Goodbye, So Long, Fare Thee Well

Catch you around A_C, and enjoy college life

edit: My advice? If you think you're a hot shot at high school level math, don't walk into a college-level calculus class and expect to cruise by with ease. I damn near crashed out of college entirely my first semester by over-estimating the value of the rather mediocre AP math classes I'd taken up to that point.

Alpha Zulu:

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It seems like you're cutting out the game to remove any sort of temptation of not studying or focusing on your school work. That's a decision that's entirely up to you but in all honesty you can do both if you really wanted to. It just comes down to prioritizing. My first semester of college I failed 2 classes. Not because I was playing Half Life 2 or CoV. It was because they were 8:00 AM classes and I hate waking up early. I also can't get to bed before midnight.. So what's my advice? If you hate getting up early or suck at it, don't take early classes. Schedule something a little later so you can at least function. Second semester was better for me cause I took 10 AM classes so I was able to get more sleep. If you're living on campus, don't eat too much of the cafeteria food, even if it's all you can eat. Trust me, you'll thank me in 4 years when you get out of school. Some of your profs will think that their class is the only class you're taking and will assign a metric *** ton of homework. I'd suggest talking to some other students to see who the good profs are. Keyword here is "good", not the "easy" ones. Unless you don't plan on learning a damn thing, take the easy profs. Again if you're living on campus, you'll have to learn to live with roommates. If it's your first semester you're going to have to hack it and hope you don't get a roommate that's some sort of doosh. You might get lucky, you might not. I was lucky my first semester and my roommate was super chill. Living on campus - Get a cheap pair of shower slippers/flip flops. Unless you want athlete's foot, those trips to the community showers can be hazardous to your health. But the main thing I wanna stress is prioritizing/time management. It wasn't until my 3rd year of college I was able to figure out how to do this effectively. I was taking 16 credits, working part time, practicing martial arts 3 times a week, working out, hanging out with friends, studying/doing homework, and still managed to play 2-3 hours of CoV/Planetside/popular-game-of-the-week several nights out of the week. And I still managed to finish that semester with a 3.5 GPA. Basically what it boils down to is how serious are you gonna take your education. A lot of students I saw were just there cause they were coming out of high school and they didn't wanna just sit at home or their parents forced them to go to school. If you really wanna go somewhere, do it. Take it seriously, but not too seriously. Try to find some time to relax, unwind, have some fun and shake things up so you don't get burned out. You also don't wanna be one of those dudes who ONLY studies. I would definitely recommend trying to make friends. I walked away from college with some of best friends one can make. And I'm happy to say they're gonna be life long friends. I still talk to a lot of them on a weekly basis, even though all of us don't live in the residence halls anymore and most of them live in different parts of the country. But yeah, that's all the advice a washed up 3 year college drop out can give.

Thanks for the advice! I'm removing the game to remove temptation, yes, because I know how addicting this game can be. I used to play this game at... unhealthy levels of time expenditure, to the neglect of my education. Think fourteen hour game sessions as regular occurrences.

Draggynn:

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As far as aerospace and mechanical go, the two tend to go pretty much hand in hand. I actually have a dual degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering. There were enough classes that could fill requirements for both that it was pretty easy to do at my University. The year after I graduated though, my University made doing this much harder. As far as transferring credits to electircal engineering, that can be quite a bit harder. It depends a lot on what you focus on in aerospace engineering. It's possible to get an aerospace degree that has very little to do with electrical engineering and focuses primarily around issues of aeronautics, propulsion and fuel, material science, etc. Personally I focused more on the controls discipline which is much closer to electrical engineering (and often loathed by mechanical engineers because of this) so there was a lot of overlap. Although I think it would have been difficult for me to change my major to electrical, I was able to take many graduate level electrical engineering courses with mechanical and aerospace background and didn't feel at a loss. I am currently applying to graduate programs in control theory and whether these programs fall under the Mechanical or Electrical departments depends on the University. The other thing is that most engineering programs these days stress the interdisciplanary nature of engineering, so you are usually required to take engineering courses outside of your specific discipline so you can always apply the aerospace credits towards those requirements. That was a rather convoluted answer, but Mechanical and Aerospace, easy to go between, Aerospace and Electrical, depends. Also I wouldn't worry too much about the job market at this point. Although it will likely be hard to get a job doing "rocket science" with some tenacity (which you clearly have) the jobs are still out there to had. That said, in the coming years I expect there to be significant growth in the energy sector and a degree in aerospace engineering with the knowledge of fluid flow and thermodynamics will be invaluable to those companies. There are lots of jobs that aren't explicity aerospace, where the aerospace degree will be valued.

That's interesting. I was actually rather curious about the 'dual degree' method of engineering education. Possessing a dual degree in Mechanical and Aerospace would undoubtedly expand my options by severalfold, no?

It's a shame about the Electrical Engineering degree. I'm not specifically interested in Controls (in fact, I don't believe I'm particularly familiar with the sub-sub-disciplinary branches), so I suppose there won't be much overlap.

Tonality:

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I want to contrast generic rules of thumb with college and reality. 1) Multiply your credit hours by three to calculate the time you need for classwork. --You will be surprised how quickly you can get things done when you're against a hard deadline. If you are efficient, you can get your time to a 1:1 ratio. 2) Achieving degrees is the end-all for guaranteed employment --Attitude is one of the biggest characteristics employers seek. They can train a poodle to do your job if they wanted to. Most companies will spend the effort to train you in any skill if they believe you are worth the effort. Degrees wind up being a foundation for your future. 3) Each subsequent degree is harder. --Each subsequent degree is easier as it is more specialized, and focuses on the field you enjoy. If you choose to further your education after undergrad, it becomes more enjoyable. One last piece of advice: Stay in tune with your passions. I was in the first year of my doctorate when I realized I was getting a degree for a career I had no interest in pursuing. I was burned out and frustrated. There is nothing wrong with leaving a field because something else interests you. I certainly was talented in this field, but hating your job is a very poor way to live your life. It has been said that there are those that get a job to pay to do the things they love and that there are those that the job is the thing they love. I believe the latter will always be more rewarding.

