College/Uni

[FullMetal]

As some of you know, I just started college. Let me tell you...IT IS AWESOME. I know some other have started this year as well and I wanted to know how its going for you. I mean, it's not really out of a Tucker Max completely...but -sorry if this is mature- Tucker was right in saying that college has got to be the EASIEST place to get laid. I mean...wow.

Anyway! I had my first day of classes too and it is so mad ill. I mean, it threw me a little off to have my teacher go..."You can call me Bonnie" and me going 'But that's her first name...' and a bit when I had two 40 year olds in my class as well- but I still think it is awesome, I mean when else would I get to do this. Every night is a party night, and though I do not do it every night, I did participate a few nights and it was really nice. Most of the time I just chill with some people though. It's so cool because you are forced to make friends and it is just such an awesome place to do just that. Because I dorm, I just go into the halls and meet all different people from different places and different cultures. I absolutely love it. I never want to leave!

Anyway (again) how was your college experience or how is it now?

FullMetal

 

[fifigal]

Fullmetal,My college days were pretty much as you have described yours.It will definately be a time in your life that will be unlike any other,a time you will never forget.Have fun,enjoy every minute,and if you can find the time,study and learn a little bit too.Best of luck.

 

[EmeraldsAndLime]

College/University is great in terms of the responsibility and respect you get. You are a young adult now, so calling older people by their first name is now the norm. I remember when I did my first semester of university last year, the lecturers introduced themselves by their first names and expected to be referred to by their names. It's was just a good experience finally realising I'm now old and mature enough to not have to call people by formal titles.

Aside from that, just have a lot of fun. The people you go to college with are not only your peers and friends or people you socialise with, they're your mentors, your counter-points to arguments/ideas and your basis for getting through the whole thing whilst having a great time. But just remember not to go overboard with the social aspect of it. You are going to college to study, so learn to understand and differentiate between times of when you need to study, and when it's appropriate to let loose and just relax.

 

[Pojo]

I think it's all right...It's nice having 4 day weekends, and not having go for 8 hours days...But I'm at a community college, so I don't know about parties and all that...I'm not sure how many people will get your Tucker Max reference (I do though )

 

[Charlie]

I too am starting 'college' (known as University here) this year, I start at the end of September.

I'm starting to get really excited! I bought a wok today, it's so weird knowing that in months time I'll be living on my own (in terms of being away from family) looking after myself.

I wonder how many other ADISCers are starting college/uni this year, this thread may be quite interesting!

Anyway, if anyone's particularly interested: a lot of uni experience will be on my blog.

 

[Protricity]

Count me in! I started college last month, and I gotta say it's really nothing like I thought it would be. Much more laid back as you describe Fullmetal. I've got a dorm room with a good friend of mine and I intend to make these the years of my life I'll never forget

Let's just hope the English essays aren't as bad as everyone says they are, I hate English with a passion.

 

[IncompleteDude]

University for me was extremely difficult and stressful, because I was in a program that demanded all of your waking hours. Although, I can't say I was lonely, and there were some fun parties, I never even came close to getting laid. Everyone was so focused on their studies, and being engineering, there were very few girls. I still failed though.

Now I'm at a commuter polytechnic college, and again there are hardly any parties because no one lives together, and I'm in game programming with very few girls. It's all pretty dull, really.

 

[dampatnight]

I'll move to another town and go to university next month. I got my own flat and look forward to an enjoyable time. Although I will have much more work than ever so far...

 

[Izzy]

Yeah, university times have been fantastic. At least for me, it has been a time where I can unleash my full repertoire of intelligence and skills without fear that I'm going over the heads of everybody. I've been engaged in amazing projects and developments.

That said, I don't get the whole first-named basis thing. I mean, I think part of it is that while Yale students are suppose to theoritically be amongst the best in the world, the professors we have are not theoritically so: they are. So there's more deference.

 

[EmeraldsAndLime]

Technically speaking, when I go back to university next year I'll starting my first year again. I've opted to do some courses over again to get a better grade in them. At least now I know what to expect.

