Ladies and gentlemen, it has come to my attention that college sucks.
I mean really, really sucks.
Not saying it's too far from what I expected, but there are some things that just make me want to tear my rapidly-thinning hair out.
First, let's talk about professors. There are many types of professors, and all of them seem to have one little quirk that makes their class impossible in their own little way. My favorite are the homework-oriented ones. The ones who insist that you complete the required questions twice a week to "ensure you're grasping the material." Like, sure, why don't you just hold my hand while you're at it. Of course, on the opposite spectrum, you have the ones who let you know on day one that there will be a test on the last day of class, worth 100% of your grade, on everything he says for the next four months.
My math teacher left the school after the first week of classes (not me, I swear), and the new guy does not seem to be prepared to teach at all. Math of course being conveniently my worst subject.
I think your childhood officially ends when the only reason you look forward to the weekend is because you know you'll actually have time to complete your homework and study for the quiz on the material your math professor DIDN'T TEACH. Honestly, if I knew college was so much like private school I'd have just sucked it up in high school instead of spending four years on Armor Games.
I'm fending off the freshman fifteen with a sugar-free churro, but if I can't hold that off, I might as well say I've gotten the college experience and go home.
Experiences in college will prepare you for life. If it was easy, you would learn nothing. Life values, experience, and knowledge will be given to you on the day you graduate.
You're forgetting about the future. The jobs you can get with a bachelors degree are way better then the ones you can get with a high school diploma. Don't drop out, bear with it, and don't let the present block out the future.
I think your childhood officially ends when the only reason you look forward to the weekend is because you know you'll actually have time to complete your homework
Then I hit that point a long time ago.
the material your math professor DIDN'T TEACH.
That happened in 10th grade geometry for me, except most of it was taught wrong. At least I was good at it. I basically had to ignore everything the teacher said and study from the book a day early, so I could point out her constant errors on new material (not purely to be a jerk, but mostly so the rest of the class wasn't screwed). I slammed the teacher in a rant as part of a 'high school memories' writing assignment in my senior year, read it aloud to the class at another student's request, and got applause.
Life values, experience, and knowledge will be given to you on the day you graduate.
I'm pretty sure you get those every day; they're just officially recognized at the end.
The jobs you can get with a bachelors degree are way better then the ones you can get with a high school diploma.
When you're just starting out, that's one of your lowest concerns. It's better to take it day by day when the goal is that far.
Don't drop out, bear with it, and don't let the present block out the future.
Unless you're failing badly and accumulating lots of debt.
but if I can't hold that off, I might as well say I've gotten the college experience and go home.
You should do fine if you put in the effort. Find teachers that know what they're doing. Know your assignments and budget your time appropriately. For example, I have 2 assignments due Thursday (1 'big' maybe 6hr, 1 'MASSIVE' 12+hr). Since I have tomorrow (technically today) off, I'll work on the larger assignment like I'm in a Russian prison: no sleep until it's done. Hopefully it won't take more than 15hrs.
hahaha. I love how you guys have to learn to budget your time. You should have learned that in high school.
From my few weeks I have had of college my advise to anyone going would be work ahead. If you have free time and you don't have anything better to do, work ahead on your homework. Look at the next section of the book. Start looking at stuff that you will do next semester. Anything that will help you in the long run.
If you're struggling in a class, look for help, be it through office hours, other students, tutoring groups, etc. A lot of people seem too proud to do this, and their GPA and/or social life suffer. It's inevitable that you'll come across some ****ty profs, because, unless you're at a liberal arts school, your professors' tenures are determined primarily by their publication and research record. Do what you can to succeed, and don't let pride get in the way.
I've also found it helpful to work with a friend or acquaintance in the same class as you. Doesn't matter if he's better or worse at the material than you, as long as he's accommodating. Talking through problems and information with one another will make it easier for you to retain and understand the material.
And set aside time for social endeavors. They'll keep you sane. Don't stop a hobby you're passionate about, or find a passion if you don't have one. I found the gym, which has given me a haven for relaxation and euphoria. It has also helped to boost my self-esteem at a school where talent is abundant.
