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[SD-Ness]

As will high school seniors here, I'm going to be a freshman in college next year. Boston College in Massachusetts - to be precise.

So, what is college life really like?

Of course, I've heard the myths: never-ending, late-night parties complete with alcohol, marijuana, and desirable females.

But, as odd as this may sound, I hope it is not. Partying here and there is fine, but I'm definitely not becoming an alcoholic or pothead. And I don't need to do it all the time to get my fix. I'd also like to find a female with which I can have a long lasting and mature relationship, as opposed to wasting it with several, possibly worthless other ones.

Academically, I'm going all out. This might sound like an overly ambitious comment, but I'd like get straight A's and graduate as high as possible in my class. As I have so far presumed, will I be spending many, many hours studying? I'm planning for a double major in English and mathematics.

There seems to be a lot of "free" time - how is this spent? Haha.
Is it easy to make new friends?

Anything you feel like adding...seriousness would be nice.

 

[demon]

All you do is homework and you never have any fun or get laid. Take it from me. I went to college.

 

[SD-Ness]

That's just fucking perfect then.

 

[Brannon]

Do not procrastinate.

Do not procrastinate.

DO NOT PROCRASTINATE.

PROCRASTINATE, DO NOT.

If there is anything you learn in college, it's that you simply do not procrastinate. Whatever work you get, make a time frame and finish the project. Do Not Procrastinate.

The free time you speak of is illusory in a way. The deadlines will sneak up on you before you know it. Do the work. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Then have sweet, delicious fun.

That's all I got, everything else will fall into place. It did for me when I learned soon enough to NOT PROCRASTINATE. No more 48 hour day marathons for me.

Nein!

 

[Matlock]

The one thing I have to tell you here is--don't look at the result of getting straight A's.

Look at the steps on the way to learn and get whatever grade may come.

You'll be happier in the end, and wiser for it.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

but I'm definitely not becoming an alcoholic or pothead.

You will at least become alcoholic by the first time you say fuck it and get drunk.

 

[belgurdo]

Do not procrastinate.

Do not procrastinate.

DO NOT PROCRASTINATE.

PROCRASTINATE, DO NOT.

If there is anything you learn in college, it's that you simply do not procrastinate. Whatever work you get, make a time frame and finish the project. Do Not Procrastinate.

The free time you speak of is illusory in a way. The deadlines will sneak up on you before you know it. Do the work. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Then have sweet, delicious fun.

That's all I got, everything else will fall into place. It did for me when I learned soon enough to NOT PROCRASTINATE. No more 48 hour day marathons for me.

Nein!

I found out that if you grin a lot in class and don't say anything you can get away with a lot. Forgot to do a paper? Had a 30 page homework pack to do but you didn't do half of it? Sigh and smile big when when they ask for it and they'll give you a week to read the book or whatever and finish up. (this actually worked in a couple of classes last year-go go community college :lol )

(And as stated up above, grades are pointless unless you're a perfectionist or you're a med student. You're there paying cash for a guaranteed degree in three-six years, not to get a pat on the head from your parents and a coupon for free McDonald's for getting As)

 

[kablooey]

Do not procrastinate.

Do not procrastinate.

DO NOT PROCRASTINATE.

PROCRASTINATE, DO NOT.

If there is anything you learn in college, it's that you simply do not procrastinate. Whatever work you get, make a time frame and finish the project. Do Not Procrastinate.

The free time you speak of is illusory in a way. The deadlines will sneak up on you before you know it. Do the work. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Then have sweet, delicious fun.

That's all I got, everything else will fall into place. It did for me when I learned soon enough to NOT PROCRASTINATE. No more 48 hour day marathons for me.

Nein!

This man speaks the truth. I just finished my first year last month, and well...I had to learn this the very very hard way. I got by in high school by procrastinating like crazy, but still somehow pulling everything together at the last minute. In college, this strategy (if you can call it that) simply does not work. I don't really like talking about it now, but my grades are utter shit at this point, and I was used to getting solid A's and B's throughout (most of) High School. So, it can happen to anyone, I suppose.

