Uh, like what? What would you like to know?

Omg I wish I was back in college.

>>7354611
just generally anything that will help me not completely fail

i don't even know what to ask at this point

Make sure nobody ever finds out you surf 4chan.

I wouldn't talk about Pokemon (just assuming that you are into it from your pic) all that much either, at least not until you've established the fact that you aren't a social retard.

If you live in the dorms, keep your door open.

Don't fap. It gives you motivation to talk to girls.

Talk to girls. Approaching them is the only way to get them.

Don't buy all recommended textbooks. Go to class a few times and then make the call on whether or not you'll need the book yourself.

And finally, passing your classes should take priority over pretty much everything.

>>7354635
what if i want a girl who also likes pokemon and is a social retard?

and i'm not living in dorms, is that a huge mistake?

>>7354635
>>Don't buy all recommended textbooks

Jesus Christ this.

I stopped buying all my textbooks ($600) sophomore year, and between sophomore year and graduation I only purchased one book.

>>7354625
Situations vary from person to person and college to college.

I would say....make new friends. That's the most general advice I can give without knowing much about you.

I don't know how american colleges and unis work, so if this doesn't apply, fuck you.

>don't be a faggot.
>don't lock yourself in your room.
>prop your flat door and room door open, get a box of biscuits and make tea like a motherfucker. invite anyone and everyone in.
>join societies and stuff, even if you've never done it before. Like, fancy muay thai but never done sports? no problem. give it a go.
>pay attention in your lectures, don't be late, don't be a dick, do the work as soon as you get it. Start as you mean to go on.
>if you think freshers ball and 'normal' club nights aren't for you, you aint gonna meet people like you there, so don't feel bad if you don't go.
>get to know a good group of people on your course, to help eachother with work and shit.

If you don't know anyone there, that's a good thing. You know all that shit you don't like about yourself? This is your chance to change it, reinvent yourself. If you're shy, force yourself to be confident, people will assume it's just you, and after a while it'll be natural...and you'll see you can be confident afterall. Want to try a new look? Buy a new wardrobe and get a cut.

>>7354660
I'm not the same guy, but its fine if you're not in a dorm. There's pros and cons either way. I guess the biggest thing for you if you will not be in a dorm is finding more ways to get out and interact with people.

>>7354660
Are you moving to a new city? If so, it is a mistake not to live in dorms.

Also, don't buy textbooks until you're sure you need them, perfect way to save a couple hundred bucks

>>7354660
Never be a social retard, even if you're going for a social retard.

You don't need to live in dorms. You can socialize in class and go to Freshman things. Dorms certainly help you make friends.

>>7354667
how do you know if you need it or not?

>>7354676
well, seeing as how i have no friends to begin with, it's my only option. are people nicer in college than in high school?

>>7354667
>>7354635

Also college freshman. I'm going to community college and since I'm poor I'm getting covered by financial aid.

How would I know if I need the book or not?

>>7354703
its probably one of those questions where if you have to ask... you probably need the book.

>>7354699
>>7354703

college freshman Do I need textbooks mind

>>7354703
don't americans have libraries?
>>7354699
generally people have gotten over the childish shit from high school, so yeah I guess nicer.

>>7354695
no, the town i lived in has 5 colleges, so there's no point. but a lot of people i know are living in dorms even though they're lived here their whole life

>>7354703

Seriously, just try going without the book for a week. See if the prof assigns homework that you can just as easily complete using Google (or if he assigns homework at all). You'll know pretty quick whether you'll need the book or not.

>>7354699
The teacher will not go out of his way to explain how you need the textbook. After a week, see if the notes are mostly in-class notes and handouts. If they are, don't bother with the book because the tests will probably be based off only handouts.

Obviously classes like English you're going to need the book for the readings.

5 Tips:
1.) Get in with at least one person that's 21. Don't rely on other freshmen with fakes, useless endevour.
2.) Explore your major plus other shit you'd be into early, don't wait around.
3.) Hookup with someone the first weekend. No on takes note on what happens early on, don't think about serious shit until after thanksgiving.
4.) if you're not /fit/ already, start using the school gym - it's probably nice as shit and it's free.
5.) Don't stick around with shy kids because it's easier, or don't just stick around in your room because you're shy. College is a clean slate, regardless of how you were in high school. Live it up while you can.

>>7354579
Buy your books early

>>7354740

Unless you can find cliffnotes online, in which case, you don't even need to read English books.

>>7354699
The people at my college (KU) are much, MUCH, better than the fucksticks I had to deal with in highschool. The great thing about college is that there isn't such thing as "cool" anymore. People are more "grown up" and care much less about those things. Although I'm not sure what to expect as far as community college, I assume its similar. If you're a little nerdy etc., go hang out with similar people that you know you'll get along with. People don't look down on others near as much.

