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Welcome to college and the University of Scranton. I am
supposed
to give you advice about how to live your first year and the most
important
thing I can tell you is “HAVE FUN”. I’m not saying go out and get
drunk every weekend, cause you won’t be here long. Be friendly
and
talk to people, in class, in your dorm, or just around. The more
friends you have the more fun and bearable college will be. If
you
don’t, you will be very lonely and hate every minute you’re here. Also
important, try to be friendly with your roommate. You are going
to
have to see each other every day and if you don’t like each other it’s
going to be a long semester. Talk to them when you have a chance
because I guarantee that the two of you will have something in common.
When it comes to academics however, being organized is the most
important
thing. It is critical that you manage your time, organize your
work
and most important DO IT ON TIME. In college you’re going to
think
that you have a lot of free time and you can get stuff done when you
want.
In actuality you don’t have all the free time you think you have.
Assignments have a way of piling up and being due at the same
time.
If you have an opportunity do get an assignment done early, DO IT
THEN!
Because stuff like games and hanging out with friends is going to come
up and you’re going to do that instead of work, and the next thing you
know, the assignment is due tomorrow. Also you will find that if
you organize your time and do some work every day you will have that
free
time. I recommend getting a planner or a big calendar so you can
see assignments coming up
Another important thing to do (and I know your seminar teacher is gonna
say it) read your syllabus for every class and know it well.
Unlike
high school where the teacher tell you when stuff is due and get on you
when you don’t do, your professors will not. They assume that
since
everything is outlined on the syllabus (and it usually is) that you
will
be responsible for handing in the work on time. If you keep a
calendar
and write down your assignments it won’t be a problem. But if you
don’t you going to have some problems. Along with that check the
syllabus to see how many classes you can cut. If you can cut
class
make sure you don’t cut more than that number cause the WILL take off
your
grade.
With that my next piece of advice is go to class. Even though
it is not required to go to class you are better off going. If
you
go to class, pay attention, and take notes, you don’t have to
read.
But biggest thing about going to class is you hear stuff in class that
will be on a test and is not in the book. Ideally you want to
read
and go to class but IF you must pick one, go to class.
I’m not going to give any more any more advice because I know you are
all capable adults and can make your own decisions. The advice I
gave you will do you well and will prevent the problems that most
freshmen
have. Just remember everyone makes freshman mistakes just chalk
it
as a learning experience and get keep going.
Peace, Have Fun, and Good Luck
top
Welcome to the University of Scranton. I know it’s a challenge getting acclimated to an entirely new environment but I am here to give you some helpful hints in surviving your first semester at college. Although college is supposed to be very fun, there are many new responsibilities that come along with the description.
Dear Freshmen,
We have accomplished so many things over the course of only one half
of a semester. We have had a few quizzes and completed a couple
of
short papers. I feel like I have learned a lot though, which
surprises
me because I guess I didn't think it possible in such a short period of
time. I like the fact that our group is so small and connected;
it
made us all more comfortable with each other. I felt like it was
easier to talk to the person sitting next to me, or just across the
table,
which made class life much easier and more enjoyable.
Now, there is no "brown nosing" intended since I know that you
are reading my paper, but I did enjoy the method in which we were
taught.
The professor did not dictate or talk down to us, he spoke right to us
and made sure that we understood what was going on both inside and
outside
of his classroom. We got the impression that he really did care,
not that he was just trying to run out the clock so that he could be
off
to a far better engagement. It was easy to ask questions, or just
come right out and maybe a class discussion on something.
I believe that we covered so many topics that are important,
but can easily be overlooked, and are in other classes. I think
we
are all coming out of this class with a better understanding of what we
need to do and how we need to go about doing it.
top
Welcome to the U. Don’t let people freak you out about your
first
semester it is just like everything else. I did pretty well and
if
I had to give you advise (which I do) this would be the advise I would
give you.
Work hard right out of the gate. For most of you it is the first
time away from home and so many things such as freedom and not being at
school all day are really new. Don’t let the novelty distract
you.
