Oh man halp

[karanguni]

The thought of going to university for real is now filling me with both terror, joy and all-out flail. ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ME just to help me screw my head back on? Suddenly I am faced with things like rooming and LIFE and a new city and the fact that I do not know what I want to study yet.

I don't even know what I'd be good at! 8D What can you guys imagine me doing? Or, what did you guys do in university that you found worthwhile? :D? :D?

Comments

[dnatio-memoriae.livejournal.com]

omfg it's past 4 am here what am I even doing still up
but
advice
can't offer much as far as rooming and moving to a strange new city are concerned, as I'm still living at home.
Subjects? Am more than happy to chat sometime in near future about what I've done and am doing (will hang around on msn when available, feel free to hit up)

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

SLEEEEEEEEEEEP WOMAN.

*chuckles* I thik the problem with me is that I want to get a professional degree, and HERE I AM BEING A HUMANITIES STUDENT, doubleplus that studying Law will take me 7 !!!!!!!! years of Fail, so yes. D:

[dnatio-memoriae.livejournal.com]

Haha, 7 years isn't so bad - or so I tell myself - my degree is 7 years (humanities and medicine, double degree D:) plus post-grad etc. Time really flies once you get started. I'm in my third year now and I feel that things are speeding up more and more as I go. I'm not sure how flexible the American system is, but here in Australia we're able to take on a huge variety of subjects as long as we fulfil the requirements for a major. I've majored in and am now undertaking honours in Gender and Cultural studies (the closest equivalent would be combined Women's studies and Cultural studies in the States, I think), but I've also dabbled in Philosophy, English, Comparative Literature and Digital Cultures - so feel free to ask about any of those, if you're curious. I've also done a few compulsory Science subjects as a pre-req for the Medicine. They were all interesting, and quite a number of them are directly relevant to my honours thesis. I'm pretty sure you're able to sit in on most of the lectures even if you're not enrolled in the class...

Have you considered combining Arts (i.e. Humanities) with Economics or Science? I know a couple of people doing these double degrees simply to have that added "employability". I think that makes it about 5 years? (Not sure about the States.) Plus, as other people have mentioned, first year enables you to shop around and figure out what you enjoy. I can't personally attest to this, as my degree throws us straight into second year arts, but I'd assumed it'd give you a buffer to think and experiment.

Also, I say this with absolutely no knowledge of what you might want to do professionally in the long term, but if you're considering areas such as publishing, now is a good time to start affilliating yourself with the relevant groups e.g. I have a friend who wants to work in media. She's currently working part time for a food magazine, writing reviews for restaurants (mmm, lucky girl)

Someone recommended that you hardly take any books when you go. This is true. I've had a friends who were from the States and, when they went back, they had to sell or give away a large number of their things, including many books.

The suggestion that you join clubs is a good one. I find that in the Arts it's especially difficult to make friends via class, simply because in my case it's hardly ever the same people between classes, let alone between semesters. Sport's always a good one (I did taekwondo and volleyball, and they both rocked). I'm also part of a writer's society, which I would highly recommend if they have one. I'm lazy and undisciplined, which means I rarely find the time to write (not that you have this problem, but still). Having a workshop once every week or so gives me that hour just to sit down and get something done. It's also a wonderful way to meet people with common interests. They also have clubs based around particular ethnic groups. Personally, I'm not interested in joining the Australian Korean Association, but it's something a lot of homesick international students seem to find reassuring. Oh, and if Columbia's anything like Sydney, there should be more than enough political groups to choose from ^^

I guess the only other thing I have to add is to enjoy it. And keep up with the readings, if you don't want to die come assessment time. And try not to leave essays to the last minute (I feel like such a hypocrite saying that).

[karadin.livejournal.com]

well, the whole point of going to university is to find what you want to do, your first year is usually basic courses, then you decide on your major in your second or third year.

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

Hee, down here I'm in a very small minority of people who don't know what they want to major in for first year -- I feel like I'm going out on a limb and being kind of slow about it, but I shoved off thinking about it for so long... xD

[attempt-unique.livejournal.com]

you really don't need to know what you want to do. believe me. you will have to take the core anyway, and for the rest of the classes go with an open mind. if you want more info about any professors, dorm reps ect., including local hangouts and clubs, feel free to ask. (i went to barnard rather than columbia, but there is a lot of overlap.) it will be fine.