As for the social aspect, it depends on what size the school you're going to is. If you're at a relatively large school like I'm attending, what you should try to do is find some kind of club or organization or fraternity to devote a significant amount of your energy towards. It'll help you to form a social network, meet people, etc., and also help you develop your interests more. Not to mention, you'll always know what to do during your free time (more important than it might seem).

Anyway, good luck.

 

[SD-Ness]

You will at least become alcoholic by the first time you say fuck it and get drunk.

Meh, doubt it.

Thanks, above.

 

[galeninjapan]

I am going to tell you the key to passing you class, the one and only thing you need to do to get decent grades. This one thing must be hard to do because not very many people do it, but I guarantee if you do it your grades will be allot better.

Spoiler

go to class

you'd be surprised how many college students think they can get by without doing that.

 

[ChrisReid]

(And as stated up above, grades are pointless unless you're a perfectionist or you're a med student. You're there paying cash for a guaranteed degree in three-six years, not to get a pat on the head from your parents and a coupon for free McDonald's for getting As)

This comes up a lot, and I strongly disagree. A lot of majors are competitive these days. Business, technology, law, medical, all the best degrees are highly competitive. At many schools, they won't even consider you for entrance into the department if you're below 3.0 or 3.2, and they don't realistically accept you below 3.5. The same goes for any sort of graduate/masters/doctorate work beyond your bachelors degree. Your scholarship potentials don't disappear when you leave high school either. There are a number of scholarships they give out for people in a certain department. Once again, below 3.5 and you're seriously out of the running. And when you graduate, unless you have extensive internship or related experience, major companies will be asking for your GPA to factor into their hiring. Grades are very important. AND DON'T PROCRASTINATE!

 

[Dilbert]

Partying here and there is fine, but I'm definitely not becoming an alcoholic or pothead. And I don't need to do it all the time to get my fix. I'd also like to find a female with which I can have a long lasting and mature relationship, as opposed to wasting it with several, possibly worthless other ones.

Keep in mind that college is MEANT to be a time for experimentation. Your conscience/mind/whatever will let you know when you're REALLY going outside of a comfortable area...but, realize that trying new things and being a little scared are not necessarily bad. If I were you, I'd encourage you not to set preconceived limits on what you will or will not do, with one exception: Make sure that WHATEVER you do doesn't impact your ability to succeed at your classwork. (Well, doesn't impact it TOO much. Yeah, fucking up the occasional assignment because you did something interesting isn't always a bad thing.)

Academically, I'm going all out. This might sound like an overly ambitious comment, but I'd like get straight A's and graduate as high as possible in my class. As I have so far presumed, will I be spending many, many hours studying? I'm planning for a double major in English and mathematics.

That will be a brutal course of study since there is practically NO overlap between those two curricula, and it may actually work against you. When it's time to get a job, what will matter is your GPA in the field which is directly applicable to your career field, and if you sacrifice some grade points to achieve a double major, it isn't going to help. It also may require so much time that you can't pursue a particular internship or research project. If I may ask -- why are you choosing that particular combination?

There seems to be a lot of "free" time - how is this spent? Haha.
Is it easy to make new friends?

I was a commuter student, so my "free" time was spent at a job (had to pay my own way through school) and in a car (2+ hours a day on average). In your free time, I would STRONGLY encourage you to work out regularly to a) avoid the "Freshman 15," b) help manage stress, and c) help you meet people. You also may want to get some kind of an on-campus job to make some extra cash and meet people, but I'd recommend waiting until at least your second semester. Making the transition to college-level classes and the college environment will be a challenge, and you want to minimize the distractions in your first semester.

As for meeting people: 1) Network, network, network. Whenever you can, make it habit to ask people their name, where they are from, and what they are studying to build your network of friends. Obviously you don't want to act like you're interrogating everyone...but you should go out of your way to be friendly and start conversations. 2) Find several study partners in each class. In addition to potentially making friends, you will need someone in each class to relay assignments when you miss a class, compare notes to better understand difficult topics, and help prepare for exams. 3) Pursue common interest activities. If you play basketball, go to the local court, get in a game, and set up a game with the same guys for the following week. If you're into music, ask people about what music they like, arrange to go out together to catch a live show, and have them invite friends with similar tastes. Find the gamers in your dorm and organize an impromptu tournament for your favorite multiplayer games. Join a club or organization. If you do very well in your classes, become a tutor.