Interesting advice. Thanks. I can't imagine myself becoming disinterested in Aerospace Engineering (I was always a head-amongst-the-stars kind of person), but I also can't imagine anyone seriously considering the possibility of disinterest at the stage I'm currently at. I'll keep your advice in mind.

PostKount:

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Tonality just reminded me of something else. You're now going from EDUCATION BY LAW to EDUCATION BY CHOICE. Get the most you can out of it, LEARN all you can. Do all your work, ask your professors all the questions you can. Why? Because YOU are PAYING for it. Why not get the most for your money? I wish someone had told me that when I was going in.

In the interest of fairness to myself, I was never educated by law. I achieved my current level of education entirely by my lonesome. I'm certainly not going to waste my time and especially my money I'm already going to be paying off student loans a decade after I graduate...

Grey Pilgrim:

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This is very, very true. I teach at a university, and I'm boggled at how willing students can be to waste their education. Some are there because their parents are paying/making them (in which case, I have to sarcastically thank the parents for sending their completely uninterested kid into my classroom), but there are plenty that seem to forget that they chose to go to school and are paying a LOT for it. I do my best to teach my classes well and help my students out, and it bothers me when students don't ask questions. If I had a nickel for every time a student said "oh, I wish I had asked this weeks ago, it all makes sense now," I would be a very rich man. So don't sit on your questions, ask them. Engage with that education you're paying for. Yes, part of the whole experience is making friends, having fun, etc., but you are paying for the education part. You could make friends and have fun out of college, and for a lot cheaper. So don't neglect that education part. Time management really is key for college, as well. Figure out how long you need to write a good paper, to study for that test, etc. Some people take longer or shorter than others, and you have to find out what works for you. You also need to balance out with your other classes, and your own fun time. If you can't resist not gaming or something else, avoid it, but you should be able to balance doing fun things, studying, and working. I did all three in college (I played video games, Ultimate Frisbee, and a lot of other fun things, not to mention working a lot, and got a 3.5 in college, so it can be done).

That's incredibly good advice. I'm the type who would not be too willing to ask questions, even if I had one burning a hole in my mind. I will try to force them out in spite of my shyness, however.

Retrogression:

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Don't lose confidence in yourself. You can do it. If a topic is too hard at first, keep trying, ask questions, don't be afraid to admit you don't understand and ask and question until you do. Persistence will get you there, you have the equipment to learn engineering, but it then takes effort - and you seem set to put in the effort. Don't beat your head on a brick wall though if something is not coming clear after your own efforts, reach out and ask someone. A classmate, a teacher, TA, even a librarian... your friends... a new viewpoint can often get you past the hurdle. And the most important thing I learned in college is that some things are simply not known by anyone. I'm not talking about conspiracies or 'the truth is out there' type things or 'things man was not meant to know' - these are ordinary things that someone will know someday and everyone will know eventually - but right now, no one knows yet. So don't be surprised when you start learning where the edges of human knowledge are when you study your higher subjects.

Both pieces of good advice. I've always been curious about the frontiers of knowledge. The day I contribute to the frontiers - if I'm smart enough - will likely be one of the highlights of my life.

YuriFoxfirega:

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Can't help but feel the forums will feel a little different with you gone, mang. Still, you're making a very solid decision, and I wish you the best of luck. The biggest advice I can offer in this is to get all of your feelers out in the first year of college. Figure out what is, and is not, within the realm of possibility with your class schedule. You may think five classes/week sounds like an easy to maintain number now, but from experience... Some classes are just that much more intensive out of the classroom, as they are in. Work on trying to gauge the difference now, and give this some serious consideration for classes that you think you may have trouble with. Personally, for reasons beyond my understanding, I have a mental block with accounting. Can't do it for the life of me, despite doing crazy calculations all of the time out of sheer random desire. For every one hour I spent in class, I spend roughly 5 out of class trying to wrap my head around things. For other things (computer maintenance/repair), I could spend maybe an hour out of class for every two in class (conscious or not) and sail through. Same with most of my writing courses, for that matter. Know, understand, and recognize your strengths and weaknesses (which I doubt you have a problem with, but it never hurts to restate) and tailor your schedule to fit with how you roll. First year is a great year to do a mulligan if you have or want to. Everything after that starts to have more importance, but this last bit of advice I'll give you is perhaps the most important. Don't panic. You can always try again (at some expense, mind). Again, good luck out there, mang, and hope things turn out for the best for you.

Thanks for the well-wishes and advice. I've given thought to it. I think I'll be erring on the side of caution in many instances, however. Being a little underloaded is a lot more appealing in concept to being a little overloaded. If those feelers come out, it'll be very tentatively.

Neuronia:

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A hundred times this. While I'm more of a 'get up early/finish early' type of gal when it comes to work, I hated getting up early for classes. I managed to schedule most of my stuff to be late mornings or early afternoons with the occasional 7-10 p.m. class (no choice there sadly) to top it off. The good profs are the profs that will listen to you, speak with you and be tough but fair. They know you have other classes and that you're young as well, so the work will be steady but not unbearable. I managed 3 years of University + part-time weekend work + socializing and relaxing as well. Try to find people that share your interests. A lot of Unis here (I guess colleges in the States) have "Frosh Weeks" and "Frosh Guides" to help you with campus orientation. You'll get friends soon enough. People will hang out and you'll like some of them or go meh. You're not going to ace every class, heck you'll probably fail a few! But at some point you'll learn where you went wrong and grow from that point. Oh and...I don't know how your situation is, but if you can at all avoid student loans/bank loans for your schooling, that's the ideal scenario. I ended up with "only" 8,000 CDN in debt (paid the rest with work) and I consider myself lucky.

