Angry_Citizen

Originally Posted by Hyperstrike

Congrats on college. Condolences on the financial impact of college!



Lots of good advice in this thread. Here's mine. Some of it will be duped further up-thread, but I'd rather give it to you as a coherent whole.

1: I know you're set on AS engineering. I know, currently, you don't know what you'd do if you didn't do that.

My advice is, don't worry about it yet. Your first year or so is for knocking out the general courses BEFORE deciding on a specialty. This will help give you some time and perspective on the college routine.

Lots of the basic courses are just that. BASIC. And a lot of the stuff you're going to be covering is going to seem like stuff you already know, and you'll see a bunch of overlap in each class.

Don't get discouraged by this. It's completely intentional. Part of it is a verification process to make sure you have the basics down. Part of it is a weeding process to get rid of people who simply don't have the patience to handle the mundane stuff. Because if they can't handle the mundane stuff, the more esoteric stuff will just knock them on their *****.

Finally, part of the reason is to slowly acclimate you to the habit of the collegiate learning process. Developing decent study habits here will be what REALLY carries you through the more brain-busting courses down the line.

Once you start getting into the specialty courses, either late in your second, or in your third year, THEN you can really make a decision about whether the specialty you've decided on is really for you. At that point you'll still have plenty of time to make changes as you see fit.

2: As others have noted, take an ACTIVE part in your education. Ask questions, especially if you're having problems grasping something, and expect answers. You're paying to have this information imparted to you. Do your best to make sure that it's imparted in a way you:

A: Understand
B: Can retain
C: Can effectively communicate to someone else if need be.

3: DO get a recording device. There are going to be times when you're getting tons of data dumped on you and you simply are NOT going to retain it all. The recording, lousy as it might be, will be a way to jog your memory.

Note: Some instructors dislike being recorded, as they feel it opens them up to undue scrutiny if they happen to mis-speak themselves. Do your best to assure them that you're only using this as a learning aid. At worst, if you aren't allowed to use it, make a note to yourself to REALLY make an effort to pay attention in that class.

4: DO NOT TRY TO CRAM CLASSES!!!

While this MAY help short-term for tests, for long-term retention, cramming the night before a test is possibly one of the worst things you can do. Put a bit of extra effort into the class up front, and you can review the subject before a test and still be confident that you have the information available.

5: Scheduling.

As noted, if you're not a morning person, don't schedule classes early.
Also, make note of when and where classes are. Don't schedule classes TOO closely together. But, on the flip-side, don't schedule them too far apart from other activities either.

I tried doing this several years ago, getting a class in after work when I was working nights. Unfortunately, the class started two HOURS after I got off work. In that amount of time my body had a chance to settle down and I'd nod off in my car and miss class.

Needless to say, I failed due to attendance.

6: Make every effort to be in class every day, early. If you have to, set your clocks a few minutes fast. Make allowances for delays, etc. But always try to be in the classroom 10-15 minutes early. You can always bug the teacher for info if he's there. Also, it's brown-nose points (which never hurts).

7: Schmooze!

You're going to come out of school with an engineering degree you won't get a diploma for. Social Engineering. Take the time to get to know your teachers and classmates. Maybe not on a "lifelong friends" level, but at least enough that you can interact with them on a friendly basis (even if you think they're a complete ***).

And attempt to keep all your interactions positive with them. Failing in that, ESPECIALLY if you're following the advice to actively question and get the answers you need, keep it civil.

Also, keep in mind that this isn't behavior that ends when the class is over or completed. These people can be your lifeline in a crisis. "Using" them, then chucking them in the bin once you're "done" with them is burning a bridge. MAKE an effort to stay friendly with them, say "hi" in a cheerful manner when you see them, even if you're feeling like someone buried you head down in a septic tank.

8: Actively plan your education! Important, because sometimes you can get so caught up in what you're doing that the next step has already smacked you in the face and walked past before you can get a decent handle on it. Take some down-time as you get it and plan your next steps. This way, if things are nuts when it comes time to grab your next classes, you don't have to think much about it.

9: Actively plan your recreation!

You are NOT going to be studying/going to class 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. This way lies the road to academic burnout and dropping out.

Once you pick up your classes and have attended for a week or two, you should get a clearer picture about what your class/study/work schedule should look like.

In addition to class time allotments and study time allotments, make sure to put in breaks and just outright recreation allotments as well.

