University?

[Awkwardo]

I'm starting university in six weeks, living in residence, all that weird collegey stuff.

So to all of you who've attended (or are attending) university:

What is something you were never told but wish you'd known going into university? Also, general advice on life? I've seen plenty of information but it's never been anything beyond the obvious.

Thanks!

TL;DR i'm supposed to be an autonomous adult in six weeks help plz

 

[Antiscian Cats]

Hey, Awkwardo!

I'm going to be starting my fourth year of college in September, so I guess I could say a thing or two.

One thing I noticed was that once kids enter college, they lose a bit of self-control and judgement. I guess after living with your parents for 18 years freedom can be incredibly refreshing... However, no matter what, breaking rules is never a good idea. You'll probably experience a lot of peer pressure in college, especially freshman year, to drink alcohol or do drugs. It's easier said than done but don't give in. I've known quite a few people who have been caught hiding alcohol and have been suspended or worse. Silly mistakes like those are not worth your education. Also, silly mistakes extend to other things as well. For example, a very close friend of mine was caught torrenting something on our school network. Just really try to be aware of what you're doing because once you're caught, that mistake isn't going away. You probably have heard/know all this, but I thought I'd include it for good measure.

Now, onto life advice: college is really the last opportunity you will have to be a kid. Enjoy it while it lasts. Of course your grades are really important, but what's equally (or maybe even more important) is that you do what you want while you still can. Pick up a new instrument or go to a concert. Things like these won't be as easy to do once your working life begins. It's important to work hard but don't forget to take time for yourself. College can become very stressful especially since the workload is larger and there is far more competition. Remember to pace yourself. Lots of kids become depressed and anxious. When you find yourself facing a problem, ask yourself if you know what the solution is. If you do, then what's the point of worrying about it if you know how to fix it? If you don't know how to fix it, well then obviously it is out of your control -- so there's no need worrying about it. The people who worry the most also tend to be procrastinators... so, try not to procrastinate. It's easy to get anxious and think about what you need to do than actually doing it. If you can't focus now, don't worry, do something else - go to the gym, hang out with friends - there will be a time in the day where you can slow down and get your work done. Basically, there's a time for everything as long as you're not devoting hours to a single thing (procrastinating, working out, partying). Relax, relax, relax. Having a good mindset and attitude is far better than (and in many cases more efficient and mentally healthier) working day and night.

Last thing I'd like to say is that it's important never to forget your friends. College life is busy and full of changes, but don't let that get in the way of your friendships. College is probably one of the last places you can build lasting friendships (ex. with your roommates and classmates, people that you live in the same community with and see almost everyday), and once those people graduate and leave, well, they're going to be gone for quite a good while. One of my greatest regrets over the past four years is not spending enough time with my freshman year roommate. We were roommates for three years and were very good friends. However, I moved off campus to live on my own a year and a half ago and I barely saw her (due to the distance and schedule differences). I'm sure if both of us tried harder we could've spent a lot more time together, but the truth is that we only saw each other two or three times. We both missed out on very important events in our lives (ex. her graduation, birthdays, etc.) and there's nothing we can do to fix that. Now, my friend has graduated and left to work in a different state. I don't know when I will see her again. When you make a good friend, make sure that you keep in touch with them and don't let that friendship go to waste. There will be a time over the next few years where you feel sad, or perhaps discourage, or maybe even heartbroken, and your family won't necessarily be there to support you - but your friends will. Friends are so important in college, especially because you're away from home. Don't take them for granted and don't forget about them.

I hope that some of this advice will be helpful, and I wish you the best this fall.

 

[Counting Bodies Like Sheep]

Advice... um, hmm... well, I don't think I have any advice that you haven't already heard, but here's some practical advice that I learned the hard way.

- You will run into the people you met during orientation throughout your entire degree. Probably a good idea to attend orientation and make some acquaintances...

- Exam halls get freezing during winter. Perhaps bring an extra coat.

