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[Scrambled Egg Machine]

I am going to Texas Tech University this coming year. It will be my first extended time away from home. I will be rooming with my cousin. He is helpful, but I could use some advice for dorm living, college skill, and other things, just college in general. Help?

[Dazed]

Don't be a slob and don't sleep through your alarm while it goes off forever. Both of these will cause people to hate you. Also, just because you don't technically have to go to class doesn't mean you don't have to go to class. Get too far behind and you will fail.

[benji]

I remember my cousin (who's a year older then me) came back from his first semester at college and said "you'll love college, you never have to go to class!" Later that month, we found out he had failed all but one of his classes.

[the_pied_piper]

Don't be a slob and don't sleep through your alarm while it goes off forever. Both of these will cause people to hate you. Also, just because you don't technically have to go to class doesn't mean you don't have to go to class. Get too far behind and you will fail.

From personal experience, both of these are very much true. Different people have different opinions on how clean things should be but if you have any common spaces that you share with others make sure you clean up after yourself as then nobody can complain that it is you who is at fault.

[tania]

try pretty hard, go to class, stay on stuff but at the same time don't freak out too much about doing bad in some classes. most people experience a bit of a drop in grades from high school to college, but your grades for your last two years of college tend to be looked at more than your first two so it's okay.

buy used textbooks and sell them the next semester whenever you can, you will save a lot of money that way.

get to know people in your classes and talk to your professors. it is so much easier to stay of top of things when you are studying with other people, and your professor will explain stuff to you that you didn't understand in lecture so much better in person. ask everyone questions about everything all the time.

budget. BUDGET. lots of students can buy new clothes every week and go out drinking every other day because they are rich and their families pay for everything. that is fine, it is okay, but if you are not ridiculously rich and you assume right off the bat that since everyone else seems to be going out and spending money all the time you can too then you will find yourself out of money and in a bad place very quickly. keep a constant eye on your funds.

unless you are actually going to make the effort to have a somewhat healthy lifestyle and not drink constantly, expect to gain the freshman fifteen because nearly everyone does.

if you start to run out of money, cheap sources of protein include meat that expires the next day (usually sold at a discount and then you can just buy it and keep it in your freezer) and peanut butter.

[Barmymoo]

Reading this thread, I realise just how much UK and US colleges must differ. Although some of this stuff sounds really useful, like the budgeting thing. I really have to learn to do that before I start university.

[Scrambled Egg Machine]

Thank you, all of you. What were your experiences in college like, I need all the data I can get!

[benji]

Reading this thread, I realise just how much UK and US colleges must differ. Although some of this stuff sounds really useful, like the budgeting thing. I really have to learn to do that before I start university.

Yeah, Americans use the word college like English use the word University. Note that the OP is going to Texas Tech University, and yet still says he's going to college.

[tania]

there are options sometimes for staying in residence when you are no longer a freshman, but i would recommend moving out into an apartment or house or something like that asap because that way you will learn all the million and million of tiny little important things you need to know how to do when living on your own that you wouldn't get from living in residence, like how to pay bills on time and cook for yourself and get along with your neighbors and check your mailbox on a regular basis and keep your kitchen clean and regularly have groceries in your fridge and basically how to be completely responsible for everything in your life.

some of it sounds pretty obvious and almost patronizing, but it really is all incredibly important stuff that at first is always so much more overwhelming than people think it will be, and then you figure out how to sort it all out and have time for it all and manage your life and really, the sooner you can figure it all out the better.

[benji]

While you are living in the dorm, learning to discipline your time can be difficult. It will never be easier to socialize in your life. You can literally step out of your room and be surrounded by people your age, many whom will share something in common with you. This is fun, but it can eat your time and you do have to make sure you find time to study. My strategy was always to study in the morning and afternoon so I could hang out at night. But I didn't drink much and I was pretty disciplined about it.

[Boro_Bandito]

I lived in Lubbock for 12 years, so first off if you have any questions about that town specifically I'm your man, man. Also I know a ton of people from there still and if you find yourself lost and alone or in the cold or something emergency help is within reach.

You're also lucky that Lubbock, TX, is a college town in the middle of northern Texas, so everything is pretty much dirt cheap. I have seen few places where you can get a relatively decent apartment for 400 bucks a month, or a cheap rental house for 600. So if nothing else your living expenses will be relatively low.

Edit: there is a slight concern about it being a dry town, however. Bars are closed Sunday and the only way to buy alcohol for personal use is to drive out to what they call "the Lubbock Strip", a row of liquor stores outside of city limits that can only be accessed by the freeway(which is forever under construction), lots of drunken driving and stuff down there...

[Scrambled Egg Machine]

Oh, wow. Thanks man, that's really good to know. Why'd you leave there, then?

[nobo]

Buy your textbooks online, even just using amazon.com used books you can save about 40-60% on books.