There's a reason why you're supposed to take breaks on a job. Getting away from the work at hand for a few minutes allows you to relax, and helps give you a fresh perspective when you return to work. This helps make you more productive. the same applies for school work. If you're going to be studying/doing homework for more than a 2 hour period, give yourself a 10-15 minute break in there somewhere to get up, hit the head, grab a soda, and just stretch your legs.

And, regardless of what you think, you're going to have a certain amount of time outside of the sleep/eat/poop/study/bathe cycle. Plan some activities away from the desk/classroom. Go out, see a movie. Go out, go to a party. Stay in and watch the boob tube. Play a game on your computer (CoH or not). But PLAN the time with a definitive start and stop and MAKE yourself stick to the schedule.

One of the other things the last two things teach you to do is budget your time. This is almost more valuable than any other individual thing you learn in school. Brilliance and education only take you so far. Being able to work effectively, efficiently, and sticking to the job, even when it sucks) is what separates a good employee from the unemployment line.

10: Avoid getting sucked into a "scene"/clique/etc. Make friends, make good friends! But avoid having your social life become the reason you think you're at school. You're there to learn and study. If an activity cuts into your allotted study time and you REALLY don't think you can fluff off, DON'T DO IT. Sure, it's tempting to try and coast. This just comes back to the "no cramming" rule from earlier. Social clubs, causes, party-hearty, and all that stuff is for once you're out of school, out of debt, and making big bucks. Unless it is DIRECTLY affecting your education (like they're going to replace your science classes with a creationist dogma class), stay the course.

11: Avoid picking up a credit card if at all possible. If you can't pay cash for something, you don't need it. Pick up a side job if you're chronically short of funds. Yet another lesson college can teach you. Fiscal responsibility. Plastic is just too damn convenient (especially at 18) and you have a lot of hassles to justify using it to eliminate. Paying it back later, and umpty-zillion percent interest is even more of a hassle.

12: Watch your diet. Now I'm not REALLY one to talk (looks down and can't see toes), but try to eat regular, small meals instead of scarfing down your entire day's caloric intake in one sitting. A small meal in the morning will get you going without sending you into carb overload (and putting you to sleep in class). A sandwich for lunch, and a small dinner will do you good. Again, keep them small and somewhat light to avoid going into carb overload. Augment this with small snacks. Stuff you can carry along with you. This way it keeps your digestive system up and running all the time and not choking on one huge lump of food twice or thrice a day. You'll feel less hungry all the time, eat less overall, and help keep your weight down.

Also, vary your diet. Don't simply rely on a regimen of identical food for days and months on end. This is partially a dietary thing, as too homogenous a diet is never a good thing, and partially a mental thing.

Could type more right now. But I'm getting pestered at work. So I'll leave it here for now.

Also, you don't have to avoid sugar. Just don't consume tons of it.

Originally Posted by Lemur Lad

I think you already have a good handle on what I'm about to tell you, but I will say it anyway. It's great you're putting the game down to focus on school. That shows commitment and focus that I found lacking during the long winter of my first year. Keep to that principle, and make sure you're really ready to come back and play with us, instead of just convincing yourself you are ready.

Second would be do not, under any circumstances, think that you can get through college using a lot of the same tricks that work in high school, at least academically speaking. As hard as it may be, it really really pays to keep up on your reading, and not rely on cramming skills you may or may not have.

Thirdly is take advantage of your safety nets. First are your professors and advisor. Talk to them and feel free to talk to them whenever you're having trouble. They're not the enemy. If they're any good they understand you're investing in yourself and will help you when you show initiative and seek that help. If you have personality conflicts that make dealing with them hard, well in the case of a professor you may just have to suck it up and push through, in the case of your advisor though, I'd seek someone you can get along with and stay on the same page. You're paying for this, they're there for you, and theoretically they are there to see you succeed, not wash you out. Above and beyond the prof and advisors, take advantage of the support networks most colleges have in place to help you succeed. There are study groups, support labs, tutor services, and more, at least if the school is half way decent.

Last bit of advice. If you get into an electronic classroom or some kind of distance learning, be very careful. I enjoyed the concept and the work, but it is nowhere near as easy to build connections and associations with your professors and fellow students. I guess it depends on the program, but in my case there were a lot of forum discussions, and I had a hard time with them because the strictures of the school's system meant everyone felt anonymous to me. I can recognize a post of your's from a mile off, not just because of the avatar or the name. But the same can't be said when you're dealing with 15 people all in the same major all talking about the same subject. There's just not as much room for separation, and in my case, I found it very hard to remember who said what when, and looking back to find out wasn't quick or easy.

