Thread: Tell me about University/College

I would like to know to.

I would like to know as well, I start for another 2 yrs; would like to be ..prepared I guess.

Depends on your country. The English one involves going to college or sixth form to get Alevels, then buggering off to uni. (Though the later part isn't before a lovely encounter with UCAS)

Don't I know it.
I mean university.

You'll be experimenting with a lot of drugs and engaging in numerous sexual relations.

Oh yeah and homework.

Really, are drugs that prominent?

I wouldn't know, I'm in high school.

What would you like to know?

Everything.

There's one big toilet and everyone has to go at the same time.

Heh gimme something to work with here. I mean, it's basically school, except more relevant to what you want to do, and with more responsibility. Nobody babies you around... so really, it's whatever you want it to be.

Depends on a lot of things. If you go Greek. If you have to work thru college or not & how many hours. If you move away for college or stick in your same hometown. Will you be involved with sports and on what level? What clubs? How many hours you take, the relationships you hold at college and back home, what you do on the weekend, the college you pick, the major you choose, etc.
Everyone's experience is different. Many people say they were the best years of their lives, and then again many freshman drop out for various reasons. Many people have more time than before and more freedom to find themselves and learn more about life in general.

The more specific you are, the more specific your feedback will be.

Well, no ones cares what you do in uni. There's not 'cool' people. If you dont like class you can just go. And there is no uniforms. Uni is so laid back, though Im doing engineering and its not a walk in the park.

By the way im in Australia.

fuck a university

fuck college, too

in fact,

fuck you

Oh hi, its you,

tell your mother that the money is on the top of the fridge.




The rest of you thanks for your replies.

I still wanna know what University is like! C'mon someone write a really long post about your experence!!!

When i first went to college, i was really excited. Not nervous, since a bunch of people from my highschool were going to the same school and i was rooming with a guy i knew from HS. It took me all of 30 seconds to make new friends with my hallmates and RA. We had the wildest hall in the whole building, and the most successful for my RA -- we were all friends. My RA gave us a lecture about drinking*

Classes started out, and by the end of the first day i was already 50 pages behind. Still, made friends, met girls, did a crapload of homework. I was still with my girlfriend from highschool at the time...after about a week and a half, i said fuck this, i'd rather be single. Good choice for me.

So basically i'd chill in my room for a bit, do homework, screw around in the hallway, i made a lot of friends really fast. I had a lot of friends in highschool but it seemed like people were much more open and accepting. Lots of different kinds of people. Some people i met poured out their whole life stories for me, and i did the same for them -- they became my best friends.

The classes weren't too hard but were really open and challenged me to actually think, not listen to the teacher drone on and learn nothing. But i go to a small college, i don't know about big uni's. I had a LOT of homework.

I loved the freedom; i could do whatever i want, whenever i wanted. But i had to teach myself to be really responsible. I had to wake myself up, motivate myself to do my homework, etc.

The first weekend, a bunch of my hallmates and I visited a fraternity, Sigma Nu. I had no intention of joining a frat at the time. But we walked in, walked upstairs, and one of the guys took us into his room and handed us all a beer. We drank...a lot. My neighbor drank so much that he started puking in the dude's toilet and had to crash there. They were completely cool with that. We met some junior and senior girls, and they taught us the rules of drinking with girls.

*We went back and in came our RA, drunk as hell. What a guy. He started buying alcohol for us as well, he didn't care about us drinking as long as we were smart about it -- stay in the room, don't be too loud. He wasn't just an RA, he was one of us.

The next night we visited my roommate's fellow swim team friends (juniors) in another building, and drank there a little. We were being noisy, and some RAs came in telling us to be quiet. They didn't bust us, and when they were leaving one came up to me and said "It's so obvious you've been drinking. you guys are good." Then we went to the frats again. I started hanging around this one frat, Delta Sigma Phi, i really liked the guys. They were so open and relaxed. I made some friends there, and i had my first college hookup.

Class was pretty cool. I enjoyed all my classes. It was much more work than i was used to, but i stuck to it. Decided to be a bio major. Dropped that a year later.

Didn't have too much privacy, but i didn't mind. I made great friends.

Break rolled around, and i went back home and hung out with my highschool friends. It was really, really strange. I missed the hell out of my college friends. We all had new stories. We all had really changed -- REALLY changed. All the stuff that seemed dramatic to us, it was all silly now. In a few weeks, we'd matured a lot.

Went back for the next semester. Classes got harder, the workload increased. But i'd already gotten used to it. I started hanging out more with a few people, and less with all of the people i used to hang out with -- i started defining my cirlce of friends. I'd still hang out with a bunch of people, but the people i hung out with by second semester had became friends for life, while everyone else was just there.