I think the biggest things you first-timers will experiences is just how much of a lifestyle change is required. You'd think it wouldn't be that much different than going to school, but even I got caught up in that one. You don't spend as much time in class as you do at school, leaving you plenty of time to study on your own or just study in general. It takes a great deal of self-control and motivation to sit down and study on your own accord.

Remember, the lecturers don't care if you do your "homework" or not. They don't care if you don't study. A lot of them will figure that you're now a young adult and that you should be responsible for your own academic career. Sure, go out have a good time, be social party with friends, but there'll always be a crunch time when you have to just sit down and pour your brain out over textbooks and lecture notes. So just be prepared for that.

 

[spacemanBEN]

Well, I'm just starting out, four days gone so far, but it's only been hard work and stress for me. Maybe my course load is too heavy? It's all heavy-duty sciences and math (ugh). I hope it gets better once I meet some people and settle into a regular schedule. I do enjoy learning though for the most part.

 

[Peachy]

Remember, the lecturers don't care if you do your "homework" or not. They don't care if you don't study. A lot of them will figure that you're now a young adult and that you should be responsible for your own academic career. Sure, go out have a good time, be social party with friends, but there'll always be a crunch time when you have to just sit down and pour your brain out over textbooks and lecture notes. So just be prepared for that.

That's quite true. Each semester here lasts 14 weeks, and generally those are spent in the following way: 6 weeks of partying, 6 more weeks of partying but feeling guilty because you should be studying, 2 weeks of gathering the necessary stuff to start studying, and then one week to study (that's the one study week you get after classes finish and before exams are scheduled).
Some students can't find the motivation within themselves to study at all and think they can pass the exam. Or they spent too much time partying. Since I've now switched to the other side (i.e. teaching in college / at uni), I sometimes smile when people just won't listen when i tell them they must actually sit down and study and do the assignments, because I know I've been that way and I've flunked a few exams because of pure lazyness. But hey...live and learn

Peachy

 

[dogboy]

How right you are Lukie. My first year in college I had 2 Fs the first semester, and 3 Ds the second, and man did I party. Because I was at a music conservatory, most of the guys were gay, so I could have gotten laid by half the female population any time I wanted. However, as chef from Southpark says, "That's for college, boys.", and I did the wild thing while there, so much that I was banned from being in a dorm my senior year. You've heard of some of my exploits with my room mate in other posts, so I won't bore anyone. Though by my senior year, I was actually teaching some of my classes, and had the respect of my professors, but not the administration. It was also 1970, the year of the Kent State murders, and I and 4 others put our college on strike along with all the other colleges and universities throughout the US. It might be added that when you failed out of college in 1970, you went directly to Viet Nam.

Your college experience is something you will remember for the rest of your life. All the good experiences and all of the bad. I had the greatest time of my life, and also some of the greatest pain. I sang for Martin Luther Kings national funeral, and played awesome keyboard. At the same time I had a suicide card. That's the one with your shrinks emergency phone number in case you are on the verge of destruction.

My advice is, don't do totally stupid things like I did. Yes, deffinitely do some stupid things, just not self destructive things. And take advantage of everything that you can work into your schedule. I could have made a record with Dave Brubeck, but I blew it off because I was meeting with someone very beautiful in the afternoons. But still, how stupid. The beautiful kid is gone as is our youth, but Brubeck is eternal man. *raises bic lighter* Party on!!!

 

[ChinaL]

I'm jealous =\

I have nothing constructive to add. I'm just jealous.

 

[Ecto]

That's quite true. Each semester here lasts 14 weeks, and generally those are spent in the following way: 6 weeks of partying, 6 more weeks of partying but feeling guilty because you should be studying, 2 weeks of gathering the necessary stuff to start studying, and then one week to study (that's the one study week you get after classes finish and before exams are scheduled).
Some students can't find the motivation within themselves to study at all and think they can pass the exam. Or they spent too much time partying. Since I've now switched to the other side (i.e. teaching in college / at uni), I sometimes smile when people just won't listen when i tell them they must actually sit down and study and do the assignments, because I know I've been that way and I've flunked a few exams because of pure lazyness. But hey...live and learn