Good luck -- it sounds like you have a good attitude going into BC, and you'll have a blast in college!

 

[Dilbert]

(And as stated up above, grades are pointless unless you're a perfectionist or you're a med student. You're there paying cash for a guaranteed degree in three-six years, not to get a pat on the head from your parents and a coupon for free McDonald's for getting As)

With all due respect -- you're completely wrong.

The only reason I even got an interview from my current employer is because of my GPA. As already mentioned, GPA is THE critical factor in being eligible to apply for certain internships, fellowships, or scholarships...and in competitive job fields, a high GPA may very well be the factor which gets you in the door.

Also -- and call me crazy and old-fashioned for thinking this way -- your grades are really a reflection of your work ethic and thought process. Getting good grades for their own sake is not what is valuable -- mastering your thinking and discipline to implement the effective habits which RESULT in a good GPA is what is valuable.

 

[ChrisReid]

That will be a brutal course of study since there is practically NO overlap between those two curricula, and it may actually work against you. When it's time to get a job, what will matter is your GPA in the field which is directly applicable to your career field, and if you sacrifice some grade points to achieve a double major, it isn't going to help. It also may require so much time that you can't pursue a particular internship or research project. If I may ask -- why are you choosing that particular combination?

Yeah, this is a great point. Double majors are great, especially when 75% of them are overlapping classes. I did Economics and Political Science. Only extended my studies by three quarters, yet they're sufficiently different though complementary. But coming in at the top of your class, getting straight As, is probably even more impressive. There's plenty of double-majors out there who got poor grades and can't find work. Meanwhile, all the people with single degrees and perfect grades were recruited into major corporations/government before they even finished their last classes.

With all due respect -- you're completely wrong.

The only reason I even got an interview from my current employer is because of my GPA. As already mentioned, GPA is THE critical factor in being eligible to apply for certain internships, fellowships, or scholarships...and in competitive job fields, a high GPA may very well be the factor which gets you in the door.

Also -- and call me crazy and old-fashioned for thinking this way -- your grades are really a reflection of your work ethic and thought process. Getting good grades for their own sake is not what is valuable -- mastering your thinking and discipline to implement the effective habits which RESULT in a good GPA is what is valuable.

Yeah, people take notice of good grades! I'm not talking about your family, I'm talking about teachers and employers. When it comes to college, being recognized by your professors is not like being the high school teacher's pet. These profs will help out their best students Letters of recommendation, internship opportunities, elite recruitment. Don't settle for 3.0 like I did! There are consequences.

 

[demon]

One bit of advice I was given and didn't take, and wish that I had, was to not do the single-person room thing. Live with roommates. I suppose everyone is different in this respect, but I would have been infinitely better off socially throughout college if I lived with roommates after my freshman year.

Ugh, these college newbie advice threads always depress me...

GPA is THE critical factor in being eligible to apply for certain internships, fellowships, or scholarships...and in competitive job fields, a high GPA may very well be the factor which gets you in the door.

Well poop.

Don't settle for 3.0 like I did!

fuuuuuck.

 

[Dilbert]

Yeah, this is a great point. Double majors are great, especially when 75% of them are overlapping classes. I did Economics and Political Science. Only extended my studies by three quarters, yet they're sufficiently different though complementary. But coming in at the top of your class, getting straight As, is probably even more impressive. There's plenty of double-majors out there who got poor grades and can't find work. Meanwhile, all the people with single degrees and perfect grades were recruited into major corporations/government before they even finished their last classes.

I took a lot of philosophy courses, though not enough to get a minor. I did it because it was a nice counterpoint to physics -- helped keep me sane -- but it also taught me some skills which have been very useful in my career. The most important of them was the ability to write in a tightly focused way -- as a systems engineer, I can't tell you how many times I've seen programs get into trouble because of poorly-worded, ambiguous language in either technical requirements or in contractual statements of work. Philosophy will teach you in a HURRY to watch what you write, since the change of a single word in a sentence can ruin your point...and the grade on your paper.

