Tasty Lunsh - Rebee

This is the first blog I'm going to feature - Lunsh - by Rebee. I can't even remember how I stumbled on to her page but I really enjoy her writing immensely. She also has a pretty cool graphic design page that you can visit here. Leave a comment here letting me know what you think, or jump across and leave one on her page.

Jane

Back to School

With school starting, I’ve started to notice a lot of back-to-school posts. A lot of people are going back to school, but some are going to school for the first time. Either way, it’s never too late to learn tricks about university life in general. Now that I’m going into my last year of university, I decided to devote this post to things that I think people don’t realize and things that I wish people had told me.

1. 
   First, early classes are nice. Annoying, but nice - they tend to be emptier, the mornings during that time are quieter, and you have a better chance of getting a better schedule if you’re okay with taking morning classes. Personally, I find them much nicer than evening classes anyway - evening classes take away time that you could spend studying or hanging out with friends, while morning classes might just require you to get up an hour earlier*.
2. 
   Don’t go home every weekend, but go home when you can. Your parents love you and you’re not going to have many years left living with them. I was fortunate enough to spend the last three years still living with mine full-time, so I got to see them almost every day. Obviously, spend some time making connections or doing crazy things on the weekend, but go see your family, too. I’m often told I took too long to move out, but I don’t regret it for the world. And if you can’t see your family, call them on a regular basis, even if it’s just to say hi.
3. 
   Explore your city. I’ve met tons of people going into their second or third year at the university who don’t know Austin at all. They know Sixth Street because they get wasted on weekends, but that’s about it - they can’t navigate around the city to save their souls. Some cities suck and there’s not much to do, but I think you’d be surprised if you took the time to explore around. Get to know the bus system or buy a really cheap bike and spend a day just exploring.
4. 
   Live in an apartment for at least one year. When I went to school and people found out I was just going to be living at home since it was so close, I had a lot of people tell me that I should live in a dormitory for at least a year. I’ve never lived in one, but I dated a guy for a year who did and I think they’re really overrated. They’re cramped, stuffy, loud, and expensive, and their showers are abysmal and their cafeterias can be even worse. I don’t think it’s worth it - sure, it can “force” you to make friends, but so can university clubs or organizations or even class. With an apartment you have to learn to make your own food, do your own dishes, and keep the entire place tidy, not just your side of the room. You can still get that “roommate” experience, but still have privacy too, because you can shut the door to your bedroom and no one will bother you. And you can usually find apartment complexes very close to campus.
5. 
   Take notes. Write down everything the professor says that is important because if you question it later, you will want a reference. Take more notes rather than less because it helps you out. Also, take seriously every single assignment you are given, no matter how small it may seem. I’ve often heard my (very smart) classmates say things like, “Oh, no, I didn’t do the homework, it’s only like 2% of my final grade.” 2% can add up quick. The harder you work on each individual assignment, and the more assignments you do, the higher your grade will be and the less you have to study for the tests. Think of it as a safety blanket, too. If you run into a really hard project down the line, you’ll have all those other good grades to fall back on.
6. 
   This brings me to my next point. If you are unable to stay off Facebook, AIM, Youtube, or websites, don’t take notes with a laptop.
7. 
   Finally, form study groups, join clubs, be social. Not all the time, not every day, but find something you’re interested in and find other people that are too. I can’t even begin to tell you how many friends I made simply by visiting the arcade every day. I started going because I needed a place to go to kill time in between classes and while waiting for the bus, and because I love DDR. I met so many amazing people there and have so many good memories of that place. I even met people that don’t attend the university and people still in high school. Obviously not everyone’s into arcades, but there are study groups, study sessions, and organizations within the school that will help make you lots of friends.

And so ends my Tips for People Going to University. I hope this helps at least someone. Also, these are just my opinion - some people make the most out of school by doing other things. Just make sure you’re doing the things you want to do and you aren’t holding yourself back.

* - Okay, maybe more than an hour earlier, depending on the kind of person you are. It sure does help your sleeping habits though, and forces you to go to sleep earlier and wake up earlier. And if you’ve got to wake up sometime, it might as well be earlier, right? Maybe?