I start Monday morning. I registered for classes, I got my textbooks, and I have a good idea where I’m going and how to get there. I’m still going to bring a map, but since there’s only 3 buildings involved I don’t think I’ll get lost.
I still have to buy some supplies, what will I need? I have a scientific calculator and a nice bookbag/backpack.
I was in college 20 years ago at a different school (for a very short time), but it’s been so long that I can’t remember a lot about it. I’m 38 years old, so I’m not living in the dorms, I’ll be commuting everyday.
Any other tips? I’m nervous, but not too bad.
Oh, one more question - how is an honors class different from a regular class? I tested pretty high in English and the class I was supposed to take was already full, so my advisor got me into an honors class instead. That is freaking me out, I am OK at English but not spectacular. I read well but suck at writing.
I use a spiral notebook for each of my classes and a pockets only folder to hold the class syllabus and the like.
A day planner is essential for me - I schedule project start dates in advance. Now, that doesn’t mean that I get them started then, but at least I’m not surprised that I only have a week to write a 30 page research paper.
Beyond something to take notes on the first day of class, I’d hold off on buying much more. See what the syllabus requires (if you’re taking science classes, there may be specific lab notebooks, art classes may require drawing pads and so on).
Honors classes vary from school to school, but probably involve an expectation of a higher level of work (to a point) than a regular freshman english class - more critical thinking, less regurgitation. But that’s MHO.
I admire you and your ability to go back to school. We are nearly the same age and part of me wants to go back and the other part of me wants to take a nap.
So, what do you want to be when you grow up?
My only advice is watch, " Educating Rita" I love it. MIchael Caine and Julia Walters. Excellent story.
I first started thinking about going back to school ten years ago. I finally realized I’m not getting any younger, and if I waited any longer it would only be harder to go back. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, but I am going to major in geology. Unless I change my mind, but I have always been interested in geological stuff. The math involved has always scared me off, but I think I can learn to do it if I really apply myself. My SO was a geology major, and I know if he can do it, I can too.
Get a water bottle. You don’t want to be drinking soda all day, or paying for water. Get a nice plastic water bottle that you can carry around and refill. I bet your nice new backpack has a pocket for it. If you have a locker or something, put a mug in it for your coffee or tea.
Pencils. I hate sharpening, and I loose them all the time, so I buy the cheapo mechanical pencils that I don’t mind leaving places or loaning to people. I always have several in my bag. Also find a really good highlighter. Don’t get a cheap one, it’ll just be smeary. Play with them at the store.
I went back and forth between spiral bound notebooks and a three ring binder. I ended up with a binder and a three-hole punch. I punch holes in everything I get from class, and I don’t loose it because it’s all together. Then I have handouts and class notes together. Instead of buying loose paper, I buy lined pads with holes pre-punched. It’s kind of my thing.
A written calendar is a necessity, you want to write down all class meetings (to start with), all of your assignments, and as the semester gets crazy you may want to plan when you’ll do what in order to get it all done. You may want a palm pilot too, but don’t skip the written calendar.
Try to buy your books used. As long as they’re not marked up, they’re the same only cheaper. If you register early (next semester) and find out what the textbooks will be, look for them online.
I’m not in college, but I’ve been in grad school forever. My little habits may not suit you, but they’ve worked for me. Good luck!
Don’t resell your books to the bookstore, you’ll make pennies on the dollar. Instead, hit Amazon or Half or the online retailer of your choice, I’m usually able to get about 60-70% of what I paid originally and still come in under the school bookstores’ used price.
This is going to depend on your professors, but at my college, a lot of them put like 20 books on the Required list, then only use 3. You may want to hold off until class starts and see what they actually use, though this can bite you in the ass from time to time.
I agree with the “Carry a water bottle” thing, I do it myself, as do most of the people I have classes with.
Pack a lunch. You don’t want to spend tons on the greasy fast food that’re most of the food options.
Go outside. Most of the campuses I’ve been on have been great for just sitting outside, getting some fresh air. And I don’t even like going outside.
Don’t be afraid to email your professors or talk to them. Unless they’re totally curmudgeonly and old, they know how to use email and usually take care to answer them fairly quickly.
Don’t be afraid to drop a class and try it again later. I know so many people who get stuck in some horrible class and absolutely refuse to drop it.
At my old college, the Honors courses replaced the regular courses. Instead of English 1101, say, we had Honors English 1402 (so I got screwed on transfer credits). However, at my current one, the Honors kids are in the same class, but I believe they do a little more work (write a couple more papers or something).
