<p>Should I bring granola bars? And what about bottled water, will that be necessary? </p>
<p>Don't laugh, dammit!</p>
<p>you can buy all that there....( if that was an actual question)</p>
<p>PS. granola bars are good, just don't get too hung up on them. Most of them have pretty high caloric content, which adds up to those freshman fifteen.</p>
<p>this is great! very helpful</p>
<p>How much money should I bring for personal expenses?</p>
<p>good question, how much money do college students spend every week?</p>
<p>USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION!!!! THese questions get asked every single year and I've been on CC for the last four years...</p>
<p>lol, agreed, use search.</p>
<p>Tickle, that just means you (and I I'm afraid, haha) have been here too long. Pretty much everything has been asked here at some point. Nothing wrong with going through it all again this year.</p>
<p>i think what is important, is not to leave home angry...
you will find that over the summer, you will pick fights with friends and family over trivial things because it is easier to leave home angry then sad</p>
<p>also, make sure to wait for your roommate(s) before claiming the better desks and beds and whatever... you dont want to start a potential friendship on weird terms. Make the decisions together, like if I got the better bed, my roommate can have the better closet</p>
<p>also, dont compare your first of college with your last year of high school. Extend yourself, because everyone is prob. feeling insecure and alone, so go out of your way to be friendly.</p>
<p>also, get involved in college activities, its a great way to meet new people</p>
<p>Don't buy everything on a store's college packing list. You don't need most of it and what you do need will barely fit in your dorm room--it's just a way to get you to part with your money.</p>
<p>Realize that the semester goes by really fast and may only consist of a few tests or papers. There is no time to make up for bad first grades so be organized and start working hard from day 1 even tho you are overwhelmed by the whole new college experience and don't feel like it.</p>
<p>Don't put pressure on yourself for college to be "the best years of my life." Some people hate it, some people love it and some feel somewhere in between. You will have many highs and lows....try and go with the flow.</p>
<p>The number 1 thing to know is that after you have been in the job market for over a year, nobody cares where you went to college. Its all about what you produce.</p>
<p>Review, as early as possible, the school's guidelines and rules for everything you can get an up to date copy of. This can be surprisingly helpful, as there are always small issues one might otherwise run into.</p>
<p>IF you suspect you might be politically active, or an especially vocal critic of the administration, have at least one lawyer on retainer who you can have write quick legal letters, and if needed (in case said lawyer is not licensed in your university's state) another lawyer who can go to trial. While I avoided the latter (though I did have one lined up if needed), the first one proved critical.</p>
<ul>
<li>Don't expect your roommate to be your best friend, chances are you won't be. (especially important for girls)</li>
</ul>
<p>-Go to class. Most professors won't care if you don't show up, especially if its a big class, but its definitely in your best interest to actually go. </p>
<p>-Don't sign up for every single activity and club. You won't have time to do them all. Pick the ones you are actually interested in and get involved in those. </p>
<p>-Be careful who you hook up with and party with. It's really easy to get a bad reputation as a first semester freshman and they stick with you until you graduate. You'll be forever "that girl". </p>
<p>-Don't get into the habit of ordering late night food, the freshman 15 can and will sneak up on you quickly. I've seen it happen. </p>
<p>-Don't call home to family and friends too much. You should get out and meet people at school. They will still be there. </p>
<p>-If you come to school with a boyfriend/girlfriend from home or at a different school try to have some space. Don't talk to them on the phone all day. That will kill chances to make friends and have a life of your own at school. </p>
<p>-You don't need to bring your whole life with you. You don't need 50 pairs of jeans and t-shirts. Chances are your style will change in college and there is no way you will wear everything you bring. </p>
<p>-Use Virtual Ratings or some kind of Rate my Professor website before signing up for classes. You shouldn't solely judge professors by reviews, but it helps to know what you're getting yourself into. </p>
<ul>
<li>You don't have to be Pre-Med. There are other majors. </li>
</ul>
<p>-Buy a mattress pad for your bed. College mattresses might be the most uncomfortable thing in the world. I think the floor might be more comfortable.</p>
<p>-Buy used books. You don't have to buy from the bookstore and if you don't you'll probably save a lot of money. </p>
<p>-Rainboots are great. </p>
<p>-You don't have to eat everything on the campus dining plan. Go to the grocery store or Wal Mart and stock up on snacks and easy things to eat in your room. Sometimes you'll just feel like having a can of soup or something easy. </p>
<p>-Naps. Naps. Naps. Learn to love them. </p>
<p>-Try not to schedule early early classes or a packed schedule everyday with classes from like 9-3. This isn't high school. 8 am comes a lot earlier than you'd think.</p>
<p>this might be a bit useful too here...
MIT</a> Admissions | Blog Entry: "50 Things"</p>
<p>The freshman fifteen is not from too many granola bars or too many one am pizzas to stay awake; but from the consumption of large amounts of beer.</p>
<p>
(lost count): Drink light beer whenever possible. Beer pong adds up.</p>
<p>'08Holla,</p>
<p>If weight gain is the concern, avoid beer all together. Straight shots will hit you more quickly, and have lower caloric values.</p>
<p>
[quote]
4 - Even if you aren't very outgoing - FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT!
[/quote]
I was going to say to always be yourself and not try to pretend to be something you are not. If you aren't a naturally outgoing person and suddenly try to be, chances are that you'll come off as a sketchy, loud, obnoxious, and weirdly in-your-face-all-the-time type of person instead of as friendly.</p>
<p>Also, the key to college courses is coming through in the clutch. If you know that the grade is 100% papers, then go ahead, don't attend class, sleep in, and spend your time watching The View or daytime soaps. Some of my friends who get straight As don't even know what their professors look like or where the lectures are being held. But when it's time to turn in those papers, yours better be a masterpiece. </p>
<p>This is not high school. There are no "effort points". No one cares how many flashcards you make or if you color-coordinate your copious amounts of notes with perfect handwriting. No one cares if you try really really hard. No one cares if you sit in the front row and talk a lot. No one cares if you spent all night studying and break down and cry when you realize you'll still fail the test. They'll actually probably just laugh at you. Quite frankly, no one cares if you try really really hard. Just get the job done. It's all about the results.</p>