- Residential college meals can be super unhealthy. Gorging on a personal emergency supply of ramen might actually give you a health advantage. But in all seriousness, take advantage of the salad bar and fresh fruit and stuff, keeping some in your room along with cans of tuna/crackers/etc for snacks or when you accidentally miss a meal.

- Procrastination is a serious issue. But sometimes (most semesters) it just happens. If you are ever in this situation, try not to panic. Hopefully I'm not the first to break it to you, but academically speaking, university is a luxury cruise compared to high school. Essays and reports are known to get written overnight, and entire subjects can be learned in three or four days. But definitely don't leave a thesis or thesis formatting to the day before.

- Know your strengths and weaknesses, and know what you are studying. If you don't work well under pressure or if a subject requires consistent effort, a few routine hours of study each week will get you far. Failing subjects is expensive...

- Find help when you need it.

I have no idea what you are studying, or what you aim to get out of university. For me, my aim was to receive a good education and do well. If I were an optimist, I'd tell you to knuckle down and study hard and do your best. But I'm not an optimist, I'm a realist. So here is my honest academic advice. Grades are overrated. How well you performed in high school is not an indicator of how well you will do at university. How well you do in undergrad is not an indicator of how suitable you are for the workplace or for postgraduate studies. Grades are just about learning a bunch of useless junk and regurgitating it on the exam paper. By second and third year, you will come to realise that 75% of stuff learned during undergrad is useless theory that doesn't apply in real life. However, as bad an indicator as grades are, having a nice GPA will help you on the road to what you want to achieve in life. The key is to study something that you actually enjoy and are interested in. Personal fascination is the only way to stay motivated about having to learn things that you'll never get to use... and don't underestimate the power of a good GPA behind your back.

There are lots of financial guides online so I won't really comment on that aspect. General life advice is to do what you want. Take the opportunity to do new things and make new friends. Or don't. It's your call. There is no need to feel obligated to behave one way or another, because universities are (thankfully) a haven for free speech and individualism. You are the only person who truly knows yourself... be mindful of your actions, but do what you feel is best for you and your wellbeing.

Your experience at university will obviously be what you make of it. And this biochemistry/cancer PhD student thinks that being open-minded, inquisitive, and being yourself will take you far.

And university is not your last chance to be a kid. I have a nerf gun on my desk at work.

 

[Awkwardo]

One thing I noticed was that once kids enter college, they lose a bit of self-control and judgement. I guess after living with your parents for 18 years freedom can be incredibly refreshing... However, no matter what, breaking rules is never a good idea. You'll probably experience a lot of peer pressure in college, especially freshman year, to drink alcohol or do drugs. It's easier said than done but don't give in. I've known quite a few people who have been caught hiding alcohol and have been suspended or worse. Silly mistakes like those are not worth your education. Also, silly mistakes extend to other things as well. For example, a very close friend of mine was caught torrenting something on our school network. Just really try to be aware of what you're doing because once you're caught, that mistake isn't going away.

Thanks for the pointers! Even in high school, more than half (way more, agh) of my friends got involved in crap like that. It's good to know that not everyone considers it "just part of the fun" of being young.

I have no idea what you are studying, or what you aim to get out of university. For me, my aim was to receive a good education and do well. If I were an optimist, I'd tell you to knuckle down and study hard and do your best. But I'm not an optimist, I'm a realist. So here is my honest academic advice. Grades are overrated. How well you performed in high school is not an indicator of how well you will do at university. How well you do in undergrad is not an indicator of how suitable you are for the workplace or for postgraduate studies. Grades are just about learning a bunch of useless junk and regurgitating it on the exam paper. By second and third year, you will come to realise that 75% of stuff learned during undergrad is useless theory that doesn't apply in real life. However, as bad an indicator as grades are, having a nice GPA will help you on the road to what you want to achieve in life. The key is to study something that you actually enjoy and are interested in. Personal fascination is the only way to stay motivated about having to learn things that you'll never get to use... and don't underestimate the power of a good GPA behind your back.

