More Advice For Freshmen
After writing my own advice for incoming college freshmen (read that here), I decided to query other people that I knew to see if they had any advice to offer. Here is what some people had to say!
Tony Gregerson, graduate student in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin – Madison:
- Much of the advice seems to be geared towards ensuring academic advice for people who might run into problems because of social aspect of school. But there is a flip-side – I’ve seen many students who burn out in their first year because they fail to adapt to the social environment of school.
1. Learn to let go of your hometown. Unless you happen to grow up in a college town, chances are that when you are coming to school, you will be leaving behind a group of friends and possibly a boyfriend/girlfriend from high school. As tempting as it may be to continue centering your life around this familiar group, it is no replacement for having a group of friends at school to hang out with. Avoid the temptation to go back to your hometown on the weekend – particularly during the first two weeks of your freshman year, the time when most people are making new friendships. Trying to hang on too tightly to your previous life will only make you homesick and miserable at school, and it is difficult to succeed if you’re unhappy.
2. Seek out people. Just sitting around with your door open in a dorm isn’t enough. Find a club or campus group doing something you’re interested in and join them. A club environment often includes a certain sense of belonging and solidarity, making it a good place to make friends, while at the same time being less demanding than a fraternity/sorority. Club activities or leadership opportunities can also be used to bolster a resume.
3. Don’t play World of Warcraft. Or any other time-demanding online games. The biggest hazard to new students is the newfound freedom and time-management responsibilities. If you are not good time-management, avoid activities that have the potential to suck up inordinate amounts of your time. The insular nature of such games also prevents people from getting socially involved on campus. Many people like to use the excuse that they don’t want to work so they can focus on their studies, but the reality is that college life provides plenty of time for work, study, and fun. Many on-campus jobs do not require many hours per week and will accomodate absences for exams and other academic reasons.
4. Get a part-time job. The romanticism of the ‘poor college student’ lasts about one week. Getting a part-time job will give you spending money (so you can actually afford to party when you have the time), will give some something to put on your resume, and getting financial independence from your parents is a much-needed step towards becoming a mature adult.
5. Network. Or, more specifically, suck up to upperclassmen in your field of study. As a freshman, your biggest liability is that you don’t have a good understanding of the ins-and-outs of college. There are no better experts in advising you on how to proceed than the students who have been doing it for 3-4 years already (and yes, that includes your academic advisor). Upperclassmen can give you advice on which classes to take early in your career and which professors to avoid. They can provide you with old copies of exams to help you study and serve as a quick reference when you have questions in your early classes. When you’re ready to graduate, these upperclassmen may be in the position to help you get a job at their current company.
6. Find learning inside the classroom. Many of your freshman-level classes may seem very easy if you were an over-achiever in high school, leading to a strong desire to skip classes and simply learn the material on your own. While this may be an effective learning strategy for some, it is usually not an effective ‘get a good grade in this class’ strategy. Gaining an understanding of your professor’s style is key to doing well in a class, and your fellow students can be a valuable resource if you need a partner to discuss assignments or study for exams.
Lyn Van Swol, Professor of Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin – Madison:
- Work with a professor as early in your college career as you possibly can- the reason I got into the psych program I got into was because of a letter of recommendation from a professor I worked with for a year. Good grades are essential, but sometimes it helps to know someone big in the field too.
Eight hours a day should be more than enough to get through.
Be conscientious!!!
Take care of small things as fast as you can so they don’t weigh you down.
“Never hope more than you work” Rita Mae Brown
Exercise
Eat your vegetables.
If you’ve any additional advice for freshmen, feel free to comment or email me! I’d love to feature your advice on this blog.
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