I got a bid from Delta Sigma Phi and started pledging there. I never thought of myself as a frat boy before, but there i was, about to join a fraternity. It was the best time of my life. My pledge brothers and I got close as all hell. I knew every single thing about all of them, and they were always there for me. They helped me through school and life, and i did the same for them. These are 18 guys that i can rely on for anything. I'd take a bullet for them, and i know they'd do the same for me.

My days became quite busy. I'd go to class, hang out a bit with friends, do my homework, do my pledging stuff, hang around the frat, come back, do a little more homework, hang out until the wee hours of the morning, go to sleep. It was busy, i was tired and stressed, but still, i wouldn't have traded it for anything.

Then i was initiated, and became a brother of Delta Sigma Phi.

Summer came, summer went, i went back to school. I moved into the frat, and it was just freaking awesome. Instead of me going to hang out with people, everyone wanted to hang out at the house. I met a LOT of new people. Some good hookups, some bad hookups. Some akward hookups.

The semester was freaking impossible. Living at the house was great since i had people there for me, and lots of people who'd experienced the same classes and helped out a lot. But i was so damn busy. My GPA fell a little. But by the middle of the semester, i got it down -- i was used to college life. So the weeks dragged on.

Now, i love life in general. I've been taught to appreciate life. I work hard and i have fun, it's a balance. I love my roommate, he's the best guy ever. We're so close, we talk about everything. We have the best drunken conversations.

I don't know what to say, i guess this is the end of my little rant. I'll post more later

great post b12!(really interesting) anyone else?

Thats a hard post to top b12, well done! Sounds like you've had a great time.

But for me, well, i'm at Birmingham University - UK. So as an experiance, it will be quite different to going in America. Especially as is legal for everyone to drink, and we tend to get single rooms, not shared doubles!

I'm Currently in my Second year, first year was in halls of residence, but now i'm in a rented house with a couple of friends.

Well, WOW, what a change to life than it was before you go. Before you go to uni, I dont think anyone realises just how much your parents and family do for you, you may help out every so often, but its such a change.

On the way there for my first day, I was so nervous, but at the same time, really excited. Had loads of plans with what I wanted to do, and how my life was going to be different. I was luckily the first to get to my flat (shared with 5 others) so ended up getting the best spaces in the kitchen for all my stuff. Then all my housemates started arriving, quite a bit different to me, but I gave them as best a shot as I could. Being quite into drinking, and very much being "lads" they did intimidate me a bit, especially as I dont drink or go to clubs etc. But they never forced me into doing anything, and tried to include me at the start before they realised that I wasnt into the same stuff. Could of ended up with a lot worse flatmates then them, even if they did leave the kitchen messy and have a few loud parties every so often!

Actually day to day living was really interesting, as I had to cook all my meals (although I do a lot of cooking at home anyway, as I really enjoy it) from scratch, and actually buy all the ingredients myself for once. Then there was washing clothes, bedsheets and just generally looking after myself, which I realise now my mum especially helped me out with a lot when I was at home

(I would definatly reccomend being shown how to use the washing machine/dryer, and shown a few simple recipies before you go!)

But before you get worried, its really not that big a deal, you eventually settle into a routine, and its like a holiday when you do go home, as you dont have to do anything!

On the work front, I found myself really enjoying my course (Biological sciences) The work load wasnt huge (although I think this is down to luck, then what university is really like) and I found the work stimulating. Its certainly much better being with people who really want to do what you are, so you get more done in a academic sense. Having access to fantastic practical equipment made everything much more enjoyable, especially as all the experiments I did were a lot more technical and interesting than what you do at A-level or below. So far, i've done stuff like disect owl pellets to identify the animals its been eating by looking at the regurgitated bones. I've genetically modified bacteria by actually introducing new genes into them, and i've had to sit on a exercise bike whilst having my heart rate and blood pressure being monitored! Even if you dont plan to do a Science, you'll most likley find everything much more stimulating.

There is a lot of people who say that if you dont drink/go to clubs, that university wont be an enjoyable experiance for you, but I totally disagree with that. You just have to make the most of what else is on offer. I joined the Archery society, where i've met some of my best ever friends (and two of them I currently live with) and really got involved with that, so twice a week i'd trudge off and go shoot some targets. Then there is such a huge amount of other clubs and activities to do, you shouldnt ever really feel like you're missing out, because there will be somthing that suits you. From Computer and Video games societies, to American football, there will be somthing that you'll enjoy. I even managed to get a solo skydive in about a year ago! You just have to seize the experiances, as they wont just fall in your lap.

One of the highlights of the archery in the first year, was going on a 3 day trip to the isle of man for a competition. The first time i've basically been away with just friends and no parents/adult supervision, it really was an amazing experience.

