That is the topic of my most recent essay for Logic and Rhetoric. I didn’t think about this when my proffesor assigned it, but it gives an unfair advantage to some students, since it is a core class and not everyone is the same year. I myself am a freshman and am in no place whatsoever to give any advice about being prepared for the first year of college (seeing as I’m failing almost all my courses and have no social life). I realize that most people on the boards are younger than I, but for those of you who have more life experience, help please.
The essay is due in a little over a week.
What exactly is this essay on?
Guh, read his post again 
I’d advise college freshman to drop out before they accrue too much debt. I wish I had done that, but I’ve come so far in school that I might as well just finish it.
-Stay on top of the material at all times. That can be in a variety of ways, but if you start to let things pile up, they’ll snowball. People do a variety of things: bring prof’s posted lecture notes and add to them in class, read the book before and/or after class, focus what you study based on what the teacher lectures on (if you’re "encouraged to read, then the reading is most likely on what the prof talked about), if you have problem doing work, don’t go home on weekends or directly back to your dorm or apartment where you can easily be distracted, go to the freakin’ library, sit your ass down for an hour a couple times a week and do what it is you have to do. Dif classes have dif requirements. Physical science and math classes tend to have you need to do hw , esp as tests tend to be based off what’s in the hw. Biological science classes revolve around how well you can either memorize (shakes head and frowns) or how well you understand the material and how it fits in the whole (smiles and nods). English and writing classes require that you work on your paper more than once. Write the thing in advance, mostly. Then come back to it later when your mind’s fresh. While doing so, go see your prof and or other people who might be good at this kinda thing and ask them to read and give you constructive criticism. Internalize the criticism and try to think more about it. I personally take written notes of everything the prof says (if you can’t , bring a tape recorder and/or bring the prof’s posted notes to class) and then I recopy them cleanly back onto a notebook. The act of going over the notes again and re-writing them is a form of studying, its effective and if you do it consistently, you won’t have more than 2 hours a week of work to do in that regards for all your classes.
Other advice would be to not be afraid to ask questions either in class, after class and or in your prof’s office hours or in your discussions. Look for services like tutoring and that kinda stuff. Sometimes they cost (frowns and shakes head) or they’re free like the bio tutoring service I help run and teach for at my university (smiles and nods). TAs and profs are there for free as well, so its def helpful to be able to go to those. If you sit on your ass , you won’t get anything achieved. If you let things pile up, you’ll get crushed. Being in college typically requires consistency and dedication, few are those that don’t. If you’re like and you don’t necessarily need that, please shut the fuck up. I know more than you about this stuff, I even lecture to hundreds of freshmen and new xfer students as part of a commitee.
Something very important to do as a college student is to remember to let go of whatever might be stressing you out once in a while and relax. All work and no play make Jack and Jill very dull children. Not to mention it might lead to a breakdown down the line.
Being in college is about time management, how well can you do as you’re told in the time you’re given. You don’t have to be creative while you’re in college, you just have to follow slightly more complex instructions than you might be used to being given and you have to put work into getting what you want. If you have issues with that, find ways to deal with it. Whether its through study groups, self isolation to work, etc…
make sure you know what your major/life goal is and stick with it and if you have to change majors, change it in between your 1st or 2nd year so you won’t be too far behind (depending if you want to graduate in 4 years but nobody said you had too)
sign up for as many scholarships you can even if there might be no chance in getting one.
On studying, what I find is I read the material and take notes before class, and during lecture if he repeats this, 80% of the time its usually on the quiz/chapter.
IF YOU GET A PROFESSOR THAT IS PH.D AND HAS TENER GOD SAVE YOU. <i>(or maybe this is just me?)</i>
On weekends if you don’t have anything planned, set aside at least 5 hours for catching up on work/studying, this usually helps me as I <3 reading 
When finals roll around study 1-2 weeks ahead of time <i>(mini rant: I have projects due this week and my first final is dec 10th :()</i> so you’ll have time to relax and speaking of studying…
cramming does not work. However, studying 2 hours, resting for 10, coming back to the material and review it in your head then learning some more. Rinse and repeat. That helps. I usually get done with 1.5 chapters every session but I learn it, not memorize.
