My first day of college consisted of going to a business calculus class (read: what I tested into after a year of AB Calc) at 6 PM. It was one of six times I went.
Freshman comp was a joke. I spent most of the classes editing other people’s papers until the professor told me not to. Meanie:(
Psych 100 was “Oh, I remember this from experiencing it” and “this history of psych class is boring”. It was also 300 people.
Comm 104 was also a joke. I got a B and I . . . how shall we say . . . did the final paper the morning it was due. I attribute my success in the class to knowing my family very well.
Geography was annoying and a lot of work, but I learned stuff specifically because it was a lot of work.
Now this term I am doing all English classes (go figure, an English major doing that . . . ):
English 404 (The Augustan Age) will be easy so long as I have the brain to think and read occasionally. And the professor’s kinda cute and his voice is too:) He went to UToronto, so he says “aboot”. Woot!
English 325 (Dimensions of Writing and Literature) will be easy so long as I go and keep thinking. I haven’t been yet (first class is tomorrow). I am hoping it will be more of a challenge than English 302, which was me being able to spit out garbage and getting As on it.
English 332 I don’t know about yet, but I have class in about 20 minutes so I guess I’ll find out:) It’s a film class.
I’m tempted to take a French class just so I’d know I still had it, but when I visited the book store yesterday I started reading a novel they use in a 300 or 400-level class and I was understanding most if it. Awww yeah…
Oh, piss off:) Some people LIKE my hair! I get compliments on it, even! One girl told me I had it layered very well. She meant it as a compliment . . . I attribute it to dumb luck.
Besides, having long hair can be beneficial. Can YOU pick my brother up with only your hair? I didn’t think so!
Monster, I’m curious. It sounds like you’re some sort of computer major. So I’m wondering why you don’t wait until you have calculus to enroll in the Comp Sci 110? While 4 years may seem like a lot, taking classes (not to mention paying for them) that you already have a proficient knowledge and efficiency in is a big waste. If I were you, I’d talk to an advisor to see if you can squeeze into 110 with restrictions or some sort of probationary conditions, or just wait to take it until you have your prereqs.
In other news, I had my first day of classes this semester last night. Grad school is pretty interesting. The first thing my professor said was that in October he may be forced to leave town, as he has been given a presidential appointment, and is waiting for his Congressional confirmation to go through. In the meantime, there is another professor sitting in on classes, ready to take over at a moment’s notice! I fully expect to kiss this man’s ass, and beg for a job in the next year.
Welcome to college. As the wise man put it, “there is a time and a place for everything, and that’s college.”
I’m beginning my second year, altough I’m sure my life is very different from yours…
Best thing about college is that there’s all types here. If you have an interest, there’s a club. If there isn’t, you can probaly form one and get poeple to join.
There’s more events on campus then in High School. The events here at Texas A&M mostly center around traditions (Midnight Yell Practice, Football games) but there are some other things, too.
It’s inevitable that a sci-fi convention will occur. I recommend you go to it. Last year a man wearing a female Star Trek TOS skirt was given the costume prize, with the stipulation that he never, ever wear it in public again.
It’s a pity you aren’t spending your freshman year on campus, you’ll miss out on a lot. On the other hand, you don’t have to fart around with a lot of rules.
If you’re in a big college town, odds are you’ll be having concerts and speakers coming on a weekly basis. Last year we had George Bush, Tom Major, and Norman Schwartzkof (I know that’s a spelling error) in one week. We also had the cast of * Who’s Line is it Anyway?*
In short, prepare yourself for the best 4 years of your life. If you feel like you’re getting lost in the crowd, join an orginization. Doesn’t have to be a frat. They more popular ones here are Christian orgs, but sci-fi groups are prevalent too.
Congrats, Monster. Now you can annoy your professors and classmates with your loud, raucous voice :D.
I am in my fourth year, about two years from graduating (yes, some people take 6 years to get their Bachelors). I am a Spanish language and culture major (at my university you focus on either culture or literature). So, my courses are all upper division and no earlier than 10 am (well, if i didnt have to take my major pro-seminar class, my classes would be no later than 2 pm).
Mondays and Wednesdays - “Advanced Spanish Grammar”. Taught entirely in Spanish (and i have a Spaniard as a professor, who also teaches at the private International studies grad school), i get to learn the trickier parts of Spanish grammar. Such topics as the subjunctive, when to use the imperfect and preterite will be discussed. He’s also not allowing us to use English in his class.