You may not have tests or papers at first but they are coming, and
there
is a lot of material. You can handle it but not if you get
distracted
and slack at the first.
Get involved in something. It will keep you focused. I
don’t know about you but the more time I have the less I do. Try
to work out a lot. Your grades and heath depend on it. You
will have stress and one of the best things you can do to both ease it
and ready yourself for it is to work out a lot and hard. So with
your studying and with your fitness remember what my football coach
used
to say, “first hit sets the tone,” so set the tone of success.
Set rules with your roommate. Don’t be a jerk but tell him or
her if something they do is bothering you early. Don’t put it off
because then it is already driving you crazy and you may not be so nice
when you speak to them about it. Remember you are pretty much
stuck
with them for the year so get started on the right foot.
Don’t freak out about exams and papers just prepare for them.
Stressing about them isn’t getting them down and is just prolonging the
time you are stressed out. Remember that the exam and the paper
will
pass and with a little work so will you.
Don’t get down on yourself. There is always a tomorrow and there
is always some other opportunities. If you did bad on something
just
know it was only one paper, or one test, or one course or one semester
or one year or one major, that you have screwed up, and remember
college
isn’t for everyone. I am sure you will do fine and just keep
popping
away.
Good Luck from A guy that has been there,
top
Welcome to the University of Scranton. I am supposed to give
advice
about how to approach your first year here at the university. The
most important message I can give is to enjoy it. This University
of Scranton will give you plenty of opportunities to get involved in
one
way or another and every student should take advantage of it. You
will find yourself in a completely different world and one of the ways
to make your transition from high school to college a smooth one is to
join an athletic team, intramural sport, club, or any other activity.
One of the most important things to learn how to do as freshmen
is to find a good balance between schoolwork and having fun. Many
people might tell you how the work is very hard and overwhelming but I
did not find that to be the case. The most important thing to do
is to make a routine and organize time for your studies ahead of
time.
You will find that the professors will have their papers or test during
the same time period so it is very beneficial to get your work done
before
hand. If you ever find yourself sitting around and bored, chances
are there is something that has to be done whether it is schoolwork or
laundry. You will fell yourself having much less stress when you
are able to spread out all of your responsibilities.
Also, make sure your whole time here is not spent on worrying about
work. This is supposed to be one of the most fun times of your
lives.
Try to be as open-minded as possible. You will make new friends
and
make sure you set aside time for them too. Make the best of
everything
you do and have no regrets. Good luck.
top
Well, you are not a senior in high school anymore.
Believe
it or not, you actually have to open your books to pass the class and
passing
classes in college are a lot more important- your future career might
just
count on it. You are going to be faced with a lot of new
experiences
these coming months, so be prepared.
First off, learn how to mange your time, and not just with school
work. School is the most important thing though, so do figure out when
you are going to get all your readings in and all your papers
written.
Don’t procrastinate. Even though last year you could get a
project
together in your car on the way to school, that doesn’t work this
year.
You will become familiar with the library and the Internet will become
your best friend for research. Utilize the library, it is there
for
our benefit. You wouldn’t believe the amount of work you can get
done there. Getting work done in the dorms isn’t always the
easiest
things to do because you will be distracted. There will be weeks
where you have a paper due in every class and you won’t know where they
came from.
I am not trying to scare you because though there is a big
workload,
there is still plenty of time for fun. This is why you have to
manage
your time and get your work done first. Make sure you do set
aside
time to hang out with your friends and meet new people. This
doesn’t
mean you can go out and party every night- that’s a fact I learned
after
the first two weeks of school. I thought it was great that I
could
go out whenever I wanted and come in at whatever time, but that all
catches
up to you. Even though you don’t have teachers pressuring you to
do their assignments, they still need to get done. You also need
to learn and if you are out late every night, you will not be able to
focus
in class. Save the partying for the weekend, and if you are
really
good and get all your stuff done, well then you can start on Thursday
night.