This is great advice, thanks everyone. My school has a textbook rental program, so I didn’t have to buy them. I like the idea of three ring binders, herownself, that sounds like a good way to organize. I do have a big Nalgene bottle, I’ll bring that. Pain reliever, check. I have had a toothache for the last week. I went to the dentist and she could find nothing wrong with the tooth, even after an x-ray. Since neither of us wanted to do random drilling to find the problem, I have been dealing with that inconvenience. I hope it is gone by Monday.
Go to class everyday.
Participate in class discussion.
Talk to your instructors.
Actually read the assigned material.
Make that: keep up with the readings (as opposed to reading it all at once the night before).
Students that do these things ALWAYS do very well in my classes. Unfortunately, most students have a hard enough time going to class, are usually scared (for lack of a better word) to participate in the discussion or answer the questions I pose to class, don’t talk to me after class, never open the book, and only study the night before the test. However, those that do are richly rewarded.
I only have a couple of tips for you (sounds like you’ve got it under control and everyone else had great suggestions) :
Use whatever office supplies work well for you. I really liked to have lots of stuff with me because I hated to work on projects at home, so I would have pens, paper, pencils, erasers, stapler, etc with me. You may need nothing more than pen and paper.
Really, really talk with your profs. Actually go to their office hours and introduce yourself. It will make a huge difference in your quality of educational experience. Besides, I have a picture of myself shaking hands with the dean of my (very large) college at graduation. He actually knew me. He wrote my letter of reference for grad school.
And, as far as honors classes, I remember that most of mine simply had an extra paper or project. (However, some of the classes were just really hard.) I really liked all my honors classes, but then again I really liked college!
Thanks Pantellerite, good advice that I plan to follow. I feel I have an advantage over traditional students, I am going to college for myself because I want to do this. Not because my parents are paying for it or want me to go. I have already read the first chapters in most of my books, and already have questions about the Intermediate Algebra class I’m taking. I’m old enough to be past the point of feeling shy about asking questions.
Thanks Snowcarpet. MWF I have classes one right after the other, but I have a break between on T and Th. I will introduce myself to my professors. Sounds good.
I find it funny that I will be having some of the same profs that my SO had for geology (my SO went to the same college), the head of the department remembers him and he went to college back in the '70s. He said the one I have for intro to geology lab is really cool, so I feel better about that class.
Don’t suppose you want any advice from a prof. but I’ll not talk long
It is my experience that those students who are returning students tend to be much more attentive to what they are doing in class, and tend towards not settling for lower than ‘A’ grades. I always look forward to ‘returning students’ who are really psyched for classes and truly do a very good job at setting a good example for other students.
I commend your willingness to go the extra mile and go back to school for your degree. A few random thoughts:
Continue doing the reading, it will make the classes go by that much easier.
Stay in contact with your profs. If you can’t make a class, usually no problem, just email the prof. and let them know.
Take good notes so you can be always prepared for quizzes etc…etc…
Ask Question in class. Always, even if you think you are raising your hand more than anyone else.
The profs. will recognize this and it will usually pan out to your benefit.
Always keep your goals written on the inside of your notebook. When and if you ever get discouraged, look in there to see what your true motives really are.
Last year I had a woman who sent her last child to elementary school and decided to go back to college. She had pictures of her three children in the inside cover of her binder. It was very endearing, even to other students half her age.
My advice concerning this is to rent the books for the general classes, but buy (and keep) the ones directly related to your major. I have every Electrical Engineering and software text I ever bought, with the exception of a short handful that were destroyed in a basement flood.
Don’t overload your bookbag. It’s easy to do if you’re commuting, with couple of texts, binders, and a notebook PC. Instead, get a couple of crate from the local housewares store, and set up an office in your vehicle. That way, you have everything handy, but it’s semi-organized. If that’s not possible, then get a wheelie bag.
Professors aren’t gods, although you will find a couple who think they are. Treat them with respect, but don’t be afraid of them, and don’t let them push you around.
Go to class every day, take notes, participate, and do your homework, and that’s 80% of the battle. Don’t forget play time, but don’t go overboard; try to treat it as a 9-5 job.
If you get a notebook PC. get the most bullet-proof one you can find, and load it with anti-virus, firewall, and spyware killers.
I think the best strategy for success is to figure out how you learn and exploit that. For example, I found that if I took good notes, I rarely had to study or even refer to those notes. The act of writing something down was the important part, so I went to every class, took meticulous notes, and needed to do very little studying outside of class. I knew other people who learned quite differently. Taking notes did them very little good. They found they could get what they needed by reading the books or some other method. In some cases, coming to class did them so little good it became a matter of etiquette, not learning (and I’m referring to other students who did quite well in spite of skipping class, not slackers who washed out).
