The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 1, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Page: 4 of 6
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September 3, 2008
College T.ife
The Rambler
I'm here ... Now What?
Tried and true tips help freshmen learn the college ropes
Tiara
Nugent
You made it! High school hallways, TAKS tests, lockers and bells
are relics of the past. Hail college! Crossing the university thresh-
old can be overwhelming with never-before-encountered demands and
decisions, so take heed of this essential advice to aid your smooth tran-
sition.
Branch Out
You turn the campus map one direction and then another, trying to
figure out which building your class is going to be held in. You finally
reach the destined doorway only to be baffled attempting to figure out
what the building initials on the sign stuck to the door stand for. Then
you start all over again since someone decided to switch classrooms on
you. You arrive late to class huffing for breath. Do not feel daunted or intimidated by the
trek or the cluster of faces peering curiously at tardy you. Getting lost on the way to class
happens to everybody, and, secondly, those classmates are your ticket to collegiate memo-
ries and to connecting with the Wesleyan community.
Become a part of Wesleyan, not just its classes. Take advantage of the activities offered
on campus, whether it be through a music venue, a sporting event, SGA's barbecue or any
of the activities Student Life hosts throughout the semester. (Shamelessly, we suggest you
also consider working for the campus newspaper!) And with regard to Student Life, you
may not know it, but discount tickets to the movies, Six Flags and the Fort Worth Zoo or
other entertainment are often benefits of being a Wesleyan student.
Focus
Probably the most valuable study tip Lve ever heard instructs: "Set yourself in a place
where the coolest thing in front of you is your textbook:' In a locale aloof from the tempta-
tions of Facebook, MySpace and your favorite TV show, your potential to be distracted
diminishes. Discipline yourself to study for a certain period of time each night, whether
you have a big assignment due the next day or not. Consistent study time will not only
develop a valuable habit early in your college career, but help you prevent falling behind in
any class.
Stay Organized
It'll be a big challenge, I guarantee. Three-ring binders and portfolios can be your best
friends when it comes to keeping all the handouts, tests, papers, notes and especially syl-
labus. Don't lose that course guide - it not only likely has your tentative schedule of
assignments, but also practical information you may need later in the semester about how
to contact your professor, details on grading, assignments and more.
Try hole punching all your syllabi and sticking them in the three-ring binder complete
with section dividers labeled according to your list of classes. Add some notebook paper in
each section and you're set for taking those copious class notes that will help you come
test time (wink, wink). Class handouts can be punched and put in right alongside. Wa-la.
You're 011 top of it and your classmates will soon notice that you're the one to go to for
answers when course questions arise.
Keeping all your work - quizzes, homework, tests and papers - is very important
through at least the end of the semester. Then, should there be any issue over your final
grade, you'll have proof of your semester achievements. That's where a small portfolio is
handy - try keeping it in your car to avoid graded work from permanently lying to rest in
an "interim'' location.
Invest
No, that expensive stack of chunky textbooks is not for dorm decoration or to throw
out your back due to their weight in your backpack. There are some classes and some stu-
dents, of course, who can get through or even ace a class without opening a textbook, but
what those students don't often realize is how much they cheat themselves by being con-
Make your dorm your home
Gasten
schoonover
s summer comes to
an end, students
forgo the luxurious com-
forts of home by moving
back to campus in order
to further their educa-
tion. This move is quite
a commitment when the
average student's stint
in the dorms is about
seven to eight months.
With such a long stay,
there is no reason that your dorm room
should not feel like
home. But who has the
time? More important-
ly, who has the money
to improve one's liv-
ing conditions? Well,
my friends, hope is not lost.
There are several inex-
pensive and easy solutions to
these college conundrums.
First off, start by plan-
ning your room, or your
half of the room, around
your bed. This is usually
the most space-taking
item you will have in
your room, followed
by your desk. Try to
keep the bed close
to the wall and parallel
to it if at all possible.
Next, choose your
bedding. If you plan on giving
your room a color scheme (most-
ly talking to the girls) then try
choosing a reversible comforter
to give yourself more color options. Also,
try to stick to darker colors for the bedding
so dirt and stains will not be as prominent.
(Let's be honest, who has time to clean
their sheets?)
You might try as well to raise your bed,
tent with the least amount of effort. If nothing else, gain extra knowledge about the subject
at hand ~ you never know what that knowledge could do for you, especially if it's related
to your desired field. Job competition is stiff ~ clutch every asset you can and don't settle
for less than your all! As the adage goes, "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well."
Set attainable goals
Lofty goals may sound impressive to the ear and to your mother, but it's the short-term,
attainable goals that will fasten you to success. Long-term goals (i.e. obtaining a degree,
finding a high-paying job in your desired field, etc.) are the reasons you're warming that
college desk seat. However, waiting for the materialization of
those grand dreams working solely toward those select
ends will result in feelings of defeat and stagnation
before eight semester have gone by
Direct your attention and energies instead to
short-term goals which he along the same lines
as your major ones. Obtaining an internship
or aiming to make the Dean's List this semes-
ter are a couple of examples - possibili ties
loom at even angle. Knock out those short-
term goals and you'll be surprised at how fast
those long-term goals are attained.
Receive Counsel
Everything's a little new.
and learning and remember-
ing all the ropes is a little
tricky. You'll probably
have many questions pop
up in the first few weeks
especially. That's OK -
your GST class is here
for you this fall, exist-
ing just for the pur-
pose of networking,
guiding and supporting
you. Come spring, the
Wesleyan Freshman
Mentorship program will
be ready to take over that
job (assuming you choose
to participate in their pro-
gram). The mentor pro-
gram will connect you with
a junior or senior student to
come along your side with
encouragement, so strongly
consider signing up.
College is a rigorous and excit-
ing journey! Congratulate yourself for
arriving here, and then throw your all into getting
the most out of your time at Wesleyan. Take it
from experience - your four years here will pass quicker than you can imagine.
Tiara Nugent is a senior writing major and is editor-in-chief for The Rambler.
St
ft
via the adjustable bedposts or cinder
blocks, to give more storage space. A mat-
tress topper could not hurt either, because,
frankly, dorm beds are not the most com-
fortable in the world, and for about $20, it
is a worthy investment.
The next stop on our list is every one's
favorite store: IKEA. At IKEA a student
can find anything and everything they could
ever want at relatively reasonable prices.
Couches, shelves, storage units, chairs -
you name it, they have it. The closest loca-
tion is in Frisco, but you can also shop via
catalog or online. While shopping, grab
some extra lighting and posters to spice up
your room and add some life to those lack-
luster walls.
Finally, there is one last thing you can
do to your room to make it more livable
and welcoming. It is inexpensive, not too
time consuming and, guys,
it goes a long
way with the
ladies -
clean it.
Cleaning
your room
is the most
• effective way
to improve
your room and
make it more liv-
able. Not only will
you actually be able
to walk across your
room, but it might even
smell nice too, which
won't hurt when you have
visitors.
Follow these tips and you
will be living in collegian class in no time.
Gasten Schoonover is a senior business major
and is the photo editor for The Rambler.
A
presi
welcome
Alpha Xi Delta is one
of many campus
organizations who par-
ticipated in the
President's Picnic Aug.
26.
OTCflflS
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Nugent, Tiara. The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 1, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 3, 2008, newspaper, September 3, 2008; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201259/m1/4/: accessed May 14, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.