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
