<p>this may apply more to Brown, but I think it might be interesting for those of you applying to top schools to consider: </p>
<p>one thing that I found during the course of my first year at Brown is how different the students are--some are brilliant, goal-oriented, and hit the ground running, a vast majority (myself included) are average, and a sizeable group is fake, immature, and determined to break from their past as a nerd by slacking off for four years (or they never had that past, in which case they're probably a recruited athlete). While I guess I knew that this latter group would exist in college, I didn't know that there would be so many people like this. </p>
<p>As a wise coach that I had in high school once said "you're not going to escape the ******bags by getting into an Ivy League school...they're going to follow you there." haha.</p>
<p>This is, at least, what I wish I could have told myself back when I was a freshman:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Make sure you get all the random sort of tools you took for granted back home -- scissors, nail clippers, tape, garbage bags, towels, a knife, silverware, bowls, etc... there are too many occurrences where you need an item and you suddenly realize you don't have it! Make sure you stock up.</p></li>
<li><p>Don't overload yourself. Start slow. Make sure you can handle a lighter load before you take on a larger one. Just because other students start out heavy doesn't mean you have to. Everyone works at their own pace -- try to find yours the intelligent way and see what you're able to handle first, and then increase the difficulty from there. If you try to overload yourself, you will burn out and do worse.</p></li>
<li><p>Get a good alarm clock, and make sure it actually wakes you up.</p></li>
<li><p>Don't spend too much time in your room. Reach out and be sociable early on, as it can be harder to break into certain cliques once friend groups have formed.</p></li>
<li><p>If you're not a morning person, don't take early-morning classes. You'll be too tempted to sleep in.</p></li>
<li><p>Don't get too hung up on romantic relationships if things don't go well. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and at college, the sea's all around you.</p></li>
<li><p>Procrastination is a killer. Those days when you have like 3 exams and 2 projects due in one day seem much more manageable if you understand the material better beforehand. Tests are only stressful if you're not confident or prepared.</p></li>
<li><p>Don't be afraid to go see a counselor if things get too heavy. You usually feel a lot better when you leave the office.</p></li>
<li><p>Don't come to college without knowing your alcohol tolerance. Too many bad things happen when a newbie to drinking tries to "fit in" at parties with alcohol. They usually don't know their tolerance, and overdrink. I've seen too many kids go to the hospital (this was primarily during freshman year. It gets better with time, I think), and too many incidents where people are taken advantage of. Know your limit if you plan on drinking!</p></li>
<li><p>Try to leave campus once in a while. There's more out there than you may think.</p></li>
<li><p>You're likely going to change your major/change your interests around in college. Stay true to yourself and don't choose a major because you may think it'll make you more marketable. Major in something you love doing. What you do as an undergraduate does NOT determine the rest of your life. This is hard to accept for many I think, including myself, but it's true. If you major in something marketable, but you dislike it and aren't great at it, you aren't going to be as marketable as you think.</p></li>
<li><p>A huge stash of quarters comes in handy, for various reasons.</p></li>
<li><p>If you can, learn to cook. Ask around for easy/cheap/healthy recipes. It'll save you money, and will help you keep weight off. It's too easy to get lazy and eat out all the time. It costs a lot and doesn't do much for your health. </p></li>
<li><p>Plan out some study time and STICK TO IT. It'll help you not put things off, and it'll at least ensure you're up to date in some form. You don't always have to understand things immediately during your study time -- it'll at least give you questions to bring to class. The worst thing you can do is not keep up at all, and have nothing to contribute to class. It's a waste of your time, and a waste of the professor's time if he's trying to involve you in some way but you haven't kept up with anything.</p></li>
<li><p>Try to make some older friends if you can -- learning from people more experienced than you at college is a valuable thing. It will help you not make the same mistakes others made.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I have a question about drinking: It obviously varies by school, but how easy is it to stay dry considering social pressures and parties? I honestly don't want to drink until I'm 21, or at least have the option too. I've heard "know your limits" before, but does this apply to everyone or just those who don't feel strongly about drinking/want to engage in it themselves?</p>
<p>Baelor, my school is kind of known for having a good party scene, but i still have friends that don't drink. If you don't want to drink, then don't. You can still party without drinking and as a plus you can laugh at all the drunks lol.the whole "know ure limits thing" mostly applies to those who do, so they dont end up in the hospital after their first college party.</p>
<p>Wow, great thread... I will surely have a lot of stupid questions as I think of them heheh.</p>
<p>For now, I guess I'd like to know about music on campus. Well I assume most colleges have a radio station and a club to manage it. My new school's radio station looks to have a little variety, but mainly heavy metal music. Heavy metal is alright to me, and as thrilled as I am that it will not be a mainstream (c)rap fest, I'm also worried that my favorite kind of music will be considered too soft by most students. Basically I'm asking whether the average student is a slave to his school's radio station or is more open minded...</p>
<p>
[quote]
