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July 19, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR JO ELLEN HINCK
IN MO
Janis-
Just reading this question made me smile. For me, college
was an amazing
experience. My first piece of advice is that don't worry about
feeling
overwhelmed during your first semester - everybody does! It
may take you a
few weeks to get settled into a new living environment, not
recognizing
every face in a hall, and tackling potentially new and difficult
subjects.
But you will settle into a routine and things will become
easier - just
give it a little time. Make sure to take the opportunity to
meet people
(orientation groups, etc) that are experiencing the same things
as you.
However, you are there for your studies so make sure you allow
enough time
for your coursework. (Study groups are a good way to achieve
both of these
things). Also, don't be afraid to talk with your professors
if you have
specific questions - that is why they have office hours! This
will help
you keep up with the lectures/labs - falling behind in a course
is a bad
road to take. Interaction with people in your program is great
as far as
networking.
I would also suggest attending guest lectures and seminars
as well as
undertaking some independent projects with an advisor (if
applicable to
your program). Take these opportunities to learn from others
as well as
working independently, which is a characteristic many graduate
schools and
employers look for in a person. Remember that all your hard
work is worth
it! Don't sit and wait for great opportunities to fall into
your lap - be
confident and explore your potential!
********************
A: FROM MENTOR LESLIE WAITE
IN CA
Hi Janis;
I have no regrets about my college experience, so I will tell
you what I did.
I went to a large State School (the University of Illinois
at
Urbana-Champaign- Go Illini!), so some of my advice may not
make
sense for those going to other types of schools. Much of it
should be
universal however.
Things I did that made my University experience awesome:
Part one: general
1. I took advantage of the wide array of classes offered.
I wasn't
afraid to stray from my major, or take a class just because
it looked
fun. I took racquetball, Spanish, Comparative government (UK
vs US),
world history, philosophy (OK, I dropped that, but only because
I was
arrogant and tried to jump right in at the advanced level),
British
literature, and others I can't remember. This may be the last
chance
you have to really explore your different interests so easily.
It
will also give you insight into the world around you beyond
your
major and the few required "nonmajor" courses that
most schools have.
2. Get involved in clubs or organizations that do things you
are
interested in. Or in activities at your dorm that sound fun.
Get out
and do, don't get stuck just in your books.
3. Take time to get out and relax with friends.
4. DON'T take a class or join a club or group MAINLY because
you
think it will look good on a transcript or resume later. If
the
things you need to do to impress folks later to make your
way
professionally don't appeal to you naturally, you should think
about
why you want to go in the professional direction you are going.
5. DON'T be afraid to change paths once you are at school.
Of my
group of six close friends, only two of us stuck with our
original
major, because we found out that other things were a better
fit.
6. DON'T choose a major or stay with one you are unhappy with
to
please your parents or friends. First, it is a guaranteed
recipe for
burnout. If not now, then a few years down the line, when
it will be
even harder to change your life path. Second, it is mentally
stressful. I saw one woman in my dorm literally wind up in
a mental
institution at the end of our freshman year because the stress
of
trying to keep up with a major that she didn't enjoy, but
which her
parents told her was the best choice for her future was too
much.
7. If your University has programs to support people in your
major,
take advantage of them. This can be especially important for
premeds,
but also is helpful for engineers and a few other majors.
These
programs can help you deal with the stress of school, and
sort out
all the crazy advice you WILL get from people who are well-meaning
but uninformed (even sometimes from people you THINK know
what they
are talking about).
Part two: Academic advice:
8. Have fun, (see 1,2, and 3 above), but don't lose sight
of why you
are there. Study hard, and consistently. I think that was
something
that I hadn't done before college was study every day. Especially
if
you are in a science or engineering major, you HAVE to study
almost
every day to keep up, and once you get behind, it is almost
impossible to catch back up. You CANNOT crack out the books
a day or
even a week before a chemistry exam and expect to do well
on it. You
have to keep up as you go along.
9. Do the readings before the lecture. You will get so much
more out
of lectures if you read the book beforehand, then review it
afterwards.
10. Reach out for help at the first sign of difficulty. Profs
can be
very helpful in keeping you on the right path and being more
effective in your work, but they have more power to change
things
before you fail an exam than after.
And finally- College can be stressful as well as fun. Just
remember-
this too shall pass. Even failing a course is not the end
of the
world (I know- I did!). Don't be afraid to reach out for help
if
things feel really overwhelming. Most schools have counseling
services. Use it if you need it.
Good luck!!
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