thing is, try to keep the entire duration of your degree in mind during terms. At any given point you will feel overwhelmed like "this will never end", but it does ... if you finish things. Keeping a clear goal is really important it will keep you on track to graduate when you want to. In relation to that, use advisers. You should also research the school's petitions and scholarships too, that never hurts. Look for extra-curricular programs that you're interested in (since you pay for them indirectly). etc.

Work with other people. Doing a degree on your own is not easy or fun (talking from experience).

Also, don't bone chicks that have STDs, but that's a pretty well known one.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I haven't got any real advice, just study hard. Good luck with your move, and remember to clean your apartment once in a while (and here I'm talking from experience :razz: )

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What the Snarkpitters listen to!

What are you studying Stadric?

I'll be off in a couple weeks to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute near Albany to study Electrical engineering.

Heh, I went to RPI. It's a good school in aspects, and a bad
school in other aspects. RPI really is a tech school, and if
you're interested in non-tech stuff (writing, athletics, stage, dating)
it's there, but you have to really look for it. I helped found
the student magazine S&W for my release, and I think it's still
being published, which is cool.

Also, the most important advice which I did not take: get to know your
professors. Really. Get involved in their research projects
and visit them just to talk about the course. You're going to
need their recommendations and if you don't make an effort to know
them, they're not going to make an effort to know you. It's the
nature of the beast. These are research professors, often hired
for their intelligence and scientific background. Not to belittle
them, but they are rarely hired for their teaching skills or their
ability to be the best friend of everyone in their class. Some
profs that can't teach at all still have really important/interesting
research going on that you need to take the effort to make yourself a
part of.

Also, don't pay any mind to any of the jibberish that comes out of the mouth of The Shirley Ann Jackson.

I will be majoring in Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in Computer Science.

I've got "go to class", "study", and "suck up" (read: whatever you want). Is it true I'll be taught History and English by Feminist Nazis?

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

I'd be surprised if you have to take those courses at all, given your major.

I still have to take general ed. I got out of three Gen. Ed. classes because of my AP grades, but I'll still have to take some Freshman year.

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

I don't know, my university has a generalized general education system called University Studies ... which are fairly cool courses. They range from studying philosophy to movies. It really depends on your university.

Overall, as CCS said, I doubt you will have to take many, if ANY history or "English" courses. However, you will have to take writing courses. (Computer Science degree requires them, but I'm not sure if you have to take them for a minor)

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I feel that my experience may be at the other end of the spectrum than where your heading but here we go:

First off, what ever you get out of your experience is what ever you take from it.

You should also be sure that you are doing what you enjoy and what makes you happy. Money, Parents, Peers all of those things come second to YOU. I'm not saying give up if it gets hard, but don't be afraid to change course you only get one time in your life so don't waste it. Not wasting it goes both ways too, you should be challenged but you should also have a good time.

Strike a balance between work and play that takes into account the present (videogames, girls, parties, etc.) and the future (grades, gradschool, jobs, etc.).

Set goals! Get organized and stay organized I have to say that was my secret weapon. I had a program on my computer that kept track of classes and assignments, I kept a small memo pad on me at all times to write down anything I felt I needed to remember.

Also, I don't know much about your social situation but for me (again I went to an art school with 80 people so it may be different) I went from home life into this absolutely free-for-all environment with drugs, beer, and no bed time. Some people had a really hard time adjusting to that switch. Don't try and prohibit yourself, do what you want to do but educate yourself. I experimented like crazy but I was smart about it, and have a solid GPA plus had a lot of fun. An ex-girlfriend of mine on the other hand was always against drugs and drinking then she got to college and failed her first semester because she couldn't control herself. Like I said above You are in control and are accountable to only yourself.

Lastly, I went from Atlanta, GA to Utica, NY which has an annual snow fall of 11 feet. So my advice on the weather... Buy a good, WATER PROOF, pair of boots and a jacket in Cali. Then get all the rest up in Chicago as you need it. Salvation Army and second hand is your friend. Long John Underwear is your friend. Layers of clothing is your friend.

Well hope that helps.

Good luck and don't stress, its only college.