I also never bothered to meet-and-greet professors. I think I went to a professor’s office for class-related meetings 2-3 times in my entire college and grad school career. Obviously this doesn’t count meetings with my PhD advisor or other non-class related talks. I knew all my profs quite well, but I had very little use for class-related office hours. I knew other people who would camp out in the prof’s office and simply discuss class topics. It all depends on how you learn, and using someone else’s strategy may be completely ineffective.
The same applies to your choice of office supplies. You need to pick something which matches the way you organize things (or the way you would like to). I used narrow-ruled tablets, and I would tear off sheets for a class and put them in binders. This minimized what I took to class but forced me to organize the notes after the fact. I know other people who used spirals or other class-specific notes media, but if they misplaced or forgot them, the system broke down (IMO, but it worked for them). Again, there’s no “right” way and you have to figure out what works for you.
-I really love just keeping all my notes in a three-ring binder and hole-punching handouts. Buying a whole notebook for some class where I only take 10 pages of notes the whole semester seems a bit silly to me. Even more importantly than that, unless you forget your whole binder (I don’t, as it only leaves my bookbag when it has to), you can’t leave your notes, handouts, and homework behind.
-Yep, go to class. Sometimes reading the book is enough, but much of the time, the professor will talk about things that aren’t in the book at all.
-Definitely keep some sort of assignment book or planner. When you write down an assignment, don’t just write it in today’s block, but skip forward a bit and scribble in a reminder on day before it’s due so you don’t forget to bring it along with you.
-The water bottle is a good idea, but be careful about accidentally spilling it all over your notes!
-If it’s a large “pit” class, then you may want to arrive a little early so you can get a good seat. This is doubly true if you want a left-handed desk.
As for the honors classes . . . At my school, honors classes aren’t necessarily more work, but instead feature more writing and class discussion and less mindless regurgitation. Classes tend to be smaller as well. If the class is on a topic you like, then you may just prefer the honors class, as you’ll get to dig deeper into the material and have a closer connection with the professor. In my experience, as long as you can write well, you should have no problem.
I think you’ve already gotten some great advice here. The only thing I would add is to figure out how YOU learn best. Do you learn best by reading textbooks? Listening to/participating in lectures? Discussing material with the professor or TA, one-on-one? Studying/going over material with other students? Or by taking notes in class and going over your notes?
I found that for many classes, I had to attend. I couldn’t learn from other people’s notes or from the text, so I almost never missed class. I needed to hear the information and write it down in notes form. It also helped me to study with other people from my classes, wherein each of us would take a section of what we had covered in class, make a set of consolidated notes, and then “teach” it to the other people. It really helps ME to be able to put the information in a format that I can explain to other people. If I can explain it to someone else, I know I understand it.
I know this will take some time, but I really think it’s worthwhile to figure out. There’s no use in making yourself trying to learn material in such a way that is antithetical to how you learn best. Figure out what works best for you and go from there.
Just to offer an alternative form of note-taking - this one is very popular at my school.
Use a clipboard and looseleaf. Load up the clipboard, take the notes, pile the sheets at the back of the clipboard in order, and at the end of the day go home and place it into an appropriate binder. I put the date, class name (usualy nickname) and a page number at the top, so everything is organized. For example, the tops of my analytical chemistry course notes have: Date, Anal-# where # is the page of looseleaf I’m using.
When I need to study, I actually remove the whole set of notes for a course from the binder, clip them together, and study off of those. That way, I don’t need to carry a large binder around every day, but everything is still organised in the same way. Taking only a clipboard and pens to classes really minimises what I need to carry. Also, it allows space for a textbook in my bag, on the odd chance that I need to take it to class.
And I just noticed that I wrote all of this in the present tense, though I am not now in classes and convocation is less than a month away. Clearly, I haven’t broken away from school yet!
Buy a decent mechanical pencil, and hold onto it like the devil. It’s worth it. I recommend the Pentel Technica-X - and yes, its quality and comfort make it worth ordering. The two I have were bought on clearance and I can’t seem to find the damned things anywhere around town I look. As soon as I have some money I plan on ordering four or five of them.
Don’t listen to yapping about water. Water’s a sissy drink. You can get a six pack of 24oz bottles of pepsi-product soda for $2.50, around here at least. Bring two a day and gulp 'em down. The caffeine and sugar’s good for you. Hey, if you’re as poor as I am right now, 48oz of Dr. Pepper may just end up being your lunch.