College will suck at times, cuz honestly, it really is the end of your childhood, with true adulthood looming. Learn how to ask for help, manage your time, socialize and build lasting relationships, and have some god**** fun, and they'll probably be some of the best years of your life.
I'm laughing because apparently people thought this was like a college FAQ or something. I'm not saying I'm failing or gonna drop out or anything, I was just complaining.
I'm a tiny freshman. By tiny, I mean I'm supposed to be a senior in high school. I shouldn't have graduated early. It makes me feel a little weird when I see all these tall kids and then all these crazy tall guys that I'm supposed to call my classmates. I guess I should be somewhat used to it, but it's odd nonetheless. This February I'm moving to Spain to finish up my university education and get a little more experience in. After I graduate I'm probably going to live there, but I have 5 years before I can even begin to think about that. I have my stuff over there and an apartment rented out, so it's all ready. The awesome part is that I'm getting a completely free ride because of my grades. Well, that and I violently ate up every scholarship and grant I could get my dirty mitts on.
I'm a triple major. I wanted to become a double major, but the university in Spain has some weird requirements that you need to fulfill. They require that you take a certain amount of Spanish classes (which I already have), and then become a double major. However, because I took a few extra classes and the fact that I'm an American, Spanish Culture was included with my majors. I learned a lot about Spanish stuff before I graduated high school which was a huge advantage. My aunt taught me the dialects and was always willing to teach, because she's spent a lot of time in Spain. Over the summer I took two culture classes, and with the accumulation of my experience I was qualified to take the qualifier exam for the degree. The test lasts 18 hours and is broken into three parts, and if you get a 90% or more, you got yourself a bachelor's degree in Spanish Culture. I still can't believe I have it. Well, that and I have little to no use for it at the moment. My other two majors are Computer Science and Philosophy. I chose Computer Science because the field is positively booming, and I chose Philosophy because I wanted to do something interesting and needed to fulfill the double major requirement.
Right now I'm taking a fairly heavy load of classes, but I don't mind because they all go towards one of my three majors and most of them are enjoyable. Because I feel like it, I'll go through my schedule and talk about the classes a little bit.
Philosophy Logic This class is freaking difficult. It's probably my hardest class because I get about 4 hours of homework every night, and the professor doesn't grade too nicely. The material is outright complicated and more often than not we have to be extremely specific in our elaborations and answers. But it's a required class, so I guess I just have to suck through it.
Catholic Studies This class is pretty easy. We basically read about ten passages out of the Bible and then interpret them for homework. The professor is pretty laid back and rarely lectures, unless there's some pertinent background information that happens to be necessary to forming a coherent interpretation.
Religious Studies This class is almost identical to Catholic Studies, except we move a bit faster and don't touch on the Bible. Instead, we read the Koran, Old Testament and old Buddhist and Hindu scripture.
Calc IV Not as bad as it sounds. It's your standard math class. Professor lectures the 'new topic of the day' and then assigns x amount of problems to do in your textbook. At the end of each month we take take a test. Homework is worth 20% of your grade and exams are worth the rest.
Java Your standard computer class. Read a few pages in your textbook every night and then go in the next day. Professor tells you to make a certain type of program that does something, and you do it.
South American Culture This class is really easy. We rarely get homework, and if we do it's usually just a reading anyway. The professor lectures a lot and we watch a lot of media from South America. That's about it.
Spanish Education This isn't necessarily a class, but I get credit for it. I intern within the university, and I teach exchange studies basic things. Most of the time I co-teach English, but sometimes we cover other things like math, science and some history.
I love how I can relate to like 99% of the stuff said on this thread.
You come out of high school where they tell you what to do and make sure you go to class then comes college where YOU have to make sure to attend your classes. That's a big responsibility and you're given the choice to grow up or not. I remember my high school walls were all white and bright then the college halls were all Earth tones and dark so when I was waiting (still sleepy) for the philosophy teacher to show up I felt like going back to bed so badly!
