<p>I noticed that most of the stuff here is about the social life, but I have a concern about the academics.
I feel like college is much less challenging than HS and I know I shouldn't feel this way. I have a feeling I am doing something wrong and this will come back to haunt me when finals come.
I heard that you should be studying 2 hours otside of class for each academic hour. There is no way I can do that! The material does not seem challenging.
With that being said, I know it may have to do with my major/classes. Compared to my peers, I am taking relatively easy classes (compared to HS) and will continue to do so until junior year. (I am a business/psych major)</p>
<p>My classes are
Intro to Stats - STOR155
Statistics for Psychology Majors - PSYC 210
Macroecon - ECON 320
Field Geology of Eastern California - GEOL072H
French - FREN203 (this is, to my surprise, my hardest class!) </p>
<p>With that being said, this is a small concern. I just want to make sure that I dont end up failing because I study less than I should be. Is studying in college supposed to happen in a different way?</p>
<p>Well, are they all pretty much intro classes, except for Econ 320? It looks like it, based on the numbers and the word "Intro" on at least one. I guess that could make them seem easier. You're also less than 1 month into classes at this point . . .</p>
<p>Seems to me that undergraduates are mostly encouraged to fulfill a lot of required courses <em>before</em> their major(s); other students know what they want to do and jump into the major or majors from the get-go, fulfilling those additional requirements along the way. Some of these same students come in with a lot of credit, so they can jump into more difficult and smaller classes right away.</p>
<p>I'm guessing there's not a right or wrong way approach, just like there's not a right or wrong way to study. Whatever works for you might not be what works best for someone else.</p>
<p>Not a big help, but seems to me if you're understanding everything and not having trouble, you must be doing okay. ??</p>
<p>i feel the same way about mine. i am only taking 12 hrs now but with my APs at 14 hours, i have plenty. but they all seem so simple, but i too am afraid that i'll be in trouble when finals come as well. i got a C on my first ENGL intro paper after my teacher told me it was "awesome" and then he couldnt explain to me why he gave me that grade. that's really made me angry. the in-state kids papers i was reading were awful, in my opinion. these classes seem too easy to be true.</p>
<p>ahduke - was it an honors English class? If so, those classes are very difficult and you really have to be on top of your game to even get a B. Regardless, it seems if you are getting Cs on papers, at least THAT class isn't too easy to be true.</p>
<p>marg - I agree is very early to draw conclusions about the difficulty of a class. I would be very cautious, stay on top of notes and reading, continue to be prepared for class lectures. Often, what is less challenging is the schedule, not the coursework...and it is easy to confuse the two. After taking 7 classes a day for 5 days a week and dealing with full afternoons and evenings of ecs in high school, the abundance of 'free time' in college can be misleading. Truth is....it isn't really free time at all and often freshmen don't realize this until mid-term.</p>
<p>no, it wasnt honors english. if the teacher would've told me what i did wrong with it, i'd understand more why i made what i made. and why would he tell me it was awesome? just to tease me?</p>
<p>If you went to a tough high school then college should (IMO) feel much easier. This is mainly because of time constraints and not as much difficulty wise. I'm not in college so I can't comment on difficulty of HS APs vs college itself but I know for a fact that next year in college I will have a whole lot (7-8 hours?) more free time each day.</p>
<p>ahduke - I do not like that you seem to put down the in-state kids with your comment "the in-state kids papers I read were awful". You need to drop the in-state and out-state crap-everybody is at the same school now so get over it. I believe you are from Charleston, so that is not that far away even though it is in another state. You know those in-state students could have read your paper and thought it was awful, too. If you are going to make a comment then drop the in-state crap. In another post you wrote how you didn't have anything to do. Well now you do-work on your writing. UNC does have a writing center-my daughter has already been-that will give you something to do. To all the other students you are just a student at UNC Chapel Hill-you are not a in-state or out-of-state student.</p>
<p>again, calgar, that isn't free time....lol! Remember the old adage...3 hours (self study) for every 1 hour (class/lecture). Seems extreme...but the point is, those free hours should be spent reviewing notes, doing homework and preparing for the next lecture.</p>
