What is it like...

[NJNetz]

going away to college?


Is it difficult freshmen year? You know, getting adjusted to living in a dorm and fending for yourself?

I would love to here some of the experiences.

 

[igotask8board]

Junk food, fast food, and frozen food....Eat as much fruits end veggies as you can.

It all depends on which school you go to and if you have a job. It would suck to live on campus in a commuter school. If you don't plan on living with your parents during college, move out sooner. Moving out after finishing your basics, trying to cook and clean, getting a job, and starting your grad classes is a formula for dropping out.

Go do your basics in a community college and save some money. Just make sure the classes you take count toward the program you major in.

 

[JE]

My adjustment period was approximately 2 days.

 

[NJNetz]

No one else?

 

[barfo]

The answer is it depends. It depends on what sort of person you are, where you go to college, and what sort of people you end up spending time with at college.

Could be difficult, if you have problems that make it so. Statistically, you probably don't, so it probably won't be.

barfo

 

[Денг Гордон]

College is easy. You live on campus most likely, so you can pretty much just roll out of bed, throw on some jeans and a t-shirt, and be at class in a few minutes. You are barely in class, about 15-20 hours a week, compared to high school, where it was more like 40 hours a week in high school. You have less out of class work to do, as your grades are pretty much all made up of tests, quizzes, and papers. Your only homework, is usually writing papers and reading the book, so without the busy work, you have to spend a lot less time devoted to homework.

If you went to an IB school and taking IB courses, college will be a step down, most likely. If you were just taking regular courses, college will probably be a bit of a step up.

It's really not that hard. There's just a lot of idiots who skip class, or go to class and don't take any notes or hardly any notes, who don't do the reading, who don't study, who don't do there homework on time, aka who don't put the proper work in, who give college a reputation of being harder than it actually is.

 

[rocketeer]

college is whatever you make of it.

it really shouldn't be difficult though. if you live in a dorm, it's really easy to meet people as long as you get out and actually do some things.

 

[Run BJM]

The answer is it depends. It depends on what sort of person you are, where you go to college, and what sort of people you end up spending time with at college.

Could be difficult, if you have problems that make it so. Statistically, you probably don't, so it probably won't be.

barfo

True. I moved off to college last September. There was a slight adjustment but it wasn't that big of a deal to me. For me, the biggest adjustment was doing laundry. All the food you want is available in the dining hall. One of my best friends went to the same college so that was a good thing, my roommates are cool so that also worked out well. I met my g/f the first week of school and we were going out not long after that. From when I moved in (September 20th) until Thanksgiving weekend I think I only had 4 or 5 days where I didn't get drunk and/or wasted. Still did fine in school though but this quarter I've been REALLY slacking despite not drinking very often. So yeah, the freedom is great as long as you know how to handle it. I think I'm pretty responsible academically and the drinking was basically just a carry over from the summer anyway and I've been drinking heavily for a few years. There's always those people who don't know how to handle themselves with the liquor/weed though lol but there's also a lot of people who just don't do either, only do one, or try it out and decide its not for them. "To each his own" became my favorite phrase when I moved into college. Just be open minded because you're going to meet all kinds of people.

A lot of people have bad experiences because they had a negative attitude coming into college. I go to UC Santa Cruz which is really laid back, solid academically but far from being a Stanford/Berkeley/UCLA. There's a fairly large niche of people who were expecting to get into one of those schools but didn't and wound up here at UCSC. I've met some who basically came in hating the school and the system, totally denying any opportunity to have a good time. If that's you're attitude it'll never be fun.

Also some people hate their roommates. I'm in a "small triple" room which is about 15 by 15 feet and has three guys living in it (used to be a "small double" but they decided to cram an extra person in there lol) and yet me and my roommates have never had any problems. Granted, sometimes you get stuck with people who are just hard to live with (I've heard horror stories about prick roommates that people get paired up with). IMO a major part of why we get along so well is that we all have our own groups of friends and we don't hang out that much outside of when we're in the dorm. Usually I think the system of pairing people up in college works fairly well but you could be roomies with Jesus Christ and he'd drive you nuts if you spent 24 hours a day with him. That's why people say not to share a room with your good friends- you'll end up hating them eventually because you have to do EVERYTHING with them.

College is easy. You live on campus most likely, so you can pretty much just roll out of bed, throw on some jeans and a t-shirt, and be at class in a few minutes. You are barely in class, about 15-20 hours a week, compared to high school, where it was more like 40 hours a week in high school. You have less out of class work to do, as your grades are pretty much all made up of tests, quizzes, and papers. Your only homework, is usually writing papers and reading the book, so without the busy work, you have to spend a lot less time devoted to homework.

If you went to an IB school and taking IB courses, college will be a step down, most likely. If you were just taking regular courses, college will probably be a bit of a step up.

It's really not that hard. There's just a lot of idiots who skip class, or go to class and don't take any notes or hardly any notes, who don't do the reading, who don't study, who don't do there homework on time, aka who don't put the proper work in, who give college a reputation of being harder than it actually is.