>>7354703
>How would I know if I need the book or not?
Combination of going to ratemyprofessor.com and going to class.

Eventually you'll be able to gauge how much you'll need a book for a class, but there are some teachers who are wild cards in this. You'll get the hang of it.

>are people nicer in college than in high school?
Depends. You're a freshman, and probably will be interacting with freshman a lot. They may or may not have gotten past all their childish high school shit at this point.

so i have to buy my books early so i can buy them used because i can't afford the new ones, but at the same time, if i wait i might not need them at all, but i can't afford the new.

wtf am i supposed to do?

>>7354789
Get Amazon Prime

>>7354746
>1.) Get in with at least one person that's 21. Don't rely on other freshmen with fakes, useless endevour.

Ha Ha! America you so crazy. y u no drink at 18 ? y u no sex at 16!?

>>7354789
Go ahead and buy your math and english books, and I'd wait on the others. You should be able to find them on ebay or craigslist, even if you start looking late.

>>7354773
>ratemyprofessors.com

thank you so much

>>7354827
Take that with a grain of salt. Keep in mind that the professors that assign challenging homework and grade like they should will tend to get worse ratings.

>>7354841
i also just looked up a teacher that was supposedly awful, and he got a smiley face

but it makes me a little less nervous regardless

>>7354579

You will be a student and you will live a student life. Enjoy! Enjoy your student life you motherfucker!! Best years of your life, damn it!


...also don't fail your exams.

>>7354883
how do i not fail??

>>7354878
Yeah, I use it more to get a feel for the professor's personality and teaching style (funny? lots of notes? helpful after class? etc.)
Sometimes people will post study tips for tests and such too.

>>7354922
yeah, too bad two of my classes don't have a teacher listed >.>

but the ones that did seemed okay

>>7354913
duh, fucking study.

>>7354913

First year shouldn't be too bad. Go to lectures, take notes, do your shit, prepare for exams... it's really not that hard. Don't forget to party.

>>7354952
i've never had to study before in my life, i'm not sure if i know how...

>>7354968
i don't like to party; is this going to make making friends a lot more difficult?

>>7354973
Well, this isn't highschool anymore. I didn't study for shit in highschool, but college is different. And you might not think so at first because the first couple months are stupidly easy. Just take notes, make sure you understand what comes out of the teachers mouth. Work examples and DO YOUR HOMEWORK

>>7355013
do they actually check it, or do you just do it for your benefit?

in high school, my organic chem teacher never ever checked homework because she said they didn't care if you did it or not in college, is this true?

>>7354987

I'd like to say no, but of course it will make it somewhat harder. Still you have nothing to worry about unless you're unsocial wow-midget.

If you take notes on a laptop, fight the temptation to browse the Internet during class.

Always keep some extra coinage in your pockets, just in case.

>>7354973
just take notes, do homework. But, you gotta keep practicing shit, do worked examples from your textbooks. keep reviewing your notes until you could just wake up in the morning and write it all from memory. getting into this ethic right at the start, even if it's easy shit, will serve you well. I never had to study in my life, and almost failed first year at uni cos I didn't study, but thought I could handle it.
>>7354987
i would say parties aren't just a bunch of underage teenagers drinking stolen beer in someones house anymore, but you're american...so you can't go to the pub or a nightclub yet. Just relax, drink a little, talk to people.

Stay in shape throughout the year.
Try to eat healthy whenever possible.

Y'know, Freshman 15 and all that.

>>7355020

They may or may not check it. This, however, doesn't matter ONE FUCKING BIT because you are doing it for yourself. You're no longer in elementary school, dude.

>>7355026
don't take notes on a laptop....shits noisey and makes you looks like a douche. Although, maybe I'm biased since it's fuckin hard to type mathematics out.

Don't slack off your first semester, or it'll dent your GPA later on in your college career.

>>7355026
do a lot of people take notes on laptops?
i'm a slow typist so i probably won't

>>7355037
okay i'll buckle down and do work.

but as far as parties, i could go, but i don't drink and have random drug testing at my job. and the not drinking will never change(dad was alcoholic etc etc) so would it be awful to go to a party sober?

>>7355066
It depends on how fast you can type.
If you're faster at writing notes, then do that instead.
Honestly, it's all up to you.

>>7355066
yeah probably. you don't have to do drugs.
i thought 'why would you drink...it's a waste of money'. And then i thought, hey I guess I'll try it. And now I go on nights out, or the pub all the time and it's great. Just cos your dad was an alcoholic doesn't mean you will be, just show some self control bro.