That's good advice. I dislike the idea of being indebted the rest of my life... Papa Angry wants his Corvette!

Bystander:

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Good luck to you A_C. It's been great reading your posts on the forums and it was a lot of fun teaming with you, even though I didn't team with you much. You've always been quite good at giving well reasoned arguments so I imagine you'll do quite well in school. So good luck and definitely come back to visit for the reactivation weekends. It won't be quite the same without you.

Thanks for the well-wishes.

TeChameleon:

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Huh- best of luck, A_C. Couple of fragments of advice from me, although a lot has been covered already; if you go after your studies with the same intensity you seem to bring to the table to a lot of stuff... make sure you make time to relax. You can be 'handling' your coursework without difficulty, but be spiralling into burnout at the same time, because 'college' has become an obsessive, single-focus task. Get away from things every so often, especially if, like me, you can hit the "THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN!" point with deadlines >.O If you have even mild difficulties with your hearing... bring a decent recording device of some sort into class, especially to start with; enough profs have a horrible habit of mumbling that even people with exceptional hearing can run into difficulties, and you don't want to miss the content of the first three lecture because you have no idea what Professor Mushmouth-McDoesn't-Hand-Out-Outlines said. Anyways, take care of yourself, and try not to de-orbit anything onto my house, eh?

Thanks for the well-wishes and advice! I literally lol'd at "THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN!" although I likely won't be loling during my first Finals Week... I hear they're particularly intensive.

I actually considered a recording device. I'll see if I need it during my first couples days. If I don't hear something, I will corner my professor after class.

Jeromus:

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Thanks for the good times, A_C. Come back for a visit and I'll plant for Fallout and see if we get that elusive Happy_Citizen again. Good luck! An education is worth the sacrifice and I'm sure you'll do well. Jer

Ha - thanks for the fare-thee-well, Jer. Always fun teaming with you.

MentalMaden:

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Advice about college: Enjoy it. It's a time of learning and finding yourself. It can be the greatest time in your life, if you let it. Stretch yourself both intellectually and socially. It's not just about learning from books it's also about learning who you are. Soak it all in.

Thanks for the advice.

Radionucleide:

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You'll be able to hack it, of this I have no doubt. As for advice regarding college, here it is: * As explained very well by TonyV, your attendance is not compulsory. This freedom is so new that it does catch many of us. I did me, my first time around during my last semester. I dropped out of college when I went straight out of high school and while this was a contributing factor, it was not the only thing. My biggest problem was that I did not have a plan for my escape err eduction(which Tony also talked about). In other words, I did not know what I want to be when i grew up then. * 100 and 200 level classes are weed out classes. They are in many ways tougher then the high level courses. The biggest sticking point is that they are generalized overviews of the subjects. As a result, they typically cover a heck of a lot more information then they higher level ones. With these, it is important to keep up. If you allow yourself to fall behind, you will be trying to cram way too much into your noggin' for the tests. It will explode. Ok, ok not really. But, you will more then likely not retain it. I had gotten this advice myself and never allowed myself to fall into this trap. * Credit Cards have been covered. Signing up for one and using it consistently (like to fill up on gas) but more importantly paying it off on time is the best advice I can give. Understand what credit is, how it works, and how to use it. Building your credit is not a bad idea but, you want to build good credit. * Going back to MortisEques's point about work load. Be prepared to spend at least 1 hour outside of class for every credit hour you take for studying and assignments. This will give you an idea on your work load will be.

Thanks for the support and advice.

As mentioned above, my schooling has never been compulsory. I imagine that will provide a buffer against any lackadaisical approach that may entice me.

About the weed-out classes... I'm terrified of them. haha! I'll try to stay away from the metaphorical lawnmower.

Ah, credit card = good?

I've never been particularly rigid about the amount of time I spend learning. But, I imagine I will have to in college and especially university. Thanks for the advice.

Reformed Hellion:

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Aside from the advice people have already stated (always going to class is huge), I would also suggest actively participating in class. If you have a question, ask it. If you don't feel comfortable talking in front of a lot of strangers, corner the prof. after class. The fact is, if the person asigning the grades knows who you are and knows that you've expended some effort trying to learn the material, you are more likely to get a better grade. Also, in engineering especially, keep your grade point average above 3.2 - D may stand for diploma, but it also stands for unemployeD. With a 3.2 you can probably get a free ride to grad school (the rule of thumb being: if you have to pay for engineering grad school, you shouldn't be in engineering grad school) or get you a job without experience (assuming you're going into the traditional fields - (i.e. not computer/software engineering - because co-ops and interns in traditional engineering fields rarely do any actual engineering work anyway). Still, co-oping and interning can help get you a job at the places you co-op or intern at. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you will get screwed by the school. Just accept it. It doesn't matter where you go or what you study, the school will a) sell more parking permits than there are parking spaces, b) neglect to tell you that XYZ 120 is a required class to graduate in your major, c) lose some important form that you turned in, etc. When things like that happen, just remember that your goal is a degree, and that 1 (or 3) more semester(s) extra because of someone else's mistake is small potatoes compared to the rest of your (hopefully) long life. 4-6 years out of 90, which should make the remaining 65 more comfortable. And just think, when you're out of school, you'll have all weekends to play the game. EDIT: BTW, UT Austin is an awesome engineering school. Easily in the top 10 in the nation (probably top 5, to be honest).

Good advice! 3.2 is a good marker. I'm shooting for 3.5, but if I start edging my way towards 3.2, I think that "WALL ARE CLOSING IN!!" phase will have to occur.

Encouraging news about getting screwed :P But it's likely right. Damn forms. Never have liked them.

I'm very excited about UT Austin! It's the school I will first apply to. They better let me in!

