Okay, so I’ve registered for classes, going to pay for classes before role out, and things of that sort. So I was wondering, what happens on the first day of college? August 21st is a Friday which none of my classes are on, so what happens?! Any tips on what to do before going to college? Thanks!
So you don’t go until Monday, or when your classes actually begin.
Bring pens/pencils/erasers/highlighters for all of your writing needs, as well as a binder with loose leaf paper/notebooks/folders for all of your paper-related needs. You’ll develop preferences for how you want to store your work. At least have paper for notes, writing utensils, and a method of storing papers that won’t damage them. And a bag for it all. That’s the bare minimum. You will get syllabi from your teachers during the first week of instruction, and will likely be expected to purchase numerous textbooks. Buy them used from Amazon or Ebay to save a large amount of money.
Invest in a solid backpack with (ideally) a laptop pocket. I have a North Face Recon that I got on sale, and I’m very happy with it. Herschel backpacks are really popular around college campuses - they’re also very comfortable. Don’t make the mistake of using a regular Jansport, especially if you have to lug around numerous books, your laptop, etc. It’s just not worth it, in my opinion at least. Going from a Jansport to the backpack I have now was like night and day.
Your professors will mention office hours - go then if you have any questions about the material or whatnot. Don’t go to office hours with questions about how the course is laid out, because it will all be on the syllabus. Going to office hours is generally encouraged, and it supposedly helps you in the long run.
Do the readings for your classes ahead of time. It will make things much easier. College is not like high school at all - you are on your own, and nobody will hold your hand through it. Plan your time strategically. Other than that, have fun! Try to be social and meet people. Good luck.
Some CCs have rules on paying for classes within a certain time frame otherwise you might get dropped from classes.
If you can go Friday morning, you can familiarize yourself with where your classes are. You can visit the transfer center and pick up some pamphlets and information.
You might consider arriving an hour early on your first couple of days of classes to scope out the parking situation.
Personally, I recommend sitting in the front. College students seem to have a fear of sitting near the front of the class, so use that to your advantage. My professors recognize my face (not necessarily my name if I never introduce myself) because I am sometimes the only student in the front row of lectures.
@goldencub how do you take notes during classes? Do you write it down on paper or type it on your laptop? I’ve actually had this Nike 6.0 backpack for 3 years now and it has served me well, lots of cushioning, a laptop slot, built tough, mostly water resistant. Do you personally go to the office for questions? What sort of questions have you had?
@Happy2Help from what they told me at my school the role out date is every Sunday, so I’ve got a couple days to pay for it. I think I’ll be taking the bus for the most part.
@NotYetEngineer I don’t know about sitting in the front row though, there are some cons to being right in front, you’d be in the firing range of a professor’s leaky mouth if you’d happen to have a very passionate professor…And considering the distance between you and the projector, constantly looking at a 45 degree angle upwards is pretty tiring…and personally I don’t like the feeling of knowing that other than the people on my same row, everybody else would be indirectly staring at the back of my head… So my point is, second row for the win, the professor sees you, you still get the attention of the professor, you don’t have to be stressing out your neck as much, you have the first row to protect you from the potential saliva of your professor, and if you’re like me at all you’d feel some what secure in the inner seating circle of the class…
Lol you’re overthinking this wayyyyy too much. It’s just Citrus dude, relax.
my ultimate goal is to transfer to UCLA or UCB though, so I kinda have to stay on top of my game…
@LuckyName btw how do you know I go to citrus?
If you can get your textbooks before classes begin, do that. It’ll make your life a lot easier. You can rent from Amazon, buy used for cheap, etc, and get to avoid how expensive your college’s bookstore will be. Even if it means emailing your professor for the book list (I doubt they’ll mind, and they probably understand), I seriously recommend purchasing your books prior to the first day of class.
Otherwise, it’s good to speak up in class and add to discussion. That stuff really does make a difference. Make connections with your professors–mine wrote me wonderful letters of rec for internships and the like, and if you decide to apply to private schools, having a solid letter of rec can be a big boost.
Practically speaking, parking can be a nightmare the first few weeks of class. It’ll get easier. Do remember to pay for your classes on time. If you can, pay for them immediately after you register for them, because there are guidelines. And remember that you don’t always have to take 15 units a semester–I took some classes during winter and summer intersessions and it made my load during the fall and spring semesters lighter.
It’s also a good idea to plan out what classes you’re going to take (for your major and IGETC, if applicable). Your plan will probably change as you progress, but having a plan will help you to make sure you’ll get all your requirements done. Be sure to keep track of the number of units you have, too!
Good luck!
I take notes using a pen and a spiral notebook. I like to keep it simple. Laptops can get distracting, and apparently it’s been proven that people retain information better if they write it out by hand. Laptops may be better for some people, but handwriting definitely helps one grasp the material, at least for me.
I haven’t really gone to office hours, except for the course I’m taking now at Cal, and a club where the meeting time is essentially the club leader’s office hours (who was also my professor at a point in time). I never really needed to, though. If you have questions about the material, it’s definitely good to go to office hours. Any questions I’ve had have been regarding little things here and there that I didn’t understand, if ____ would work like __, why can’t work like _____, etc. That sort of thing. In office hours, there generally aren’t many people - you’ll often be able to talk to your professor one-on-one about things you don’t understand in the material, which is really a valuable thing to have.
Sitting in the front should be more of a preference thing. It just doesn’t work for me - it hurts my eyes if the professor is using a projector. I agree, I prefer the second row to the first. It all comes down to individual preference. I second the comment about participating in class discussions.
On the point about class discussion, if it’s a class that needs discussion like say a Politics class or maybe a history class then yes, discussion is pretty important. But if it’s like a math or econ class, arguing about whether or not supply is really as important as demand isn’t really productive, especially when there’s not a lot of space for personal opinion on subjects like math and econ, where as politics and history are more opinion oriented. Or say there’s a difference in the teaching style of the teacher, some teachers encourage discussion, some just want to get through the material, it’s all a case by case basis, I’ve heard some teachers dislike discussions…
Well, yeah, engage in discussion when it’s appropriate. Sounds like you’re pretty prepared as it is.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/1788845-honors-program.html#latest
You’ve posted about where you attend in the past. It’s not a secret. 
@bodangles :(|)
@underdog95 I am your father!
You should have already read the entire textbook before coming to class. I read through mine about two or three times over.
@goldencub what’s your take on recording a lecture, should I? If I should audio or video?
Professors don’t let you video record them o_O
Yeah, you have to ask permission first, and not everyone is okay with it. Audio should be fine.
Livescribe smart pens are a good tool.
It’s a pen that works in sync with something like an iPhone. The iPhone records the lecture and you take notes using a special pen. Your notes are then viewable on an iPad, iPhone, etc., but you can also open these notes on your (for example) iPad, click on a specific word, and it will play back the actual lecture from that specific point.
For something like math, I find it works really well so you can see your notes and the teacher explaining it at the same time.