You will only have 14-20 hours of class a week, so make use of the free gym to avoid getting that freshmen 15 (i gained 80 lbs in college).

The friends you make in college will be the friends you will stick with the rest of your life... they'll be at your wedding, at your funeral, and everything in between.

Despite popular opinion, the greek system is worth checking out. If nothing else, living in a frat house with a meal plan can save you a lot of money over living in the dorms.

During the next 4 years you'll be constantly surrounded by people your age and that share your interests. Dating/making friends becomes much more difficult once you leave college for the working world.

[jmrz]

Yeah, I reinforce the "just because you don't have to go to class, you really should" statement. If you don't go, you don't learn. If you don't learn, well you will probably fail. Definitely make the effort to get up and go to class every day. If you really hate studying, I find that hand writing your notes from class and then typing them up at a later point really helps. It forces you to read everything again, making it sink in a little further. Then you have typed study notes for exams that will make it easier when you are freaking out.

Also, start your assignments when you get them. I know that sounds like I am nagging, but really. I learnt from my first year at uni and I am not going to do the same thing this year. Your work will end up a lot better and you will, in all likelihood actually finish it a week or two before the due date and you can not stress so much about it. Don't leave it until the last minute, you will be stressed to the max, not have time to eat or sleep and it will generally suck ass.

[StaedlerMars]

The friends you make in college will be the friends you will stick with the rest of your life... they'll be at your wedding, at your funeral, and everything in between.

I'm going to go even further and say, the people that you meet in the first week of college (fresher's week or whatever) are most likely the people that you will be spending the most time with throughout your college career. First week is really important for socializing. It's when people meet other people, and you should really make an effort to get out and make friends. They'll be doing the same thing so it's okay.

[evernew]

There was a thread about this a few months ago.
I'm not saying it to be a dick. The info in that thread is really good.
(I wrote down most things I know about college in that thread.)

And I didn't go to class much and didn't fail.
Also, the guys I met in my first week at school turned out to be dillweeds.

The important part is: While both these things MAY be true (or false) for you, they don't have to be. Don't rely on it.

[pulpfiction21]

I'm going to go even further and say, the people that you meet in the first week of college (fresher's week or whatever) are most likely the people that you will be spending the most time with throughout your college career. First week is really important for socializing. It's when people meet other people, and you should really make an effort to get out and make friends. They'll be doing the same thing so it's okay.

This is very true. Meeting great friends in a class is actually not that common because there is not a whole lot of time for socializing. The orientation that the school does is the best time to socialize and make friends. Then once you have friends from that, you can expand your network through them.

Plus tests are everything in college. If you have a test in your second class of your day and not one in your first, skip the first class to study more for the upcoming test because it will be more important.

[Professor Snuggles]

We have this thread at least twice a year.

Don't try and reinvent yourself in college. It's A bit crass. Don't sleep with drunk girls, it's incredibly crass. Coming up with a new nickname is okay, as long as it's not a really dumb one.

[Scrambled Egg Machine]

That's cool. I know I'll be a nerd forever, and I don't really have a nickname, except at work. There, they call me Ace.

[nobo]

Also, the guys I met in my first week at school turned out to be dillweeds.

the guys i met in my first month in the dorms make up all but 1 of my groomsmen, and I am marrying a girl that I met during the first month of college.

[eddie]

I am going to Texas Tech University this coming year. It will be my first extended time away from home. I will be rooming with my cousin. He is helpful, but I could use some advice for dorm living, college skill, and other things, just college in general. Help?

Get a job, hippy

[the_pied_piper]

the guys i met in my first month in the dorms make up all but 1 of my groomsmen, and I am marrying a girl that I met during the first month of college.

Congrats man. But i will say that you are pretty lucky as i also found out that the people i met in the first week were a bunch of brainless morons and i now have a completely different group of friends instead.

[nobo]

Thanks. I think both of our experiences are extremes and a normal experience is somewhere in between.

From experience, it also helps connecting to other 18 year old guys if you're into drinking shitty beer and playing madden or halo... or if you have a fake ID, then everyone will love you.

[Boro_Bandito]

Yeah I don't talk to really any of my friends from freshman year, its kind of depressing, I moved off campus after that and I commute from a pretty fair distance, and they all live really close. you'd think they could invite me to a party every now and then... And I lost 25 lbs freshman year, mostly because of the shitty campus food, and I've gained it all back by now but meh.


Anyway, Reason I don't live in Lubbock anymore is because my family moved to MD my senior year of High School. That said as the years progress I think this is just as good as anything else, Lubbock's a nice little town, a great place to go to college and a great campus, but there's not much to do there except drink or smoke pot, possibly do some meth and knock up a high school girl. Of my friends who still live there, five got married between the ages of 18 and 20. My advice is go for the schoolin', leave before the soul-sucking.

