For many of us it’s almost that time again to go back to school and so we begin packing our necessary supplies. The problem is that most students find themselves either over packing and including tons of things they don’t need or under packing and being stuck with only one pair of underwear or only a mound of mismatched socks. But fear not fellow frosh and sophes (I’m assuming that by the time you're a junior you have probably already figured out what you need and what you don’t, but if you don’t you can keep reading too.) I have made a list of stuff that you will need both for the classroom and the dorms.
In this entry I will cover the classroom needs, in the next entry I will cover the dorm/housing needs. Needless to say the next entry will probably be a bit longer.
Bare Basics
This is the absolute minimum you are going to need for (most of) your classes. I say with all the emphasis necessary: DO NOT BUY THESE THINGS FROM YOUR CAMPUS BOOKSTORE. This is because 9 times out of 10 the bookstore is much more expensive than your local office supply store. The only exception to this is the textbook which you can buy at the bookstore if you like but if you take a look back at my Buying Textbooks entry then you will see that most likely you can find textbooks for a better price than at the bookstore.
Notebooks/Binders
Textbooks
Pens/Pencils/Writing Utensils
I’m hoping that this point most of this stuff is pretty self explanatory, if it isn’t then perhaps now is a good time to ask yourself how you got into college.
Some Extras (In Most Cases)
In most classes these would be considered extra things but it all depends on what major your taking and where your taking it. If you're some sort of math major at MIT then your more likely to need this stuff then oh lets say… a nursing major at CCRI. But the best way to find out is to look up your course requirements at your school and ask around what other students are using.
Calculator -- As I mentioned it depends on what classes your taking and what your going to be using it for. In general, I always like having at least a basic calculator with me no matter what class I’m taking just incase I need it. But if your taking Advanced Calculus or Engineering or something then your probably going to need one of those TI graphing calculators that can like launch rockets and stuff. Just keep in mind that if your going to be getting one of those advanced calculators you might have to shell out anywhere from 100 - 150 bucks (but on the upside I hear now you can go online and pick out all these funky colors and stuff.)
Tape Recorder -- This is incase you have trouble taking the notes as the professor is saying them or your likely to forget something they have said. I think having a tape recorder is a good idea (especially if your in a smaller class) so you can always go home and listen to parts of the lecture you might have missed (or maybe fell asleep during.) Just one bit of advice is that you always should ask the professor if they don’t mind being recorded (most will give you the ok on it) but if they do say no you have to respect their right to not be recorded because what they are teaching you (especially the words they use to describe the lesson) they do have the rights to. On that note, I once had a professor that told me she didn’t mind being recorded or having me take notes on my computer but she copyrighted everything that she taught and so if any of her students ever tried to use what she said in a book (without her permission) or against her for some reason she did retain the right to sue them. Needless to say I was a little on edge from that point on. So be sure to ask first if you’re going to record a professor.
Laptop -- Some students opt to use a laptop in place of the traditional pen and paper for taking notes. I have used both the pen and paper approach as a well as using a laptop computer. I found that I am able to type faster much faster than I write and I am more organized with my notes if I take them on the computer. Not to mention the fact that my computer is able to make clean-cut colorful charts, graphs and diagrams and I could never make trying to draw freehand. With all of the software out there having a laptop can be especially helpful for students who have majors in art, education, medicine, music, science and technology. Like a tape recorder you have to ask the professor of the class your taking for their permission to use a computer to take notes during their class. Some professors find that laptops are a distraction during their lectures (not only because of the tapping of keyboard keys) and prefer students not use them. For the most part I have found that my professors don’t mind me using my laptop as long as they don’t see me playing games while they are talking and that I don’t distract the other students. If you do decide to use your laptop be sure to mute the sound, charge the battery and try to sit in the back of the class if you can (it also helps keep the prying eyes of your peers off your screen.) If you want to find out more about how to choose a laptop for school be sure to check for a future entry.
Check back for “Packing the Essentials: Part Deux” in the next entry which will cover what you need to pack for your dorm/housing needs.
Showing posts with label classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classes. Show all posts
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Friday, December 29, 2006
Lesson IV: Choosing Courses
At this point in the year (almost January) you should already have chosen and signed up for the courses you're going to be taking for next semester. But if your anything like some of my friends then you probably haven't even put a single thought into choosing classes yet and won't until the last possible minute. But fear not, this advice can help both the prepared student and the lazy procrastinator (for now and in the future.)
