3.You will always have lots of work to do Not exactly, it definitely depends on the course and professor. Just as in high school, you get different amounts of work than your friends based on different classes and teachers. I also am not sure if I agree with the phrase “you will have to study more” either because this also depends on your studying style and the material. I do however, feel you have more papers to write than in high school, and you must use the professor’s preferred citing format. Now this may just be my major, seeing as it is more of a writing major, whereas other majors will find they either have many programs or lab write-ups to do.
2.You can party all the time Sorry this isn’t true either. I have actually only been to a handful of parties throughout the year. You get work, so you must manage your time wisely. (See blog: The Ultimate Battle: Studying Vs. Partying (a.k.a Organization v. Procrastination)) Nevertheless, on the weekends when you have time, it is very possible to find a party somewhere on campus. That, or you can always have your own.
*DRUMROLL*
1.The Freshman 15 I don’t know of anyone who actually gained the said 15 pounds. Some, including me, have gone up or down a little but not more than 10 pounds. Plus, many people participate in physical activities, go to the gym, or play games outside whenever the weather is nice. Even if you don't do much physical activity, you have to walk everywhere on campus so it’s very unlikely you will maintain the calories from the buffet-styled Gracie’s.
I haven’t joined a sorority, and I’m still trying to figure out that question for myself. The closest I’ve gotten to understanding this vast topic is an addictive application called Sorority Life on Facebook =/.
Given, there are obvious perks: connections leading to popularity, special events and character building, and having a group to confide in. The older members will also give you advice and support. Yet, it can be a big time and money commitment and there are still pressures to fit in. You have probably heard that each sorority and fraternity has a special initiation ceremony for new members. You have also probably heard about the extreme circumstances where newcomers must endure terrible things. I can’t say this is common or not, but the thought that new members have wanted to fit in so badly that they were a victim of hazing is a scary thought.
I also have to address the “stereotype” associated with sororities and fraternities. They are usually made up of the popular girls and jocks, who may be conceited, and generally have bad (partying, drinking, and promiscuous) reputations. Although I do see this pretty often, I do not necessarily think that everyone is like that. I actually think it depends on the college. If you go to a tech school like RIT, sororities and fraternities still have their popular people with bad reputations, but they also seem to be made up of intelligent people.
Even still, I have a few friends who joined sororities and they love it. One of my friends had been missing home for a while, and she told me that it helped her feel like she belonged at her college. The few things that I learned from my friends about sororities are follows: You don’t need to rush right at the beginning of your freshman year, because there is a considerable amount of sophomores who rush. I’m fairly certain RIT has two rush processes, one in the fall and one in the spring. Then there’s a process where houses pick which girls they want, and send them an invitation. If a girl gets more than one invitation, she can decide which one to join. Plus, there are all these codes and members you need to memorize, and fees to pay.
I’m still not sure if I will join a sorority or not, but I have some time to think about it. For now, I think I’m content playing Sorority Life.
Clubs and activities are one of the most important aspects of college life. You congregate with people who have similar interests, and take a break from classes. You can meet new friends, and develop deep connections just by having an association. RIT has 205 organizations on campus including sports, clubs, and teams in which you can get involved in. There’s everything from break-dancing to metalworking so it’s easy to find at least one thing you are interested in.
Plus, it’s easy to be a member. At the beginning of the year, RIT has a club fair, where representatives from each club set up a table to inform students about their organizations. You can give them your name and e-mail, and they will send you the meeting dates and any other important info. Additionally, once involved in a club, you can run for a position. Not only does this look good on your résumé, but it will give you more of a say in any club-related decisions. I have already done this, and look forward to my positions next year.
When I first got here, I was only a member a couple clubs. I wanted to get more involved, but took it easy while I adjusted to my first quarter of college. Eventually I joined a few more clubs and backed out of one of my first clubs. Next year, I probably will explore even more of them.
So get a couple of friends and try a few different clubs! Sometimes you will have more fun if you know people in the club. If you don’t like one, its okay, the leaders won’t be upset. Even if you think there isn’t a perfect club for you, you can always suggest a new one.
Now that you’ve made time to go to that long-awaited party, you have more challenges. Do you drink? Do you do drugs? Do you like to dance? If you absolutely don’t like any of these things, you probably won’t have much fun. I’m sorry, but it’s true. But, the stereotypical college kid does like at least one or more of these things.