>>7355051
that's real? i thought that was made up bs

>>7355066

No, as long as you're fun. One of the main objectives of a party is having fun.

Just do what you want to do on a social scale. Do pay attentiont to your studies - start as you mean to go on etc. etc. but also don't be limited by the scope of your course. If you see something that interests you outside of it, persue it. Talk to lecturers, many of them be bros. Mega bros. Befreind these megabros as they're full of wisdom.

GO. TO. CLASS.

If you don't miss a single lecture the entire semester, you'd have to be an out-and-out retard to fail any of your exams.

This, IMHO is applicable throughout undergraduate level. Hell, it even applies to some of these taught 'masters' degrees they're offering these days. Basically, until you have to think for yourself (post-grad ) going to all of your classes ( within reason, of course.) and paying a reasonable amount of attention will put you in the top 10% of your class. regardless of major.

there's still plenty of room for partying and getting wrecked regularly, just make it to your classes the next day.

>>7355103
Well in my first year at uni I deffinately got a little chubbier...due to shitty rushed lunches, many visits to the pub after uni, and some days being fuelled only by energy drinks.

>>7355020
Depends on the class. Most teachers check it but even if they don't, do it anyway because it IS for your fucking benefit, and WILL show up on a test. Learning isn't a chore, you CAN enjoy it.

>>7355120
Not true of mathematics or physics. You gotta practise fucking loads for that. Turn up to everything, but do no extra work, and you're gonna fail.

>>7355112
okay will do. how does one know about parties?
do people just invite you? i've never been to one

>>7355120
i actually always go to class because i'm terrified of missing. so i definitely will do that

>>7355156
People you're friends with will find out. Add people on facebook, you'll get invited to events. If you were in dorms, there'd be full floor or block parties in the first weeks.

Being terrified to miss is good and bad. You should be studious and try not to miss anything, but loosen up. It's not the end of the world to miss a lecture, just make sure you get the notes copied up and shit, and don't make it a habit.

Remember, this is supposed to be fun sometimes too..

4th year Chemical engineering major here.

1. If you don't have a major picked by the end of freshman year, drop out. It will save you tons of money in the long run. Nothing is worse than spending 3 years in college, not making any progress on a degree then getting kicked out for low grades while having thousands of dollars of debt to pay off.
2. Take at least 15 credits a semester. Take 18 when possible.
3. O Chem, not even once.
4. Learn to drink anything that has alcohol in it.
5. Show up to class, pay attention, and do the required work. 9 times out of 10 this all you need to get a B in a class
6. If you are in science/math/CS/engineering get on a research project with a professor. It looks very good on a resume and many professors will pay you.
7. If you get offered drugs, try them. However know where to draw the line.

>>7355209
only listen to 5 and 6 from this jackass, and 7 only if you want to. Especially not number one. Many colleges dont even let you declare a major until junior year. Do shit that interests you and at the same time is applicable to a degree. Meet with enrollment advisors to help you plan, seriously helps.

>>7355263
4 is a pretty good tip as well yo. coughing and spluttering cos you've never had vodka before makes you look like a homo. Although, I doubt you need to practice much. American made alcohol is basically water.

If you have enrolled in a BA program just drop out now.

>>7355302
what if i never want to drink?

i mean everyone really can't be doing it, right?

>>7355345
At the very least get a taste for it and build up a mild tolerance.
People WILL pressure you into drinking.
Just try not to overdo it. Nothing worse than The Hangover (Part 2).

>>7355354
>People WILL pressure you into drinking.
No, they won't.

Just tell them that you don't drink. Or tell them that you have to drive. I went to a ton of parties in college and never drank.

>>7355345
>never

why

>>7355354
i really don't think i ever will.
but i guess we'll see

>>7355302
lol yeah, and bottled beer is better than canned
>know-nothing alcohol hipster makes me lol

>>7355345
Not everyone is chugging litres of vodka, but most people have a little. Even some wine with a meal or something. A glass of wine a day is actually good for your heart. If you get a taste for it and a bit of tollerance, you can accept a couple of beers or something at a party without having a panic attack, or getting wrecked and being a spaz. In college and uni it's pretty normal to drink.
Across the pond, over here in England...I think 70% of people go for a pint after work at least once a week, and more if they're students.

>>7355263
I had to declare a major by feburary of my freshman year or I got booted from the engineering program I was in.

You have had 4+ years to decide what interests you before you went to college During that time you had access to career counselling in high school. If you are still trying to figure out what your interest are and what you want to do in college, I have some bad news to tell you.