<p>Also, I have to agree with alcook. ahduke...that was unnecessarily rude. We all get it...you are unhappy at UNC and you seem to have placed all blame for your unhappiness squarely on the shoulders of the in-state student population. Unfairly, I might add. I want to gently suggest such contempt for others is a hard thing to hide sometimes. It is very possible others are feeling this vibe from you and find it off-putting....which does nothing to help your situation.</p>
<p>your right, that was uncalled for. my frustration is just boiling over and the in state kids and their chummy groups of friends. sorry about that.</p>
<p>I kind of feel like that too and I'm taking 17 hours. I have heard also that people in hard High schools often feel like college is easier. I think the free time is the most misleading when you haven't really learned how to study and had it easy in high school so you think everything will be peachy and you won't have to study for exams. That's how it was at my high school when I transferred from a plain public to a public magnet boarding school. Once you learn how much time you need to spend reviewing for each class you'll know whether you need to study maybe 5 minutes for French but 3 hours for econ because of the exam format.</p>
<p>Just a thought but if I met someone who so disdained in-state students, I'd probably avoid them right off the bat. I came with maybe 130 students from my high school but my closest friends here are all from out of state (DC, CA, and NJ) I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with your being out of state or people just shunning you because you didn't come from their high school, Ahduke, I think it may be your attitude. Like Idmom said, people can notice even a minor distaste for instate students and will steer clear.</p>
<p>i didnt have distaste for anyone the first three weeks i was here. like i said, i spoke to everyone i saw, made casual conversation, and most told me how many people they came with from their high school and how hard it must be for me to be here alone. i'm getting a feeling it's because i am in granville and if i had been in a regular dorm, i would've had interaction with other freshman, but i'm stuck here now. do i have distaste now for people who continue to stay with who they know already and only tell me how bad my life must be as an out of stater? yes, you bet i do. after almost a month alone, i assume you would to, unless you enjoy being a hermit. no one on my floor in granville socializes, no one ever uses the common room, and when you meet them in the hall, they rarely speak unless i speak to them .. and even then it's a quiet "hello" and then quickly checks their cell phone.</p>
<p>so yes, i do have a horrible attitude now. i've been miserable for a month and i've seen no progress whatsoever. reaching out can only go so far if the other party refuses to interact.</p>
<p>
[quote]
. . . the in-state kids papers i was reading were awful, in my opinion.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Okay, I'm dying to know . . . how do you know whose papers are from in-state and whose are from out-of-state? Do students write their home towns on every paper, under their names? How do you actually know who is in-state and who is out-of-state, when you see the students walking by? Do they wear scarlet letters or something? I find this all really strange.</p>
<p>Also, I read some of your old posts, ahduke. On one of them, you stated that you actually applied as an in-state student, because your dad lives in NC and you lived here when you were younger. If that's true, how do you reconcile that with some of your comments here?</p>
<p>You really need to get over your dislike for -- well, for what seems like everything at this point. It's unhealthy.</p>
<p>
[quote]
i do have a horrible attitude now. i've been miserable for a month and i've seen no progress whatsoever.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You met a group of guys you liked, in a fraternity you liked (the only one you did like, according to you). They wanted you to join the fraternity; that occurred in about 3 weeks after arriving on that campus. That sure seems like progress to me, yet you opted to defer their offer. I don't get it. I'm confused-- as ever.</p>