The important thing, though, was to acquire the SKILL, not necessarily to take the class. If Zero is taking English because he wants to improve some aspect of his language skills, would it be possible to pursue that in some other way which wouldn't potentially affect his GPA? If he is just interested in literature, I'd have to give the brutally honest suggestion to reserve time for reading each week, and spend the majority of his energy focusing on mathematics.

 

[Rorschach]

I found out that if you grin a lot in class and don't say anything you can get away with a lot. Forgot to do a paper? Had a 30 page homework pack to do but you didn't do half of it? Sigh and smile big when when they ask for it and they'll give you a week to read the book or whatever and finish up. (this actually worked in a couple of classes last year-go go community college :lol )

(And as stated up above, grades are pointless unless you're a perfectionist or you're a med student. You're there paying cash for a guaranteed degree in three-six years, not to get a pat on the head from your parents and a coupon for free McDonald's for getting As)

You can get away with that in Jr College, I guess. I don't know what you're majoring in and I do not mean to put CC down, but most professors don't give a shit about your papers. I don't think there have been many cases when one personally asks me for an assignment. It's always just "leave it here on your way out." If you don't have it, that's your deal. Also, see jinx' post about internships and interviews. I know it mattered in for my internship consideration.

[edit] http://ga-forum.com/showpost.php?p=1440978&postcount=4 All you freshman, pay attention to this man's post!

 

[demon]

And I can vouch for the "procastination is bad" point. Procastination will FUCK YOU. Big time. It almost becomes addictive, too, and just fucks you more and more. You'll come out of college with an anus the size of a mason jar if you let procastination fuck you like I let it.

 

[Matlock]

Re: "Grades don't matter!"

Grades do matter, somewhat, depending on what your coursework is--but there are a few catches here. Some people go through college reciting and forgetting. You can get a 4.0 but it ain't worth shit unless you know what you're talking about.

Be more concerned with HOW YOU ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT--each step at a time. If you falter on a test, don't get pissy. Look over it, talk it over with the instructor, and put an effort into personal development and not just standardization of thought.

 

[retardboy]

And I can vouch for the "procastination is bad" point. Procastination will FUCK YOU. Big time. It almost becomes addictive, too, and just fucks you more and more. You'll come out of college with an anus the size of a mason jar if you let procastination fuck you like I let it.

Definitely... Once you start, it's sooooo damn hard to stop. I've been in that phase since the begining of college. Going to be a senior next semester and I'm still doing it... Luckily I'm a freaken IS major and I'm still able to pull off a 3.73 I think. If I actually did something challenging, I'd seriously be dead.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Just force yourself to go to the library. The Internet is a terrible thing.

 

[StrikerObi]

Go to class, sit in or at least near the front!

I had 2 of my grades bumped up this semester just by sitting in the front row of class.

Also, party, but don't party hard. Nobody likes a guy who ruins parties. Have fun, drink a little, don't get shitfaced. This is what I do. Ok, on occasion I let loose and get quite drunk, but not falling over passing out throwing up drunk (did that once won't ever do it again).

 

[demon]

Just force yourself to go to the library. The Internet is a terrible thing.

Uhh, at my school, you couldn't AVOID the internet at libraries. Computers with internet connections as far as the eye can see.

 

[Brannon]

Just force yourself to go to the library. The Internet is a terrible thing.

Agreed, a good college will have a lot of needed research material on campus or at a nearby library, and they don't 'suddenly crash' either, which just doesn't fly with college professors. Learn the library and you'll have quite the edge up on internet-only researchers.

To the Dewey Decimal Mobile!

 

[retardboy]

Uhh, at my school, you couldn't AVOID the internet at libraries. Computers with internet connections as far as the eye can see.

Hahaha seriously... The whole library is filled with computers. My school actually just remodeled the library so that most of the crap is on computers now so you don't have to find the actual articles. And yeah... Internet is bad. This forum especially! It just sucks you in...

