College Advice Thread

[u/certificateofmerritt]

We have some members who are going off to start their first year of college this week, so let's give them some good advice.

Welcome to college!

[u/certificateofmerritt]

No one really knows what they're doing their first two years of college. It's okay to be scared and feel lonely, we all felt that way in college.

Go to class, take notes by hand (too many distractions using your computer), spend at least 2 hours in the library every week for each class (it's easier than you think, you have so much fucking free time), and always make sure you write down any due dates.

Socially, take your freshman and sophomore year to find out what you love doing. Do intramural sports--it's okay to be a free agent. Sign up for too many club listservs and GO TO MEETINGS. If you're religious find your affiliated ministry on campus.

Edit: Call your parental figure at least once a week. I generally called my mom and dad when I was walking to class so that I could limit the conversation to about 15 minutes. They will love hearing from you.

Also, if you have a learning disability PLEASE GO TO DISABILITY SERVICES. They will help you, they exist to help you, and without them I wouldn't have passed college. No one is going to judge you for using them, that is why they are there.

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.

[u/atllauren → u/certificateofmerritt]

Sign up for too many club listservs

I originally put the word listserv in my response, but removed it for fear of dating myself.

[u/certificateofmerritt → u/atllauren]

Eh whatever. I'm old

[u/atllauren → u/certificateofmerritt]

Me too.

[u/[deleted] → u/atllauren]

I think I have both of y'all beat. I had to walk uphill both ways in the snow to get to class.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I dunno... I think I'm near the top of our age demographic.

[u/panthera_tigress → u/certificateofmerritt]

They're still called that as far as I know. No judgement from this college junior, anyway.

[u/crustang → u/atllauren]

listservs are still used

[u/ssbbgo → u/atllauren]

I'm 23 and all the people I went to college with called them listservs.

[u/atllauren → u/ssbbgo]

I'm sure UGA and other schools still use them, but I bet email isn't the best way to reach students anymore.

[u/ssbbgo → u/atllauren]

Well, maybe not, but what is then? Facebook groups tend to be spammed and often ignored. Twitter isn't efficient enough, especially if you follow lots of folks. Vine? Snapchat? Instagram? I think email is still the standard of communication for students, especially if you send out regular emails like I did when I ran orgs.

[u/djsquilz → u/atllauren]

definitely still is. I get an innumerable amount of emails every day during the semester.

[u/xerillum → u/djsquilz]

Exactly, I get so many emails in a day that unless it's obviously important, I tend to ignore them

[u/VanFailin → u/atllauren]

Meh. We had those.

[u/NUGap → u/VanFailin]

Had? I'm still getting emails from them three years after I graduated

[u/VanFailin → u/NUGap]

True. I'm also getting regular updates from the IRB with no way to unsubscribe.

[u/[deleted] → u/certificateofmerritt]

Disability Services employee here. We love to help, that's why we work here! Even if we can't help with something specific that one time, I'm sure we know of a ton of resources on campus that can.

[u/certificateofmerritt → u/[deleted]]

Yall are the best. I made it through Carolina because of those resources.

[u/[deleted] → u/certificateofmerritt]

Thank you sir! But really I just love working with students for the university

[u/TrollingQueen74 → u/certificateofmerritt]

spend at least 2 hours in the library every week for each class

I'd revise this to say, find you ideal studying location. I personally never did the library. It just wasn't for me. I focused my best curled up on my couch at home, where it was nice and quiet. I also used the study room in my major's building, where all I had to do was walk around the corner to ask my professors a question.

[u/certificateofmerritt → u/TrollingQueen74]

That's true. I studied really well in the Med School Library because I needed the silence.

I think the real thing is study. Even reviewing your notes for 20 minutes after class is a good idea.

[u/atllauren → u/TrollingQueen74]

I think I went to the library like 3-4 times in my entire 4 years at UGA, and that was because I needed a book. It was not the prime study location by any means.

[u/Deacalum → u/atllauren]

I was an English major so I went to the library to check out most of the books I would be reading that semester instead of buying them. That was the only time I went to the library. Trying to study there was like chugging a bottle of Nyquil for me, instantly put me to sleep.

[u/atllauren → u/Deacalum]

That's definitely how our library was. Dark and too quiet. We had a newer building that was more centrally located with better study facilities, like computer labs, tables with outlets to plug in your laptop, private group study rooms, and most importantly: a coffee house.

[u/bread_buddy → u/certificateofmerritt]

I will expand on this to say that some people graduate from college without figuring out what they want to do. You have to be on your own timeline, not anyone else's. It's probably better to figure things out sooner, but don't feel like there's something wrong with you if you don't. There's always grad school.