I honestly don't want to drink until I'm 21, or at least have the option too.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>First: Yes, I am a parent. But, really, this whole thing was an issue waaaaay back when I went off to college, and it is an issue now that I have "child" in college.</p>
<p>Second: You are in control. What kind of person is going to judge and try to dissuade you about this? Do you really care what this person thinks? The great thing about being independent is your ability to make these and other types of judgements for yourself.</p>
<p>P.S. The truth is that it is really boring to be the only sober person at a party full of drunken people, because the general level of "interestingness" takes a dive. I wish I could say otherwise, but it just isn't true. Sorry.</p>
<p>^Thanks mafool. Wow, that sentence was incoherent. I meant to say that I don't want to drink until I'm of age, or at least have the option not to drink (which obviously exists, but you know what I mean).</p>
<p>I am very strong-willed, but I've made sacrifices that have cost me...a very colorful social life, for example (nothing terrible, but we all make choices with consequences, right?). So I know that I will be able to so no, but I just wondered how big of a role alcohol actually played in a typical college student's social life (of course, it varies from person to person and from school to school), and how much pressure (intentional or not) there was.</p>
<p>Great thread! I'm a soon-to-be freshman and this is very helpful. I asked some of my college friends for helpful tips for freshmen and this is what most of them say:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Review classnotes daily. Anything you learned that day, make sure to go over it and fully understand (helps to prevent cramming).</p></li>
<li><p>Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Always.</p></li>
<li><p>Exercise to stay fit and relieve stress.</p></li>
<li><p>Take advantage of free tutoring (if the school provides it).</p></li>
<li><p>Be involved: No one can study 24/7. Being involved in a couple clubs and making friends is a great way to put your mind aside from academics.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Greek life varies from school to school. The college you grew up by has a very different greek atmosphere from the college your older friends go to and those colleges have a very different greek atmosphere from the college you go to. While greek isn't for everyone, don't discount it before getting on campus. You might find a frat or sorority you like and where you feel like you fit in. Frats can be a good support system academically and socially. Don't just assume that every frat boy drinks and smokes pot.</p>
<p>This is going to seem...a little contrary but know yourself and don't let other people's advice get in the way of what's best for you.</p>
<p>For example, I had so many people tell me to be easy on myself academically the first semester so I could adjust. But one of the classes I took was a complete waste of time because it was basically just high school review (I had just barely failed the placement test since it had been a few years since I'd taken the class in high school). And now I'm a semester behind where I should be and am having a lot of trouble scheduling the upper-level class I should have taken that first semester.</p>
<p>So, yeah, if get there and are having a hard time transitioning, ease things up by all means. But if you get there and are fine and loving it, don't be afraid to push yourself. You are, after all, at college to learn and stretch your mind.</p>
<p>If you're a morning person, then by all means take morning classes. I'd get up around 5, work out, get breakfast, and go to classes until lunch, and then have all afternoon free to do homework and work out some more. </p>
<p>I loved it, being free all afternoon and doing my own thing.</p>
<p>Of course, being at the Air Force Academy, there were a lot of guys who did the same thing...lots of morning guys in the military</p>
<p>disagree about Rate my professor. I think it is better than word of mouth. If there is a substantial amount of reviews (10 or more) you can get a pretty accurate shot on how people perceive this professor. Now that doesnt mean that a 4.7 professor will be better than a 2.0 professor for the rank of ease, but it does tell you a lot about what to expect.</p>
<p>^but you have to remember that most people (as far as I've seen) only use it if the love/hate the professor. There aren't many "Oh, he's ok." ratings. You have to take it with a grain of salt. Sure, if 9/10 say "She's crazy and a really tough grader", it might be true. Just don't base your decision off of a few ratings. Also, 10 people's opinions should be worth more than 1 person's. RMP is a great factor to consider, but you shouldn't base everything off of it.</p>
<p>I agree that RMP can be really helpful, and it is often pretty easy to discern who's giving a fair criticism of a professor and who's just ****ed off that they slept through the class and got a grade that reflected that.</p>
<p>I'm probably going to sound really annoying, but I'm moving into the dorms and I'm freaking out. I'll admit I've had it pretty good at my parents house, and I'm a bit overwhelmed going from that to the dorms. Also I'm a very very shy person, and from my experience in high school people often mistake that for being stuck up. I'm worried my roomate will think that of me, and I'm just worried about living with someone I've never met before. Any tips on getting along with my roomate or just any roomate tips in general?</p>
<p>One thing that I learned from orientation is to go with your gut. I tried taking a friend's advice and went out a group of 'friends' for a walk because one girl was 'really bored'. I went against my gut feeling and, instead of staying in the dorm and preparing for my fall schedule, I went. The walk was long and mind-blowingly (not a word i don't care) boring. I was also completely stressed out during my appt. with the academic advisor and continued so for a month afterwards until I could finally change my schedule. In short, it was NOT worth it. Go with your gut feeling.</p>