And try and meet up with my friend's Josh and Jason, they pretty much just sit around, talk about philosophy, smoke dirt weed and listen to Bob Dylan.

[clockworkjames]

Stay away from weed and video games. Don't go the route of buying beer instead of juice to keep in the flat, if there is only beer that is all you will drink. Get healthy easy to make food stuffs, if it's not easy to make you will either not eat or go out for fast food.

Pot/kettle etc.

[Ozymandias]

Anyway, Reason I don't live in Lubbock anymore is because it's fucking Lubbock.

[KvP]

Get thee a wok.

Also consider alternative sources of light. My friend's place had christmas lights strung up to the ceiling, apparently it saved them some money.

[imapiratearg]

Christmas lights are simultaneously look cool in both style and lighting (especially the fake icicle ones), and make for awesome party lights, so it lessens decorating time.

[Boro_Bandito]

I don't like fun.

[allison]

Oh man I wish that I could give advice...but I chose to stay home for university because at this point in time, kids who live off student assistance end up paying back at least two and a half times what they borrow.

But seriously, do make friends first week (aka frosh?) - but also try and talk to people in your classes, they'll be helpful if you need help or distraction from lecture...

[StaedlerMars]

Get thee a wok.

Best piece of advice in this thread.

[Ozymandias]

Agreed.

Stirfry is the easiest, tastiest thing.

A rice cooker is also a good idea.

[GnarlsBroccoli]

Get thee a wok.

Also, take advantage any kind of co-op/undergrad research/internship programs the school offers around your sophomore or junior year.

[clockworkjames]

I don't like fun.

No, I don't like that I got in 2 years of college what I should have got in 1... I stopped going to class and played video games/got drunk/did drugs/went out clubbing 6 nites a week/quit my job.

But fml, it was fun.

[IronOxide]

I don't know if it's possible, but if you can, room in a corridor dorm instead of a suite. While the suite may offer more privacy and quiet time, my time in a corridor has definitely gotten me better socialized and made me a better person for it. Though this is not quite like high school, you will meet people that you have more in common with than back at home, and you will meet people that you dislike more than the most aggravating person you have ever met. The trick is that now you are more 'in the wild' you can spend more time with people that you genuinely enjoy spending time with.

Also, do not necessarily dismiss greek life out of hand. There are fraternities out there that are not just filled with hooting 'frat boys', and I can hardly imagine life on campus without my brothers.

Finally, buy a leatherman. I can hardly describe how useful it has been in my time here. You're not at home: things will break, you're going to have to fix them, and it helps to have real tools for things.

[KickThatBathProf]

Don't do that thing with that one girl

[Boro_Bandito]

unless its on the rec room pool table.

[ledhendrix]

Tips for how to behave in lectures.

Do Nots:

1. DO NOT be the tappy foot guy.
2. DO NOT be the clicky pen guy.
3. DO NOT be the twitchy leg guy.
4. DO NOT be the kicks the back of your chair guy.
5. Most importantly NEVER be the person that talks through the entire lecture. This is the most annoying thing, people go to University to learn and it would be nice if there wasn't incessant background chatter. There was a pair that talked through most of a lecture I had. I got so annoyed I got out of my seat, walked up to where the were sitting and asked them if they would mind shutting the fuck up please. I am not normally a person that does that sort of thing, but fucking hell people talking through lectures is annoying. People congratulated me afterwards, the pair didn't say a single word after.

Do's

1. DO try and attend most lectures. Recently I stopped going to a lot of my lectures because of hangovers/laziness. I've fallen behind far more than I thought I would, this leads to stress and worry which is not fun at all.

2. If people are talking/clicking pens or whatever, DO ask them to stop. The rest of the class will be grateful and it will make your lectures far more enjoyable. If you can't concentrate because of someone talking then you will not take in the lecture as well as you should.


Hope that's helpful

[Oli]

Go out and get tanked.

Fuckin' lectures.

[pwhodges]

Once, when my wife was lecturing, a student came in talking on her mobile phone, and continue to talk as she sat down.  After a moment, my wife stopped her lecture and called out "as your conversation is so much more interesting than this lecture, could you please tell the rest of us about it?"

[tweetles]

Get used to eating a fuckload of rice. And probly noodles.

And yeah doing your dishes is a big one, cos if you dont do your share people will stop doing theirs and thats when you get mold growing in that pot/plate/cup you forgot about.

Go to as many extra study sessions you can not only will you learn more its a great way of making friends.

Get to be on good terms with your lecturer, it can help you in many ways.

[KvP]

If you need to take or make a call, leave the room. This is much easier in lecture halls If you know you'll have to do either of those then sit at the end of your row and as near to the exit as possible.

