Any good advice on mistakes to avoid or good choices to make?
I've never really fit in socially most of the time in high school or the army, and I just don't want this to be another one of those times and just make the most of this new start. What are the people like there? Is it easy to make friends?
I'll most likely be going to Arizona State around this time next year and wondering if things really will be as different (as in 'nice') as I think they will be.
Just want to make the most of my time there. Thanks.
Going to college will be like going back to high school, but you'll still get to live on your own. The classes are similar enough, so it's not like there should be any big surprises there.
The bad news about Arizona State is that it's one of the biggest party schools in the nation. Stay away from that. The good news is, that means the culture there should be fairly friendly.
My best advice to you is to make it your mission to find a solid, bible teaching church nearby and get plugged in immediately. Community group, sunday school, Sunday morning service, the whole shebang. Then find a Christian ministry on campus. Get plugged in there. At that point, you should be pretty well set up as far as making friends, but more importantly, you'll be in an environment where you can grow spiritually.
Remember when you were in elementary school, and middle school felt like it was going to be some sort of big deal, but it turned out to be pretty much the same? College is the same way. It'll only be a big deal if you make it into a big deal.
It can be challenging to fit in socially if you are going to be a true, honest Christian, but you can definitely find a niche for yourself in whatever Christian community might exist there. That�s the nice thing about bigger �State� schools, there is usually more diversity. You might not have a ton of friends in the partying crowd, but get involved in Christian campus groups and the like and you can find your place.
Yes, go to class, but also try to be awake. Unless you�re in classrooms of like 100 students, then only if absolutely necessary.
I didn't go to high school, so I can't compare college to that. (I was homeschooled from K5 though 12th grade.) BUT, I do have two college degrees, and I'm in my third year as a college professor.
I got my BA from a tiny Christian college. I LOVED it there. I was a commuter, so I didn't have to deal with the dorms, but I still thought it was great. My MM degree was from UGA...a pretty big party school. I hated it. My classes were small, and I did make friends, but overall it was just not the type of environment that I enjoyed.
A few tips: 1) Go to class, especially if there is an attendance policy. 2) Turn in your assignments ON TIME, not late. 3) Study. Your grades depend upon it. 4) Don't assume that your teachers hate you. Wait until they prove that they do. Then prove to them that you will succeed anyway. 5) Make friends, and always allow yourself to have some down-time to relax, but don't put your down-time before your study-time. 6) All-nighters are NOT fun. Whenever possible, finish assignments early rather than at the last minute!
Remember that assignments will expand to fill the time you allot for them though. If you start really early, a paper that should have taken 2 hours will take 8!
The previous posters are right about the importance of Christian fellowship while in college. Some churches even have group meetings on campus for the convenience of students.
As far as classes go you can not go wrong by taking a front row seat and participating in lectures by asking well informed questions. You will be seen as a leader by classmates and stand out to your professors-especially if you are going to a party school. It is a great idea to introduce yourself to your professors/TA's within the first week and regularly utilize their office hours throughout the semester. I suggest participating in study groups with like minded peers and possible organizing a few of your own.
Since extracurriculars and clubs can be very time consuming, you might want to be extremely selective about the groups that you get involved in.
You said you were in the army. I did the same thing, I did six years and then went to college. Use that experience to your advantage. You are older than other freshman, you have more experience. Those will help you not to get distracted. You won't be out on your own for the first time like all the other freshman. You are probably going to school because you want to and you are paying for it, not like other kids whos parents expect them to or whose parents are paying for them. Those things change the psychology involved. Basically you have some advantages. Set your mission and complete it. Don't be afraid. Walk in there with the confidence the army taught you.
But have fun! Live in the dorms the first year. I made some of the best friends of my life there. Just be sure to surround yourself with appropriate friends. If you have managed that in the army you can manage that in college.
Relax, enjoy, live life and have fun. Oh and study! lol
Also depending on what you did/do in the Army and if/where you were deployed, you may find that you miss things about the army or view people/things on campus a little differently. That was my experience in '92 after coming back from the desert and I had a friend experience the same thing in '04. Maybe find some other vets on campus as well to hang out with and talk with.
I guess I'm dense...I just realized that you are THE Brandon whose been here for a while, and whom we've been missing for a while...I guess it was the different profile picture. Anyway, welcome back! (Though somehow it seems sad to welcome people back to a dating site...hmm.)
I just got done with my undergrad in May so I'll fill you in on a few things I learned along the way.
1. I know where I went they had a big activities fair one afternoon before classes actually began to meet. It is probably a good idea to stop in there and find some activities you may want to be a part of.
2. Get in with a Christian organization of some kind on campus. The people there can generally point you in the direction of a few churches in the area which you can check out. In my case, I started the rush process for a christian fraternity and that may be the best decision I've made in my life up to this point.
3. Know your limits when it comes to workload. I overloaded myself on coursework several times and it always added more stress to my life than was necessary.
Those are the biggies in my mind but if I come up with more in the near future I'll pass them on.
