We did this last year and I thought it went really well. Today is the first day of classes at UA, so let's do it again. Share your best advice for the young men and women who are starting their college careers today. Try to keep this thread clean; no need to turn it into a stream of sex jokes.
Here's mine:
1. Go to class. Every day.
Even if you don't take notes, go to class and listen. Even if there's no homework due that day, no test coming up, nothing major expected to happen, GO TO CLASS. If you're skipping even 1 class a week on average, you're negatively affecting your grades. Even if professors don't take attendance, most will be aware of who is in class and who is skipping. A professor who has seen you in class every day will be more likely to take sympathy on you and bump that C up to a B. Going to class is the most basic thing you can do to help yourself academically.
2. Get involved outside of class.
For most folks I'd recommend joining a minimum of 2 student organizations: 1 that will help you with your chosen career path or profession, and 1 for social reasons. When I was in school I worked at the student newspaper and was in a fraternity, but you do what interests you. Join the mock trial team if you're pre-law, or an engineering competition, or ski club or the bass fishing club or whatever. Especially at a big state school like Alabama, there's enough going on for everyone to find something they're interested in. It won't feel like an overwhelming university of 35,000 students if you have a couple groups you belong to.
EDIT: Some good advice from last year's thread too if any college students are reading this.
Here's mine:
1. Go to class. Every day.
Even if you don't take notes, go to class and listen. Even if there's no homework due that day, no test coming up, nothing major expected to happen, GO TO CLASS. If you're skipping even 1 class a week on average, you're negatively affecting your grades. Even if professors don't take attendance, most will be aware of who is in class and who is skipping. A professor who has seen you in class every day will be more likely to take sympathy on you and bump that C up to a B. Going to class is the most basic thing you can do to help yourself academically.
2. Get involved outside of class.
For most folks I'd recommend joining a minimum of 2 student organizations: 1 that will help you with your chosen career path or profession, and 1 for social reasons. When I was in school I worked at the student newspaper and was in a fraternity, but you do what interests you. Join the mock trial team if you're pre-law, or an engineering competition, or ski club or the bass fishing club or whatever. Especially at a big state school like Alabama, there's enough going on for everyone to find something they're interested in. It won't feel like an overwhelming university of 35,000 students if you have a couple groups you belong to.
EDIT: Some good advice from last year's thread too if any college students are reading this.
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