College Life
#1
Posted 14 October 2007 - 07:02 PM
(I also invite Max, Eugine, and anyone else who's also in college to share their experience).
That said, to start things off - it's hard at first.
I was so devastated when I had to leave home. It's hard to explain, but for all the talk we may have of wanting to leave and being free, leaving your parents and siblings is truly one of the hardest things you have to do, and I'm not afraid to admit that I was crying (sobbing) when I left. I'd never been gone more than a few days from home on school trips, and leaving made me feel so vulnerable and alone.
We've been protected and sheltered all our lives, always having a roof and a meal and people you definitely care about around you, and leaving those comforts makes you realize just how much you had - and how much you're leaving behind.
But of course, this topic isn't all about homesickness (though be prepared to experience a fair amount).
One thing that I was taken aback by in college is just the sheer diversity of people you meet. I don't mean just in terms of race, it's just how different people have lived their lives. For example, I grew up in NYC in a high school with three thousand (yes, 3000) students, and 750 in my graduating class. A fair amount of people I've met grew up in small towns where everybody knew the people in their community, and a typical high school graduating class had 65 students.
One final thing I'll post about this time around, and add on to later, is just how liberating college is. You'll find you have so much free time, and no one is around to tell you when to do hw - or to even do it at all. College education, part of it at least, is very much about time management and to make the best of it all.
So yeah, just a little bit of insight so far. I'll post much more later about classes, dorms, and the opportunities you can find, etc. I really hope to hear from Max, Eugine, etc. about their experiences, and I'm also extremely curious to see what all of you younger members think so far, what you're looking forward to about college, or if you just have any questions.
#2
Posted 14 October 2007 - 07:12 PM
Other than that, most of my friends from my secondary school also attend my college, so making friends and adjusting wasn't that difficult.
Though, I must say... I started off my semester poorly with Cs, Bs and few As... sucks. Thankfully they are just evaluations and I can still get As if I do well from here on. College takes alot of focus!
#3
Posted 14 October 2007 - 10:15 PM
But if you really have free time in college where I don't have much to do, it might be different...
#4
Posted 15 October 2007 - 10:57 AM
All that is quite interesting GL, and I'm looking forward to reading more.
#5
Posted 15 October 2007 - 12:11 PM
I went to a small private high school and am now going to a larger (but still relatively small) university, roughly 15x the size of my high school. So there is a bit of size shock, but my university separates everyone into one of twelve "houses", which makes meeting people and adjusting to college life much easier.
After working hard the past dozen years to get into college, I'm glad to report that it really is worth all the effort. I'd be open to answering any questions you all have if you have any.
#6
Posted 15 October 2007 - 03:08 PM
The biggiest problems I face are bordem and adjusting to the time managment thing. I besides this forum, I don'thave much else I do outside of classes, and I'm only taking fifteen hours this semester, so I have a lot of free time on my hands. And with my roommates not always here, it gets boring. espeacaly becasue i can't often hang out with my big brother because he teaches at the local high school and is also he school swim coach, so practice and meets take up a lot of his time. In fact, there is realy only one day a week that we have for scheduals that we can hang out on. It realy sucks.
I guess the only thing about the time managment is not having mom around to boot me in theass to get my work done anymore.
And I have to cook for myself. Long live frozen dinners and Hamberger Helper. And Rice a Roni. And easy pasta. And the Ramen.
#8
Posted 16 October 2007 - 12:43 AM
I am a firm believer in miracles after reading that acceptance letter.
I had no social life last year with 15-20 units a semester trying to pull 4.0's. Don't get me wrong: I'm having the time of my life this year now that I'm in the program. We're doing clinical rotations in the hospital and we get assigned patients every week. We get to create care plans, administer meds (under supervision, of course), etc. It's an amazing experience. If anyone reading this is considering a career in nursing, ignore any feelings of discouragement you received from the first half of my message. It's so rewarding at the end of the day, no matter how exhausted you feel.
As for non-academics, college is an adventure. My best advice: know your alcohol limits and don't break any dorm alcohol policies like me. Tossing your cookies at 2 AM in a stranger's bathroom is not a pleasant experience. While we're on the topic of practicing safe alcohol behavior, when you're underage (like me) don't drink--be smart and be the DD (designated driver).
For the ladies, don't go off anywhere with any sketchy guys. Roofies and date rape aren't urban legends. Always have a buddy system and let everyone know where you are. Stay in well-lit areas.
That's enough preaching for now.
#9
Posted 16 October 2007 - 09:07 AM
#10
Posted 16 October 2007 - 01:31 PM
#11
Posted 16 October 2007 - 02:16 PM
Only to leeds or sheffield though, not too far, about an hour and a half on the train.
#13
Posted 16 October 2007 - 02:26 PM
#15
Posted 16 October 2007 - 08:45 PM
#16
Posted 21 October 2007 - 07:01 AM
Right now, I want to major in Chemical Engineering with Geoscience to persue a career in energy. For over 5 years I wanted to do Geoscience. Although I sometimes see myself in politics >>
#17
Posted 21 October 2007 - 07:20 AM
#18
Posted 21 October 2007 - 08:48 AM
@ eugine - what is Geoscience?