1. Review your course catalog.
First you should be looking at your college's course catalog for courses you're interested in and look for what courses you need for your major (this includes your prerequisites and gen. ed's.)
2. Speak with a councilor/advisor.
The entire purpose of an academic advisor is for them to help you find out what classes you need to take so you can get the education your looking for. Your college pays them so they can be there to help you when you need it; part of your tuition pays for their service. So why not use it? Call or walk into the admissions department and make an appointment to speak with a councilor. Even if you already know exactly what courses you need to take and what your doing for the rest of your year, it never hurts to have a talk with the councilor about your plans (they might have some helpful tips or information about your major that you haven't heard yet.)
3. When your choosing classes figure out why your taking them.
It seems like a simple enough concept but some students don't take the time to think about it. If you have to take a class for your major then there isn't much to think about (its just something your going to have to do) but if your considering taking a class just because your interested in the subject try to find out if you can have it can be credited as an elective credit for your major. If the course can't be counted as any sort of elective credit, try asking yourself if taking the class is worth the time, money and effort it will require (which is not to say that taking a class for fun isn't perfectly ok.)
4. Ask around about the course and professor.
Talk to your friends and ask around campus to find out what other students thought of a class and the professor who taught it. Was it so boring that the students were falling asleep during the lecture? Did they find the professor unapproachable for help? Its questions like that which are good to find out ahead of time. Keep in mind what your will be hearing are opinions and not necessarily facts so its just a small thing to take into consideration. Having trouble finding people who have taken a certain class or had a certain professor? With websites like Myspace and Rate My Professors that feature ratings and reviews on professors its easy for students to talk to each other about their experiences on a larger scale.
5. Do some searching.
Most college websites will provide links to or a directory of faculty websites. If you search through the directory of faculty and find the professors website who will be teaching the course you want to take, you may find that they have posted a syllabus or more detailed description of the class. You may find out that the class isn't exactly what you bargained for (before it's too late.)
6. Even if a class is full, don’t give up!
This is especially for the procrastinators out there who wait until the last minute to sign up for a class only to realize that every section is full. But fear not there is still a glimmer of hope. At many institutions the policy of course overrides are allowed. An override is if a professor is willing to sign a paper allowing an extra student into the class then the college will allow you to take the class and get credit for it. Keep in mind though that not all professors are more willing to sign an override for one reason or another (and excessive begging is not a good idea.) However, some professors are more willing to sign an override if some of the other students don’t show up on the first day (there’s usually at least a few of those people.) The best plan is to speak to the professor (or the department head) ahead of time and they might sign the override before class starts or they may ask you to show up to class the first day and they will do the best they can to squeeze you in. But as I have said this may work but don’t expect miracles, some professors make a policy of not writing overrides and some courses simply don’t have enough room or materials for more students then originally planned.
Although these are just a few tips they might be just what you need to help you find out what courses you need to take and help you to choose what courses you want to take.
1. Review your course catalog.
First you should be looking at your college's course catalog for courses you're interested in and look for what courses you need for your major (this includes your prerequisites and gen. ed's.)
2. Speak with a councilor/advisor.
The entire purpose of an academic advisor is for them to help you find out what classes you need to take so you can get the education your looking for. Your college pays them so they can be there to help you when you need it; part of your tuition pays for their service. So why not use it? Call or walk into the admissions department and make an appointment to speak with a councilor. Even if you already know exactly what courses you need to take and what your doing for the rest of your year, it never hurts to have a talk with the councilor about your plans (they might have some helpful tips or information about your major that you haven't heard yet.)
3. When your choosing classes figure out why your taking them.
It seems like a simple enough concept but some students don't take the time to think about it. If you have to take a class for your major then there isn't much to think about (its just something your going to have to do) but if your considering taking a class just because your interested in the subject try to find out if you can have it can be credited as an elective credit for your major. If the course can't be counted as any sort of elective credit, try asking yourself if taking the class is worth the time, money and effort it will require (which is not to say that taking a class for fun isn't perfectly ok.)
4. Ask around about the course and professor.
Talk to your friends and ask around campus to find out what other students thought of a class and the professor who taught it. Was it so boring that the students were falling asleep during the lecture? Did they find the professor unapproachable for help? Its questions like that which are good to find out ahead of time. Keep in mind what your will be hearing are opinions and not necessarily facts so its just a small thing to take into consideration. Having trouble finding people who have taken a certain class or had a certain professor? With websites like Myspace and Rate My Professors that feature ratings and reviews on professors its easy for students to talk to each other about their experiences on a larger scale.