 

[Meier]

My best advice is to always speak up and be involved in class. Every time there is a lull, try and answer the question and be slightly on track. Most of the time the teachers will help you out and answer it if youre a bit off. Get on good terms with them and it'll make a huge difference come grades time or if you're sick but dont have an excuse or something. Having your teachers on your side is absolutely critical.

I also suggest taking the same teacher again if you can and they were cool with you. Second time through, they know you and are comfortable with you and are almost always easier. I did it every opportunity I could and dont regret it a single minute.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Uhh, at my school, you couldn't AVOID the internet at libraries. Computers with internet connections as far as the eye can see.

Regardless, run to a wing of the library that doesn't contain computers.

 

[Atrex]

It is really easy to get distracted from the actual purpose of school...and yes drugs and alcohol are everywhere if you didnt experience it in highschool you will here, and its alot more prominent. Mostly everyone i met smoked dro at least a couple times, the key is to have the restraint to not do it when it is a necessity that other shit needs to be done, for instance in the morning before class.... If you cannot condition yourself to be responsible with intoxicants you will end up fucking up bad and it will cost you a ton of time and effort in the long run. You can have your fun and believe me you will, but you can also balance that with the proper amount of studying. The schoolwork isnt altogether that much different it is a lot more responibility based and some professors do their best to complicate everything for no reason. One other thing i found was that the majority of girls especially freshmen have definately found a new sense of freedom and they exploit it to the fullest, it seemed to me like most the girls I encountered were more horny than your average 15 year old boy.

 

[vangace]

Horrible unless you have someone bankrolling your education. For me its pretty much like this, when i am not working i am either at school or doing homework/ vice versa.

Pretty much leaves little or no time for gaming or wanking :lol

 

[retardboy]

But plenty of time for this forum!

 

[vangace]

But plenty of time for this forum!

Dude you got have time for GAF :lol

 

[videogamer]

One bit of advice I was given and didn't take, and wish that I had, was to not do the single-person room thing. Live with roommates. I suppose everyone is different in this respect, but I would have been infinitely better off socially throughout college if I lived with roommates after my freshman year.

Eh, like -jinx- mentioned, you can find "friends" through other means. There are probably pre-business, pre-med, or pre-whatever clubs where you can network with other like-minded people. Some people like it. You might find networking a necessary annoyance.

A high GPA is good, but it's not everything. Think of what the real world applications of what you're studying. For example, as a pre-health biology major, the lecture courses aren't very useful for me. So what do you do? Try to get into an internship, research or some kind of "real world" experience as fast as you can. This is a great way to get relevant experience, letters, and possibly, publications. Start once you've found a program or professor.. and I mean LOOK. It would be good if you started before your junior year, because a lot of the grad school applications are done in the summer/fall. A RPG club or playing sports may not look as good on grad school apps/resume as, say, being in the leadership of a service club or doing undergraduate research on literature.

The problem with living with roommates is that:
1. You don't know their habits. They might keep you awake at night with their loud music or snoring.
2. Even if you know the people, living with them may totally change your opinion of them.

Ugh, these college newbie advice threads always depress me...


Well poop.

fuuuuuck.

Totally

About avoiding computers: don't count on it. Many of my classes have their lecture materials, reading, and grades online. A lot of the research for papers is available online nowadays... it would be terrible to actually have to go around photocopying that stuff. So you have a buch of PDFs, and you type up your paper on that computer.

 

[demon]

procrastination Rocks. do it. gpa doesnt dictate a hire and in fact some Employers prefer 3.0 students since they usually did something other than memorize shit in college like maintain other Interests. keep around a 3.0, get a decent Internship, and have Fun. unless youre aiming for some polo shirt grad School, then the 4.0 is necessery.

Evil! EEVIIIIIIIIIIL!!

Don't listen to this man. Procastination is the devil.

 

[Macam]

What is college life like? That's up to you, and in part, where you're going to college. I think most everyone goes in with good intentions, and I think a lot of people are offering up some rather basic advice that much as you may care to take to heart beforehand, it'll only really sink in later through experience. If you have any preconceived notions of college, I'd discard them; partying 24-7 only happens if you want it to happen, and if you're majoring in mathematics and shooting for A's, it won't happen.