But now i'm in my second year, i'm enjoying things so much more than I ever did in my first, and thats because this time, you get to choose who you live with. Now i'm with two girls I met through Archery, and we get on so well, have a great load of fun together, and spend less time cooped up alone in my room.

Of course, there are some negatives to the whole experiance. As i've said just above, in my first year I did spend a lot of time cooped up in my room. As quite a loner by nature, I didnt mind this, but sometimes it could get a bit tedious. Like I said above, you dont have to drink/go to clubs to have a great time at uni, but it certainly does increase the amount of things you do whilst you're there, especially the first year. The benefit to not drinking etc though, is that you end up with a lot more money

Money of course, being one of the banes of university. Before when you were at home, basically everything is paid for, but when you get here, you find that you really do have to budget. Some people get lucky, and their parents pay for everything, whilst others end up having to pay from everything. I fell inbetween, in that my dad paid my accomodation fees, but I had to pay all my food bills, and any other costs. But still, as long as you're sensible, you shouldnt have any problems.

Looking back to who I was before I came, I certainly have changed, and thats definatly for the better, i've become more confident, and more socialble. I've definatly some people i'll know for the rest of my life, and maybe one girl i'll end up spending my life with. University is a very intense experiance, but its one you wont regret doing.

So thats pretty much my experiance so far. There has certainly been some bad times, but the huge amount of good times more than makes up for it.

Any other questions, feel free to ask. Either by reply or PM if its somthing you dont want anyone else to see

Oh, and Psycholgy Student, what Uni are you planning to go to? Or are you still in the evil process known as UCAS?

Thanks very much Pete B and B12!!!

The only useful advice I ever got about university was don't buy textbooks until you know you need them (a week or two in minimum). If you have to buy, buy used. Even if you're swimming in money, it can be better spent.

Of course, courses dealing with literature, and with heavy readings you'll need them, but so many you will never. It's all about getting to know the profs style, how much he refers to page numbers or chapters during lectures.

I don't even want to think of the amount of texts that stayed shrink wrapped on my desk in my first few terms. Between the internet, the library, and friends in classes, you could totally get by without every buying a text.

University is awesome though, just all the new avenues that are open to you. A campus has all the facilities you need to live there, and I'm not talking residence (I used to catch an afternoon nap in the biology building, or the library's fourth floor quite often in first year).

Most of my good memories of the past four years are not really university related, other than I met lots of people at school, but suffice it to say I have partaken in many a shenanigan, and copious amounts of alcohol has been consumed on campus grounds. Oh, and there was period when I may have missed months straight of some classes, but I got really fucking good at pool.

Beelzy, you got it right

Also with the textbooks...i'll give you an example for one. My chemistry textbook was not only 200lbs, but cost just as much. Instead, for about $20 i got the study guide of the book -- it completely condenses everything down so you just get what you need to know, not all the fluff. I got pretty shwasted that night

Originally Posted by MrBeelzy

The only useful advice I ever got about university was don't buy textbooks until you know you need them (a week or two in minimum). If you have to buy, buy used. Even if you're swimming in money, it can be better spent.

Of course, courses dealing with literature, and with heavy readings you'll need them, but so many you will never. It's all about getting to know the profs style, how much he refers to page numbers or chapters during lectures.

I don't even want to think of the amount of texts that stayed shrink wrapped on my desk in my first few terms. Between the internet, the library, and friends in classes, you could totally get by without every buying a text.

University is awesome though, just all the new avenues that are open to you. A campus has all the facilities you need to live there, and I'm not talking residence (I used to catch an afternoon nap in the biology building, or the library's fourth floor quite often in first year).

Most of my good memories of the past four years are not really university related, other than I met lots of people at school, but suffice it to say I have partaken in many a shenanigan, and copious amounts of alcohol has been consumed on campus grounds. Oh, and there was period when I may have missed months straight of some classes, but I got really fucking good at pool.

So true.

I have 4 great f-ing huge textbooks on my shelf, and i've used a couple of them, about half a dozen times, and thats only for some very small things.

If you really need books, then go ahead and buy them, but wait till you know you'll need them first.

Originally Posted by CoLd BlooDed

You'll be experimenting with a lot of drugs and engaging in numerous sexual relations.

Oh yeah and homework.

what homework

/me makes snorting noise

oh, i used it for a snorting straw! that homework!, whoops!

/me turns in homework with white residue on it



just kidding around, but yea college = drugs & sex & experimenting with same sex

I had more homework in the first month of college than i'd ever had my whole life.

Experimenting with drugs? Yes.
Experimenting with sex? Yes. I have stories...lol.
Experimenting with same sex? No. But there's a couple girls i know who have.