I don't know much about your social situation but for me (again I went to an art school with 80 people so it may be different) I went from home life into this absolutely free-for-all environment with drugs, beer, and no bed time. Some people had a really hard time adjusting to that switch. Don't try and prohibit yourself, do what you want to do but educate yourself. I experimented like crazy but I was smart about it, and have a solid GPA plus had a lot of fun. An ex-girlfriend of mine on the other hand was always against drugs and drinking then she got to college and failed her first semester because she couldn't control herself. Like I said above You are in control and are accountable to only yourself.

Man, you have no idea. I've been getting some partying out of the way (or it could be pre-partying) in my last months at home.
I'm not the stereotypical nerd, I only play one on the internet. I can hold my booze/other stuff :rolleyes: well, and I know when to stop and when not to start (and when to just watch everyone else get trashed ).

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

However, you will have to take writing courses. (Computer
Science degree requires them, but I'm not sure if you have to take them
for a minor)

And I'd put money down they have tech-themed writing-intensive courses
like "Writing for the Web" that nearly everyone in the program will be
taking. Those will be taught by retired businessman who like to
stay active.

I had to take a REAL writing course ... then technical writing, which discusses how to write documents for business and research and crap.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

The American college system seems to offer a much better balance of topics encompassed within a degree, going by the comments above. If only we had it over here... o_O

Seriously though - my advice? Put yourself back to the bottom rung - you seem like an intelligent guy and no doubt school has been easier than the average joe for you. The degree course could be too, but never assume so - it pays a lot more to ask questions and more probing questions of your lecturers. Also be prepared to stand and argue against their case, they have a lot of respect for fresh ideas - no matter how wrong they are :razz: Also always try and think of classes as holding your peers too - responding to other people after a discussion has started rather than the professor directly helps build your people skills and impresses the top bods.

I'm not sure how much of that can be applied to your course, but as a History student it is good advice!

Oh, and don't study History. They inevitably throw in something really dull about France, which is a big nono! If I have to talk about Napoleon or the Dreyfuss affair any more i'm going to guillotine somebody.

Some profs you can work with, some you just have to endure. Being able to tell the difference will come pretty quickly.

Beware the rare but lethal hard-line professor who also has tenure - this person will expect a lot quality work, regardless of your immediate situation, and believe that a C is adequate compensation for it. This because the true bell curve is all knowing.

There's also a lot profs in engineering who have never been in the real world, but attempt to tell you how it works. These are the ones who tell you that you'll never be able to find a job where you're allowed to write in pencil on something other than engineering paper. Just nod politely and let it go. They know their subject, that's all that matters.

Your first semester and basically first year, your gonna ask yourself "Why am I taking all these generalized courses?!" You'll contemplate dropping out because of its stupidity, but don't. It gets better. As the years go on you'll get into more of the focused classes that have realivence to your own goal. Its like a siphon. Its big at the top, and gets narrower at the bottom. Then at which point you realize that you wished you took more generalized classes, because you get sick of nothing BUT what your doing. My advice: enjoy your first year, because later your gonna be wishing you could take those easy courses again.

Your also gonna encounter the super studier. These people are like robots. I don't know if your one of them. But generally they're the ones at the teachers office everyday goign over the last exam they got an "A-" on so they can squeeze out some more points. Don't make the mistake I did by comparing yourself to them, its an unrealistic expectation you'll have on yourself. My advice: get to know your class in the harder courses. Your gonna start seeing familiar faces in your math, engineering, physics, computer science classes. Get to know them so you can gauge yourself to them. Or even better create a study group with them. I can't stress enough of how more productive you are in a group of 3-6 people than you are in a group of 2 or 1.

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Posting And You

1 - Be careful with the study groups. I'm not saying you shouldn't use them, just that it's easy to go on autopilot when you are working in groups and not actually learn the material well. Give the homework and studying a first chance on your own before you work in groups.

2 - When you are shopping for courses, ask upperclassmen to see which profs are good and which aren't. http://www.ratemyprofessors.com is a good check if you can't get firsthand info from people you know. Then try to take many classes from good profs, and few from bad ones.

mazemaster said:
2 - When you are shopping for courses, ask upperclassmen to see which profs are good and which aren't. http://www.ratemyprofessors.com is a good check if you can't get firsthand info from people you know. Then try to take many classes from good profs, and few from bad ones.