<p>RLAJen, i hear what you're saying, but i also know if i was here with 130 (my school didnt have that many) from my HS here, i'd be a lot more comfortable. no offense, you may have made new friends, but it sounds as if you were open and friendly to these people, something i have yet to experience in my first month here, and it's not because of my attitude, as i didnt have get ****ed until this week. i can only take so much of this. dont sit there and tell me it's my attitude .. i've been nothing but nice to people, i smile like a fool even though i'm miserable, and i've tried talking to people. my classes are far to big to get to know anyone, and i dont know where to go to find freshman on south campus (cause i live in granville), and granville is tough to meet anyone. my attitude is bad, but i dont wear it on my shoulder. i keep my feelings to myself in public and i dont walk around airing my frustrations to the world. this is an internet forum, not the public. if you can judge me like that, then i have the right to make assumptions about you in saying i know having 130 of your HS peers with you helps A LOT and dont you dare try to tell me it doesn't. it's called familiarity. it's something everyone here is clinging to, and believe me, i would too! i dont blame any instater for doing it, just dont tell me it doesnt happen. i'm not an idiot.</p>
<p>"Also, I read some of your old posts, ahduke. On one of them, you stated that you actually applied as an in-state student, because your dad lives in NC and you lived here when you were younger. If that's true, how do you reconcile that with some of your comments here?"</p>
<p>I never got instateship because I am over 18, and under NC law, claiming me on an income tax doesn't matter... so i was considered an out of state student. i am paying full tuition.</p>
<p>"I'm dying to know . . . how do you know whose papers are from in-state and whose are from out-of-state? Do students write their home towns on every paper, under their names? How do you actually know who is in-state and who is out-of-state, when you see the students walking by? Do they wear scarlet letters or something? I find this all really strange."</p>
<p>no, we were assigned people's papers to critique in class. we also had an intro session in which we introduced ourselves and where we were from. i said that comment was out of line .. i was just frustrated that a paper that was called "awesome" and "creative, humorous, and fun to read" was given a C by my teacher .. and equally as frustrated that he couldn't explain to me why .. instead just telling me "oh dont worry it's just less than 1% of your grade."</p>
<p>ahduke: Speaking as someone who has degrees in English lit and creative writing, I can easily believe that a paper can be "awesome . . . creative . . . humorous and fun to read" and still not warrant an A. To have comments on your paper would be helpful, of course, but I suspect if it was discussed in class, or if you read over it carefully, you'll understand why you made the C. Alternatively, go make an appt during his office hours and tell him you want to improve your writing, and simply ask (nicely) why you received a C.</p>
<p>When I was in high school, I made nothing but A's in English. I had won awards for English papers, for heaven's sake. In one of the first English Lit classes I took in college, I made a C on my first paper. I was horrified. Clearly, the professor was an idiot. </p>
<p>This same professor ultimately became my advisor, and out of all the professors I had-- as an undergraduate and as a graduate student, he stands out as the one person who really taught me how to write. My papers continued to look like Christmas trees, of course-- what with all his red and blue marks, but I learned so much from him. To this day, I credit him with my superb writing skills (though please don't judge my writing by what you see on these threads.) ;)</p>
<p>So, someone who will not give you an easy A is someone from whom you can probably learn a lot. Again, make an appt with him during his office hours, take your paper, and ask him how you could have improved it.</p>
<p>It seems like you want to attack everyone that comments on what you say. The closest thing to an assumption that I made was saying "I think it may be your attitude" But hey, if you want to go ahead and react in such a manner feel free. You are right, this is just a forum where you're venting your frustrations. </p>
<p>As far as I know I haven't met you so I have no idea how you interact or how you express your emotions so there is really no way to confirm how you're acting around new students. I'm willing to believe that anyone coming from out of state with not friends is going to try like crazy to make new friends at school though so I'm not trying to nay say your efforts.</p>
<p>Maybe I am more open-minded than the people you've met and that may be due largely to the fact that I changed schools almost every year starting in 6th grade. A lot of the kids from my HS aren't making many new friends at all. Almost all of them are completely content with their HS network of friends which extends to a good 300 plus people counting upperclassmen. The quieter ones just aren't making new friends at all and do in fact enjoy being hermits.</p>