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

I really, really want a single-room dorm, so I'm thinking of trying for LLC/Furnald/JJ in that order and CROSSING MY FINGERS AND HOPING LIKE MAD.

Hee, where do people hang out? \o

[glass-icarus.livejournal.com]

\o/ university! :D here, have an off-the-top-of-my-head list of Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me In Advance (alternatively, Things I Wish I'd Figured Out Earlier).

- first of all, don't worry if you can't decide on a major! even the people who come in with their minds made up change their plans sometimes (as many many many of my engineering friends can attest). it's also wise to get as many general education requirements as you can stomach out of the way, so you don't have to worry about them later on.

- take advantage of shopping period at the beginning of each semester! by this i mean the first week or so of classes when your schedule isn't set in stone, and you can sit in on the lectures/seminars to get an idea of whether you'll like the class. this is especially valuable because you can figure out which syllabi you think are amazing, which professors to chase after or avoid (depending on their lecture styles), etc.

- departments will generally host meetings for prospective majors, which are very useful in determining course requirements for each major. this is also good in terms of researching your professors (free opportunity to spam with random questions face-to-face!), finding out (to some extent) how organized/disorganized the department is, and speaking to current majors about their/your interests.

- current majors are an awesome resource, btw, so don't be afraid to ask them things- not only are they less intimidating than the professors, they also remember being clueless freshmen and thus will generally forgive you the awkwardness. :D

- check out the school clubs, even- perhaps especially- the random ones. it's an opportunity to make new friends, and (depending on the club, of course) you'll meet people from a wide variety of majors. plus, club friendships are very different from classmate ones- the friends i made in class i mostly bonded with over homework, but the ones i made in the ballroom team/Asian American Alliance/etc. i can talk to about pretty much everything else.

[glass-icarus.livejournal.com]

PEE ESS: which university are you speaking of?? i tried to generalize the list above but i am a Barnard alum, so.

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

Columbia! :D :D

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

1. \o I love general studies with a passion, and I haven't been able to do any for... Ever, really, down here -- it's all SPECIALISE SPECIALISE SPECIALISE, so yeah. :D

2. Shopping period! DO THEY REALLY LET YOU SIT IN ON OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT? *has lived in a steel-cage school environment for 12 years* That sounds really super awesome.

3/4. I'm hoping to land a multi-year dorm so that I get to know bunches of people from different majors and years. :D WE'LL SEE HOW THAT TURNS OUT.

5. Oh my god I am so ready to overcommit. I'm going to turn on BURNING FIRES OF COMMITMENT; I kind of want a recreation sport and a political group and a student organisation and writing and this and that and on-campus stuff and EVERYTHING ohohohohohoho.

[celes-grant.livejournal.com]

oh lots of people have already commented but remember time for yourself, time for study and uh... maybe scope out some clubs for extra stuff.

Though truthfully internship is a great idea to do. For having a life after university :3

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

Mmm, internships. That I do want to do!

[ivory-and-horn.livejournal.com]

Advice! I just went through this last year, but uh. Hmm.

The most practical thing I can think of right now is DON'T BRING ANY BOOKS. Seriously, try not to bring any, and if you must, only bring your top top top favorites and limit them to like, five.

Because your dorm will probably not have a whole lot of shelf space for you, and there will be many shiny bookstores around you and there will be enormous university libraries and, if you get your own credit card, there will be you and Amazon and no parents to make judging faces at you if you decide to, say, drop $70 on books to celebrate making it through your first quarter.

Honestly this is the thing I wish I had known the most before I left for university. BOOKS. DON'T BRING 'EM. You will too busy to read your favorites, have not enough space for them, and will probably end up buying a whole bunch more anyway. Especially not-good if you're from overseas because what the hell are you going to do with your books when you have to go back home? They take up so much space in your luggage. And they take up weight.

I really wish I had something more meaningful to say. Feel free to try asking more specific questions? I mean, I'm on the other side of the country, but still, the whole move-to-new-country-for-uni is pretty fresh in my mind. :X

As for majors I'm not sure whether not knowing is better than knowing. Uhhhh most of my friends are pretty set on what they want to do and most of the other people I know are already like FULL SPEED AHEAD so er, can't help you there. :D;;

But you do get time to decide--at most you'll have two years to figure out so I mean, saying don't stress won't actually stop you from stressing, but be aware that the major system in US schools (or at least, my public state university) is set up to *allow* for you to shop around a bit and explore different areas during your first two years before buckling down and picking a major to apply into.

