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Think asshole.
Think inhabitually.
Think asshole.
Repeatedly.
There's no doubt about that. The things you learn in the classroom aren't terribly important to anything. The things you learn from the experiences that you have in college can't be duplicated. It's a blessing to have the opportunity to go to college, particularly to go to a university and to have the opportunity to devote yourself to being a student. Enjoy that. All of the other crap will take care of itself.
Whether you join a fraternity or not, you'll make friends if you so choose. Greek life can be great, but it's not the end all be all of the college experience. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there -- your in a place where you'll likely know very few people and have the chance to do all kinds of things you've never done before. The best way to meet people, I think, is to get involved on campus -- sometimes, you can meet more people by joining clubs and playing intramurals than you can by going Greek. In doing all of that, it doesn't mean you should forget where you came from or blow off the friends you already have; but remember that the people you'll meet in college are likely to be at least as cool and as interesting as those friends. It's about more than just friends, though. Take classes in subjects that you think might be interesting, even if they don't relate to your major -- I was a political science major in college, but the most interesting and personally important course I took was an upper-division religion course. And remember that a collegiate major doesn't have to dictate what you do for the rest of your life; study what you like and things will fall into place when you graduate. Study hard, but realize that you'll miss some of the best things that college offers if you live with your nose in a book. Stay up with your reading and coursework, but don't sit home on a Wednesday night if your friends are going out to have fun.
College is a great time and its a great experience. Just enjoy it.
As far as classes go...your schedule will be much easier than in high school. You're not in 7 class periods every single day...your classes are much more spread out. Your lower-division required courses may or may not be much different than in high school, depending on how tough your program was. It also depends on your major...if you're a math/engineering/science major, your "major" courses start earlier...freshman and sop re years, in fact.
Help is always available, as has been mentioned. On-campus tutoring centers are something that were pretty new when I went to college...but they're commonplace now. And normally already funded by your student fees, so you don't need to pay for it.
Professors are also ready and willing to help out. I'll wager 95 out of 100 professors will almost do the work for you if you just make a good-faith effort to try the material, and take the time to go to his/her office and ask questions.
Along that line...you might hear people tell you to lose yourself in class...stay anonymous. That is the worst thing you can do. Make damn sure your prof knows your name and your face. I'm not talking about being "teacher's pet" or anything like that...but don't be afraid to ask questions in class. Get your butt over to his/her office and ask more questions. Show an interest in learning the subject. This is true for all your subjects...but especially in your major. College grading is a whole new world compared to high school...the prof has a lot more leeway for "subjective" grading. Don't be afraid to make use of that.
Friends...you definitely don't need to join a frat. If that's your thing, then fine...have a ball. I had a lot of friends who were in fraternities...but I wasn't.
But get involved in something. For me it was on-campus tutoring, campus music ministry, and intramurals. For you it could be something completely different. But do something. As big as U of Tenn is, there should be all kinds of opportunities that will interest you.
In the end...you should learn a lot in college. That's what you're paying for, right? But it should also be fun and rewarding. You do more "growing up" during these 4 years than in any other time of your life, generally speaking. Learn from it, enjoy it. It can be some of the best times of your life.
I'd like to help you but it's all kind of a blur. I vaguelly remember a load of sex, drugs, music and sex.
Why am I not surprised?
I'm transferring to University of South Florida and it's great to read what everyone wrote... I attended the University of St. Martin (local uni) which has like 300 students so I know I'm in for a shock...
One thing that I can think of off the top of my head that is different is that you won't make many friends when you're actually in class like you did in high school. In HS most of your friends tend to be people whom you're in classes with and talk to during class, but in college the classes are so big that this is unlikely to happen.
-How's college compared to High School?
Very different. You will have much more freedom.
-Are the classes much harder than the ones in high school?
Depends on the subject matter. You will be expected to read much more in my opinion. Some classes are cake though.
-Is it true that you have to join a frat to get a lot of friends?
No. I was a GDI and lived in dorms the first couple of years.
-Is it hard to get help about school work?
No. You should have plenty of tutors available.
-What activities did you do on your free time?
I played hoops and hunted pussy.
-Any suggestions to what I need to bring to my dorms?
Bring a stereo system...............................and condoms.
I doubt he'll need the condoms. This is the same dude that couldn't even ask a chick out.
usckk=trainwreck
Do people buy stereo systems any more. I wonder now with iPods and such being so popular. Stereos were big back in the day...
^ I'm not even looking into a stereo.. I have my laptop and an iPod
Ipod speakers are cool.
U.T will be a ! lol.
I have already had problems with financial aid, and can't keep up with the damned paperwork.
If the classes are as hard as the admission work....Im screwed.
That's most big schools. Or most schools in general really.
By the time you get your degree, should have learned that the bureaucracy only responds to people speaking its own language - that of "Pain in the Ass". In other words, if you sense they are giving you the run-around, you head them off by being a pain in the ass first, then they are usually much more eager to get done what you need to be done in a much more timely fashion. You have to hound them, or nothing will ever get done ... I learned this the hard way.
While in College READ, READ, READ
Take History Courses
I just finished the book: Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn.. I would recommend it. .
History is almost always told from the point of view of the victor. American history (that is, the history taught in K-12) is very guilty of this.
