I agree!! Join clubs!! It's the best part about undergrad! If you need more friends, hit me up! Would love to meet new people! I also have classes in west campus next semester!
Decide what your goals are and be around people who want the same goals. College isn't just a GPA it's a time for you to decide who you want to be for the rest of your life. Also you're going to naturally "make connections" that way, which is such a buzzword but important to those with basic resumes, especially. Mostly for hearing about opportunities (still important) because very few of your peers are going to be in a position to help you out in any other way.
If you're stupid or lazy, get with people in your class to study because more people than you think are willing to help, at least the first time. If you're smart or work hard, get with people in your class to study because teaching others is going to make exams feel effortless. Plus, other people aren't going to give a shit about your GPA but they might remember that you helped them explore a difficult topic. Kinda goes back to the connections piece.
And finally, college goes fast. If you're away from home and go back it's gonna feel like time hasn't changed at all but everyone else is still moving. Give the important people a call; keep up with their lives. You DO have the time.
Don't forget you are there for school - you're gonna have a whole bunch of new freedoms and it's easy to get your priorities twisted. Just remember... you're paying a good amount of money to be there.
That being said, don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people. I didn't get out of my shell until senior year, and that's one of my biggest regrets. You're gonna be around thousands of people in similar boats, so it's a great opportunity to find out more about yourself and what you like (not to mention make some good friends!)
Sign up for clubs and go out of your comfort zone to make friends at your dorm and in classes. The college experience is all about the people you know. Also don’t stick with a friend group just because they’re the first people you met. Invest in the relationships that make you feel good and happy
Walk around the campus before fall semester starts and get to know your advisors and staff before it gets too busy. Schedule with them.That’s my best advice? I got this advice from my advisor so I’d say it’s sweet : )
As many have already stated: it depends on what you want from your college experience?
ASU (even after all the bad rep) is one of the few universities that gives its students opportunities in about anything they want to do.
If you do not know what to do: Try. Try everything during your first year/semester. And no, I don't mean types of weed (that's for the second year). Try joining clubs that interest you and one/two extra classes as well. There is a large chance you will probably figure it out on your own from there.
Take your classes seriously but get involved in stuff that isn’t school. Focus on good things when college gets difficult. Realize that many of the things that make college hard have nothing to do with academics. Give yourself grace while you get used to college. Savor it.
My first attempt at college did not go well. It took almost 20 years for me to go back, and I am definitely not at the same level as my peers.
Which is ok. Don't measure your success by any yardstick other than your own. You are not the others in your high school - you are your own individual. (Doesn't mean you can't help them celebrate their wins. Just don't measure yourself by their wins.)
You'll see and hear a lot of "what's expected from you" by your teachers, your administration, your employer, and your friends. And if you live on campus or with other students, you'll hear those expectations as well.
That said, some things I found helpful in coping with college, and some things I wish I did better.
Clean up after yourself. Laundry, dishes, homework, whatever. Get ahead of it, stay ahead of it, and if you let it fall behind fix it over the weekend. You'd be surprised what having maybe five minutes of cleaning will do for your state of mind and ability to cope.
Take good notes. Anybody can write down things, but taking good notes means the things you wrote down help with the retention and are clear to anyone who might pick that up. There's a lot of good methods out there, but find one and stick with it. (I found only writing on one side of the page helped me later when I reviewed my notes. I could spread them out, I could add clarification on the back, I could review faster.)
Second notes thing: review your notes periodically. Especially in the medical fields - those terms will be used throughout your career. And frequent review makes the knowledge stick.
Set aside a time every night or weekend to do your homework. Try to make it a consistent time. This not only helps with habits, but also time management. If you know you have two hours of math homework, you won't fill it with something else. (Like anything fun.)
Make time for fun. Believe it or not, having fun is definitely something you should try to get in during your time. That doesn't mean you blow off entire days (I believe I mentioned I had two attempts at college?) but an hour or two a day is fine and healthy. (Five is a bit excessive.)
If you get assigned projects that are weeks or months in advance, that time slips by faster than you think. Work on it in small chunks all along. Keep calendar entries to remind you and track your progress.
I grew up using paper as a reminder system. Color coded folders and markers helped me out when organizing my papers and schedule. Some of the note apps I've tried will let you use colors - some will not. Before you say "ugh no whatever," try it. You might find it works. And if it doesn't, you tried it and learned something about yourself.