Living on your own for the first time is a scary thing, and its
likely you will be homesick the first few weeks. Just because
you
miss all your friends at home and even though you just saw them a few
days
before you left, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t other people out
there
who want to be your friends too. Don’t count down the until the
time
you will see your friends at home, they will always be there. If you do
that you tend to only look forward to those days and not meet new
people.
You have to meet new people so you can prove to your friends at home
that
you have the ability to expand. Don’t forget to call your other
friends
though, sometimes they get mad and jealous if they think you are
ignoring
them because your “cool college” friends seem better. Don’t forget to
call
home, either. Your mom and dad miss you, and they deserve a
phone call every once in a while. They are shelling out thousands
of dollars to send you here, show them you appreciate it.
Also, newsflash- you have to clean up after yourself, do your
own laundry, get food on your own, and all that stuff that mom and dad
did for you or helped you with. Don’t forget to do your laundry
because
it does pile up and pretty soon you will realize you have nothing to
wear.
Same goes for dirty dishes- my experience says, get plastic. And
then there is the cafeteria food. It’s not that bad, just keep an
open mind… or stomach, actually. Don’t eat too much either.
Just because you can eat all you want at dinner and there might be ten
different foods that you like, doesn’t mean you should get them
all.
There is something called the “Freshman 15” and no matter how much you
say it won’t happen to you, a few pounds aren’t as hard to gain as you
thought. You can avoid this though… we have a gym, you know, and
other things to use for our fitness needs such as the pool and
basketball
courts. One more thing, check your mailbox and your school
e-mail!
The school, as well as other people, send you stuff all the time, and
it
just might be important! You don’t want to miss deadlines just
because
you forgot to do this!
I gave you the essentials, now its all up to you. College years
are precious, don’t waste them. Work hard, meet new people, and
have
fun. You will never get another experience like this again, so
live
it up all you can!
top
To: All Freshman
Psychology
Majors
Welcome to the U of S! I bet you have already noticed college is not
quite the same has high school. I was once in your position so let me
give
you some advice.
Get a big calendar and mark down everything in your syllabus from each
class. It greatly helps to have those reminders that say: “Hey, you
have
a ten page paper due soon, best get started on that.” Which brings me
to
my next point, do not procrastinate. Read the chapters when they are
assigned
– read ahead if you find yourself with free time instead of watching
reruns
of The Simpsons or other time-wasting activities. Believe me, it is not
fun to read multiple chapters in one night. Make a weekly schedule and
stick to it (remember for every one hour in class you have three hors
outside
of class). These organization skills take some time to develop but they
will help you more than hurt you in the long run.
I also suggest that you find out your major requirements. You will
be surprised at what types of classes you have to take – for instance,
two classes must be considered to be cultural diversity courses. Right
now it doesn’t matter too much, but when you go to register it is
helpful
to have that all figured out.
Now for the fun stuff. There is plenty of time for a social life so
have one. Participating in clubs and other school activities are great
ways to meet people with common interests. However, I have found that
everyone
I met so far is interesting in their own way. Don’t sit in your dorm
room
all day – and if you are a commuter like myself, don’t drive home as
soon
as class is over. Hang out - talk to people. You will figure out the
same
thing I have: college is not a time to party every night but it isn’t
all
work either. It will take some effort on your part to find the balance
between the two.
top
Well, where can I begin? The first thing I want to say is that I
made
a very good choice when it came to choosing a college. The U. of S. has
been everything and more. The atmosphere here is great and so are my
fellow
classmates. Don't get me wrong though it was not all fun and games.
There were many tough times, papers due, tests, quizzes, and much more,
but overall I made out ok and it is more than possible to do so. The
environment
here propels you to excel and nobody should really have a major
problem.