Seriously, this is what differs the US from Sweden. In Sweden it's freaking forbidden to put a rating on anything or have any thoughts about anything. EVERYTHING is supposed to be equal, all professors are equally good, all courses are equally good, all schools are equally good, all educations, all professions, everything. Man, I wish there had been a site like this one here in Sweden when I chose my school and education, then chanses are I wouldn't have ended up in the sorry excuse for a school filled with sorry excuses for teachers where I'm now.

I had to let it out.

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What the Snarkpitters listen to!

Seriously, this is what differs the US from Sweden. In Sweden it's freaking forbidden to put a rating on anything or have any thoughts about anything. EVERYTHING is supposed to be equal, all professors are equally good, all courses are equally good, all schools are equally good, all educations, all professions, everything. Man, I wish there had been a site like this one here in Sweden when I chose my school and education, then chanses are I wouldn't have ended up in the sorry excuse for a school filled with sorry excuses for teachers where I'm now.
I had to let it out.

Sweden is communist??

Ahh...college.

1991 . . . It's so long ago.

Anyway, here are my advice:

1. Don't procrastinate.

2. Get a calendar, put it on the wall. Plan out your studying schedule in advance and stick with it. You can't afford to fall behind.

3. Study hard, but play harder. You're only in college once.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

You're only in college once.

Says you.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I guess I'd just repeat what everyone else said. I'm an engineering/comp sci myself, though my engineering major is computer systems engineering (which is less redundant than youd think). Youll probably get bogged down with tons of maths early on which doesnt seem relevant... trust me, it is.

Definitely definitely definitely get to know the staff. I got a damn good job out of it.

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

rs6 said:
<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quote:</DIV>
<div class="quotetext">Seriously, this is what differs the US from Sweden. In Sweden it's freaking forbidden to put a rating on anything or have any thoughts about anything. EVERYTHING is supposed to be equal, all professors are equally good, all courses are equally good, all schools are equally good, all educations, all professions, everything. Man, I wish there had been a site like this one here in Sweden when I chose my school and education, then chanses are I wouldn't have ended up in the sorry excuse for a school filled with sorry excuses for teachers where I'm now.
I had to let it out.

Sweden is communist??</div></div>
Not quite, but definitely very socialistic.

</div>

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What the Snarkpitters listen to!

? quoting rs6

? quote:
Seriously, this is what differs the US from Sweden. In Sweden it's freaking forbidden to put a rating on anything or have any thoughts about anything. EVERYTHING is supposed to be equal, all professors are equally good, all courses are equally good, all schools are equally good, all educations, all professions, everything. Man, I wish there had been a site like this one here in Sweden when I chose my school and education, then chanses are I wouldn't have ended up in the sorry excuse for a school filled with sorry excuses for teachers where I'm now.
I had to let it out.

Sweden is communist??
Not quite, but definitely very socialistic.

There's quite a fine line between "socialist" and "truly communist." It has something to do with image. But, I digress.

Back on topic, one of the things that's really helped me is coffee. And not just coffee from your own pot. That, too, but also and more specifically coffee shops.

A Daily Grind or something where you can sit and get away from your room with all its distractions.

Omega brings up a good point, many people dropped out first year because they had to do fundamental classes. If you are learning something, no matter what that is a good thing. Even having a general knowledge of things that relate to your field of study is a great little extra.

I've just finished the first year of uni myself. Funnily enough, in my experience, the people who fail are the people who don't do any work. But yeah, my advice would be this: if you're going to study, go sit in the library for 4 or 5 hours and do it there. Obviously this cuts down on the potential distractions (and there are plenty of them these days).

Regarding the social aspect.. try joining some sports related clubs. It's a great way to meet fit girls. Even if you're not that good at something don't worry loads of others won't be either.

Oh and the most important thing. Like other people have said here, get organised. Really organised. If you need to, spend time and spend money on it (i.e. buying new folders etc.). It's worth it. It just makes you feel so much less stressed when the s**t hits the fan (and it will).

I leave for the airport in 11 hours. I'm going to pack up this PC in a few minutes, and I won't be able to get back online until the 19th at the earliest, or the 23rd at the latest.

So remember, don't talk to strangers, and always trust Crono.

---

Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

Good Luck man!

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Riven said:
Good Luck man!

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What the Snarkpitters listen to!

So remember, don't talk to strangers, and always trust Crono.