This is all true as well. As long as you have a half decent work ethic in school you ought to be fine. Like this guy said, imagine all of the dumbshits and slackers who get by in college. The whole system is built to get these guys through fairly decently so if you work somewhat hard you'll be fine. I love not having any classes earlier than 12:30. In fact I think I'm a lot healthier now than I was in high school because in high school every semester I'd get super worn out half way through the semester and fall asleep in class every day, take naps right after school, and I'd be tired as hell all through christmas and spring break as I caught up on sleep. Since moving to college I've lost weight and there's less bullshit busy work that wears you down- only mid-terms, finals, and essays most of the time which is more my style anyway. Though it is a nice luxury in high school to have homework pad the hell out of your grade. Its also true that if you were in IB/AP classes that those are actually harder than college courses. But yeah, I go to class for 1-4 hours a day depending on the day. Like I said I start at either 12:30 or 2:00 every day. I like going later in the afternoon since I wouldn't be doing anything then anyway if I wasn't in class. Others like going to class really early and having the whole day to do whatever they want. A lot of people even get days off by loading up more classes on certain days (i.e. having like 6 hours of class on certain days to get a day off during the week). Whatever your preference you can do it.

As far as fitting in socially, there's basically any type of person you can imagine in college- you just have to put yourself out there and make an effort to meet people. Whatever your M.O. is- party guy, stoner, hippy, punker, gym rat, preppy guy, nerd, artsy, gay, political activist, and anything else you can imagine. For the love of God listen to me when I say this: in the first two weeks of moving in you can just randomly go up and meet ANYONE. If you see a hot chick, go talk to her. No one knows anyone but everyone is in the same position and wants to meet people. Everyone's very open. If you like playing basketball, go to the basketball courts and play pickup games and meet people there, or in the gym, or find clubs, talk to people in class, in line at the dining hall. Just do it- go up and talk to people. Any little opportunity- DO IT. Everyone's looking to meet people and everyone's open to meeting people so get out there and do it.

One more note- the girls are hot as hell and generally looking to hook up but there's an insane amount of dudes here who have no game. Granted I think my own game isn't anything special (at all), it seems like most guys here are fucking up golden opportunities to get some action. I mean I thought I really had no game coming into college but I found out that I had some game. Since moving here I've learned a lot about it but I've had a g/f almost the whole time so I can't do anything. Basically, just be personable, confident, and aggressive. Most of these girls are looking for a hookup makeout session but I'd say a large portion are actually really anti one-night-stands and cheap sex. Thus far college has been anything but the crazy fuckfest that its made out to be in movies. I think more would happen if dudes had more game because the girls are fairly open and everyone says they're "not looking for anything serious" but my experience is that its not as advertised. I came in looking for a relationship which is atypical but it didn't take long and its still going fine so don't automatically rule it out coming into college. Oh and don't be a fucking creep, there's a lot of them in college.

 

[NJNetz]

Thanks for the long post, Run. You really touched upon everything.

I might be going to a college that's 6 hours away from my house, with one of my buddies. I actually wouldn't mind dorming with him, either. It's possible that I might get annoyed eventually, but I would feel more comfortable in a room with somebody I know, especially the first year. I need to find out if this college allows people to choose who to dorm with.

I also have a bright personality, so meeting people won't be a problem for me. I can be slightly shy for a few days, but then I come around and everything is cool.

My biggest concern is just living "without" my parents. If I decide to go away, it's going to be a pretty big transition for me. For one, I would need to learn how to do my own laundry in the coming months. Becoming independent overall is going to be hard, I predict.

Not to mention, I don't know what I would bring with me. Clothes, towels, bed sheets etc? Bring my PC along? I always hear roommates plan on what each of them should bring to the dorm. But what if I dorm with somebody I don't know? How would that work?

 

[Денг Гордон]

Just facebook them before you go.

Laundry isn't hard. It's basically pur a cap of detergent in the washing machine. Put your clothes in. Press button to start wash cycle. If you want to add fabric softener wait until the machine's filled with water. (That's at least how our washing machines worked. My washing machine at home, I'd just put the detergent and fabric softener in these compartments, and the machine would decide when/how to distribute them).

Then when the wash cycle is done take the clothes out, put in dryer. Throw in a dryer cloth. Take clothes out and fold when dry cycle is over. It's really easy.

My home life kind of deteriorated into shit during the last year or so of high school, so I was usually the only one home a lot of the time, taking care of 2 dogs and 2 cats, doing dishes, making a lot of my own meals, I've done my laundry since I was in maybe the 4th grade. Basically I don't have to do any of that anymore, except my laundry. So that opens up more time, as you really don't have to take care of yourself, the university takes care of you for the most part. They make your meals, they clean the dishes (as long as it's in the dining hall), they come and clean our bathroom every 2 weeks, etc.