Lord of Time

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God Bless you AC. I've seen your posts for years and while I didn't always agree with you I did always value your opinion. You are one of a select few on these boards I can say has a truly deep appreciation for this game and a great head on your shoulders. I'll pray for you and that you find success in your chosen field. I thank you for all your stimulating posts and sometimes hard headed opinions that led to so many heated yet fun conversations. Go with God man and may you find happiness in your life and if you ever get a chance drop on by and say hi to the gang from time to time Patrick 'Lord_of_Time' Brusio

Very nice post. Thank you.

RosaQuartz:

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It's been said before, but I'll reiterate: go to class. That may sound like a no-brainer, but you'll discover many, many reasons not to go to class. Ignore them. Also, get plenty of sleep... at night, not during class. Finally, have an escape. It doesn't have to be an all-consuming thing like CoH or another on-line game (in fact, it really shouldn't be), but a small hobby to re-center your brain will actually help your studies. But it should be something active (like reading) rather than passive (like watching TV). Good luck!

Good advice, and thanks. Will do!

Starsman:

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You will be busy, even in your first year. Academically that may be your easiest year for two reasons: enthusasm (new stuff always has a better chance of keeping your attention) and off course, it's the year of the basic stuff. Sometimes I wish I had been able to start with the hard stuff first, when I was extremely enthusiastic about it!!! It's the second year and going forth that you may start to feel your breath lacking even if the subjects don't become any harder. Anyways, I said you would be busy that year and still have to say why: it's a new life and as such, you will be busy with all new relationships. You need to take care of those friendships and they may take too much care of you (too many parties.) So you will see little time for games anyways... unless you end in one of the cool geek circles, that is

The second year is the year I'm looking forward to! This first year will be the stuff largely irrelevant to Engineering, like Government/Politics and Philosophy. I can't wait till my Chemistry and Physics classes, even though they will be incredibly difficult.

One thing I learned in CoH/V is that it's best to pick the sets that have a linear and steady progession of Fun. In other words, the sets that blossom too early then fade into mediocrity, or the sets that blossom too late, will never be too fun. Find a set that lets you keep looking forward. I believe my Engineering degree will be a lot like that. I may be terrified of Chemistry and Physics, but I do look forward to the vast knowledge awaiting me.

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I guess my biggest tip is: don't be ashamed of look stupid. I say this as one of my biggest issues back in the day. You will be surrounded with great minds and many professors (not all) just LOVE to humiliate their students with their all mighty brains. You may eventually find they are not that smart. I still to this day rejoice on the day I corrected a professor 3 times in one single class. Anyways, the point is: you will meet at least one professor like this during your entire education and that's if you are lucky. Chances are not bad you may find more than one per semester, though. Don't let these humiliating "I'm smarter than you and am here to prove you stupid" professors discourage you. As for their intent, some of them are serious bullies while others are just trying to roughen up their students. It does not matter, just imagine they are challenging you. Make it your own goal to prove you are smart even if they keep humiliating you. In short: It's the Army Physical Training for the Brain.

Encouraging news haha. Thanks Starsman. I hadn't considered this.

Zhanate:

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Well, good-bye and good luck. All of the advice here is good, I won't repeat it. As somebody who was also the first in the family to go on to higher education, I have one more suggestion: Be prepared to try harder than you did to get this far. In families where the parents have been to college, they tend to pass on the study habits early. Mine didn't have that experience, and I got through school with good grades mostly on being smart and showing up. In college, you probably can expect to have to study and work on assignments much more than you did in high school, for the same grades -- especially when you move on to the university. Community colleges are, in my experience great at actually teaching. Universities, again just in my experience, can be more about figuring out how to teach yourself. Professors sometimes don't even want to deal with undergraduates. You have to know how to study and research. You seem to have a solid language ability, so you should be well capable of this. Just be prepared.

Congrats on being a 1st Gen! I dearly hope I don't get any of these 'Professorzillas'... I know I will, but hey, maybe I'll get lucky.

SwellGuy:

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I was a first gen college student in my family as well and let's just say I graduated before you were born without getting into how long before you were born... There's a lot of good advice here from the gang so I will only add the two things that tripped me up and nearly got me: 1. You are stopping playing this wonderful game. I would stay up way too late playing games (DND, Risk, and eventually some games on my Apple II). You must keep that focus that you have because it is right. 2. Don't let a guidance counselor guide you on a bad path. I knew classes before 9am would not work for me but I got pressured into an 8am and darn near lost my scholarships because of it (fortunately I could take it pass/fail which did not affect my GPA so I had to fail it). Good luck and have fun and look forward in several years to returning to this game which I not only believe will still be around but will be even better.

Swell advice! Thanks

Ad Astra:

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Both the discipline of showing up for class, even when you don't "have to", and the wisdom of scheduling your classes to take advantage of your strengths will be key to success in higher education. As an "Owl", I can tell you that 8 a.m. classes are sheer torture, especially when it's something you are only taking because it's required rather than something you would have freely chosen.

I'm definitely an "Owl"... I probably shouldn't have taken my 8 am class.

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Also good advice. And listening to the grapevine to find which profs fit your style is a good strategy. Another thing about selecting professors - look for those who are still learning. That sounds funny, right? I mean, they are the teachers, shouldn't they already know it all? Wrong! In a changing world, their knowledge can become outdated and the good ones know this and are constantly looking for those changes to pass them on to their students. Fossilized professors are no good to you, no matter how much book knowledge they have from the past. Also - learn quickly which profs want true open discussion in class and which ones don't. Avoid those who don't when you can, but if you have to take them (and you will have to take them eventually from time to time) - keep your head down if that's what gets you thru it (I know, that's counter to the uplifting advice you have been getting, but it's good survival strategy). Pick your battles. AC, your past debating style on the forums will help you a lot in some classes and with some professors. You gather data and plan out supporting arguments - use that on tests, especially if you get some essay tests (which may or may not be common in first year basic classes, but will likely be less common in engineering classes). I really wish you good luck. Come back on the next activation weekend and let us know how it's going!