This statement is so ingenious, it's retarded.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I'm back on line now, and I just got out of my first class, Chemistry. Not hard so far, just conversion factors and the scientific method, but I know all too well what happens when we start studying stoichiometry.

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

Err, you apply Algebra 2 and solve everything? It's when you start applying vectors and rates that things get rumbly.

I just used my little translation proggie on "stoichiometry". The result was "St?chiometrie". :rolleyes:

But from what I saw on Wikipedia, it seems that I actually learned basic stoichiometry in highschool.

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Why snark works.

Yeah, thats high school chemistry.

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

Stadric said:
I'm back on line now, and I just got out of my first class, Chemistry. Not hard so far, just conversion factors and the scientific method, but I know all too well what happens when we start studying stoichiometry.

Just remember that most schools use general chemistry as a weeder course. Everyone in science or premed has to take it, and it's the bludgeon they use to beat of all without sufficient determination. The material is easy in the beginning, but will rapidly get harder.

Ditto, I thought my first chem class was going to be like my high school chem class. Boy was I incorrect. Which is something I should pass onto you. Your not smarter than the course, no matter how good you were at the subject, or how many AP (advanced placement) courses you took, it's all going to be new. I went into CHEM 1B (the second class after your first chem class, which you will take next semester) with that notion, and it kicked my butt with pH and molarity constants.

I wish you the best of luck man, I too am in a new school (which starts tomorrow), I myself am looking forward to a state school rather than the community college I've been going to.

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Posting And You

I too will be moving this Saturday (Sept. 1st) to a dorm room, and have also been taking these words of wisdom to heart. The campus is pretty, but the dorm life will be the only thing that I'm a little iffy on. I'm a pretty quiet and private person, and so my roommate and I decided to switch from our already assigned 2nd floor room to their last available "quiet floor" which just so happens to be the 11th floor of this run down dorm building. The building has big signs screwed all over it with "fallout shelter" posted on them. I'll still have internet (thankfully), but the last remaining "quiet floor" is the top 11th floor. Which is fine and all except for one little detail they forgot to mention: the elevators don't work!

So I'll be climbing 11 flights of stairs twice a day (at least) to get up to my room. I can't wait! But, at least I'll have a pretty view.

I'll be studying Architecture for five years for a masters (because a masters is required for a license.) in a university located in Louisiana. only 4 1/2 hours away from home, so not so far that I won't see my family for a year or anything, I'll still be able to come home on holidays and breaks. It's a small college town, with a little downtown, and a Wal-Mart, that's about it. Nothing like Chicago at the least, lol.

So, I've read everyone's advice on studying, but how about your take on dorm life (if you've had it)?

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Classes start Tuesday, my friends moved into the dorms last week.

Update: On thursday, I moved into a frat house. Don't worry, it's not a drinking frat, it's a nerdy frat, just one that likes to drink.

It's a cool place, more laid back than the dorms, and I can still visit my friends from the dorms whenever I want, because I only need my ID to get in the dorms.

I'm also still doing my homework.

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

college kicks ass.

I dont know how collage works in the USA Stadric, but you live at collage?

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Aaron's Stuff

Collage
College

Generally it is more convenient to live nearby the place you're paying to take classes at, most colleges and universities recognize this and have dormitories available for students to live in. Groups of students may also live together somewhere other than the dorms in what are called fraternities (guys) or sororities (chicks). I don't know how college works in Australia, but do people live hundreds of kilometers away and commute on kangaroos across the desert every day?

:smile:

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o

lol

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Aaron's Stuff

Well, I have now settled down into my college dorm as well, and have been living the college life as well. I agree, even though I don't do any partying, college does certainly KICK ASS! W00t! They have gotten the elevators working in my dorm, so I won't have to be climbing 11 flights every day. I've had to spend so much money on architecture supplies, it's crazy!

On a lighter note, I won't have to worry with procrastination, I can do all my homework in the nearby 3 libraries on campus! I've found that if I'm in a public setting as opposed to my own room, I can focus on my homework, or whatever it is I need to do. But I'm surprised at how much this university relies on the Internet. If you don't have your own computer, you're screwed here. But with the housing fee, you get a cable 100mgb ethernet connection in your room, so you just need the computer!

Anyhow, just letting you all know...

-BTW, Has anyone here ever lived in a dorm at all?

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202