Whether or not you're obligated to attend lecture is in part dependent upon the style of your instructor. I'm in a class right now that has no textbook. I absolutely have to show up, else I miss out on half of what I need to know (lecture powerpoints are put up, but important slides are intentionally left blank) whereas in my other class we're basically reading out of the book and watching documentaries, so I can afford to skip a class or two. But as a general rule yes, you should be showing up.

If you've got free time on your hands and you don't know many people consider volunteering with some sort of on-campus organization.

If you're getting into college straight out of high school, you'll probably be delighted by the amount of control you have over your time. Don't choose class periods because they're easy, choose them because they utilize your time most effectively. When I started college a few years back I could barely make a schedule if my classes started before 1 in the afternoon. Trouble was I didn't have much of a social life because I was only available for a few hours out of everyone else's day. They went to bed early for early classes, and I stayed up until 4 AM. Do what you can do, but train yourself for eventually seeing early mornings. It can be a really productive time of day for you. At this point I've been able to scale back and tackle anything that comes up after 9 AM.

[Johnny C]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erIs98Z5dn0

[KickThatBathProf]

Once, when my wife was lecturing, a student came in talking on her mobile phone, and continue to talk as she sat down.  After a moment, my wife stopped her lecture and called out "as your conversation is so much more interesting than this lecture, could you please tell the rest of us about it?"

Instead of that, one of my teachers would take the phone and start talking to whoever was on the other side.

[Caleb]

- If you have any free time at all join up with a campus group that does something you like.

- Don't date the first person who attaches themselves to you.  Consider the situation first.  Don't be a substitute significant other.

-  If you have any extra time to fill re-copy notes taken in class.  (something that helped me anyways)

-  Don't live in a rented house with a bunch of other people.  It's just not worth the hassle.

-  Spend as little time possible in your dorm room.  Sleep there but find another nice place to study.

-  Learn to live a frugal existence so if you do need some cash you will have it.

[benji]

- Don't date the first person who attaches themselves to you.  Consider the situation first.  Don't be a substitute significant other.

On college dating, in my experience, about half of all college students experience some variation on the following Freshman year:

- Show up completely in love with your SO from high school. Clearly, S/he is the best person in the world and you will spend the rest of your lives together.

- Break up over Thanksgiving break.

- get in to a short but passionate relationship with someone at school (probably from your dorm or a neighboring dorm).

- Break up 2 weeks later (sometimes, this relationship will last into winter break. This is a great way to add some drama for an extra zesty kick).

- Get back with your original SO during winter break.

- Get back to school and realize that you have nothing in common with your high school SO.

- Call your high school SO and announce that, instead of going home over Spring Break, you've decided to go to Florida/Go camping/Go on a service project with some friends from school.
 
- Start only dating college students.

If you find yourself in this kind of relationship, don't fear it. It's part of the process of letting go of your high school life.

[20 jazz funk greats]

The friends you make in college will be the friends you will stick with the rest of your life... they'll be at your wedding, at your funeral, and everything in between.

I'm going to go even further and say, the people that you meet in the first week of college (fresher's week or whatever) are most likely the people that you will be spending the most time with throughout your college career. First week is really important for socializing. It's when people meet other people, and you should really make an effort to get out and make friends. They'll be doing the same thing so it's okay.

first week is important and all but...the whole meeting uber awesome people you'll hit it off with right away thing? no. no. god no. i was making an effort to be friendly and mingle during my first week. i hung out with a group of girls that i wouldn't have bothered talking to in high school for the sake of being open minded and because i was all lost and didn't know anyone at my new university and being with them was less scary than being on my own.

and no i am not whining and hating fun. basically it's the friend version of "don't date the first person that attaches themselves to you".  don't be friends with people just because you live on the same floor of the same residence if you have nothing else in common whatsoever. go out and try to meet people that you will actually enjoy spending time with instead.  i did the whole greek thing, and although i didn't end up joining a sorority in the end, it was good times.  i also signed up for volleyball which could have been good times in theory but eventually i just ended up missing practice too often because time management is not my forte.

[Noff]

Don't try and reinvent yourself in college.

And why not?  I changed a lot from my first to last year of college, because I became more open to the idea of trying new things instead of just fitting into whatever nerd stereotype applied to me in high school.  My only regret was that I didn't have this attitude sooner.

[october1983]

He's not saying people should resist change at all costs, just don't be that guy who tries to reinvent themselves. The one who shows up at university with this new 'persona' he's decided is the new him, which is just obviously fake and fucking irritating.

[Liz]

I sort of did that, but when I started college I pretty much became the person I was supposed to be, if that makes sense. High school was the shittiest time of my life and I spent most of it by myself and quite introverted. So when I started college I didn't have to care about what a certain group of people thought, and I got to become myself. If that makes sense.

Also I started going by Liz instead of Beth. That helped too I think.