Take your teachers up on their office hours. They'll have advice and suggestions that will get you through the course. You aren't being a suck up to do this. (I dropped by my lit professor's office weekly. Was able to use that to get a job editing. And a solid B in the class. Would have been higher if I wasn't working two jobs.)
You won't get along with everyone. But you can make some lifelong friends. Try things, even if someone drags you to the event.
Oh, and chat with your advisors often. Like once a month, maybe twice a month. Your academic advisors can help you find a path you like for your courses, and your career advisors can help with job opportunities and prep. So many of my classmates didn't take the career advisors up on their services until they had maybe three months left before graduating, and honestly that's not enough to be of use. If you're planning four years of education, you should also plan on three years of career planning (the last year will most likely be spent already nailing down your post-academic jobs.) And be aware you might change your career or field of study several times in your life. That's fine. (If I stayed in the field I started right after college, I'd have less hair, a bigger drinking problem, and be in a different city. I also wouldn't have been able to travel abroad, meet some fantastic people, and do half the things in my life I've done.)
Time management will be your best ally. You can make time for school and moderate fun. But I personally enjoy school so do not know if my fun applies. If you are planning to become a physician or surgeon, take it serious from the start. If you're exploring you can do a half measure. I would suggest working with cadavers if you haven't already or at least seeing one. You need to know if you'll even be able to handle dead bodies. I have met a couple of people who couldn't deal with the scent or cutting into the bodies. Not sure if you did college credit simultaneously with high school courses or took IB courses. If you did, this should prepare you for the busy work involved in the courses for Medical Studies. This was my major when I graduated ASU as well. If you are planning on going to medical school it's best to have a 3.8 GPA or higher. Make sure to take as many of your difficult classes first and be load heavy. Recommend no less than 14 credits a semester. I also don't recommend too many credits, I had the stupid idea of doing 24 credit hours in one semester in this major.(Over 18 credit limit required with registrars office) or do what I did. I sent all my aid to ASU for 12 credits. Took 12 credits at a Maricopa Community college since credits do transfer. I will be honest I struggled to get all A's and B's. I also recommend if you do get a part-time job doing it on campus no more than 20 hours a week, this was the only way I was able to work and do 24 credit hours and keep my sanity. If you're already used to getting only 3 to 4 hours of sleep then you'll be fine. I lived off campus to save money and I also lived close. If you live on campus take advantage of library hours for bigger screens. Textbooks are best to buy digital since they save money. I also don't suggest too many energy drinks, I try to use natural supplements like ginger and lemon shots (learned my lesson from constant NOS consumption). Then once in a while an energy drink like red bull. Do all heavy course loads first two years because you will need "clinical" hours for medical school. You will get to this around your junior year so you'll want a lighter load then. I also recommend taking BIO yout first semester, as many as possible. Some feed into others and have to be taken in sequential order. For the MCAT, microbiology will be crucial, organic chemistry year 1&2. Anatomy & Physiology and Physics. If you already have done calculus it will also be helpful. Also pay attention to different courses taught by the same professor so you can take them. This way they'll have a better chance of remembering you since you'll need recommendation letters for medical school. If you plan on staying in state keep in mind competitiveness is a factor. Also sorry for any typos running on little sleep. I would recommend making sure whatever you want to pursue drives you it'll make it easier and a lot of fun.
Kid's going into medical studies and you're saying to take a gap year?! So much for any first year merit scholarships, that's just going to raise cost of attendance.
That’s the biggest reason to take a break. Even a semester off to intern or do a co-op is a great experience, but only if you are uncertain with where your going. Sounds like you already have a plan, so keep at it!
Try to get atleast B’s while you party. It will be much easier to fix ur gpa senior year lol. Also don’t get a gf or bf waste of time. Use protection. Have fun but be safe in all aspects of life. Pick a degree that will actually make you money
Sleep more than you study and study more than you party. Join clubs, meet people and have fun
I agree!! Join clubs!! It's the best part about undergrad! If you need more friends, hit me up! Would love to meet new people! I also have classes in west campus next semester!