People who say that college comes with a lot more responsibility are kidding themselves. It's like a lala land, where others take care of everything.

Oh, and if you don't take Russian for your foreign language, we will have to remove Soviet Union from your profile.

 

[Run BJM]

I might be going to a college that's 6 hours away from my house, with one of my buddies. I actually wouldn't mind dorming with him, either. It's possible that I might get annoyed eventually, but I would feel more comfortable in a room with somebody I know, especially the first year. I need to find out if this college allows people to choose who to dorm with.

I also have a bright personality, so meeting people won't be a problem for me. I can be slightly shy for a few days, but then I come around and everything is cool.

My biggest concern is just living "without" my parents. If I decide to go away, it's going to be a pretty big transition for me. For one, I would need to learn how to do my own laundry in the coming months. Becoming independent overall is going to be hard, I predict.

Not to mention, I don't know what I would bring with me. Clothes, towels, bed sheets etc? Bring my PC along? I always hear roommates plan on what each of them should bring to the dorm. But what if I dorm with somebody I don't know? How would that work?

Some people just aren't mentally ready/mature enough to move out of the house after high school. It's not a big deal, some people look forward to it, others don't. My girlfriend said she wasn't ready to move out after high school (she went to community college for two years and transferred in this year) so she's glad she did stay at home for two years, plus she saved a lot of money. I think you'd probably be fine moving out on your own but if you really don't think you're ready you could just go somewhere close to home or community college. There's nothing wrong with that. I didn't have much of a problem with it myself because my parents have been divorced my whole life and all throughout high school it was just me and my mom in the house and she was at work and out with friends basically all the time. I wasn't that close to my parents to the point where living away from them was weird at all. I missed my dog by far the most out of everyone.

As mentioned above, laundry is easy. All last summer I told myself I would learn how to do it but I was too lazy and never did. Showed up to college, threw my colored clothes in one washer, whites in another, filled the detergent up to the line on the cap, dumped that in, put the quarters in and pressed either the "colors" or "whites" button. Then you can put them all together in a dryer. Only thing I fucked up was I left them in the laundry bag so they got super wrinkles- you have to hang/fold your clothes soon after they get out of the dryer (they're still pretty wrinkles though, dunno how to fix that).

Rooming with your friend isn't a bad idea necessarily. I'm just saying you guys will probably get annoyed with each other at certain points. It's a good thing if you'll be far from home and want someone familiar around who you know. I think most/all colleges do allow you to request a roommate but its not a guarantee that it will work. Again, if it doesn't happen don't go into college with a bad attitude- everything happens for a reason.

The college will give you a list of what to bring with you. I'm using my dad's work laptop but I should have brought my desktop. I thought I'd need a laptop but the damn thing hasn't left my desk since I moved in. I (and majority of people) take notes on paper and don't bring my laptop anywhere. I'd prefer my trusty old PC.

People who say that college comes with a lot more responsibility are kidding themselves. It's like a lala land, where others take care of everything.

True. Its really not a huge transition into independence. It's not like the real world. Outside of laundry and watching out for your own academics there's really not that much responsibility.

 

[bbwchingy0007]

From what I understand it really depends on the college you get into. Hopefully I'm off to Oxford this autumn (if I get the grades that they've put as a condition) and I'm expecting that to be a huge step up from anything I've ever done. I was told whilst at interviews to expect to do around 8 hours per day of work (including classes/lectures/tutorials) at a ridiculously high level.

I'd say the best is not to ask us, but to try to talk to current students at the college you are looking at going to.

 

[Master Shake]

Oxford! Jesus fuck man, congrats.

 

[Денг Гордон]

From what I understand it really depends on the college you get into. Hopefully I'm off to Oxford this autumn (if I get the grades that they've put as a condition) and I'm expecting that to be a huge step up from anything I've ever done. I was told whilst at interviews to expect to do around 8 hours per day of work (including classes/lectures/tutorials) at a ridiculously high level.

I'd say the best is not to ask us, but to try to talk to current students at the college you are looking at going to.

That's what they say at every college.

They say 3 hours of studying/work for every credit you have.

So by that, I would be spending 18 hours in class a week and be doing 54 hours of studying a week, for a total of 72 hours of class related stuff. That's over 10 hours a day. It doesn't happen like that. Maybe if you're becoming an electrical engineer, but not for the vast majority of people.

 

[Really Lost One]

How much do you party, and what if your roommate is a fuckass?

Oh and how big are the dorms and do you have your own bathroom/shower?

 

[drexlersdad]

most importantly!!!
fuck as many hot young women as you can, while you can.

if you are smart you wont even have to study, just pay attention in class.

laundry? serious? i mean just read the directions on the bottle i guess lol.

dont drink too much, the shit is poison, plus you will be the only guy at the party with a clean shirt. girls like that.

 

[JE]

Oh and how big are the dorms and do you have your own bathroom/shower?

My dorm room is decently big (its not huge, but it gets the job done), and I don't have my own bathroom/shower.