I'd also probably take -jinx-'s advice about double majoring; English may be an interesting topic, but it's effectively a throwaway one (as is communications for the most part) compared to mathematics and you're probably better off minoring in it or simply taking up extensive reading and literary exercises on the side. Of course, that depends on what you ultimately want to do, but I presume if you're majoring in mathematics, you're shooting for a career somewhat related to the sciences.

demon: I sympathize with the GPA comments, but don't feel so bad. I have you, and anyone else I'm certain, beat when it comes to botching GPAs. I'm talking about something like an (literally) 85% destruction rate here....and sans any wild n' crazy gung-ho college experiences to justify it.

 

[Miniboss]

procrastination Rocks. do it. gpa doesnt dictate a hire and in fact some Employers prefer 3.0 students since they usually did something other than memorize shit in college like maintain other Interests. keep around a 3.0, get a decent Internship, and have Fun. unless youre aiming for some polo shirt grad School, then the 4.0 is necessery.

Well said.

 

[demon]

demon: I sympathize with the GPA comments, but don't feel so bad. I have you, and anyone else I'm certain, beat when it comes to botching GPAs. I'm talking about something like an (literally) 85% destruction rate here....and sans any wild n' crazy gung-ho college experiences to justify it.

I probably have you beat on both accounts-- the GPA and the lack of any crazy social reasons to justify it. Maybe the minimum GPA is different at your school, but I almost got kicked out a couple times because of how low my GPA was (going below the 2.0 mark). Obviously my Major-related GPA isn't bad, but my general GPA is embarrassing. I almost consider it an accomplishment to have somehow graduated with my GPA.

 

[Escape Goat]

being prepared for college isn't possible I think. Its something everyone has to experience and deal with on an individual basis.

 

[Boogie]

College life sucks.

I went in to University with an eager, ambitious attitude. I was looking forward to new experiences, meeting new people, etc, blah blah blah.

I'm halfway through, and realize that most of it is a crock of shit. I'm still me. Going to university hasn't done shit to help me grow as a person, if anything, I've regressed. I certainly haven't done a great job as far as meeting people or making new friends (or more than friends) is concerned.

 

[cvxfreak]

I will begin college for the first time in the fall, too.

I'm going to major in Political Science and Japanese... although on the latter, I'm thinking of reducing it to a minor since it bears little with Political Science.

I just bought my PowerBook for the purpose of college. I'm going to use the long breaks and am going to have between classes, go to the library and do homework and research. My brother has had a very comfortable life since he began college because of my parent's beliefs. Living in the Bay Area is very expensive, and my parents say that me and my brother have to live at home with no job for a full college University education. Get a job, get a new home is what they say. Normally I'd do that but the Bay Area leaves me with virtually no choice. So, I'll have a lot of time for education and I plan to spend it well.

 

[therock07]

...

 

[Macam]

I probably have you beat on both accounts-- the GPA and the lack of any crazy social reasons to justify it. Maybe the minimum GPA is different at your school, but I almost got kicked out a couple times because of how low my GPA was (going below the 2.0 mark). Obviously my Major-related GPA isn't bad, but my general GPA is embarrassing. I almost consider it an accomplishment to have somehow graduated with my GPA.

Try going below a 0.5, amigo.

 

[Drozmight]

yeah, college is a rip off. Everything I've learned here I could of learned by just studying the books. Instead I buy the book AND pay someone to go over it in front of me. What a load of shit. I wish they'd just charge me a fee for taking the test so I could get credit without having to pay for the class.

I'm not very good with the other aspect of uni though... whenever I go to a party I get bored very fast and want to leave. I guess I'm just too much of a loner for that sort of thing. I actually have more fun at home listening to music, writing and drinkin' white russians... though this leads to no sex... sadly.

I'd say give it a shot, and if after the first year bail out if you don't like it. I have a 3.6 and I left after three boring torturous years. Instead I'm going to get my CCNA CCNP and go into networking.

 

[Patrick Klepek]

College life sucks.