Personally, I don’t drink nor do drugs, nor will I be pressured into doing either of them. On the other hand, I love to dance. When I go to a dance or party, I still have a great time being sober and just dancing with my friends the whole time.
Okay, once in a while you will be called out for “not wanting to have fun,” but don’t listen to it. In high school, kids drank to be cool, but in college, they drink to let loose. College kids won’t really call you “uncool” just for saying no.
Benefits: On the plus side, you can watch the stupid things that the drunks do. Not that I’m suggesting you upload pictures or videos of them…but for the instant, laughing at them will help pass the time. Another thing is that you can be the designated driver, and ensure your friends’ safety, both at and after the party.
A party on a Saturday night + a big exam on Monday = bad news.
So how do you fight the urge to go party or hang out with friends on the weekend? Well, I usually have my conscious to tell me, “You have to study. If you study, then you can go out.” Of course, this is hard to follow. However, in order to balance work and play, you should do a few things:
• Use a schedule to remember homework Get a weekly calendar or planner. It is best if you can get a quarterly/semesters calendar in order to plan far ahead. Include when assignments are due and when quizzes and exams are. If you remember or write down the due dates, you won’t have to procrastinate. Keep an agenda with you during the day, and write down additional assignments and due dates, so that you will remember and add them to your calendar.
• Make daily or weekly checklists For those really organized people, you should even make a list of daily tasks and assignments for you to check off. (I personally like using circles. I am more likely to complete tasks when there’s an empty circle for me to color in =] )
• Add study sessions to a fundamental weekly calendar Make a weekly schedule including class times, sleeping times, and meals. Then add in blocks of time that you will use to do homework or study. Make it reasonable, and include decent amounts of time on the weekend as well – Let’s face it, we all procrastinate sometimes, and if you have a backup plan you will have a better chance of getting your assignments and studying done. Most importantly, schedule blocks where you can have fun, relax, and unwind from all your work.
• Tell your friends you will hang out with them another time When you must deny an invitation to go out with friends, don’t fret. If you plan on going out for the weekend, get most of your assignments done first. You won’t feel as guilty because you worked for it.
I know this list may sound long and boring, but trust me, it works. I have all of the above mentioned tools in order to stay organized. I never even thought I needed all of it, until after my first quarter I realized I needed to pick up the pace. So, even if you aren’t an organized person, try at least a few of these suggestions. If you get your work done, then you will be able to write in that party on your calendar.
College food. It’s not the most exciting thing in the world, especially when it comes to the buffet style which is better known as “disgusting.” RIT has one such establishment, called Gracie’s. Freshmen cannot wait until they become 2nd year status so that they can change their meal plan to all-debit. But for those with no AP credits, or just the very hungry, Gracie’s must become an unfortunate mainstay.
Gracie’s simply is like a grade school cafeteria. Its huge, has lunch ladies, and serves slop. Okay so maybe I’m being too harsh…not really. There are plenty of rumors and stories about Gracie’s that are about people getting sick. Here are some humorous arguments and rebuttals about Gracie’s.
∙There is always pizza,
It’s too oily and the crust isn’t even crunchy.
∙We have Asian stir fry on a Mongolian grill!
It would actually be good if the meats looked/tasted better
∙What about our tacos?
No meat for me please, I don’t trust it
∙ Pasta?
Do you even know what sauce is supposed to taste like? Don’t even get me started with the meatballs.
However, there are a few good things about Gracie’s. One good thing is that it does celebrate holidays with special dishes. They sometimes have bands play and have parties even for no special occasion. If you do eat one thing at Gracie’s, it should be the desserts. They have everything from cookies, to cake, to pie, and many different types of ice cream. Many a time when I have been dissatisfied with my meal, I indulge in the desserts. Another thing is the soda fountain. After a while, the same sodas get boring. But, if you want a pro tip, try mixing drinks together and come up with new concoctions that you like. I do this all the time, and I even name my drinks.