Just to make sure that things go well, I'm going to give you a few
tips:
· Always STUDY for the weekly quiz in Fundamentals of Psychology
· Do not forget or lose your royal card (you will be hopeless)
· Make sure you get to bed at an appropriate time (Its hard
I know)
· Eat healthy, stay in shape if you can, and get some vitamins
· Do not go into registering for your classes with any
expectations
There are much more tips I could give you, but these should be fine
for now as you will quickly learn the ropes when you arrive. I hope
I've
helped you somehow and I certainly hope that you enjoy just as I did,
if
not more, your coming to Scranton. Not to intimidate you or anything,
but
ready or not, here comes life.
top
You have all picked a great place to start your future. Last year as
a freshman and commuter I was very nervous coming into the Universities
psychology program, but as you will all soon find out all the
professors
are great and only want to help. There is so much that you can do here
and so much to get involved in. Make sure that you get involved with
some
of the clubs and organizations that are here on campus because they
promote
community. At the University it is a community and an excellent place
to
be.
Another thing that is important is hard work. You CANNOT get by with
slacking and if you do it will be a mistake because these are the most
important years yet (and the most expensive) and it is imperative to
get
as much as you can out of the next four years of your lives. The work
is
not that hard either, though there is a lot and it is important, if you
have graduated you can handle this. Responsibility is also a word to be
remembered. If you don't keep up on reading and get your work done on
time
and to the best of your ability then you may find yourself home sooner
than you thought.
Take classes that you think you are interested in because they could
turn into a minor. Psychology is a great field and it opens the door to
so many opportunities.
So while you are all starting out here on your way to your future make
sure that you stay motivated, true to self, positive and just have fun
and work hard. Best of luck!
top
I'll start off by saying welcome to the University of Scranton. You made the right choice by coming here. There are many good tips of advice that you will learn along the way but some may be more important than others. I'll just try to make this simple and easy and give you all the major things that I think you should know and would have liked to know before going through the learning process the harder way.
· Keep up with your reading as best as you can with all of
your
classes .Set priorities for yourself and your work.
· Set up a schedule for yourself to get as much work done as
possible with your free time.
· Don't waste any of your free time not doing work unless you
don't have any to do which everyone does.
· Your Royal Card is extremely important on campus so make sure
that you have it with you at all times.
· Make sure you are prepared for class and go on time because
it does affect your grade.
· There will be times when you don't have much work to do in
any of your classes and other times when all your tests are on the same
day so just stay caught up with your work.
· Make sure you get enough of sleep because that can become
a major issue later .
· Your first semester will go by quickly so when it comes time
to start getting prepared for the second semester be prepared and know
what classes you want to take and have backups because it is most
likely
you won't get all of your classes but being prepared helps a great
deal.
· The first semester is kind of when freshman just feel out
how things work and are going to be so the faster you get it the better
off you are.
· Try to communicate with your classmates early and make some
friends because it will help you later when you need something like
maybe
work you missed from a class.
· Get to know your teachers and talk to them frequently because
they are there for you, to give you help when you need it so don't be
afraid
to stay after class to ask a question or straighten out something.
These are important which you will learn but most importantly this
is
supposed to be a new and fun experience so keep that in mind. It's not
all work so make time for the fun too. Have a good year and keep in
mind
time goes by quick so don't waste it.
top
Although there are many stresses that come along
with
beginning this new chapter of your life and taking leaps and bounds in
the process of growing up in beginning your first year at college. it
is
at the same time the beginning of one of the best experiences of your
life
time. Beginning college is very scary in itself. and from the very
start
puts a great deal of responsibility on all of us; however. being a
freshman
in college is without a doubt a manageable task as long as you stay on
top of things. Not having anyone hounding you to hand in your work and
walk you through things one-step at a time is a huge adjustment. but
one
you will quickly become used to. My biggest piece of advice is to stay
ahead in your work. What I have found is that you will find yourself
with
weeks where you hardly have any assignments due. and then the following
week have multiple assignments due. In order to steer clear of
stressing
yourself out it is best to plan ahead and spread out your assignments.
I also found that it is often difficult to sit down and make yourself
do
your work because there is always something going on somewhere on your
floor which you would much rather be doing than your homework.