I agree that grades are overrated. I've never much cared for GPAs much either, but a high GPA is the only way to maintain my scholarships. :L

My intended field is Foreign Language and Linguistics, something that fascinates me on many levels. Thank you for pointing out the importance of entering a field you care about. It's never been explicitly stated before.

 

[Mimitchi's Buddy]

Good luck for University!

 

[TheYatagarasu]

Everyone here has given such good advice. But I'd also like to say that grades are NOT totally overrated, especially if you are thinking of applying to a graduate school after your undergrad is done.

A less-than-stellar first or second year will be forgiven, because everyone goes through an adjustment period after arriving at university. NOBODY will care what you got in Psychology 101 for example. People do start to pay some attention to grades in the third and fourth year. Most graduate schools here in Canada require a B- GPA (70%) at minimum for entry. And because of the sheer number of applicants, it's usually only those with a B+ (75-79%) and above, sometimes even A- and above, who get considered. Getting experience working in your field in your senior years of university gives you a huge advantage, and grades can net you these work-study opportunities.

Tl;dr grades are a pretty poor reflection of practical knowledge, but they ARE important. Study hard, keep your grades up, but remember to not burn yourself out and stress too much. If you bomb a midterm or a final now and again, it's not the end of the world. It's far more important to be resilent and keep going.

Also: You will meet a professor who will become your mentor. You will meet a crazy professor who you will wish did not exist. You will meet friends who you'll feel like you've known all your life, and you will also meet the most obnoxious group work partner you could have ever possibly been saddled with. It's all part of the experience. University is all about meeting different kinds of people, learning from them, and sharing with them. At its heart, university is a "meeting of the minds," so to speak, and in order to get the most out of it, just remember to stay open-minded!

 

[lanayasha]

I'm currently not in school, but I attended a university for two and a half years. I plan to go back someday, but I haven't decided what I want to study when I go back. One thing that I think is important to know about going to a university is that it's okay not to know exactly what you want to do, and you have as much time as you want to realize whatever that may be.

At the beginning of my junior year, I suddenly felt stuck in a rut. I felt like I was missing out on experiences I would get out in the real working world while learning a trade I might not use after I graduate. This feeling really scared me. Until that point, I had pretty much done everything that my parents had expected of me. I hadn't even thought if attending a university was what I wanted to do with my life or not. So, to my parents annoyance, I decided to take some time off. I'm now supporting myself working as a waitress, and I've been much happier. I'm no longer worrying that all my efforts are futile and I'm using my time to decide what path I take at my own pace.

In a nutshell, don't sweat it. It's okay not to know exactly what you want and how to get it. There is no right or wrong way to find your direction in life, so take your time and enjoy yourself.

Hope this helped

 

[hwd45]

Just finished my first year at university a few weeks ago. I'm sure I'll only be suggesting what other people have said, and I know that a lot of advice depends a lot on the uni (for example the workload and the social life) but the most valuable piece of evidence I can give is not to worry.

I mean, maybe worry a tiny little bit to keep the adrenaline up for exams but in general? Avoid worrying and panicking if possible. It's totally, totally normal to have nerves about going to uni - everyone will be in the same boat as you, after all.

Make sure to get involved with a lot of different activities, plan your time well and try not to work too much. I made the mistake of not seeing my friends for weeks on end because I was revising. Give yourself time to socialise, and give yourself lots of me-time. Your time at uni shouldn't be solely about your studies.

There will be a lot of work. Most universities don't actually step up the amount of work too much from what you'd studied before, but the actual difficulty of the content involved varies dramatically from uni to uni. Don't see the work as too daunting - just try to make deadlines and get it all in. Don't worry about it being too hard, or not being good enough. Never compare yourself to other students - they let you into the uni for a reason.

I hope this all helps, good luck