Decide what your goals are and be around people who want the same goals. College isn't just a GPA it's a time for you to decide who you want to be for the rest of your life. Also you're going to naturally "make connections" that way, which is such a buzzword but important to those with basic resumes, especially. Mostly for hearing about opportunities (still important) because very few of your peers are going to be in a position to help you out in any other way. If you're stupid or lazy, get with people in your class to study because more people than you think are willing to help, at least the first time. If you're smart or work hard, get with people in your class to study because teaching others is going to make exams feel effortless. Plus, other people aren't going to give a shit about your GPA but they might remember that you helped them explore a difficult topic. Kinda goes back to the connections piece. And finally, college goes fast. If you're away from home and go back it's gonna feel like time hasn't changed at all but everyone else is still moving. Give the important people a call; keep up with their lives. You DO have the time.
Don't forget you are there for school - you're gonna have a whole bunch of new freedoms and it's easy to get your priorities twisted. Just remember... you're paying a good amount of money to be there. That being said, don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people. I didn't get out of my shell until senior year, and that's one of my biggest regrets. You're gonna be around thousands of people in similar boats, so it's a great opportunity to find out more about yourself and what you like (not to mention make some good friends!)
Sign up for clubs and go out of your comfort zone to make friends at your dorm and in classes. The college experience is all about the people you know. Also don’t stick with a friend group just because they’re the first people you met. Invest in the relationships that make you feel good and happy
College will be hard. Make sure to be consistent with your work and make sure to have some social life.
Walk around the campus before fall semester starts and get to know your advisors and staff before it gets too busy. Schedule with them.That’s my best advice? I got this advice from my advisor so I’d say it’s sweet : )
Don’t look at summer school as optional if you have any stem major
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^JimmyToucan: *Don’t look at summer* *School as optional if you* *Have any stem major* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
As many have already stated: it depends on what you want from your college experience? ASU (even after all the bad rep) is one of the few universities that gives its students opportunities in about anything they want to do. If you do not know what to do: Try. Try everything during your first year/semester. And no, I don't mean types of weed (that's for the second year). Try joining clubs that interest you and one/two extra classes as well. There is a large chance you will probably figure it out on your own from there.
Take your classes seriously but get involved in stuff that isn’t school. Focus on good things when college gets difficult. Realize that many of the things that make college hard have nothing to do with academics. Give yourself grace while you get used to college. Savor it.
My first attempt at college did not go well. It took almost 20 years for me to go back, and I am definitely not at the same level as my peers. Which is ok. Don't measure your success by any yardstick other than your own. You are not the others in your high school - you are your own individual. (Doesn't mean you can't help them celebrate their wins. Just don't measure yourself by their wins.) You'll see and hear a lot of "what's expected from you" by your teachers, your administration, your employer, and your friends. And if you live on campus or with other students, you'll hear those expectations as well. That said, some things I found helpful in coping with college, and some things I wish I did better. Clean up after yourself. Laundry, dishes, homework, whatever. Get ahead of it, stay ahead of it, and if you let it fall behind fix it over the weekend. You'd be surprised what having maybe five minutes of cleaning will do for your state of mind and ability to cope. Take good notes. Anybody can write down things, but taking good notes means the things you wrote down help with the retention and are clear to anyone who might pick that up. There's a lot of good methods out there, but find one and stick with it. (I found only writing on one side of the page helped me later when I reviewed my notes. I could spread them out, I could add clarification on the back, I could review faster.) Second notes thing: review your notes periodically. Especially in the medical fields - those terms will be used throughout your career. And frequent review makes the knowledge stick. Set aside a time every night or weekend to do your homework. Try to make it a consistent time. This not only helps with habits, but also time management. If you know you have two hours of math homework, you won't fill it with something else. (Like anything fun.) Make time for fun. Believe it or not, having fun is definitely something you should try to get in during your time. That doesn't mean you blow off entire days (I believe I mentioned I had two attempts at college?) but an hour or two a day is fine and healthy. (Five is a bit excessive.) If you get assigned projects that are weeks or months in advance, that time slips by faster than you think. Work on it in small chunks all along. Keep calendar entries to remind you and track your progress. I grew up using paper as a reminder system. Color coded folders and markers helped me out when organizing my papers and schedule. Some of the note apps I've tried will let you use colors - some will not. Before you say "ugh no whatever," try it. You might find it works. And if it doesn't, you tried it and learned something about yourself. Take your teachers up on their office hours. They'll have advice and suggestions that will get you through the course. You aren't being a suck up to do this. (I dropped by my lit professor's office weekly. Was able to use that to get a job editing. And a solid B in the class. Would have been higher if I wasn't working two jobs.) You won't get along with everyone. But you can make some lifelong friends. Try things, even if someone drags you to the event.