Sometimes
however. it is just best to shut your door and block out any
distractions
so that you can finish your work diligently and as soon as possible.
leaving
yourself time to enjoy yourself. Beginning your college experience is
extremely
hard as well because not only are you taking on an entirely different
work
load. you are also entering anew chapter of your life without anyone by
your side. You do not want to find yourself so consumed in your work
that
you keep yourself from meeting people. In meeting people you will enjoy
your experiences at school a great deal more. So more than anything.
the
biggest piece of advice which I have to offer is to. whether or not you
come into college as an outgoing extrovert. make yourself one. and meet
as many people as possible. It may take a while to really find people
who
you relate to best. but once you do. it is all the more worth it. The
people
whom you meet are the people who make your bad times good. and your
good
times even better. Best of luck in your experiences here as a freshman.
and more than anything. remember to enjoy
yourself.
top
Dear Freshmen Psychology
Majors,
Well first I would like to welcome you to the University of Scranton.I’m sure you have gone through a lot while trying to settle down.To be honest with you, it takes awhile.The most important thing I can tell you is to learn how to budget your time.It’s true what they say timing is everything.At first, you will feel overwhelmed and this is normal.Please don’t freak out, it will get better I promise.In the end you’ll realize that you had plenty of time to get all of the things that you needed to accomplish done.College is exciting because you learn to be independent.You shouldn’t take this to the extreme though.Your work and your grades are extremely important so don’t take them for granted.If you study, show up to class and take good notes, then you should have no problem passing any of your classes.
I personally believe that as Psychology majors, you picked a great field to study in.I could partly feel this way because I truly do enjoy psychology.It could also be that the professors here are helpful and are very knowledgeable.They may seem intimidating at first, but lets face it, everything new is scary.Do not be afraid of your professors!Get to know them because chances are they want to know you.Class size is small enough so that you can get to know your professor.Besides knowing your professor, get to know your fellow classmates. Chances are you will be with them in most of your classes.I know it’s hard making new friends especially if you knew people from high school that also attend the U.But please, it’s very important to make connections.Most likely you will meet amazing people.
To be honest with you, when you first meet the faculty you may feel as though some of them are a little bit eccentric.It’s okay!They really aren’t all that eccentric; they just really enjoy psychology and what they do.Guiding you is their job and not only are they good at it but they enjoy it too.
Another important part of your transition is joining clubs.Join and do as much as your free time allows you too.Again you’ll meet more amazing people and I will guarantee that you will have a great time.
College is not all fun though, there will come a time when you have to choose between friends and night out, or studying for an exam you have the next day. Trust me you will not be labeled a “dork” if you choose to stay home and study. If they really are your friends they will actually admire you for the choice you made. In the long run, you’ll attain more satisfaction.
One problem I faced living on the campus was that I felt there was nothing to do around here. If you feel like that at first don’t give up. The campus holds plenty activities such as hypnotists, comedians, and movie nights that you won’t have a problem fitting in. Once you start establishing relationships you will notice that things will become easier and you will find there is much more to do than always walking down to the Steam Town Mall.
Never feel intimidated to speak to a professor or a counselor if you have a problem.They will be more than happy to help you, even if it has nothing to do with academics. Classes may seem difficult at first but it is just a matter of getting used to a whole new environment. Most professors understand that this is something new to you.However they won’t expect less of you, they will just help you and take into consideration that you are just adjusting.
Have a good time and remember that you will only
get
as much as you put into your college experience.Good Luck!
top
A Letter to Next Year's
Freshmen
John Powell once wrote, "the only real mistake is the one from which
we learn nothing." This might not mean much to you now, but it
will
eventually, as it did for me. You see, I once made a
mistake.
Then two. Then three. Then, before I knew it, the mistakes
were piling up and the semester had passed me by. So, when other
students were enjoying the blessings of their holiday break, I was left
to agonize over unfinished projects and the very real prospect of being
asked -- very politely, I would assume, to leave the
University.
You see, the biggest mistake I made was never really listening to what
John Powell
or, surprisingly, my parents had said. I partied too much, never
got enough sleep and never organized my time efficiently. So my
grades
suffered. I was more like the grasshopper and less like the ant
(be
sure to ask your parents about that story).
I was stubborn and I was 18. So I had to make my own
mistakes.