There are several meal plans that include the buffet style Gracie’s at RIT. I am thankfully on the lowest amount of Gracie’s possible as a first-year, any-10. The others are 12, 14, and unlimited (who would do this???). Taking my meal plan as an example, basically, you must use 5 Gracie’s meals during the week, which comes to about 10-ish dollars if you used your debit. The other 5 are called meal options, which can be used at any other restaurant on campus, and amount to $6.50 each. If you are on the 12 or 14, you also get 5 meal options, but the rest must be used at Gracie’s. In past years, students were not allowed to use more than one meal option at a time; however, it is now possible to use multiple meal options. There are plenty of microwavable meals that you can purchase as well, like ramen noodles or pizza bites (my fav!). Meal options and debit do not have to strictly be used for food purchases. Yes, you can use it at a couple on campus stores like Sol’s Underground, Crossroads, or the Corner Store, which sell other household products. You can get toiletries, magazines, school supplies, and much more. Depending on which meal plan you are on, you get a certain amount of debit. The any-10 gives the most debit, and it decreases as you increase the number of Gracie’s meals.
If you are on all-debit, you get to use all of your $1300 throughout the course of the quarter. Each quarter, it resets, but a small portion of what you don’t use gets added to the total balance for your next quarter. Those on meal plans barely get any rollover, so at the end of each quarter there are massive lines at the on-campus convenience stores mentioned above.
The food selection across campus is pretty good, aside from Gracie’s. They are also nicely spread over the campus so there is always food nearby. Or, if you are in a run you can use your debit in a vending machine. Global Village will be ready next year, and will include more shops and fresh produce type markets-can’t wait! Plus, I will be on all-debit!
When a club or event wants students to come, they provide free food. It is well known that college students absolutely loveeee free food. I concur to this since there have been occasions that I only went to a meeting because there was food.
Especially when it comes to midterms and finals, it is important to know how to study effectively. Cramming and procrastinating go hand in hand and are big threats on campus. But if you follow these tips you will definitely be successful.
•Space out your studying Study a little everyday instead of waiting until the last minute. This way, the material will stay in your long term memory. Very successful students know this and even review each class’s material right after the class ends.
•Study the most important information and learn the general concepts first Don’t worry about learning the details until you have learned the main ideas. Always read the summaries and other helpful questions and vocabulary listed at the end of chapters in your readings.
•Eat well, the day before and the day of your test This includes breakfast, the most important meal of the day to encourage memory (and metabolism too). Don’t have too much sugar, which will make you hyper, because it’ll be harder to focus.
•Take breaks Set aside a reasonable amount of time to study and then short breaks in between. If you tell yourself you will study for 5 hours straight, it’s hard to stick to it. Instead, it is better to pick a shorter period of time that you are more likely stick with. Plus, if you do study for the time you set aside, you will feel more accomplished because you know you aren’t procrastinating.
•Make a study group If you know others in your class, it is sometimes beneficial to test each other. It is also true that you learn better when you teach or explain concepts to others. However, if your friends don’t seem like the type who are serious about doing well, forget it. It will be a mistake when you realize that your study group actually turned out to be a procrastination group.
These above tips are the basic guidelines to doing well. However, not everyone studies the same. This has to do with the fact that people have different learning styles. Some may be visual learners who need pictures and diagrams to understand better. Some may be better at remembering small details first and then moving on to the big picture. Want to find out your learning style? Take this quiz and then read the description of your results, don’t worry, there are no wrong answers! http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
Especially when you are going to college out of state, like me, you will worry about making new friends. In my case, I actually ended up coming to RIT with one of my best friends since elementary school and my boyfriend of two years. Now I know this doesn’t sound very realistic, but I believe fate brought us here together. We even somehow managed to be in the same building, and on the same floor! Now if it wasn’t meant to be, do you think that would have happened? Anyway, my point is that even though I came here with two people I already knew, it doesn’t mean making friends didn’t still worry me.
Thankfully, RIT held both an Honors and a regular orientation process for incoming freshmen before the beginning of the school year. My best friend, boyfriend, and I all participated in the Honors orientation together. The Honors orientation started a few days before the rest of the students were to arrive, so we had time to move in and start making friends with other Honors freshmen. It seemed as though everyone was very desperate to quickly make friends and feel accepted.
One day my boyfriend’s roommates, my best friend, her roommate, and I played card games in their room. The RA stopped by and introduced us to another boy on our floor and we invited him to play. The main thing is that we were very accepting, and we had fun. Another instance was when I was invited to come over to the (male) triple down the hall. I remember I brought my best friend and her roommate along to find other girls on the floor to come with us.I ended up making a few new friends from that experience, and by the time we got to the triple, we more than outnumbered the guys.