<p>I'm not going to tell you it's not nice to be here with a ton of people I know. If I had stayed at my old high school though, I'd only know one person here. There are so many of us here from my HS that I didn't know that there were five of us in one of my lecture classes until yesterday. Not all of us seek each other out so unless you look, sometimes we're hard to find but we're all pretty friendly. Coming from OOS is hard, I've heard it from all of the friends I've made from other states but they all probably said that living on south campus let them get to know a ton more people in their class. I'm not on south campus myself but hearing stories from them, it does sound like an environment conducive to meeting a variety of new and willing people. You're right, being in Granville probably hurt your chances the most for making friends.</p>
<p>The only people from my school who opted to live in Granville were rich, "Preppy", kids who wanted to make sure they had AC and a car their first year. A lot of kids like that come with pre-determined cliques or they rush and get into the Greek scene as soon as possible so they don't have to live in a dorm. I don't know if you're anything like that because people from outside of my school that I met told me that most of the guys there were just sort of loners that didn't want roommates and wanted a short walk to class. Whatever your reasons, I think Granville is a very self selective and not necessarily friendly place for some Freshmen.</p>
<p>It's all about who you meet. There is the chance that you've just not met any people that you click with and it might just take time but try not to have the "get ****ed" attitude until the end of the semester.</p>
<p>thanks for all your responses! i am going to work my butt off to stay on top of things... its just boring to retype notes when you feel like you get it, even if you dont. any ideas on how to stay motivated? do you think i should still study ~ 30 hours a week? </p>
<p>ahduke - i insist. hang out with me and some of my friends this weekend. i hate to see that you are feeling lonely - i went through the same thing my first year in HS and it sucked. if you make the effort to pm me or facebook me, i promise you that i will find some cool people and we can all hang out this weekend (and by that i dont mean drinking/partying). :P</p>
<p>you're right. i am surrounded by either the preppy cliques or loners who don't want to make any friends. that's all i've met so far. i did rush and got a bid, but i am not so sure i want to go greek yet, especially since i havent gotten any grades yet. i may also come across as preppy, but i dont come with the attitude or clique. i just want to get my grades in order.. and part of me feels like i am paying to make friends, which i dont like. i dunno, i came from a high school where i was very well liked and never had to worry about not having a friend. please, dont take any of what i say here personally. i am just very frustrated. the last time i felt lonely was when i started middle school .. but i was going to a school where i was the new kid on the block. i always envisioned college as a place where everyone was new and open to making new friends. i forgot i chose to attend a big, state school. hell i came from a small, private school. </p>
<p>margsala--i'll get in touch .. stay tuned ..</p>
<p>You insult in state kids' papers and then make an error with your 'yours' in the post immediately following that. That takes guts, man. Real guts.</p>
<p>Okay, so you've heard it all from here: smile, don't judge, get out there, tiger. You understand that well enough, it seems. Now I'm going to add something to the mix: buck up and give it time.</p>
<p>There are 4,000 kids in our class. What do you think the chances that at least ten percent of them - that's 400 kids - aren't willing to be your friend? I'd say, close to zero. You probably are a nice kid, and I believe you when you say you're nice to people. You're at a disadvantage from being in Granville, but I'm not worried about you. If you keep on smiling and try not to feel angry towards us in staters or the Heels, and just generally enjoy yourself, friends will come to you. Just give it time. One day maybe you'll realize that your smile isn't fake anymore and the people you're connecting with are trying to hang out with you more. I'm really sorry about Granville, I wish someone had warned you.</p>
<p>I'm usually more censored than this, but I can honestly say that I hate that effing place.</p>
<p>FYI- PSYC 210 is known as being notoriously easy conceptually (especially with Jordan) but sort of tricky when the tests roll around, so be careful. I feel like FREN 203 is a mixed bag because some of the teachers adhere to a more European grading policy where a C is a perfectly acceptable grade, and the US's grading system doesn't really think that way anymore. It really depends on your TA. I had a fabulous one (although he wasn't easy) and it was one of my favorite classes at UNC- I learned so much.</p>
<p>Have fun in California- my first semester, that was THE class to be in. Seriously, I remember being jealous of the people in that class. Lucky you!</p>