College Necessities/Advice.

[creamofdacrops]

I'm going to college this fall (Rutgers c/o 17 ) and I wanted to know what are some Niketalker necessities/advice for first year students?
There's a ton of generic lists out there, but I'm sure you all can provide some unorthodox essentials/advice that wouldn't be put on those lists.

 

[timbo109]

Lift weights and eat properly.

 

[Sir chief a lot]

 

[younggotti266]

a Weed Connection!

 

[rell826]

-Get to know your professors outside of the classroom. If you need a recommendation you'll have someone to get one from.
-Be mindful of the things you do. Your reputation can be set within the first month of school and can follow you until you leave. Don't be that guy who's only known for being a drunk or a drug addict.
-Even if you don't like your roommate try to be civil. If not, it will be a very long year. Residence life doesn't always grant room change requests. Lay down rules early that both of you agree to and are easy to follow.
-Always lock your room door when you aren't there. It takes ten seconds for someone to swipe your phone, wallet or laptop.
-Be respectful to everyone from the kid who works in the dining hall to earn some spending money to the kid who pushes a Range. You don't know what they can do for you.
-Don't buy any textbooks unless you have to. The school libraries have everything you need. I didn't even use Chegg when I found that out. Saved me a ton of money.
-Make a friend or acquaintance in each of your classes whether it be to study with someone or if you miss class to get notes.
-Be mindful of the school's climate so that you can adjust your wardrobe accordingly. If you're into kicks, bring at most your eight pairs you'll wear frequently along with a pair of shoes and boots.
-If you need a job, look for one early before all of the good ones are gone. Work study jobs are by the semester, so once theyre gone you'll have to wait until people quit or the new term.
-Don't take a shower without flip flops. You'll see for yourself after the first weekend on campus. Girls bathroom is easily worse than the men's.
-Nothing wrong with getting a tutor or asking for help in class. Its ok to swallow your pride.
-Join campus organizations and aim for leadership positions. Good for the resume.
-Make career services your friend early and use them often. Too many people go through college without ever using them until they're about to graduate.

There's plenty more. This was just off the top of my head.

 

[bluexsneakerhead]

- don't bring your entire closet! i learned that the hard way. packing out of my dorm my first year was a *****. i packed light during my third year and moving back home was a breeze. also, bring organizers if you can.
- don't bring that many pairs of shoes either, unless you can fit them under your bed. they will take up quite a bit of space.
- be social! don't be shy. making friends is what college is all about. when you first move into your dorm, say hi to all your hallmates!
- POUR YOUR OWN DRINKS. i cannot emphasize this enough. even if you're a dude, better safe than sorry. oh, and drink/smoke with people you trust.
- you don't HAVE to be friends with you roommates. it's best if you are, but sometimes people just don't click. as long as you guys are civil.
- make at least 1-3 friends in each of your lectures/discussion sections/lab sections. this will definitely come in handy.
- BRING A SMALL, PORTABLE FAN. i'm sure it'll be HAWT there to the point where you wanna pass out.
- bring only ONE SET of bedsheets/pillows/comforter. just wash them.
- if you can't afford textbooks, you can read/photocopy them in the library. or look for PDFs online
- bring a shower caddy. and ALWAYS wear flip flops when you shower.......... thank me later.

 

[thadoctadvocate]

dont go to college thats ur first mistake

 

[Coromanti]

Organizers

Broom

Vacume

these three things were somethings i desperately needed and kept having to borrow from janitors (except the organizers).

My roommate was a pig.

 

[xxpizzo]

rubbers

and when you at college parties and drinking just keep an eye on your drink or make sure your hand is covering the cup seen alot of crazy **** happen at parties and they aint even kno it

 

[scuse7]

-
- POUR YOUR OWN DRINKS. i cannot emphasize this enough. even if you're a dude, better safe than sorry. oh, and drink/smoke with people you trust.
 

Disagree.....me and my roommate partied with a lot of different people when we first got there. Helps to make friends with older people too if you can, they will always know where better parties are. 