For the regular orientation, we were all split up according to our major/college within RIT. Here I tried my best to talk to new people, who were slightly worse off than me because no one knew anyone else, and hadn’t been in the Honors orientation either. Slowly, I started talking to the same people in my group everyday at the orientation meetings. The people I socialized with lived in the building right next to me, but in order to see them I would need someone to swipe their card at the door. So at the end of orientation week they invited me over and we played card games and talked. They were all really nice, though obviously reserved from what I now know about them, because we all wanted to make friends. From that experience, I made a few more friends, and now we are all very comfortable around each other.
As the month went on, you could slowly notice all the freshmen finding their place within the college community. Groups formed, friends introduced friends to new friends, and many ultimately formed long-lasting friendships. Slowly but surely, you’ll get facebook friend requests and phone numbers to see if you can get lunch or hang out together after class.
Now that I think of it, I kind of miss those first weeks at RIT. You come from far away and get to be whoever you want to be and no one knows anything about you. You can change your values, and you’re hopeful that others find you to be a good person. I know we have all heard the saying to “just be yourself,” and you will fit in and find friends. Even though I was given this golden opportunity to be someone else, I didn’t try to be, I was just myself. Although I am very happy with whom I am now, I still wonder what would have happened if I had decided to change my morals and attitude altogether…
I think you never really stop making friends at college. RA’s peer mentors, and orientation mentors assist in this process. Plus, there is no way to get to know thousands of students all in a short period of time. Whether in class, walking, eating, or at parties, you will see both familiar and unfamiliar faces. When you really get to know someone, you can decide whether you want to still be friends with them or move on. Don’t submit to peer pressure just to fit in. There is always someone who will accept you, no matter how different or weird you think you are. Be friendly and kind, slowly open up and try to get to know others, and find someone with similar likes/dislikes, and I guarantee you will be successful in your friend-making endeavors. =]
One of the most exciting times for a college-bound student is finding out their roommate. You wait all summer long for the day you find out whom you will live with for the school year. When I found out my roommate, I had mixed feelings. Of course, these feelings were not generated simply by checking my roommate’s name and drawing a conclusion about her. Like many roommates-to-be, we added each other on Facebook. After I Facebook-stalked her page, I was able to make a few assumptions. On one hand, she seemed like a typical college roommate. However, she seemed like a girly girl, which somewhat intimidated me. This is because I am neither a girly girl nor a tomboy. Plus, she seemed popular unlike me. Nonetheless, I kept a positive attitude until she messaged me on Facebook one day.
My supposed roommate informed me that she had switched roommates. She had been at RIT for the summer program, and requested her old roommate whom she had already befriended. I was taken aback, but responded considerately. Then, I had to wait a day or two to find out who my real roommate would be. Once again, we added each other on Facebook and I tried to gather information about her from her page.
This time, I found out that my ex-roommate wasn’t lying, that is because my new roommate was first supposed to be roommates with my ex-roommate’s previous roommate. Got all that? So after we got that settled, my new roommate and I talked to each other about ourselves. However, there was one big detail that I had already assumed by looking at her profile picture, which she nonchalantly mentioned in a list of many other facts about herself. She was a lesbian.
Now I’m sure there are other straight people out there, besides me, that would be scared to find this out about their roommate. Of those people, some would immediately want to request a new roommate. In addition, my new roommate was a butch, which I thought would be even more intimidating than a girly lesbian. But most importantly she was still very nice and friendly. Although I was certainly worried about having a gay roommate, I still wanted to give her the chance that my ex-roommate didn’t give me.
During my first weeks here at RIT, my main concern was getting dressed in the room. I was clearly wary of changing with her in the room, but I knew she had a girlfriend, which eased my nerves a bit. It also helped that when I took a shower, I didn’t walk back to my room in a towel or robe. I always come out of the bathroom dressed. Both of us always changed, and continue to change, in our separate corners of the room. I have never caught her watching me change, even though my back is always to her.
Soon, I felt much more comfortable around her. There are still some awkward moments, but they are bound to occur. It always takes time to adjust to a change, in my case having a gay roommate for the first time, and getting accustomed to dorm life. In the end, having a gay roommate isn’t as strange as people make it out to be.
If you want some basic tips about living with roommates, check out this link. Most importantly, follow the guidelines for making a roommate contract. These are probably required at your school, and definitely at RIT, so do your best to make a contract that is reasonable and make compromises with your roommate when necessary.
Do you have an interesting roommate story, comment, or question? Share it in a comment below for me to address. If you are fresh out of ideas, visit this page for some hilarious ways to confuse your roommate.