Anyhoo, you're a smart guy and your head seems pointed in the right direction. I congratulate you on your goals, and I really hope everything goes well for you.

Originally Posted by Castle

A_C -- Good luck in college! You'll be missed here on the forums.

Originally Posted by Todd_3465

As a fairly recent college graduate, I'll chime in.

As many have noted, completely divorcing yourself from CoX is your choice. I will say:

1. if you're only going to take 12, 13, or 14 hours, then keep the account active, bring your compy, and play when you have the time. You'll have some, even with working out, finding other activities, clubs, maybe even a part-time job, and that's putting in plenty of time and effort to get honest-to-goodness A's in all of the classes.

2. if you're going to go into the 15 and on up to 20 credit hours of classes, then cutting out CoX is fine. You'll be spending a lot of time in out-of-class academic work, but you should still be able to do the odd activity here & there.

You can greatly influence how much time your academia takes outside of class: can you type? Being able to type (not hunt & peck, but the fast, no-looking, keyboarding) will shorten how long it takes to do 85% of all the assignments you're going to get. If you have to look at the keys, I strongly advise you to fix that. Message me if you want more info about how best to do that.

I graduated with a 3.5 GPA. BA in four years. First couple of years, I took 12, 14 or so hours per semester. Last couple of years, I took 15 - 20 hours per semester, and two classes during one summer term also. My last three semesters, I felt like a destroyed, overworked piece of meat all day, every day. Was not a good time.

If I had it to do again, I would've looked at the complete list of classes I needed to take over the four years, and marked all of them that could be taken in the summer. Then, I'd take one or two classes (3-6 Cr hours) each summer, and stick to 12 - 14 Cr hours every regular semester. I'd have been able to play my video games, do my little activities, and study plenty.

Lastly, one of your replies about field-interest has me wondering if you know what you're getting into. (re: head in the clouds...) If plugging & chugging numbers into formulas, writing mathematic formulas (doin' math), comparing brittle-fracture curves, comparing charpy V-notch tables (staring at number-tables), measuring every F'in thing (rulers, meters, etc), and taking tiny amounts of data (as in, insufficient) in an almost comedic attempt to find out "what went wrong?" is what you think you'll enjoy doing, then you're on track. If some kind of coolness-factor about planes, jets, & rockets and what they do when a pilot jumps inside is what's on your mind, then you're kidding yourself in thinking you'll be doing what you love.

Find out all the "stuff" that aerospace engineers do with 95% of their at-work time. Then, imagine that you're doing all of that stuff in an effort to design/build/whatever the best toasters. Why? 'Cause engineering anything doesn't mean you'll ever be near what's being made. You certainly won't be piloting/using what's made. Enjoying what you do is not about liking the end-product. So, if you could do all that stuff in order to make toasters, and be happy, then great, you really are embarking on a field in order to do what you like/love. However, if it's *got* to be jets, autos, or rocket ships, then you're probably chasing the respectability angle. As in, you desire to be respected for doing important work, and would like to make really good money while you're at it, which may even add to the being-respected angle.

You may want to list every activity that you enjoy doing (things you would do with your free time with no outside impetus.) Really basic activities, for example, CoX is actually a whole lot of activities, too general. Think, "I like throwing things accurately (frisbee, darts, etc.) Then, list every job you can think of that has notoriety and respect from others, even jobs you never thought you would like. You'll be surprised how many fields will satisfy your desire to be respected, while being composed of actions that are fun for you. (Related story: a friend never ever thought he would like any kind of service job. Doing things for others was a total turn-off. Tried to do design and real high-cognitive stuff in college, it never worked out. His jobs just to "get-by" were frustrating as well.)

(Turns out, he really enjoys reacting to excited, stressful situations, having to run, carry things, and fixing problems. He's a firefighter/paramedic now, and literally loves everything about it except the long periods of time that his section of town is safe, and is sitting/waiting at the station-house. He gets the adoration of the public for free, and I even get to say "see, I told you there's nothing wrong with serving the public!" His life doesn't suck now, and only wishes he didn't live his 20s and early 30s in a continuing cycle of failure and frustration before he figured out what was really going on in his head.)

Good luck at college!