That's good advice. Thanks a lot.

PS: I love your board handle.

docbuzzard:

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You are a wise man to drop the game for college. There will be more than enough distractions without it. Considering how much time I wasted on games of nowhere near he level of addiction of an MMO in my college years, I'm quite glad I didn't try one (well they mostly didn't exist back in that prehistoric era). I imagine you have been warned, but engineering is pretty much among the hardest majors at any school and you will be taxed to keep it it. There will likely be a weeding out year, but if you stick through that the rest will be doable, but not easy. In the end, though, you will be justifiably proud upon getting that degree. Engineering is a very respectable profession, and you will likely be able to work on many cool projects.

Thanks for the support. I agree it's difficult. Hopefully I will succeed.

As I recall, you're in Engineering yourself, aren't you?

Organica:

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My advice is to jump on homework right away so that you don't fall behind, and keep at it. My father has a Mechanical Engineering degree, my mother has a Nursing degree, my sisters have degrees in Accounting and in Occupational Therapy. I managed a 2 year community college degree but I never finished my 4 year English Major... and I came pretty close. I wasn't a bad student but I was often distracted and could have used my time better. I might still not have used that degree (what's an English Major good for anyway?) but I wish I'd finished it. And make some good friends in college! That's the one thing I managed to do there. ^_^

Ooh, yes. Looking back to my elementary school days, I keep kicking myself for never doing homework when I should. I won't let that happen. Thanks.

sleestack-wth is your avatar?!

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Hey A_C, is the community college Austin Community College by any chance? If it is, you should look me up as I work about 6 blocks from their main campus. While I am not a first-generation college student - my mom was the first in our family - my mother was sort of "absentee" for most of my life, so it was sort-of like being the first. I moved to Austin from a small town in Northeast Texas...and I was overwhelmed. I don't know if you're coming to Austin or any other large(ish) metro area, or if you have any background of ever living in a large(ish) metro area. But if you do not, be prepared for a bit of "culture shock". If you think it's going to take you 20 minutes to get somewhere...well, it will actually take about 45 minutes. Stuff like that. Another thing is the cost of your class materials. Your books WILL cost WAY more than they are worth. I remember paying $100 for a 200-page paperback for a class...and this was in the mid-1980s. It has not gotten any better since then. Quite the contrary in fact. You may be able to get some of them online, but be prepared for this expense. Oh and if you try to sell them back to the bookstore after the class is over, you'll be lucky to get 10% of what you paid. Let me second, third and fourth the advice already given about credit cards. I really wish I had known about this when I was in college. I really screwed myself with credit cards. Everything's all good now, but it took me decades to correct the damage I did in a few short years. Credit cards can be great; they can really help out in a pinch with unexpected expenses like car repairs. Just don't get into the habit of charging every little thing on them. Finally, don't think that your major is what will define your entire life. When I first went to college I was majoring in Physics. I didn't do well there because I wasn't strong enough in math. I ended up getting a degree in Psychology. For the past 17 years I have made my living as a computer programmer/network manager/desktop support/all-around IT guy, and I love it. Keep an open mind, because you never know where life will take you. Well, that's about it for me, as most everything else I would give as advice has already been covered. Take care and remember: you're there to learn, but part of it is learning how to balance your life. Have some fun too!

McClennan Community College in Waco, actually. Little farther north. If I go to Austin, it'll be as a university student!

I've lived in a big city before. I've tested the commute from my place to the college, and will leave extra early to make sure I get there on time. I'm sure I'll develop some method of Not Being Late.

I do hate the cost of books. It sucks.

About the major... good advice. I don't know what else I could possibly want to do aside from engineering. Maybe physics... but if I can't hack engineering, I for-damn-sure can't hack physics.

Thanks for the advice.

Azrial:

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Good luck AC, of all the reasons to stop playing, this is by far the best! Since you are the first to go on to higher education in your family, I already know that you know the value of it and that you will not squander the opportunity that most people your age do (I was one of them). All the advise people here have given you are all true. Personally, the going to class one is what was my downfall, that and the close proximity of college bars and younger drinking age when I went to school. So as many others here have said...GO TO CLASS!!! The other thing I would strongly advise you is to really look at the social atmosphere of the university that you choose to attend after your time in community college. The biggest mistake I made was going to ASU, party school if there ever was one. Even the non-party people had a hard time due to the insane party atmosphere of the school. My mass communication professor even held his Friday afternoon classes at the bar across the street from campus. (No joke!) Take a look at how much of a social scene there is at the university of your choice and just be realistic about it. I'm not saying to keep to yourself and avoid all partying (heavens no!) just be careful about it and keep it well within moderation. College is where your horizons and point of view will be expanded and part of that is meeting new people and experiencing life to it's fullest, just not too much of it at one time . From all of your well thought out posts, I am sure that you will succeed in college. Good luck and enjoy it!

Thanks for the well-wishes and advice. One thing I'm afraid of is that I hear UT Austin is a bit of a party college... but I'm not sure how true it is. Personally, I think it's sheer volume of students. Thirty six THOUSAND undergrads at UT Austin. Holy God.

Dorkus:

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Goodbye to my Hami Raid targetter, my old PvP nemesis, and my friend. Certainly had a lot of memories with ya! Keep your nose outta trouble, ok?

Later Spark! I'll see ya 'round.

Eislor:

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A_C, TonyV and Manoa gave you some very good advice. After I graduated I taught for several years in CC and in Universities and I want to pass along one piece of advice from that experience. No matter how good a Faculty member is, he might not be the best person to teach you. Sometimes two people just cannot communicate effectively with each other. If that happens between you and your professor do not get dejected! Do not think its your fault! Do not blame anyone! I have seen students get torn up by this. Get help. The colleges I've been involved in have all had tutoring programs, I bet the one you will be going to will also have one. Make use of it if you have problems. If you have no problems and are breezing through your classwork, get involved in those tutoring programs, its a great way to meet people. Good luck A_C

Thanks for the advice! I imagine I'll be spending some time in the writing help centers. I may or may not have a firm grasp on English, but I haven't written an essay in nearly a decade.