I heard what my teachers had to say and ignored them. I heard the
preaching of my parents, over and over and over again it seemed, about
the mistakes that they made when they were my age, and how they hoped I
wouldn't repeat those same mistakes. Unfortunately, I dismissed
their
warnings as part of the natural aging process in all adolescents.
Now, I suppose, I'm about to preach to you, hoping that you'll learn
something from MY mistakes. My suggestion is that you simply
take your time. Take your time when you listen. Take your
time
when you study. Yes, even take your time when you party with your
friends, but realize that this party is costing you over $30,000 a
year.
Most importantly, take your time when learning from your mistakes
because
we all make them, even me, just not as many any more. See you
around
campus.
I know how you must feel right now. I was in your shoes once as well. All your professors are making it seem like this year in college is the first step into the “real world.” My advice, don’t take that too seriously. They are your professors and they want you to do well, so they like to put a lot of pressure on you the first couple weeks or so just so you don’t fall off the bandwagon right off the bat. Take it literally; this is your first year of an experience like no other. You won’t get to do this over again. There are no re-dos. Make the most of it. Try your hardest not to be overwhelmed with the workload you are given. Yes it is a lot, but just a reminder, there are 24 hours in a day and unlike high school where you have tons of time to slack off and go places and hang out with all your friends, you will be spending at least 85 percent of your time in your dorm room throughout the week. There is a saying and it goes somewhat like this… “The problems in life never end, but college does.” So enjoy college to the fullest and try your hardest, but don’t let minor things bring you down. You will have other chances. Another bit of advice – Join something; anything whether it be a club, a study group, intramurals, varsity sports, athletic events, or volunteer work. There is a major fair at the beginning of the semester and it’s widely advertised, so there’s no excuse to miss out! It’s the best way to meet new people and also statistics show that students that are involved with extra-curricular activities have higher GPAs. During high school you may have been referred to as a nerd or a loser but here it’s the guy who sits in his room all day and doesn’t talk to many people and doesn’t participate in anything who’s the loser. So really, take it from me, get out there and be active. People here might be a little weird but they don’t bite. I promise…if they did, they would’ve bit me already. Time management is key in college life. To be honest, I haven’t mastered it yet, but I am definitely better at it than in high school. Spend time on your work a little each day. Even if the assignment isn’t due for a couple days, or weeks, start it. It will make you feel so much better that you can relax and have something lifted off your shoulders a bit. There will always be something to do. Getting bits and pieces accomplished day by day is the best way to go in my opinion. If you don’t have an idea of what you want to do for the rest of your life…you’re screwed! Ha. Just kidding! Really. You are in the same boat with just about 90 percent of the rest of the freshmen. It’s okay to change your major, 1, 2, hey, 12 times! Of course it’s better to narrow it down and hopefully you won’t get to 12, but until you find happiness, don’t settle for anything less. Listen to your RA’s – they do have authority…lots of it. And, hey, they aren’t that bad. They aren’t out to get you if you don’t go sniffing for trouble. Take advantage of the library. It’s a good thing. All the resources are readily available, and the first floor is kind of rowdy (for a library atmosphere) so head up to the second or third if you need to concentrate. As for homesickness, there are plenty of breaks, and the cool parents send those care packages which are pretty nice. Christmas vacation is extremely long, and as I mentioned earlier, meeting people and developing friendships is the best way to keep occupied and keep the mind off missing home. The gym is excellent, and the hills here are horrendous so it’s highly unlikely to gain that freshman 15 too quickly here. Stay away from doing laundry on the weekends, it’s packed. Have fun, keep an open mind, make friends, ask questions, and enjoy! Have a great year guys
I can hardly believe that I am already writing a letter to
next
year’s upcoming freshmen! I feel like I have just begun college last
week!
It is so common to hear relatives and friends say that a person’s
“college
years” fly by, and I know that I really didn’t understand that saying
until
very recently.
Honestly, I initially had no idea how I was going to adjust to
living on my own. Fortunately, I did not have a difficult time
adjusting
to a hectic schedule, washing my own clothes, and living with a
complete
stranger. I have met some of the most interesting, intelligent, and
unique
people this year and I know they will become life long friends.