#19
Posted 21 October 2007 - 09:04 AM
MSN Encarta said:
It's a really interesting field, and really huge. IMO, it has something for everyone.
#20
Posted 21 October 2007 - 09:22 AM
#21
Posted 21 October 2007 - 10:04 AM
And GL, still want to find the cure for cancer and AIDs it seems?
#22
Posted 21 October 2007 - 12:57 PM
Golden Legacy, on Oct 21 2007, 11:22 AM, said:
That's a bit of a work load there GL, good luck at it though.
#23
Posted 22 October 2007 - 09:15 PM
.eugine, on Oct 21 2007, 08:01 AM, said:
Right now, I want to major in Chemical Engineering with Geoscience to persue a career in energy. For over 5 years I wanted to do Geoscience. Although I sometimes see myself in politics >>
I'm majoring in music, of course. I'm only going to a community college, though. They don't provide anything more specific. I like it, though. I've got great teachers! When I transfer to the university I want to go to I plan on making it into a music education major.
#24
Posted 24 October 2007 - 12:54 AM
DO NOT take extra classes because you want to 'try it out'. Unless of course you haven't chosen what you want to do yet.
But once you have chose your degree find out exactly what classes you need and only take those xD You can take your 'fun' classes as electives if any. But dont take any random classes unless needed I did so and it set me back a couple of quarters <.<;;
#25
Posted 25 October 2007 - 07:12 PM
PDM, on Oct 16 2007, 12:25 AM, said:
O:
Why yes she is. ): It's an art college so I'll be majoring in Animation and minoring in Sound Design. If sound design sounds a little... unusual to you, check out all the majors they have:
* Advertising Design
* Animation
* Architectural History
* Architecture
* Art History
* Arts Administration
o Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics
* Cinema Studies
* Commercial Photography
* Design Management
* Digital Photography
* Documentary Photography
* Dramatic Writing
* Fashion
* Fibers
* Film and Television
* Furniture Design
* Graphic Design
* Historic Preservation
* Illustration
* Illustration Design
* Industrial Design
o Interactive Design and Game Development
* Interior Design
* Metals and Jewelry
* Painting
* Performing Arts
* Photography
* Printmaking
* Production Design
* Professional Writing
* Sculpture
* Sequential Art
* Sound Design
* Teaching
* Urban Design
* Visual Effects
How often will you see a college/uni with a "Fibers" major, I mean, seriously? I was also thinking of majoring in Animation in a game-oriented sense but that's slightly restraining so who knows.
I'd post more but I don't feel too inspired right now. However, if anyone has any questions I'll gladly answer (since I really do have a lot to say about college).
#26
Posted 25 October 2007 - 07:20 PM
#27
Posted 25 October 2007 - 07:29 PM
#28
Posted 25 October 2007 - 07:47 PM
#29
Posted 25 October 2007 - 08:01 PM
And the college I go to is well o.O Populated with Asians and such. I can walk around campus and I will overhear maybe MAYBE 1 group of people talking in english, the rest is people talking in chinese/korean/japanese/spanish etc ;(
#30
Posted 25 October 2007 - 09:38 PM
Since I'm an international student here, we get to arrive before the kids from the U.S. for orientation. About 70% of the international students were from South Korea, then the next majorities were from China and Mexico. So during international orientation, they made us go talk to people, make friends, etc. And the freaking Asians (especially the Chinese) would just pile up in groups and talk in their own languages and then GLARE at you if you even got near them or even DARED to talk to them. Seriously. They would stare at you for about 5 seconds, with an expression that said "So...why are you speaking when not spoken to?" and then just looked away. Or there was even this girl that looked STRAIGHT at the floor and just slid away from me.
I don't think most of the new members here know this but I'm an avid Maple Story player. I'm in one of my server's best guilds, MILK. MILK has about 40 members, about 5 of which AREN'T Asian (including myself). That guild is the best freaking guild I've ever been in in that game. It doesn't fall apart, there's not thousands of fights, everyone is helpful, friendly, everyone talks to you all the time, etc. So going to college and being treated like that by them was a HUGE difference to what I'm used to.
I don't have anything against Asians, though. I just wont even try to talk to the specific ones in this college anymore (unless if they talk to me first or they're a friend's friend or etc. You know how it works). Seriously. It doesn't make sense to come all the way to the U.S. just to be so rude to people who are trying to be nice.
#31
Posted 25 October 2007 - 09:46 PM
#32
Posted 25 October 2007 - 10:00 PM
I would never pass an aquaitance or friend without greeting them, and surely if someone wants to talk to me, I'll surely create an interesting conversation (IM JUST LIK DAT XD)... but with someone you described Sheba... buck you! I'll stand right next to you for a year, and it'll be like you never existed.
#33
Posted 26 October 2007 - 02:00 AM
#34
Posted 26 October 2007 - 10:50 AM
My college also has a bunch of activities literally everyday but it's usually kind of hard to get to them since a lot of them are at 8pm and this city can be somewhat dangerous after 6-7pm. I don't have a car and I don't have that many friends yet (so we can walk there together).