Most professors are usually nice (curve wise somewhat included) if you tell them the problem you’re having or they see an improvement in you, they sometimes help you out grade wise. <i>(grade bumpage from D - C and/or C - B)</i>
Go to class every day, its very tempting to skip if they have a no attendance policy. After all you’re blowing however much money per class when you do that. *side note: if you’re sick stay home, you don’t want to risk it.
Sinistral is right about the breaks. (just read his post)
Keep your grades up and when it comes finals time if you happen to get a…“dissapointing” grade your others should create a buffer so that your final average won’t go down or maybe in some cases up. 
I don’t know if you have finals in the same hour of the day or something (mine are spread days apart) but if you actually have a bit of time in between finals (days) you could use this to relax and do some last minute studying for things you may not understand.
IMO those study tips help me, I have 2 A’s in Composition 1 and some Seminar class, 2 B’s in my beginners comp sci class and my math class <i>(that doesn’t count…:fungah: )</i> and a C in sociology. Mainly my fault, I choke on tests and for my first 2 quizzes I didn’t read 
Your first semester of college is usually the hardest, with that little transition from high school, actually having to read the material and critical thinking techinques. College isn’t for some but college is very passable as long as you do your work, read and ASK QUESTIONS.
Now its time for me to go back to lurk mode 
I loathe reading x_x. Lol, it is helpful for some though.
That’s funny you say god help you if you have a tenored phD, I think all the professors I’ve had were that way, or at least, the vast vast majority.
And I agree with Norrec, learning > memorizing.
I dont’ know if this is at your college Sinistral but at ours its usually a ticking time bomb
Ph.D + tener = drunk with power
Nothin can get the professor out, I think he has student immunity or something like that and the only way he can get fired if he doesn’t write/contribute or something at least every 5 years.
oh and to further add on (lol sorry I’m in a ranting mood today :ah-ha!:
don’t let it get you down if you have to live with your parents. Look at it this way, free food, free board but with more time you have to help out your parents so you can prove to them that you are ready and capable of living on your own. <i>(helping your parents and the sort)</i>
You are in control of your time, but remember if you have a big test then its up to you to choose “Well I could study for another 30 minutes maybe it’ll be easily understandible” or “Wahoo lets party hard!”
this thread is fun, is there anyone else here who’s in college?
I am, in my 3rd year. For the assignment, I’d say go by what seem to be your bad experiences. In the time you’ve been in college so far, you seem to have learned quite a bit, though unforunately through first-hand experience. You could probably base your essay on that. I didn’t read the novels the others wrote, hehe, but I’m sure they contain lots of good advice, too.
Originally posted by Norrec Vizharan
[b]Ph.D + tener = drunk with powerThis thread is fun, is there anyone else here who’s in college? [/b]
First, I believe you mean tenure :get it?:
Anyway, I’m a junior business administration major at a private college. I’m hoping to be a database manager or some other type of administrator. My dream job would be a business one at a game company though (although I think we would all like that :hahaha; ).
Like Sin and others have said, a major thing you learn in college is time management. You could write something on the fact that you learned how to manage your time better because in college you have new responsibilities and you really don’t have anybody bugging you, but you to take care of them.
The nice thing about college is that you can procrastinate and procrastinate… and still pull out A’s. You just need to set a limit on yourself to know when enough’s enough. (for example, right now I should be studying for my finals <.<)
I NEVER read the book, for any of my classes, be they psych, crim, bio. The only classes where I felt it was helpful was for my linguistics class (to supplement the lectures, which were mostly unstructured and painful to hear) and research design. But of course, this is dependent on the school, professor, etc.
As far as living at home, the big thing is not to get down on yourself and think you won’t make any friends, because you WILL, and like Norrec said, it’s a hell of a lot cheaper. And anyway, you have 3 more years after the first to move out if you so choose. (I’ve been living at home for 2 years, but I might leave for the next)
I guess the major thing for freshman to consider is if they hate the material they’re studying, weigh your options and get out of it as soon as you can, to find something you love. That’s the only way you can enjoy yourself fully. Find a passion and stick to it.
Remember that while freshmen girls all come to school with boyfriends back home, they all break up with them over Winter break.
I don’t know what I can add, since college life came pretty naturally and effortlessly for me. And I enjoyed college. But I suppose I can mention the general rule, that there’s always room for more girls.