Throughout
the past three months I know that I have matured immensely, and hope
that
I will continue to prosper socially and academically throughout the
remainder
of this year and the three years ahead of me.
Some advice that I will share will all of you begins with coming
to terms with your roommate. I want you to imagine this…walking into
your
dorm room the first day of school right in front of the person, who is
ideally supposed to be your best and life long buddy, he/she seems
pretty
normal and you imagine that the both of you will always get along.
Think
again! There will be numerous times when you will want to scream, rip
out
your hair, and cry because they are driving you completely insane!!!
However,
they will also be the one who will pull an all-nighter with you to help
you finish a paper, help you organize your thoughts for a presentation,
and give you unconditional support when you feel like “you just can’t
do
it anymore.” You both will laugh together and cry together, and then
there
will come a point in your life that you know they have changed your
life
forever.
My next piece of advice is STAY AWAY FROM THE CAF FOOD! During
my freshmen orientation I remember thinking to myself “hmm…I could live
with this food…it’s that that disgusting…” Trust me it doesn’t seem
that
gross now but when you eat it every single day for weeks, sometimes
months,
at a time it becomes pretty repulsive!
Next, remember college is not solely about working on your
academics
and it is not solely about partying every night. I believe that the key
to a successful, happy, fun college career is finding the middle ground
between those two things. Remember, your parents are paying a great
deal
of money for you to be able to go to college, especially a college as
expensive
as this one; you owe it to them to give it your all and achieve good
grades.
In addition, you also owe it to yourself to let loose and have fun once
in a while!
Make as many friends as possible! Don’t limit yourself to just
one group of friends! Become friends with people on your floor (if you
dorm), people in your classes, people at the library (trust me you will
be there more than you think!), people at the mall, and people in
organizations
and clubs that you may join! The more friends you have the easier your
adjustment will be!
Be active! Take part in different clubs! It is amazing how many
people you will meet alone in extra curricular activities! If you want
to make friends and have a good social life, joining activities is one
of the easiest ways to go about it!
Throughout my high school career I don’t think I ever stepped
foot in my library, but once I started college I have spent much of my
time there! I used to consider the library as a dull, boring place, but
now I think I have actually learned to value silence and a liking for
the
library’s environment.
Finally, a key piece to successfully doing well in school is
TIME MANAGEMENT! You need to be able to budget your time, because if
you
don’t college life will be much harder on you than it should!
I hope this advice is helpful to you throughout your freshmen year!
Have a great time and do well in school!!!
Hey guys! As our final assignment for Freshmen
Seminar
we have to write a letter to the incoming freshmen (although we
ourselves
are freshly outgoing); so anyway in fond memoriam I write
this letter about what it is to be a freshman at the University of
Scranton.
Ex
tempore that I arrived here it was obvious that “Da U” was a
lot
more than just that school that has been practically in my backyard my
whole life. In all honesty the University of Scranton is a world per
se.
In my first few weeks there the remaining layers of high school
wore away and I appeared in a new skin as a college freshman. At first,
I will admit it was a little nerve racking, I, sadly, admit that for a
week or two I was the typical paranoid, panicking freshman. However,
all
the professors at “the U” act in loco parentis; they
make
you feel comfortable and most importantly at home.
The University has a very laid back, very relaxed approach to most
things, at least in my experience. Like I said, the professors
are
for the most part excellent and will do most anything for you. As for
your
fellow college goers, they are all nice also. One thing that is
extremely
different from high school is the separation of classes. For example,
when
you were a freshman in high school you had no clout, if you weren’t a
senior,
Forget It! At “the U” that segregation amongst students doesn’t exist.
If there are 20 kids in the Pro Deo Room sitting together, chances are
they are from an array of academic statuses. The University students
are
not discriminative in the least, we all know that the other is paying
the
same amount to be here and that the other is working equally as hard to
reach their desired outcome and for that there is a certain level of
unquestioned
respect among all the students here. Ergo it is entirely
unnecessary to worry about how you will be treated my fellow students
and/or
faculty members because everyone here understands and is truly willing
to do all that they can to help. There is not persona non
grata
anywhere on the grounds of “Da U.”