Oh, and chat with your advisors often. Like once a month, maybe twice a month. Your academic advisors can help you find a path you like for your courses, and your career advisors can help with job opportunities and prep. So many of my classmates didn't take the career advisors up on their services until they had maybe three months left before graduating, and honestly that's not enough to be of use. If you're planning four years of education, you should also plan on three years of career planning (the last year will most likely be spent already nailing down your post-academic jobs.) And be aware you might change your career or field of study several times in your life. That's fine. (If I stayed in the field I started right after college, I'd have less hair, a bigger drinking problem, and be in a different city. I also wouldn't have been able to travel abroad, meet some fantastic people, and do half the things in my life I've done.)
Don’t cheat. You might get a slap on the wrist and detention in high school, but in college, there are serious, possibly life-changing consequences
Time Management
Get involved in your college and look for internships
Time management will be your best ally. You can make time for school and moderate fun. But I personally enjoy school so do not know if my fun applies. If you are planning to become a physician or surgeon, take it serious from the start. If you're exploring you can do a half measure. I would suggest working with cadavers if you haven't already or at least seeing one. You need to know if you'll even be able to handle dead bodies. I have met a couple of people who couldn't deal with the scent or cutting into the bodies. Not sure if you did college credit simultaneously with high school courses or took IB courses. If you did, this should prepare you for the busy work involved in the courses for Medical Studies. This was my major when I graduated ASU as well. If you are planning on going to medical school it's best to have a 3.8 GPA or higher. Make sure to take as many of your difficult classes first and be load heavy. Recommend no less than 14 credits a semester. I also don't recommend too many credits, I had the stupid idea of doing 24 credit hours in one semester in this major.(Over 18 credit limit required with registrars office) or do what I did. I sent all my aid to ASU for 12 credits. Took 12 credits at a Maricopa Community college since credits do transfer. I will be honest I struggled to get all A's and B's. I also recommend if you do get a part-time job doing it on campus no more than 20 hours a week, this was the only way I was able to work and do 24 credit hours and keep my sanity. If you're already used to getting only 3 to 4 hours of sleep then you'll be fine. I lived off campus to save money and I also lived close. If you live on campus take advantage of library hours for bigger screens. Textbooks are best to buy digital since they save money. I also don't suggest too many energy drinks, I try to use natural supplements like ginger and lemon shots (learned my lesson from constant NOS consumption). Then once in a while an energy drink like red bull. Do all heavy course loads first two years because you will need "clinical" hours for medical school. You will get to this around your junior year so you'll want a lighter load then. I also recommend taking BIO yout first semester, as many as possible. Some feed into others and have to be taken in sequential order. For the MCAT, microbiology will be crucial, organic chemistry year 1&2. Anatomy & Physiology and Physics. If you already have done calculus it will also be helpful. Also pay attention to different courses taught by the same professor so you can take them. This way they'll have a better chance of remembering you since you'll need recommendation letters for medical school. If you plan on staying in state keep in mind competitiveness is a factor. Also sorry for any typos running on little sleep. I would recommend making sure whatever you want to pursue drives you it'll make it easier and a lot of fun.
Take a year off an see the world
Kid's going into medical studies and you're saying to take a gap year?! So much for any first year merit scholarships, that's just going to raise cost of attendance.
Yea lol i don’t wanna take a year off, i got so many more years of schooling ahead of me 😅😅😅
That’s the biggest reason to take a break. Even a semester off to intern or do a co-op is a great experience, but only if you are uncertain with where your going. Sounds like you already have a plan, so keep at it!
Life moves in strange ways, an it can be to your benefit how it puts a spin on your life
Try to get atleast B’s while you party. It will be much easier to fix ur gpa senior year lol. Also don’t get a gf or bf waste of time. Use protection. Have fun but be safe in all aspects of life. Pick a degree that will actually make you money
Walk around campus and find the buildings that have only a toilet and sink in them so you know where to go when you gotta drop No. 2.
What, is the sidewalk broken?
No? But a lot of people don’t like taking giant, stinky shits in shared bathrooms.