Tips on preparing to go to college

Discussion in 'Help with Life' started by SushiKey, Aug 6, 2017.

  1. SushiKey Destiny Islands Resident

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    So I'll be 22 this month and I figured before too much time slips away, I should start preparing for college. I know I need to study for the SAT and whatnot, but I'm not sure what else to do beyond that. My parents have gladly said they will guide me with the rest, but I was wondering what are some other tips for preparing to go to college? I already have a few universities in mind (depending where I am by next year), so that's already covered. I'd love your thoughts!
     
  2. Dravoo Traverse Town Homebody

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    Depends on what you're going into. Which I know is a topic few ever really know. My advice is to get a part time job if you can and begin saving money until college starts. Unless you have scholarships and so on I suppose.

    For me, I work part time on the weekends and saved up for anything I'd need before it started. By the end of my first semester I had saved enough for a laptop, one I'd need to do the major editing and photoshop my major requires in later years. I even asked my majors instructor what would make a good editing laptop. It's always good to build connections at college as well.

    If any courses you take offer online or hybrid, try to get into the hybrid classes since having someone in person to teach you is worlds better than a video. My college is very small though so it's a hodgepodge of online, hybrid or in person.

    ...I'm not sure how useful my advice is given my small school...I guess I'll leave it on this, ask anything you're wondering about. Pester the f*ck out of teachers if you must, never forgo asking something. Teachers in college are willing to help but they also aren't as inclined to do so if your aloof. (since you're paying the college to be there, therefore you dollar wasted if you ignore it)

    If you show willingness they'll typically help you, there's nothing dumber to do than to be unsure of something and not get your confusion clarified.
     
  3. SushiKey Destiny Islands Resident

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    To be honest, I was thinking of a couple of things. I originally wanted to do something with computers since I was a young kid, though with time I kind of transitioned out of that obsession and started to seek new interests. I still like computers, I just think I want to do something else, not exactly sure what though.

    One of the things I was thinking of perhaps was animation or art. I like art, especially animation and comics, but I just kind of need some guidance into that which I think college could definitely help with. That's one thing I perhaps need help with is honing down what I REALLY want to do. Thanks for the tips though!
     
  4. Dravoo Traverse Town Homebody

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    Then as one last tip I'd recommend looking into all interests you have in college. Even if it's just clubs to be in, give them a shot and see what you want. ^__^
     
  5. Alex_JJ Moogle Assistant

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    The first year in college will give you a bit stress. Be prepared for the huge competition and be ready to work on your reputation. From my experience, I’d rather advise you to find a part-time job. It will help you to leave your comfort zone behind, earn some money and improve your communication skills. In any case, I wish you good luck!
     
  6. Sara Tea Drinker

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    Be VERY careful about your first year. You are going to be on probation. (No, they DON'T mention this to students.) Don't goof off too much when there's a ton of work, it will bite you hard in the butt later on.

    "Where's Mom Now that I need her" It's a book, order it on Amazon, you will need it, it has everything from first aid, cooking, recipes, general household solutions, and other tips.

    I would go to a counselor and help figure out a career choice that would fit your needs. Course, they do change... I love my job that I'm doing now and never pictured myself doing that when I was younger. I would also be realistic on WHAT you can do with this career path... Is it a high demand? What kind of jobs can you get with it? I love history, but the only real job I see using it with is a teacher, which is something I wouldn't want to do. How much money is earned a year from this job and where are the highest demands for the job? I looked up a major recently and the highest demand was in New York City. I wouldn't ever want to live in such a place. Those are questions you should ask.

    Your advisor is there to help you, he/she will help you decide on a career path.

    Now tips for regular college:

    You have two weeks to change roommates, if you can't stand them in the first two weeks, ask for a different room for dorms. It won't get better, they just tell you that. It will most likely get worse. My head of the dorms told us "For the love of God, if you're not getting along, let me know so we can try to fix it or change before your parents call me because you're sending hate texts to each other in the room." I wish this was a joke.

    Work study. Take it. Also apply for FAFSA. You'll want spending money, the FAFSA will ease on the strain of your bills, and work study is flexible hours and usually quiet time to do your homework if there's nothing going on. I worked at the library, one of the best jobs I ever had.

    Oh yeah: If you get a single and no one notices, don't tell anyone. I got a free double room for over a whole semester without them noticing with me the only one there.

    Also: Depending on seniority, you can change to a single. It costs more, yes, but if you have a condition where you medically can't be comfortable or it's not possible for you to have one, they'll give you one for free.

    Don't set fire to your dorms. My neighbor did that... She also pissed off the whole floor and the whole RA's in one fell swoop. I'm dead serious, oh yeah, plastic and very hot objects start fires, do not mix.

    Wash your pans and dishes often, your neighbors and your health will thank you.

    No matter how late it is, always check to see if you have the right room, true story, my door didn't latch properly and some guy in a towel walked into my room at three am. I screamed and he left. Oh yeah, always call facilities if there's something wrong with your door.

    Don't slam your door every time you leave, now matter how angry or in a hurry you are, it will REALLY tick off your neighbor next door who can feel it all the way across the room. Especially if you wake up to it every morning.

    Quiet dorms for Freshman? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Don't exist, don't even try to think they do, those are for the parents to reassure themselves that they can have their kids study at night and they will. 99% of all kids in that hall will make enough noise at 12 am to wake the dead even with the RA yelling at them. Try for upperclassman dorms as soon as possible, they're swamped with work, more mature and a thousand times more quiet.

    Your room is always going to be the size of a closet, don't pack everything and it's grandmother for your stay. Storage is always the goal here.

    Always clean out your fridge before you leave unless next semester is going to be a biology experiment on the mold in your refrigerator when you get back. And don't just unplug it, ask your parents how to defrost a refrigerator at least a week before you leave. This is not last minute. I learned this the hard way.

    You know those slightly more expensive fridges with a separate door for freezers? Get one, they're more expensive, but talking from experience, those freezers otherwise will never work for you, all you'll have is soup or a bunch of unfrozen food.

    You won't get Easter week off unless vacation lands on it, if you are like my college, it won't... Arrange for a way to get food from home if you celebrate it.

    So that's my tips.
     
  7. Sara Tea Drinker

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    Oh yeah: If your room faces east or west and you feel the shades aren't enough and/or it's a furnace when the sun hits it... Find a tan sheet and cover that window. It will block out the sun into your room for that part of the day. Never white because it'll be blinding, never black because it will make it hotter.

    The furnace will always make the most noise out of everything in your room, you won't believe it, but you'll get used to it. It will also be either too hot or too cold. (Mine was too hot, I literally slept with a quilt and a night shirt on the coldest nights outside in the mountains in my room.)

    There's no such thing as too many fans. Air conditioners are banned from dorms for obvious reasons, you can have as many fans as you want. It was a heat wave of at least 100 degrees every day with no break for three weeks straight during my summer class in June, my room was a ice box with large three fans running all the time and the shades pulled down.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2018