Aura Familia:

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Best of luck to you! Here's my advice: If you have a chance to get any materials or books used, do so! No need to get any materials 100% new, especially with the constant rise in text books. Also if you are getting it used, and are purchasing online, make sure you order far in advance of when you actually need to start doing work from the book or material. I learned both of these the hard way.

Good advice, and some I'm already taking. No way am I paying three hundred dollars for a math textbook when I can get it a hundred bucks cheaper!

Cosmic Herald:

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Well A_C, It's very hard to come up with something of value for advice to give you. You have already gotten great advice from everyone else. I will give my adivce in the form of not education, but life. Games are a distraction for sure, however, you will soon be facing off against far more addictive and potentially dangerous distractions. Stay the course my friend. You have always come across as someone with a head on your shoulders. Do not lose you head in the coming years! I will don my parental suit for a second here. Stay away from the drugs, the gambling, the booze and mix smartly and with adherence to saftey and respect with the opposite sex. Don't let any of those distractions pull you away from the reason for being there. Have fun, but have *smart* fun! Learn my friend, learn well and it will serve you throughout the rest of your life. Learn poorly and it will haunt you throughout the rest of your life. That is not a preaching to you A_C, it is my sincerest desire that you live to your fullest potential without any downfalls or pitfalls along the way. Seen you around re-activation weekends my friend!

I sincerely appreciate the advice. Whether fate or divine providence or luck or whatever you may call it intervened, I've seen the effects drugs and alcohol can have on a person (in fact, several individuals). I have sworn myself off, if not the latter, then definitely the former with severe limitations on the latter. I won't even try weed.

Redbone

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A_C, For what it's worth I still remember that debate, not because of the subject matter, or even anythign specifically said, but because it was one of the most entertaining ones I'd had in a long time, and for that I thank you (and the others involved in it). You are/were one of the CoH reactionaries, and every group needs a reactionary. Your posts were ones I looked for when on the forums because even when I thought you were dead wrong, heading completely off the rails, they were entertaining and provoked thought. I, for one, am going to miss having you around and hope you come back sometime in the future. I am sure a lot of people are going to give you academic advice, but I'd like to give you something a bit more broad. I was also the first in my family ever to go to college in 6 generations. I was the second generation in my family to graduate high school (well, primary education, the local system was a bit odd back in the 1800s) in 6 generations. The first thing I'll tell you is, don't let the sudden freedom drive you a little nuts. It's sometimes hard to reel ourselves in and not get a bit drunk with the new-found freedom and sudden openness of ideas and modes of thought. However, revel in that same freedom at every possible chance. In some ways I envy you. College was the absolute best time of my life because of all the potential, ideas, new thoughts, new knowledge waiting to be picked up and put in my pocket. Second thing: be as social and outgoing as possible but not to the detriment of your degree. You are very likely going to meet people who you'll be friends with for the rest of your life and a few you'll trust with your life. They're more valuable than anything you're going to see or hear in your studies, but you have to keep a watchful eye on your degree and know when to tell you friends "I have to study, so I can't go to Denny's at 2 AM." You also have to know when to bin the studies, go with them to Denny's and pull and all nighter to make it up. Third, moderation. Watch the "bad habits" that come your way. There is nothing wrong with having a drink, nothing wrong even with getting drunk, but it all has to be in moderation. You have to be very aware of how much you do anything, "good" or "bad," and when it starts becoming a problem. Fastest way to get your read-end on Academic Probation (or Suspention) is to wake up one morning and realize it's a month later and the last four weeks is a haze. Fourth is to find your mentor as quickly as possible. You may not always know who he or she is right off the bat. You may not have much contact with them once you're out of school. But they will guide your whole life, even when you're not aware of it at the time. I didn't initially do the first three, and the fourth is what saved me. Had it not been for a particular professor named Blair Beasley, there's a very good chance I'd not even be alive today. Blair has been dead for many years now, but something he said, or something he showed me helps me every single day. Good luck, and once you get all rich and famous, give us a yell so we can come over and mooch off of you.

Thank you very much for the support and advice.

So, freedom is similar to alcohol - good in moderation, but don't go overboard. Gotcha!

mmm... Denny's. Now I'm hungry! Thanks I'll be sure to make friends. One thing I always had issues with during school was socialization, but I think a lot of my problem was that I was so different from other kids (in good ways and bad). I imagine college/university will be much different, and I will be spending time with future colleagues and people with significantly more advanced interests.

Yeah... I think I'll be avoiding alcohol as much as possible, especially until I'm 21. I think I'd force myself to commit seppuku if I ever got drunk for an entire month.

Hmm. A mentor. I'm unfamiliar with this concept (in real life, anyway). Are they common to college youths?

Anyway, thanks again! I was hoping I'd snag at least one person from my list of Three.

McCharraigin:

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Good Luck A_C Grin, as you can see in my location, I live in College Station, home of Texas &M University, one of the Colleges on your list. College Station is a conservative place so if you are serious about getting a good education this is a solid choice. I work with a lot of college aged people, and most of them both game and get great grades. They say fighting things is a great stress reducer, and I concur. Things to look out for..hmm..everyone has come up with good points. The ones I stress are your parents are not going to be living with you. You will have to manage everything from eating correctly, to washing your clothes..and fueling your body and mind with the correct type of food is very important..beer is not a substitute for dinner. Don't laugh...I could write a book about some of the things I have seen and heard about here. OH, and if you decide to become a Fighting Texas Aggie, two things, (1) You must like Football, and (2) please, please, please, know how to drive amongst idiot freshmen all who seemingly just learned how to drive, and don't do it very well Hugs and learn lots Lisa.