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

Re: books - ehehe, I will keep that in mind! I am a book fiend, but I've really cut down on my reading in recent years, which is full of suck. I don't tend to port my books around, though - SO I WILL JUST BRING THE BARE NECESSITIES THE VERY BARE NECESSITIES~

:D Did you move in from another country for uni too? I AM LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON, WILL PACKING NOT BE A N IGHTMARE????


Full speed ahead is how my friends are doing it too, so I'm sitting and D:-ing at myself and trying to find some Direction (TM). CURSES FOR I AM A JACK OF ALL TRADES AND A MASTER OF NOTHING AT ALL.

[scheherezhad]

What did I find worthwhile? Hm... My Japanese class, definitely. Our teacher was actually a grad student, so she ended up being more of a friend. The ones of us who were in the class for all three years she was there got pretty close.

Uh...okay, apparently I am lame, because nothing else is coming to mind. So if you have any questions/topics, I can ramble answers at you. :)

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

I am definitely picking up Japanese as a language while I am there; have wanted to for so long that it's kinda ridiculous. :D Japanese, and Latin. *CRAZYFACE*

\o How badly does workload stack up over the years, I'm kinda curious to know...?

[regicidaldwarf.livejournal.com]

Okay, well, uh, looks like people have given lots of helpful advice already.

But if I catch you on AIM feel free to flail in my general direction and I can give you my own experience of things.

Also, something to think about is getting involved in ways Not Involving Class, like joining a club or something. Because Studies, They Have Been Done, and freshman that get involved generally are much more well adjusted and do it a lot quicker. Because there are people! With a common interest! That you can befriend! And stuff.

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

I AM GREEDY: MORE ADVICE IS ALWAYS BETTER. \p

Clubs, yes, definitely. :D :D I can't imagine not having one and just... sitting... around all day doing nothing dawwww.

[evercourant.livejournal.com]

...I mean...

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

ARE YOU FROM CU TOO?!?!?

[raikomotomiya.livejournal.com]

Umm... university survival guide? Being through umm... god knows how many years of schooling, I can offer some general tips, though for things more specific, I'd need to know what kind of university you were going to (regular, polytechnic...) but here's some I wish someone had told me when I started.

Always, always make sure you keep enough time to devote to yourself. Time to watch a movie, go out for dinner... something to keep yourself sane, because university go from zero to psychotic in the course of one class flat. Because going flat out leads to burnout, bad health, and grades not as nice as you'd like.

If you're coming in from overseas, perhaps limit your courseload to a max of four courses the first semester. You'll be getting to know the university and the area and all it's... quirks, and easing into university life overseas and learning what's expected from you as a student is easier if the load is a bit lighter at the beginning.

Whatever you take, schedual your courses early and try to find reviews of the teachers of the courses over the internet or word of mouth. Nothing's worse than having a day run from 7:30 am to 10:30pm with teachers than are boring as mud or worse. Trust me, been there.

[karanguni.livejournal.com]

I'm heading to a regular one, methinks - Columbia - so yeah, that's around 4 years for a basic degree for me!

Re: going flat, lordy do I know how that's like. :D THANK YOU PSYCHO SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR TRAINING ME UP FOR THIS. I was honestly kind of thrown for a loop the first few months of this year, because I'd gone from sleeping 3-4 hours a day as per usual for the last few years to sleeping 8 and up.

I am coming in from overseas, but I was kind of thinking of doing it the opposite, y'know? I am a very dangerous student when bored, and it costs such a bomb to study there that I WANT TO GET MY MONEY'S WORTH DAMN IT. *flail flail* Plus, again on my not knowing what the hell I want to do.

Ew, 730am-1030pm fail. D: D: D: Thankfully I seem to have OODLES OF SENIORS here, so I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT MUCH ajsfklaskf. \o \o ♥ THANK YOU

[vvvaudevillian.livejournal.com]

Can I just butt in and say I envy you with a passion? Because I really, really do D: BUT IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU EVEN SO HAVE FUN AT NEW YORK, NEW YORK \o/

[moontyger.livejournal.com]

This is probably extremely lame but, well, I kind of regret skipping as many classes as I did in college. Just something to keep in mind.

And, um, I met some great people through the clubs on campus.

And as for what you want to study, take a bunch of classes in different subjects and you'll probably figure it out.