 

[shadowdragen]

I'm rutgers c/o 17 to op

 

[rocthemikee]

my biggest regret is that I saw college as a means to an end, instead of taking advantage of the academic, social, and cultural experiences that comes with being a college student. i just did the least I needed to do to get good enough grades for a good career. Suffice to say a lot of that has to do with a lack of maturity on my part.

also, be mindful of the abundance of learning opportunities outside of the classroom. for instance, I was a business major, and there are SO many things you absolutely need to learn, which they won't teach you in the classroom nor be in textbooks. learn social skills, networking, and how to have a professional relationship with superiors (professors, counselors, etc.)

anyway, have fun...its a great time. And uh...you're going to come across many situations where you feel like its the end of the world. Well...its not. get over it, move on, and learn form it.

congrats...i have friends at Rutgers and I hear its a great balance of academics and social life.

P.S. At least for me, the biggest adjustment from HS to College academically was that you aren't going to get much padding or sympathy from professors on your grade. What you get, is pretty much what you're going to stick with. So be prepared...I always got away from consequences by continuing to badger HS teachers for extra opportunities...College professors in my experience, won't have none of that.

 

[creamofdacrops]

I appreciate all the advice; there was definitely some things that I was gonna do until I got the heads up.

I'm rutgers c/o 17 to op

What's good, man? What are you majoring in?

 

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

Blue & Rell posted some great advice. came in here to say the same things.

 

[milestailsprowe]

A wireless printer. That was you can print in the morning in case you forget.

Pack light. Keep only what you need.

 

[wj4]

I'm going to college this fall (Rutgers c/o 17 ) and I wanted to know what are some Niketalker necessities/advice for first year students?
There's a ton of generic lists out there, but I'm sure you all can provide some unorthodox essentials/advice that wouldn't be put on those lists.

This may be a long post, but here it is.

I started my undergrad career in Fall of 2003. I finished my 2nd master's program in December of 2012. There's been times where I look back and see what else I can do differently in undergrad. Here are my 2 cents.

Don't bring your entire shoe collection with you. I know you're probably used to 'breaking necks' in high school, but in college...no one really cares. A lot of folks show up in sweats or when I was still in undergrad the uniform for a lot of dudes were white t, basketball shorts, high socks, sandals, and a fitted cap. If it's cold, a hoody as well. College is the time that really allows you to grow in term of maturity. There are no more bells to dictate you to go to class. You can go or not go. The way a lot of university system is headed..if you do the traditional Fall/Spring semesters, it will take more than 4 years to get your BA/BS. I advise you to not goof up and have to re-take the classes over again. There's a fine balance you need to find between having fun and being good in school. During my first year, classes were pretty easy. There were times where I paid no attention during most of the time, and just crammed for the final exam the day before and come out with a B. It doesn't work with harder classes in the later years sadly.

Like the gent up there said, get to know your professors. A lot of people just go to class and then go home. It's nice to go to their office hours and just talk to them, especially if it's a field you're really interested in.

Make new friends. A lot of people are timid and are still in the high school mode during the first year. Join clubs and attend school activities that interest you. Undergrad is a unique time where you're technically an adult, but don't really have a lot of responsibilities yet.

I don't drink or smoke so no advice from me in that department.

You may gain some lbs during your Freshman year I used to go to Denny's in the early AM hours all the time with my boys and I gained some as a result.

As your years go on, try to pick up as many internships as possible to beef up your resume.

Enjoy your time, bro!