Read this book if you would like to explore American history from an angle that is frequently passed over in standard history books and courses.
Any student of history will realize that all of these angles--be they liberal, conservative, etc.--are just that--merely angles or perspectives.
1. The real Chrsitopher Columbus
2. The era of slavery is covered by telling of white panic in the face of slave resistance and revolts
3. The building of railroads becomes the tale of Chinese immigrants who were expendable to their white overseers
4. The Transportation of Indians and what the US Govt cruelly did to the Indians in order to reduce the costs of transporting them.
5. And a whole bunch more....
While you don't have to agree with everything this book gives you, it is good to hear both viewpoints of the losers in the past history instead of the winners that spin it the way they want or College Professors with an agenda.
Another book is "Lies My Teacher Told Me" by Lowen,
However Lowen is a little overzealous in some parts, but it a good opposite of the traditional happy American history text book.
All the truths that a person beyond a high school education should have?
It is not what you learn in College to get your degree- It is what you learn afterward.
Gotta love standardized testing. All that truthful, real, gritty questions about the way the world really works is on those tests.
BTW Don't disagree with the DUMB Professor
A Real enlightment would be to learn a 2nd Language, i.e. French and read what they say about American History, Vietnam, WWII-The Jewish Issue, etc.
Don't forget One of the greatest military minds of the Far East attended the Sorbonne-The University of Paris.
Ho Chi Minh
Ho also attended the University of Moscow-MAKES YOU WONDER ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF history or the influence of Professors.
I'm sure Italian, Spanish or Russian would be just as enlighting.
On a personal note:
In the 50's very llittle was included about what happend to the Jews during the War in My So called World History Class.
It took outside reading, to discover the truth, about that and a lot of other things.
Thank God for a Public Library and the lady that had a lot of patience for a 12 year old boy over the summer.
When I was 12 My Preacher told me that all jews were bad people and that they were the ones that killed Jesus.
I'm sooooooooooooooooooooo glad that my grandkids have the internet and will not be spooned feed BS except from Politicians and those that put the grades on the top of the Paper.
P.S. Learn to speak Chinese-They are America's biggest outside threat.
P.S Don't waste money on a stero for your room, you'll be hearing all the others blairing full blast
Last edited by AFE7FATMAN; 08-05-2006 at 02:48 AM.
^^^^^^^ Windy OLD MAN isn't he
You don't need to go greek to make friends but it's not really a bad way to go about it. Most of my best friends I met through my frat.
No need to go Greek at a school the size of UT. There is nothing wrong with pledging, but do it because you want to, not because you feel you have to.
My tips: At MSU, there was a book called "Grading the Profs." It was filled with thoughts from students who had said professor. I used it as my Bible when scheduling classes.
Also, there was a company that paid students with GPAs of 3.75 or higher to copy their notes and sell them. What a great concept.
I'm sure there is something like this at UT. Look for it, along with old exams and quizzes.
I never went to class, partied my ass off and graduated with Honors. Once you figure out how to get by, everything else is gravy...
THANKS guys!!! After reading some of the answers, I thought up some more questions. For your information to help answer my questions, i'm going to be a biology major, but this semester I have Physics 212, Honors Spanish 217, Honors English 118, Bowling, and some freshman introductory class (haha, i'm taking it very easy, especially having 35 hours of credit from AP classes).
-How do much professors assign homework and give tests and quizzes? In high school, homework is assigned to be done the next day, and tests and quizzes are givin every week. How are college different? And what are the tests and quizzes like?
-Is cheating or "extra help" occur very often in college? I remember in my high school, students who have the morning class tell the test questions to the students in the afternoon class of the same course, so those who don't ask, have a huge their peers about the test have a disadvantage.
-Is having a roommate very trouble some? because i'm sure we all have differnt sleep schedules and spend different amounts of time on HW. If so, how did you handle the problems?
Rarely did I get homework. Most of my classes in my freshmen and sop re years were filled with 500+ students.
As for exams and quizzes, it depends on the class and the prof. Some have weekly quizzes and exams, others just exams.
Roommates suck. I lived with a drug dealer who got expelled, a pregnant girl, a bulemic, a guy who bathed every blue moon and a kid who used to keep a dildo in the couch. All types.
It's all luck when finding good roommates. Having friends as roommates can be an eye-opening experience.
College is exactly like Revenge of the Nerds
In most lecture classes, you aren't going to have homework other than reading your textbooks. In smaller classes, like your English and foreign languages, they'll probably assign homework or have daily quizzes...it depends on your professor. I took Japanese and French and in both of those we were given homework daily but it wasn't due until the test day (I dropped the Jap. before the deadline because it sucked though).
Most classes are going to have either 4 exams or just 2. I've never really taken a class that had a different amount of tests than 4 or 2, except this one writing course I took as a freshman where we had to do 8 papers and each one was a test grade...Quizzes depend on the class or the professor, I said English/writing and foreign language, stuff like that will have a lot of quizzes. Big lecture classes probably won't have any unless the professor wants to reward the few people that do read their .
Room mates are luck of the draw. Best thing to do is lease an apartment with some of your friends. Dorms suck huge ass and most of the time they are small. But your school may be different, I stayed at a dorm one semester and the entire living space was about as big as the living room in your basic apartment.
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