Back to School: Part II

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Ok, university/college folks--your turn. But first things first: congratulations, you made it! Pat yourself on the back, this is your first gargantuan step towards independence. The first year can be rather daunting, but if you could handle high school, you can handle pretty much anything. And besides, it's a lot of fun! So here's my list of dos and don'ts for helping you get through.

• Do bring lots of pictures from home. Unless you have a soul of iron, homesickness will strike at any given time in the first few weeks. When that happens, it's best to just let it roll and pass over; if it makes you feel better, talk to someone. If you don't know anyone well enough, talk to an RA; they're pretty nice and will always be glad to listen.

• Do get to know the people on your floor. They're the first people you've introduced yourself to here, so why not?

• Don't be an obnoxious drunk... At least to the best of your abilities. That includes respecting your neighbors with the noise levels and behavior. (Some idiots in my residence decided set off the fire alarms a few times during study break in my first year. Which means they ushered all of us outside, in the dead of winter. Grrr.)

• Do buy yourself a good pair of headphones. Neighbors will be noisy (like above), and you need to study. Otherwise, take advantage of the library where it is quiet.

• Don't be a sloppy drunk. Nobody wants to walk through spilled beer in the hallways. Or worse: barf. ***Even worse: some RAs have rules to make you pay a dollar for it and clean it up yourself. At least at my university.

• Do go out in decorating your room! I loved picking out stuff like posters and and bed spreads and what not. Hey, if you're going to be living there you may as well make the best of it. (Very good practice when you're living on your own one day)

• Don't set fire to anything in your room. In most residences, candles or anything with an open burner is not allowed. But that's a given... Riiiight??

• Do try to keep up with your readings. There's lots, but it will pay off in the end.

• Don't go to class when you're sick. Really, it's not worth it; especially if you feel like crap and don't want to be there anyway. And nobody likes to hear someone else sniffing, snorting or coughing during a lecture. If anything, borrow someone else's notes the next time.  

• Do double check your alarm before going to bed on the eve of a midterm or exam. There's nothing more arousing than the sheer panic of waking up 5 minutes before that morning test is about to begin. Otherwise, set your alarm on your phone. And double check that!!

• Don't lose your head when shit happens (like the previously mentioned above). Fear not, it will all work out in the end one way or another!

• Do take part in activities around campus. It's a lot of fun, you make friends, and it's a good distraction from school work. (I was part of the Dal dance society myself.)

• Do get to know the area around your campus.... It will be your home for the next four years (or more!). Likely you'll find some awesome little places to explore and revisit, like cafes, shops, pubs, etc. It will be these places you'll miss most when you're finished.

• Do be careful with your belongings, such as your computer (especially in public). If you're in the library, you don't want to go off for a book and leave your stuff at a desk (even in the stacks), only to come back and find your things missing. Take your stuff with you before you go off!

• Do back up your work with a USB drive. Your essays (and your life!) will be saved by that darling little insert if your laptop decides to kick the bucket at the last minute. And especially...

• Do embrace university or college life. You'll never experience anything like again it afterwards! It will probably be the most exciting time of your learning experience (albeit with ups and downs), and you'll leave with plenty of good memories. Not to mention it will have changed you as a person in the best ways possible. 

Have fuuuuun!!

From here