 

[lstylez23]

 

[SC kid]

Wrinkle release spray.
Wen u dont have time to iron just spray it on ts, pants, dress shirts etc and smoothe the wrinkles out.
Store brand is $$$$$$

Diy

View media item 495028

 

[i lax bro]

Don't go all out on raging freshman year, I know a few kids who got screwed their first semester here and its going to take forever to come back from low grades freshman year. No one cares how smart you were in high school because it won't transition over. 99% kids here were straight A's in high school, yet everyone is struggling for those A's now lol... Be as social as possible in that first two weeks-month and friend everyone so you have a ton of potential groups to chill with. Even the fat girls since they will probably have some hotter friends. Don't toke in your room, you'll find plenty of places to do it outside, become chill with your RA incase you and the boys are hammered one night, and they will let you off


Work hard play harder though OP, I loved my first year of college and wish it didn't go by that fast

 

[futurehendrix]

Don't buy text books, pdf version are online, and also the solution manual.

Don't sell out

 

[dt43]

Damn they're on class of 17 now? Cray..


But anyways, the advice I would give is don't bring your whole wardrobe from home + all your kicks. You might go in the first few weeks trying to be fresh, but after a couple months you'll realize that no one cares. I wore sweats, bball shorts, slippers 70% of the time. Ain't nobody got time to be dressing up for 9am classes and whatnot.

 

[knowledgebones72]

First of all, never forget that class is more important than anything else going on. most of your buddies are gonna flunk out or get a broad pregnant before our sophomore year even starts. Study a lot, kill those projects, and try to get a job at the library.


You only need two things for these broads.

1. Hella weed.

2. A Nintendo wii or Xbox Kinect

Maybe liquor in case they don't smoke. But the smokers are WAY more fun.

Also you will need an intense need to set up crazy situations like trains and "you and your friend". Trust me, brah, the more reckless and outlandish your goals are, the more likely you are to achieve them.

Also get poster'd up.

That's all you need, plus a Nintendo 64 or Dreamcast, and Netflix or a good torrent game, and now your room/crib is the chill spot that the shorties wanna hit up before or after class.

 

[cj003]

-Get to know your Teaching Assistants. I got a nice research internship from one and letters of rec for stopping by their office hours to talk about basketball
-Find out if you can get credit for internships. Kills 2 birds w/ 1 stone
-Do whatever it takes to be civil w/ your roomate(s). I fought w/ one and it made for a long year
-Don't go home every weekend. Stick around and enjoy campus
-Go to class, even if the lecture is worthless. Especially in smaller classes. Professors will remember if you go to talk about grades at the end of the semester
-I regret not partying more. So many times I skipped hanging out to sit at home to watch tv. Don't do that
-If you are in your dorm leave your door open. Randoms will come by and say whats up and you might meet some cool people.
-Study AND have fun. You can do both. Personally I had a rule that I would be in the library by 10am the day after a night of drinking. Set up some rules for studying/partying for yourself. You control your grades. No one is going to remind you to do work.
-Have some sort of academic plan for your future. Don't pick and easy major so you can party. Dont pick a major where you will get all C-'s even when studying properly. Pick something that you have an interest in and it should push you intellectually a bit. I honestly think picking your major is one of the most important things. I had 4! I know people who picked a major, stuck with it even though they had zero interest in that field b/c they were afraid to change. Now in their late 20's they are going back to get a bachelors in a field that they could have got years ago.
-HAVE FUN! It really goes by quickly

 

[651akathepaul]

This is like telling people to floss, but get your HW and studying done out of the gate. Procrastination was so stressful. Even when I decided to go out instead of studying or doing my work, it would always hangover my head while I was out. Just get it done and party after.

 

[Retroballer]

Do your homework. Put in the effort. When a class first starts, get on the good side of the professor. Show that you care and she will treat you better later on.
Don't be too cool to talk in discussions either.
Also learn how to party responsibly. No senior or junior wants to deal with that drunk freshmen every weekend. Make getting into parties down the road.
Befriend EVERY women you are in constant contact with. Not like BFF level, but where you say hello when walking by. If they are good looking, put yourself to smash down the road. Or if they are in your class, will help you with homework.
Join intramurals if you like sports. Easy way to meet people with common interests.
Join your majors club or whatever they have. It will help. Only an hour a week.
But really don't act like your too cool for college. Those are the lamest people on campus.