Peachy

Before starting this semester off in my dorms at my new college I would have thought that what you just said was hyperbole and that there's no way German kids party that much. But yeah, I'm in a residence hall that has a lot of European exchange students (mostly from Austria and Germany) and DAMN do those kids party. Now I went to a state school for the past two years before transferring to this prestigious private school that I'm at now so I've seen what partiers are like, but these German kids really take it to the next level. I don't think there's been a night since the semester started where they haven't been throwing a party. And they're really shameless about it as well. A couple days ago I observed the following conversation between a friend of mine and one of the exchange students:

Friend: "hey, did you get the textbook for organic chemistry yet?"
German: "Oh, no, I haven't gotten it yet", laughs
Friend: "are you serious?! dude", chuckles
German: "yah, I'll get it later but tonight is party!" (keep in mind this is a week after class started, we're already 100+ pages into the book, and have a quiz scheduled for the next class session)

I think the only other group of people who rival the European kids in amount of partying are the Russians who are going here. Everyday I go up the stairs I see them hauling up bags of alcohol (usually tequilia). This isn't a small amount of alcohol either, we're talking at least 8-12 bottles of tequila a day.

btw, peachy, I never knew you were a university lecturer, what do you teach?

Well, I'm just starting out, four days gone so far, but it's only been hard work and stress for me. Maybe my course load is too heavy? It's all heavy-duty sciences and math (ugh). I hope it gets better once I meet some people and settle into a regular schedule. I do enjoy learning though for the most part.

The experiences that you have at college tend to depend on what your major is. It's a fact of life that us science majors tend to not have the same "four year vacation" experience that other majors have.

To be honest, I never had any trouble getting settled into college life since I never found the transition to be that big. The biggest change is that your classes are no longer an exercise in bullshit. You get taught what you need to know in a very efficient manner (no pointless worksheets, timesink projects, etc). Unless you get drunk off your new freedom (both figuratively and literally speaking) to the point that you don't study, skip your classes, etc. you'll be fine. Most kids find college to be a big transition because they have overbearing parents who kept their lives scheduled, and once they're away from mommy and daddy they have a moment of epiphany where they realize "hey...I can do anything I want...". And most of them, rather than immediately following that up with "but I need to apply all the discipline my parents instilled in me for the past 18 years of my life and excerise self-control" instead follow up with "I can do anything I want!".

 

[dampatnight]

Oh well I problaby picked the wrong major for an optimum party/work ratio, but I'll have to wait and see how it turns out. (can't beat my father from what I heard so far :<)

 

[jraff]

The biggest change is that your classes are no longer an exercise in bullshit. You get taught what you need to know in a very efficient manner (no pointless worksheets, timesink projects, etc). Unless you get drunk off your new freedom (both figuratively and literally speaking) to the point that you don't study, skip your classes, etc. you'll be fine.

This is exactly what I discovered last year. I love the fact that there's no BS, just you learning what is necessary. I'm a sophomore now, and have started taking classes towards my major, versus all GenEds. That makes things even better, because the classes are suddenly all interesting to you!

 

[Dawes]

I'm jealous =\

I have nothing constructive to add. I'm just jealous.

You'll get there soon enough, China! And even if you don't think you'll be able to financially, there really are plenty of options out there for lower income students.

It took me seven years after high-school to discover my passion (Early American literature), and when I did, I slammed right into class and I've not stopped. My schedule is jam-packed with business -- I work a full-time job from 9-5, and five nights out of the week, I go to class until approximately 10 P.M. A lot of people would think the hectic schedule sucks, but I love it -- it makes the days go by faster, makes me appreciate what I have to work for, and makes me cherish even chunks of ten or fifteen minutes of personal time! I'm not happy during breaks -- I like to be in school, working, being educated, learning more than I previously knew.

My only regret is that I did not start until I was 24. Then again, I could have started previously and gotten my education in something I didn't give a shit about, either.

 

[Nicky]

still waiting to go back...ggrrr. the OP is right, i never wanted to leave. I start my 3rd year in a couple weeks, (sept. 29th) and i CAN NOT WAIT.

glad to hear your having fun