View Full Version : College Daze
Bob The Mercenary
08-02-2004, 08:40 AM
They're going to be shipping me off to Mankato, Minnesota pretty soon to go to Bethany Lutheran College. I'm half filled with excitement and half with worry and uncertainty. I was just wondering, how were your first days at college? How did you meet people? Experiences?
Thaumaturge
08-02-2004, 09:44 AM
I'm afraid that I'm a bit uncertain about the American schooling system. Is college analagous to university?
If so, I found university to be far more to my liking than school. There is considerably more freedom at university. As well as this, I found that the people were amongst the most varied and interesting that I had met to that point. As to meeting people, I suppose that I was lucky, in that someone approached me.
Zweihander
08-02-2004, 11:03 AM
As soon as you get there, find the biggest, meanest guy there and beat the everliving crap out of him. No matter the outcome, people will give you a wide berth because you're either the strongest or most insane person there.
Oh, college? I thought I heard prison. My bad.
Just don't act like a fucking freshman. Know where EVERYTHING is on campus. Carry a map, if possible. Stay away from the cafeteria. Buy used books, or go to something like half.com. You can even "borrow" some from the library, if the textbooks are in stock there. As for meeting people, I just tend to find a place to sit, and let them talk to me. Hell, my friends thought I was a a junior or something, just cause I'm ubiquitous like that. And being quiet gives me an air of maturity.
Deathosaurus Wrecks
08-02-2004, 11:14 AM
manage your fucking money. i had about a grand saved before my freshman year, and even with a weekly stipend from my parents i was still flat broke way before the end of the year. if your shool has a cafeteria, get a meal plan; if you have to suply your own food, go shoping at a grocery store (as opposed to buying a meal at Burger King, or a few frozen pizzas at a 7-11). i've got a freind who just finished his freshman year at my college, and he had the same problem. spent all his money on DVDs and now he's barely got enough to buy fare for the L train.
overall my freshman year kind of sucked. i was put in a 6 person dorm room, and the sudden change from my anti-social high school days to constant contact with people i dont know bewildered me. spent pretty much my whole first year in my room playing video games and avoiding my roommates.
Chrono_Traveller
08-02-2004, 11:46 AM
I went to Purdue for my undergrad, and thus being one of two biggest (and actually the best) state school in Indiana, half my highschool class went there. So meeting people wasn't too big a problem. Especially if you are in a dorm. Then you can't help but not meet people (unless you lock yourself in your room, and never come out except for food, which I actually knew of a couple people who did just that).
I would also suggest picking one or two at the most clubs/activities to be involved in. Its a good way to meet people that aren't in the same classes as you. I wouldn't join more since classes will take up more time than you think. Also, if you get to be president, secretary or some such office maybe next year or so, it looks good on your resume and scholarship apps.
Well now I guess I'm done sounding like some kind of adult, my last word of advice is have fun and don't get too drunk.
Bob The Mercenary
08-02-2004, 12:03 PM
I'm already getting involved in about two or three clubs they have there. And I have about three grand saved up for spending. I guess the plan is to talk to as many people as possible, even though I'm the quiet type. And my dorm's a two person room.
hawkboy204
08-02-2004, 12:14 PM
Purdue the best school in indiana? maybe for non-engineering stuff, but this nothing compaired to Rose-Hulman for engineering. But anyways back on topic, Meeting people wasn't a problem, especially if you are in an all-freshman dorm. I spent most of my first day sitting quitely in my room untill my roommate arrived and i meet him and some of his friends that he had meet at this math camp that my college has. I was kinda shy and quite for my first week or so there till i adjusted to life there.
KefkaTaran
08-02-2004, 01:41 PM
BobtehMerc: Mankato?! Minnesota?! Dude! We need to hook up some time. Anyways.
I'm just starting off college this year myself at the University of Minnesota in Morris, MN. So I know what you're going through. I'm living in a house with a bunch of friends instead of the dorms and already we've had problems because at the last second one of the five living here is getting shipped off to Iraq for a year, so we need to deal with paying more money monthly and all.
It sounds like money isn't much of an issue for you, and if you've got much for grants/scholarships/loans, you should be pretty much set in that department.
Toffeecake
08-02-2004, 08:45 PM
Yeah Bob, what they said.
This is going to be my first year at a university, but I went to a junior college last year, and I'm starting to miss it. Too bad I'll still be a freshman though, since I went half-time last fall. Does your college have a work-study program? Those can help tremendously, and they usually let you work about 10 hours a week, so it helps with the financial problem a little, but it doesn't take up too much time.
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