During your summer orientation you will no doubt experience this with
the attack of the purple people. As a psychology major I expected my
summer
orientation to be at least somewhat intellectual, I however was proven
entirely wrong. If there is one thing about the University of Scranton
that led me away at all, it was the orientation program. It was kind of
like day camp for preschoolers, you throw your nametag in the middle
and
tell little stories about each other and run around like five year olds
that had one too many pixy sticks. Now, I understand that it is done
with
the best of intentions but by the time a person is 18 years old they
don’t
need to be forced into making friends. In fact, I made more friends and
had more fun just hanging out in Freshmen Seminar than I did the entire
weekend of orientation.
As for the curriculum, I’ll say this don’t think you can BS your way
through it, because you can’t. It might work for a while but in the end
you’re only hurting yourself anyway. Plus, half the fun of college is
working
for those grades and the other half of course involves the aqua
vitae.
Well, that is not entirely true but that is another reason that some
young
people attend certain schools but please do not choose “the U” for
that.
Anyone who comes here is guaranteed an amazing experience just by
encountering
all that the University of Scranton has to offer you. Please take
advantage
of this place it will be one of the greatest times of your life, one
that
you will never forget and one that you will never regret!
Magna cum laude I speak of this place that is helping
to shape who I am and who I will become to the world but more
importantly
myself!
Latin Phrases
1. In memoriam- in memory of
2. Ex tempore- from the moment
3. Per se- by itself
4. In loco parentis- in place of a parent
5. Ergo- therefore
6. Persona non grata- an unwelcome person
7. Aqua vitae- water of life (alcohol)
8. Magnum cum laude- with great praise
Dear Freshman:
You’re probably not too excited about having to read all these letters
but they really do offer great advice! You may be a little
nervous
about starting at the University as well. If I can offer any
advice
at all it’s that if you organize yourself and your work it won’t be
that
over whelming. College is different than high school, as you’ve
been
told a thousand times I’m sure, but it really is. You have much
more
time on your hands and with that you have more time to schedule
yourself
to do things on the time schedule you want. Don’t fall into the
habit
of never completing assignments because it will catch up to you and you
will be weeks behind, and then it’s pretty impossible to catch up
again.
The time flies by and before you know it, it’s time for finals.
The
other advice I can offer is to be social and friendly. Psychology
usually doesn’t have a large number of people enrolled and that’s a
good
way to meet some people. You’ll most likely have a lot of the
same
classes together so talk with a lot of those people!!! Study
together,
join clubs together, or just talk with them after class. I’ve
only
been here for a couple months but I already know that if you’re
organized
you won’t drive yourself crazy with assignments, talk with people, and
you’re time at the University should be fine. Managing time
properly
now is incredibly important because I even know that in the years to
come
more difficult courses will be on my plate and organization will be key
then. Good luck with your first couple months here, and all that
follow… have fun!!
Dear incoming freshman,
I am writing you this letter to give
you some advice on your upcoming journey through your early freshman
year.
The first thing I want to say is that coming to college is by no means
simply an extension of high school. College is a new lifestyle, a
monumental change in the way you function and behave. With this
new
challenge you are embracing you will meet new people and discover the
proper
balance between school and fun. For me and most other freshman I
know freshman seminar played a critical role in helping to adjust to
this
dramatic change in lifestyle. I feel as though I was able to find
everything I needed in terms of support and specifically structure from
my teacher.
I believe that the most important thing
I took away from my freshman seminar class was preparedness.
Responsibility
was presented to us as a necessity and I feel that once an individual
can
exercise that, your journey through college will yield considerably
larger
benefits. During your first semester I hope that you can find
what
I did in your seminar teacher, an almost parental positive influence
that
coupled with your motivation and readiness to grow will undoubtedly
lead
you to growth not only in your academics but more importantly as a
person.
Sincerely,