Few questions before first day. VERY NERVOUS!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<li><p>Hey so some of my friends are already buying books before going to class on the first day. I don’t want to buy them yet though, just cause I don’t wanna shell out the money yet, =P. Will students be reprimanded if they don’t have their materials by the first day of class? When is it recommended that we have all of our materials by?</p></li>
<li><p>Do we need the traditional notebooks to take notes in, or can we just do it on our laptops?</p></li>
<li><p>Do the professors give handouts / homework that they will check / collect for points? I highly doubt they do, but I just want to be sure, because I’m absolutely terrible when it comes to organizing. :(</p></li>
<li><p>How far is the RSF/Gym from Unit 3? I have absolutely no idea where the RSF is, but I’ve heard good things about it.</p></li>
<li><p>Is it going to be a pain to drag around a backpack and a bag for my laptop?</p></li>
<li><p>If we are on a waitlist for a class, do we still go to the first day of discussion? And another question about discussions - are we supposed to go to the first discussion group even if it’s before the first lecture? I thought it’d be strange, because there would be nothing to discuss.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks guys.</p>

2

<ol>
<li><p>I doubt you'd ever be "reprimanded" on the first day, but you might find yourself scrambling to borrow if you end up with an assignment out of the book on the first day. -Most- professors are understanding and wait a class or two before assigning from the book, especially if they find out most of their class is without books in the beginning, but be prepared.</p></li>
<li><p>Whatever you'd like! Another thread is going over this, but I'd recommend bringing notebooks for the first week and feeling out whether a laptop would be appropriate. It isn't always.</p></li>
<li><p>Sometimes! Depends on the class.</p></li>
<li><p>A couple blocks. Not far at all.</p></li>
<li><p>Do you mean separate bags? If so, yes. Quite a pain. Consider getting a padded sleeve for your laptop, or a laptop backpack. You will be glad for the convenience.</p></li>
<li><p>Discussions don't meet before the lecture does on the first week of classes. If you're on the waitlist for a class (NOT a discussion, but the class itself), always make sure to attend the first day -- it's often the only way to stay on the waitlist, even if they don't make a decision about it that day. If you're waitlisted for a discussion, just go to the class like normal; there's a lot of shuffling that happens during the first weeks of class, and things will get sorted out then. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>((ETA: Smallz says otherwise. Considering my limited experience with classes with sections, listen to him! This was just my experience with classes. To be honest, though, what difference is it going to make if you happen to show up for class and it doesn't happen? Just a few wasted minutes. If you don't go and it happens to be held, you'll end up being dropped from the class. So...))</p>

3

<p>1) Reprimanded? Where do you think you're going, some military school? This isn't middle school, prof's don't check to see if you brought a book or not.</p>

<p>2) take notes however you want</p>

<p>3)There is homework that you do turn in (math problems for math classes, essays for history/english/etc), but you don't turn them into prof (unless it's very small class), you turn them into GSI</p>

<p>4)RSF is about 10-15 min from Unit 3</p>

<p>5) Are you strong? How big is your laptop? Others do it.</p>

<p>6) YES! if you dont attend you will be dropped.Unless it says otherwise, go to the first discussion even if it is before lecture.</p>

4

<ol>
<li>Yes, sometimes the discussion will be before the first lecture, and you should still go to it (this happened for Physics 7A). The GSI basically taught/reviewed the beginning material of 7A.</li>
</ol>

5

<p>4) The RSF is one block from unit 3.</p>

6

<p>number 6. same as labs? i should go on the first day?</p>

7

<p>On the note about the books - how long do you have to return books to the store? I am waitlisted in a bunch of classes so I don't want to buy any books for them, but when I do get into 1 I'd like to buy the books at the bookstore to use immediately, then hit up half.com and hopefully get some for cheaper. Is the return policy long enough that I'll be able to do that?</p>

8

<p>88888888 - Yes, of course. Would you seriously have just not gone to lab because you'd just assume that, because it's the first day, you're not supposed to go?</p>

9

<p>Not bringing your book to the first day of classes earns 3 demerits, I heard.</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
Not bringing your book to the first day of classes earns 3 demerits, I heard.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Three demerits and you will receive a citation.</p>

11

<p>Three citations and you receive ice cream.</p>

12

<p>Three ice creams and you receive the Freshmen 15.</p>

13

<p>^^ I could not stop laughing.</p>

14

<p>This board becomes more and more like a PG-rated 4chan everyday.</p>

15

<p>dude, ektaylor, NO KIDDING!!!!! :) i swear i've thought those exact same thoughts when i've been cruising the CC site...</p>

16

<p>Don't forget about Berkeley time!</p>

17

<ol>
<li>Hey so some of my friends are already buying books before going to class on the first day. I don't want to buy them yet though, just cause I don't wanna shell out the money yet, =P. Will students be reprimanded if they don't have their materials by the first day of class? When is it recommended that we have all of our materials by?</li>
</ol>

<p>No, of course professors won’t reprimand you for not having your books yet. Hell, they’re not even going to check. A lot of students wait until the first day just to hear professors’ comments on the semester’s course material (e.g. what editions are okay to use and things like that). I’d say have your stuff by the end of the first week or second week, you’ll be fine. </p>

<ol>
<li>Do we need the traditional notebooks to take notes in, or can we just do it on our laptops?</li>
</ol>

<p>Some professors don’t allow laptops in lecture, but not many (in my experience). I prefer notebooks because I retain the information better than when I type. </p>

<ol>
<li>Do the professors give handouts / homework that they will check / collect for points? I highly doubt they do, but I just want to be sure, because I'm absolutely terrible when it comes to organizing.<br></li>
</ol>

<p>Usually the professors aren’t the ones checking and collecting homework, it’s your GSI who will be. Not to sound mean, but I’m afraid there’s no way you can get through college (or life) without being able to keep track of a few handouts. It’s way less than in high school. </p>

<ol>
<li>How far is the RSF/Gym from Unit 3? I have absolutely no idea where the RSF is, but I've heard good things about it.</li>
</ol>

<p>The RSF is really, really close to Unit 3. Like 1 block away, literally. </p>

<ol>
<li>Is it going to be a pain to drag around a backpack and a bag for my laptop?</li>
</ol>

<p>Ummm…? You’re probably going to be carrying less than you did in high school since classes meet less frequently and most classes don’t require that you bring a textbook. Most people don’t use a separate bag for their laptop. I bought a laptop sleeve for my laptop, which I then put in my backpack. </p>

<ol>
<li>If we are on a waitlist for a class, do we still go to the first day of discussion? And another question about discussions - are we supposed to go to the first discussion group even if it's before the first lecture? I thought it'd be strange, because there would be nothing to discuss.</li>
</ol>

<p>Unless you get an email specifically saying that there is no discussion, even if it’s before the first lecture, go. Otherwise you risk getting dropped. If you are on the waitlist, go as well and let the GSI know that you are on the waitlist. Getting into a section is key to getting into the lecture.</p>

18

<p>in regards to question number six, i'm waitlisted for art history (position 10), and it's auto, not manual. should i still attend the class, or that won't affect whether or not i get off the wait list?</p>

19

<p>Still attend. Why shouldn't you try to attend the class that you're trying to get into?</p>

20

<p>Not attending on the first day of a class in which you are on the waitlist is almost guaranteed to make sure you WON'T get in off said waitlist.</p>

<p>If you attend? They might add you (or tell you what you can do to get added). If you don't? You will almost certainly be dropped, from the waitlist and from the class. Even if it's an automatically processed waitlist, the professor can still remove your name.</p>