You can't wander aimlessly though life. You need to have a plan, and 16-18 years of age is a great time to get that plan together.

>>7355302
Find some of the craft brews from the US and you will be surprised. There are also some good regional macro brews.

>>7355345
The people I know who don't drink are either:
1. Underage goodie too shoes types of people
2. Basement dwellers
3. Muslim

>>7355378
>dad is an alcoholic
>destroyed family
>had to choose between cholesterol medication and >alcohol
>chose alcohol
>liver still failing, dad still drinking

>>7355400
>assumptions and ad hominem makes me lol
Whatever bro. You have to admit that American beer is bad. May I ask what you drink?

>>7355209
4th year Aeronautical engineer here

I'll stand by all of this except 7) and 2). I've tried a few types of drugs but this is dependent on the person. Depending on your workload 15 credits is plenty.
Also I've heard of Americans paying through the roof for education. Someone here once mentioned that if you get classified as independent of your parents you can get full Pell grant resources. Check it out.

>>7355430
Mostly micro-brews because I like supporting the smaller companies when they do a good job. Down in Atlanta that means Sweetwater and Terrapin.

As for liquor? Johnny Walker sometimes. But when I'm having a party I skip the vodka and make mixed punch with Everclear.

declare a major even if your not sure what you wanna do. as long as your somewhat interested. if you just pick random classes you'll regret it. i know i do!

>>7355465
you can't be classified as independent and live at home.

and i don't have a job so i can't move out

>>7355510
declared chemistry as my major, i want to be a pharmacist but my school doesn't have pre-pharm as a major

>>7355500
I'm not a fan of beer personally. I like premium and regional ciders. Nice dry cider usually, or a cloudy if I want to get wrecked. When it comes to spirits I'll drink anything except rum, but favour cognac, usualy courvoisier if I don't want to spend too much.

See, without hostile assumptions we can talk civil, isn't it nicer?

>>7355408
Its not that hard
>drink moderately
>don't drink when mad/sad
>know your limits
>don't become an alcoholic

mfw I want to major in chemistry even though I hate math.

Any tips for getting better at/handling college level math?

Don't overdo drinking.

Have maybe one beer at a party so you don't stand out.

>>7355666
Practise until you're sick of practising, then keep practising. Do fuck loads of work outside of what is set. Keep an eye out for ad's put up by older students wanting to tutor. In lectures, if you have a question, don't be afraid to ask it. Chances are others feel the same but are too scared to ask. Did I mention practise? Oh yeah, and never stop practising.

>>7355666
All you need for chem is 3 calc classes and a stats class. Even for the upper level stuff in chem they don't ask that much of your math skills.

>>7355465
Anything under 15 means you will need another semester to graduate even if you pass all of your classes. Having a bit more pressure at the end a semester is better than spending another 5-10k on a semester of classes.

As for me:
>never had anything under 16 credits
>freshman year was 17 credits/semester with 8am classes every day
>last semester decided to try 18 credits
>picked up 10hr/wk job to pay for stuff
>had a 3 credit research position that took 9 hours a week.
>still had free time for drinking/smoking during the week
>get final grades for the semester
>have a 3.6 GPA for the semester.
>never had anything better than a 3.3 for a semester.
>mfw

bamp for more random bits of advice

i still don't feel prepared

PRACTICE SOLVES EVERY PROBLEM EVENTUALLY OF COURSE. DO THAT SHIT TILL YOU CAN'T COMPREHEND SOLVING IT INCORRECTLY.

>>7355382
Do chemical engineering instead. Chemistry majors have to get a masters to pretty much do anything and even at a chemical company, they are still pretty much the chemical engineers bitch.

Also, Chem engineers only have to get a major, take pretty much all the same classes, and make more money

What science classes require a lot of applied Stats?

Also, what kind of courses teach students the glories of fractal geometry?

Also, what the hell do communication majors actually learn about?

>>7356028
i was only doing chemistry because my counselor said i could do that since the school doesn't offer pre-pharm, but i could still be a pharmacist with it

but idk if chemical engineering is offered

I was going to major in chemistry so I could get into forensic chemistry

>>7356163
so why didn't you?

>>7356197
Forensic chemistry isn`t a specific major.

>>7356207
no, i mean you said you were going to, implying you didn't. so why didn't you major in chemistry?

I move in tomorrow. So fucking nervous.

>>7356249
Just a fuck up in grammar on my part. Sorry haha

If you're at a community college, actually study and do your fucking homework.

If you have difficulty with a required class or subject, buy every Cliff's QuickReview or For Dummies book imaginable.

Actually give a fuck about getting laid and make sure you can tell when a girl is interested.

Not too hard.