I went in to University with an eager, ambitious attitude. I was looking forward to new experiences, meeting new people, etc, blah blah blah.

I'm halfway through, and realize that most of it is a crock of shit. I'm still me. Going to university hasn't done shit to help me grow as a person, if anything, I've regressed. I certainly haven't done a great job as far as meeting people or making new friends (or more than friends) is concerned.

Please don't take his experience as reflective of most. That sucks that you're not enjoying college, but shit, most people do.

 

[ManaByte]

Please don't take his experience as reflective of most. That sucks that you're not enjoying college, but shit, most people do.

Especially if you are studying in a specialized field you like. Personally I'm looking forward to school later in the fall because this next year will be about 25% field work and the year after that will be even more with some of it being paid field work.

 

[GhaleonEB]

As will high school seniors here, I'm going to be a freshman in college next year. Boston College in Massachusetts - to be precise.

So, what is college life really like?

Of course, I've heard the myths: never-ending, late-night parties complete with alcohol, marijuana, and desirable females.

But, as odd as this may sound, I hope it is not. Partying here and there is fine, but I'm definitely not becoming an alcoholic or pothead. And I don't need to do it all the time to get my fix. I'd also like to find a female with which I can have a long lasting and mature relationship, as opposed to wasting it with several, possibly worthless other ones.

Academically, I'm going all out. This might sound like an overly ambitious comment, but I'd like get straight A's and graduate as high as possible in my class. As I have so far presumed, will I be spending many, many hours studying? I'm planning for a double major in English and mathematics.

There seems to be a lot of "free" time - how is this spent? Haha.
Is it easy to make new friends?

Anything you feel like adding...seriousness would be nice.

It's what you make it. I went to a huge party school, but I don't drink and I got married right before I started college (at age 21 - took some time off betwee high school and college). I never hung out with any classmates, just studied, worked and spent time with my wife and kid (two years in). Not a typical college experience....but it just illustrtes that you can do whatever you want.

That said, at least half my classmates got smashed (and usually laid) ever weekend. Down town was a freaking meat market.

 

[deadfish]

Uni's a mix of drinking, study and then going back to drinking.

Its a great life to live.

 

[Ash Housewares]

Evil! EEVIIIIIIIIIIL!!

Don't listen to this man. Procastination is the devil.

you don't want the puppies of purgatory gnawing on your ass over something you could've gotten done last week

don't be a dumb lazy asshole like me

 

[pollo]

yeah, college is a rip off. Everything I've learned here I could of learned by just studying the books. Instead I buy the book AND pay someone to go over it in front of me. What a load of shit. I wish they'd just charge me a fee for taking the test so I could get credit without having to pay for the class.

I'm not very good with the other aspect of uni though... whenever I go to a party I get bored very fast and want to leave. I guess I'm just too much of a loner for that sort of thing. I actually have more fun at home listening to music, writing and drinkin' white russians... though this leads to no sex... sadly.

I'd say give it a shot, and if after the first year bail out if you don't like it. I have a 3.6 and I left after three boring torturous years. Instead I'm going to get my CCNA CCNP and go into networking.

tru. will hunting had it right when he just read instead of paying for a college career. I find that most of the stuff I learn in class, I could prolly just go to the local library to learn myself.

A lot of college is knowing how to balance your time. And really if you want to do well - you will do well, despite what kind of student you are. I've seen geniuses in high school fall and are now currently struggling with a 2.4 just cause they thought they were too smart to study, others who weren't necesarilly the brightest are soaring with a 3.8+ gpa.

So study hard, party hard because seriously as cliche as it sounds, these are one of the best years of your life - and especially at boston college - their parties are whats always poppin.

 

[beerbelly]

If you're smart, people will use you. I guess it's true for everything we do in life.

 

[lexy]

Here's my advice.

- Don't be lazy. If you can be doing work right now you should do it.
- Always go to class. Always. There's no justifiable excuse not to be in class.
- Use your better judgement. If what you are doing or about to do feels wrong it probably is.
- If you mess up don't make excuses. Accept it and learn not to mess up again.


When you start fucking up it will be because you broke/bent one of these rules.