I'm also very excited about Aggieland! I hear it's quite the place. As someone with rather unique political views, I certainly look forward to many debates there.

I am reasonably self-sufficient when it comes to household chores, so I should be okay on that front. And I'm not moving out for another year. So, I've got time

I like football! It's certainly my favorite sport. I'm not a rabid fan - unless I'm watching a game. But I imagine it'll be a little more important in my life if I get into Aggieland.

Hardship:

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A_C, wow. Lots of wisdom here. I wish that I had had the foresight and a venue to ask for advice like this before heading off to college--more than a few years ago. My one thing that I haven't seen mentioned is: Don't let one professor/class have too much effect on your plans. I headed off to college with the idea of pursuing a Computer Science degree. My first "computer class" was so terrible, that I decided that if that is what being a computer scientist was like, I didn't want any part of it. I've since found my way back to it, but "respec'ing" in college is expensive so have a plan. Good luck!

Will do! Luckily I'll have a loooong time to go before I even start my engineering classes. By then, I'll be committed to at least a scientific education, even if I lose interest in engineering.

I could never be anything but a technical person working around machinery and technology. If I flunk college, I'm going to be a mechanic.

RobertoLyon:

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This is good advice - don't bite off more than you can chew at first or you risk souring the entire experience. Make sure you allow time/energy in your first couple of semesters to familiarize yourself with campus, your colleagues, your instructors, and the community (both academic and "civilian"). Also - consider (a reasonable amount of) social activities part of the curriculum. Chances are, when you finish and get your degree, your first job won't come as a result of getting an A+ in some course, but as a result of friends and connections you made along the way. Finally - if you ever find yourself stumbling or struggling, make sure you take advantage of all the resources available through the school. Meet with instructors ("office hours" - good for improving grades AND valuable networking skills), go to Help labs, meet regularly with your Advisor (whether you "need" to or not), use Health services as required (having a free therapist can be useful), even consider sending quick notes to your Dean from time to time just to show him/her you really care. I went back to school after mastering and retiring from another career - it was an amazing experience. Always remember you're there to learn more than just what's taught in the classrooms. Learn social, networking, and work-habit skills as well. They'll come in even more useful than the in-class stuff, I guarantee. Good Luck A_C!

All good, sensical advice. Thank you.

Olantern:

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I've never contributed to one of your threads, A-C, and goodness knows I have often disagreed with you, but your post made realize how much the community will lose without you around. On a personal note, as the author of a pretty melodramatic comic about love in the face of hopelessness, I'll always remember and admire your heartfelt comments about romance in one of the boards' many romance/dating-related threads. The world needs more people with that kind of faith in others. Finally, I'm surprised to learn you're only 18. Considering how erudite your writing style is (heaven knows, you write better than most of my graduate-level students), I'm sure you will succeed in your academic endeavors. Best of luck!

Thanks very much for your comments and support.

Dinah:

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Good bye, AC! I certainly also thought you were much older than you are by your writing style, and that will serve you well in College. TonyV made some great points, the one I want to reiterate is to get to know your professor and always ask for help! True story: I had the same professor for Physics 1 and Physics 2. Physics 1 I got an A in, mostly because I had already taken it in high school. Physics 2 kicked my butt, and I mean it *really* kicked my butt. I was getting anywhere from 20's to 60's on my homework and tests, and I was pretty convinced I was going to fail the class, so I asked the professor if there was any extra credit work I could do to keep me from failing. His response (he was russian, so this is how it still sounds in my head)? "Oh ___, I know you know how to pick up book and read how to do if you need to do it. I just give you B" And he did. I also want to say that when it comes down to it, an addiction to a game is way better than an addiction to alcohol. You don't seem the type to go out every night and party, but the temptation is there. And honestly, most of your friends on here know that you're in school, right? They can bug you to study or go to bed, too, if you're ever on late. Granted, it's not foolproof, but it's still better than staying out late and drinking. Also, someone mentioned trying to get books used, because they'll be expensive. I'd also suggest that you not get the books until AFTER the class has started. My freshman year I bought everything before classes started, and I ended up with at least 3 $50-$200 books that weren't even used for the classes. It turns out that all of the books that all of the professors want are listed - likely only 1 of them will be used for your class.

haha! Was his name Krylov?

Good advice, though. If I'm failing Physics classes, then, well, I might not be a very good engineer in the future. The point isn't just to pass, it's to gather the knowledge necessary for the future. They want you to know that stuff so you can apply it to technical problems.

But, an occasional pass like that would be rather nice...

Johnny Velocity:

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I went to an engineering school for undergrad (Georgia Tech) and one of my roommates was aerospace - he works on space shuttle engines. My advice: You are likely one of the smartest people in your high school class. Once you hit your engineering courses, you will be surrounded by people who were also among the smartest people in their respective classes. You cannot afford to be as lazy as you might have been in high school - develop good study habits. (I didn't have to study much in high school, and never really developed good study habits, and suffered.) If you struggle in your early calculus classes, consider a different major. If your early physics classes do not interest you, do likewise. You seem like an independent and critical thinker. That's fantastic - keep those traits. However, on tests, you should always give the credited answer. On essay tests, do the same, but if time allows, go back and add your spin on things in a final paragraph, but only after you've finished everything else. If all else fails, pick C. Don't be afraid to break up with the person you are dating if things aren't great chemistry-wise. You'll NEVER be in this environment again, and it is your best chance to meet a lot of eligible single people who have a lot of shared experiences with you. Try to live off campus after your freshman year, but one year in the dorms is good for you. Good luck!

Good advice - especially Pick C.

The one portion of advice I think I won't take (and no disrespect intended) is the part about dorms. I, personally, look forward very much to dorm life. Forced socialization will be a good experience for me.

Thanks for the advice though.

Serialbeggar:

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Doom.

Yep.

This is really doom.