Tuesdays and Thursdays - “History and culture of the South Western United states, Aztlan”. This one focuses on the history and culture of the Southwest united states (California, New Mexico, and Texas), but from the Latino and Indigenous points of view. I had that class today, and it sounds very very interesting. I will get A’s in this one.
Thursdays - “Ancient Mayan Civilization”. The name says it all. This one sounds fascinating because i dont know much about the Maya (you learn more about the Aztec it seems). I hear the professor is also very very cool and interesting to listen to, even if he goes off on tangents.
Friday - “Major Pro-Seminar”. This class is the coreq to my senior capstone (senior final project). I did take it last year, but because i had a horrible year in terms of my academics, i have an incomplete. I am taking it again to make up for the incomplete. Supposedly it will be different this time around. We’ll go to class for a month, then we’ll go to our advisor when we need help the rest of the semester.
I still have two literature classes to get out of the way, and I think one more culture class. Then i can start my senior capstone and graduate. But i am taking my time.
Good advice: Study hard! Dont let partying get in the way of your school work. I slacked big time and am paying for it (it sucks harder if you slack off in your last couple of years of college).
Thanks for all the advice everyone, it is appreciated. I’m gearing up for my second day tomorrow (I’m expecting to get homework now - And I finally got two of my books. The other 3 aren’t in yet).
A couple things:
Munch: Oh, I tried. How I tried. They would have none of it. (There are a lot of restrictions on freshmen at CSUN as it is).
Rasa: If your cut off your arm, wouldn’t that be about 1/6 your body weight?
I, too, will be entering post-secondary education this year. I start classes at Carleton University (in Ottawa)next Thursday, and start Frosh Week this Saturday. For anyone who cares (is there anyone?), here’s my course layout.
2 Math courses: linear algebra & elementary calculus
shouldn’t be too bad, i don’t mind math. prefer calculus to algebra, though.
2 Business courses: financial & management accounting
also not too bad, I took accounting as one of my OAC (grade 13) classes. Probably won’t be too different from that, because my HS teacher said the book we used was a university textbook (looked like one as well)
1 Economics course (full credit): intro to eco
again, took economics in OAC, so this shouldn’t be much of a problem.
4 Computer Science courses: Discrete Structures, Java pt. 1 & 2, and a C or C++ course
i’m really looking forward to these, as I’ve been a computer freak since I was young, always enjoyed working on them. I’ve studied a bit of C++ on my own, but haven’t done Java yet. Discrete structures is half-math, dealing with Boolean algebra, and such.
I’m majoring in Computer Science (as if you couldn’t tell), with a concentration in business. I’m hoping some business will find my skills attractive as I look for work. I’m living at home (30-45 minute bus ride), so no residence life for me. But it’s useful what people post on here about their experiences, so keep on posting, please! Thanks!!
Hey, you’re not far from the truth in my case:) I thought I was straight until I got to college. Then I realized I wsan’t during winter term and figured out I was bisexual a term later.
My film class, I learned today, places more emphasis on quizzes than on the final exam, and more emphasis on the papers than either. I can get an 80 without even taking the final.
Way to go Monster (and other freshmen out there!)!
I’ll think of you tomorrow morning as I go into my freshman English Conversation class and converse at my students in English…
I love freshmen!
So young, so cute, so naive! At least they are until their seniors get to them: “Idiot! Astroteacher is an American. Blow class off, and then give him any official looking note in Korean. He won’t be able to read it… then you gibber at him in Korean, using all the archaic and dialectical words you can can think of. He won’t understand and will just assume you have a valid excuse because it’s too much trouble to follow up on (true, BTW…).”
Suddenly attendance drops off dramatically, and I have to take steps…
Thanks to a classmate I’ve secretly nicknamed Doofusbutt, I’ll only be teaching two classes this semester (as opposed to my usual three or four). Worse, I’ll be team-teaching those two, and I really don’t care to for tag-team-teaching.
Doofusbutt should have been denied a spot in the teaching class because he missed most of today (the first day!) but the prof in charge was in a lenient mood and shuffled the class assignments to accomodate him. Bleh.
Also, even if you live off campus get a meal plan. Not the full load, but the “5 meals a week” plan, if your school has it.
This summer, I learned just how badly I needed to be able to swip my damn card in for a lunch at the campus Chick-fil-a/Whataburger for lunch. I almost never had cash.
(And what little cash I did have usually went to futile dates.)
(There are a lot of restrictions on freshmen at CSUN as it is).