Columnist offers survival advice for new students
TRUTH AND ACCUSATIONS
Wayne Blankenship
Issue date: 8/30/01 Section: ViewPoint
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Greetings! Welcome back from summer vacation!
In my first installment of Truths and Accusations, I would like to offer some advice for incoming freshmen (and anyone else who may find it useful).
Many of you walk onto campus, minds filled with anticipation and questions as you enter this new stage of life known as college. Here are a few survival tips to help you on your way.
If you have not picked a major, the best thing to do is take some classes you think you may like. Sometimes you find something you enjoy, which helps make this decision easier. Whatever you do, do not let mom or dad pick your major for you. It is a bad idea to enter pre-med or computer science because that is your parents’ dream. You have your own dream and you know what you want to do. If you don’t, then give it time. It may take a while for you to find your niche (it took me eight major changes/modifications and five semesters).
Attend class. Even though your class may not have an attendance policy, that does not mean you have a free license to skip. It is inevitable that the professor will just happen to mention something of importance concerning the next exam on the one day you decide to sleep in.
Trust me - I’m speaking from experience. Some professors do not take roll, but it is a safe bet that they make mental notes of who is there and who is not. Also, class participation usually makes up a decent percentage of your grade. So, if you are not there, it makes it a little difficult to participate.
Talk to classmates. Become friends and exchange numbers and/or e-mails. In the event you do have to miss class, you at least have contacts to get notes and find out what is planned for the next class day.
Ask them about forming a study group, as well. You will find that a large number of your classmates will jump at this opportunity. It is a known fact that those who attend class study groups or other study sessions tend to do much better than those who do not.
In my first installment of Truths and Accusations, I would like to offer some advice for incoming freshmen (and anyone else who may find it useful).
Many of you walk onto campus, minds filled with anticipation and questions as you enter this new stage of life known as college. Here are a few survival tips to help you on your way.
If you have not picked a major, the best thing to do is take some classes you think you may like. Sometimes you find something you enjoy, which helps make this decision easier. Whatever you do, do not let mom or dad pick your major for you. It is a bad idea to enter pre-med or computer science because that is your parents’ dream. You have your own dream and you know what you want to do. If you don’t, then give it time. It may take a while for you to find your niche (it took me eight major changes/modifications and five semesters).
Attend class. Even though your class may not have an attendance policy, that does not mean you have a free license to skip. It is inevitable that the professor will just happen to mention something of importance concerning the next exam on the one day you decide to sleep in.
Trust me - I’m speaking from experience. Some professors do not take roll, but it is a safe bet that they make mental notes of who is there and who is not. Also, class participation usually makes up a decent percentage of your grade. So, if you are not there, it makes it a little difficult to participate.
Talk to classmates. Become friends and exchange numbers and/or e-mails. In the event you do have to miss class, you at least have contacts to get notes and find out what is planned for the next class day.
Ask them about forming a study group, as well. You will find that a large number of your classmates will jump at this opportunity. It is a known fact that those who attend class study groups or other study sessions tend to do much better than those who do not.