AC, you can now claim yourself as the first person on these new boards to make EXTENSIVE and appropriate use of the MultiQuote feature! Gratz!

...

You mean I didn't HAVE to do all that manually? Son of a...

Lol

Lolz

Yeah, see the little "+ button down there in the bottom right of the post? Just click that on all the posts you want to quote, and hit new reply.

Good Luck, A_C.

You'll do fine.

Yeah, resist the urge to cut classes, stay focused ONLY on school until you get into the serious routine. Then, you might be able to loosen up a bit. Resist the voice that urges sloth and mediocrity when it starts-up

Cal

I don't think I've conversed with you much on the forum. But good luck in your endeavors regardlessly.

As for college advice. Well, I'm a college drop out and once you screw up your GPA it's hard to do much unless you start from scratch. Do not take anything lightly, I did and now I've pretty much given up on education. Not that it would help much in Michigan anyhow but...

If you don't have to work at the same time as going to school, then don't. If you parents are willing to help you out and let you just concentrate solely on school do so. I tried going to school full time (12 hours) and working a part time job at the same time. You do not have time to do anything else, you don't have spare time at all. It is recommended that you study twice as much time as you spend in class so you figure if you have a total of 12 hours of class then you have to study 24 and that's 38 hours on school work a week. That's close to what most people consider a full time job, heck I work slightly less hours then that right now and I still feel like I never have time to do what I want. That + a part time job is insane!

In short do not even consider playing an MMO while you're in college unless you don't have to work a job. Everquest was one of the things that did me in. If you can concentrate solely on school it will go much faster as well. At most people shouldn't have to go to a community college for more then 2 years, but I know people who have went 4 simply because they have too much going on.

Those are my thoughts anyhow.

We'll miss you and your passion, AC. Good luck, and we'll be here when you come back.

--NT

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

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!

aw, bye AC!!
<3

Angry_Citizen, I don't know you well but I have read your posts over the years and have enjoyed them(even if I did want to yell at my monitor on occasion).

My advice(I'm gonna repeat a lot of stuff I'm sure):

1a. Go to class
1b. Study

In high school I did not have to do either of these and my grades were fantastic. However, college is different. Perhaps I could have gotten away with minimal study if I attended class, but I did neither. If you only do two things, I suggest it be these two.

If you didn't have to study in high school, then I suggest learning how to study. Good study skills are developed. Find out what works for you.

2. Watch your partying. I'm not sure what kind, or any, partying you're into, but don't overdue it. This may sound obvious but, don't drink when you have class the next day(especially if you have it early). Don't get me wrong, I'm all for partying, but your brain needs rest. Passing out is not the same as sleeping. Besides, hangovers get worse the older you get, so it's a good habit not to fall into. Also, it's a lot easier to skip a class after drinking a twelve pack the previous night.

Another thing to keep in mind with partying is the harm a criminal record can do to future job opportunities. Sure a Minor In Consumption or Public Intoxication aren't big deals to most companies, but a DUI or Possession(pot) could be deal breakers. Those are just misdemeanors. If you hurt somebody when drinking and driving or get caught with any significant amount of certain stuff you can be charged with a felony.

I'm not preaching, I'm all for people having a good time. But I do know a couple people who had promising careers ruined because of one bad decision.

3. If you need to work while in school consider waiting tables. They typically work with high school and college schedules. Plus it is great money in the right place. Just be aware that servers like to party, so keep number 2 in mind.

4. Make sure your community college credits transfer to the universities you want to attend.

5. I would avoid credit cards. The bills get big faster than you may realize. Having bad credit sucks.

6. If you have a vehicle, take care of it. Change the oil, rotate tires, check the fluids. That will save you money on gas and repairs. Which is important, because as a college study you are probably gonna be poor.

7. Watch your diet and exercise. It's tempting to go to the fast food place down the street, but I suggest against it. It's bad for you and expensive. Going to the grocery store once a week can save you a ton of money. Money you can spend on other stuff.

8. If you're planning on taking online course I suggest waiting until after your first semester, at least. That way you will have an idea of what subjects you can do online and what you may need to be in class to complete. For example, I was fine doing all my math courses online(only subject I did well in during college), but when I tried to do Science online I couldn't motivate myself to make time for it.


I didn't do most of these things, and I flunked out with bad credit and a car I let go to ****. It's taken me several years to fix most of this, and it's been a pain in the ***. I learned the hard way, don't do what I did.

Get your sleep.

Read your books.

Do your homework.

Attend class.

Form study groups with other serious students to hammer through the difficult courses and questions.

Get to know your profs, if possible.

Look in the library for old exams.

Primary goal is understanding. Memorization or regurgitation may pass the test, but comprehension is the point of education, at least to me.

Always have a plan. Always be ready to change the plan.

I wish you the very best of luck AC.

Good luck in School A_C.
Engineering is fun

Just make sure spend the time to study, try not to push things off until right before they are due (i.e. when you get an assignment that is due in a couple weeks don't wait until the night before to do it, if you get things done quickly, it makes life much easier).

But most of all, when in school, have some fun. If you stress out the whole time on School work you will burn out.. Just don't over do the fun

Once again - good luck!

Sorry to see you go A.C. Like others, I was surprised to learn that you're only 18 years old. You show a tremendous amount of maturity, so I really think you'll excel in college.

Some great advice in this thread. The only thing I'd add(shameless plug for one of my favorite activities) Join a bowling league if you can afford it! Or a league of any kind; pool, darts, chess, Pinochle, Bridge, whatever. Extracurricular activities like these are a great way to wind down and a great way to make friends. And generally it's only for a couple of hours a week, so it won't dig into study time very much.

Best of luck AC. I know we have had our differences many times, but it happens on the interwebs.

My college advice: Get involved with campus groups/activites. Don't waste all your time partying. Don't get my wrong, partying is great, but I always wished I had got more involved in campus events, and groups. Not frats, but charitable, political, sports, etc.