5. Do some searching.
Most college websites will provide links to or a directory of faculty websites. If you search through the directory of faculty and find the professors website who will be teaching the course you want to take, you may find that they have posted a syllabus or more detailed description of the class. You may find out that the class isn't exactly what you bargained for (before it's too late.)
6. Even if a class is full, don’t give up!
This is especially for the procrastinators out there who wait until the last minute to sign up for a class only to realize that every section is full. But fear not there is still a glimmer of hope. At many institutions the policy of course overrides are allowed. An override is if a professor is willing to sign a paper allowing an extra student into the class then the college will allow you to take the class and get credit for it. Keep in mind though that not all professors are more willing to sign an override for one reason or another (and excessive begging is not a good idea.) However, some professors are more willing to sign an override if some of the other students don’t show up on the first day (there’s usually at least a few of those people.) The best plan is to speak to the professor (or the department head) ahead of time and they might sign the override before class starts or they may ask you to show up to class the first day and they will do the best they can to squeeze you in. But as I have said this may work but don’t expect miracles, some professors make a policy of not writing overrides and some courses simply don’t have enough room or materials for more students then originally planned.
Although these are just a few tips they might be just what you need to help you find out what courses you need to take and help you to choose what courses you want to take.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Lesson I: First Impressions
So you've gone through the course catalog and picked your classes, then you put down a small fortune down for books and supplies and now it’s the first day of class. Whether your name is engraved on the top of the dean's list or "academic probation" is a phrase your pretty familiar with, most college students know that being on good terms with a professor can make your life a lot easier. Like any other relationship your starting, the first impression will be what you are judged by, a bad one is hard to shake but a good one can leave a lasting impression. So how to make a good first impression? Just entry on this blog won't do the topic of good first impressions any form of justice but here are some of the basics.
1. Show up and be on time.
It was Woody Allen who said "eighty percent of success is just showing up" and he was right. College classes require that you show up and more importantly that you show up on time. Most professors find nothing more annoying than being interrupted by someone walking into their class twenty minutes after its already started or being told "I wasn't here last week, can you tell me what I missed?" It’s disrespectful and shows signs of immaturity. If you have trouble waking up early in the morning when the alarm clock goes off How to properly handle being absent from class is for another lesson.
2. Find out what is expected of you (and what you can expect from your professor.)
On the very first day most professors will hand out a syllabus explaining all the basics or they will tell you and expect you to remember. If he/she doesn't give you a syllabus then taking some notes wouldn't be a bad idea. In your notes be sure to include:
+ Ways to contact the professor (such as an office telephone number and/or e-mail address) incase something comes up and you need to get a hold of him/her.
+ The professor's office hours (not all professors will offer them so its good to find out if they do.) If you have more than just a few questions about an assignment or need some extra help this would be the time to ask.
+ The grading policy. How many tests or quizzes will you have? Do you have take home assignments or essays? How much of your grade is each thing worth? Most of this should be explained but if it’s then not be sure to ask so you can keep track of your progress throughout the semester.
+ If there are any required readings or extra materials. Some professors may ask that in addition to your textbook you purchase additional books as required readings for the class (often the case for English and literature courses) or some additional supplies for laboratory/clinical courses (such is the case for many students in healthcare related majors.)
3. Act like you care (even if you don't.)
When you’re in class you should look like you want to be there (even if you don't want to) and show the professor some basic respect. Just try to imagine that you’re the one who has to stand up and teach the entire class. If the students aren't looking at you and are talking to each other while your speaking or are on their cell phones then you would consider it pretty rude right? Well that's exactly how your professor feels. Basically, you should turn off your cell phone (or put it on vibrate) and keep it in your pocket, look at the professor and don't talk unless you've been called on and finally pull out a notebook and at least pretend to be taking some notes. Whether you want to pay attention is your business (although I would since your paying to be there) but this way your not disrupting the rest of the class and your not being openly rude to the professor.
4. Be prepared.
It’s a simple enough concept. If your supposed to have read a selection before class to be able to discuss a the topic during class then do it. If have an essay due in two weeks, then you better make sure you have it ready in two weeks. Not being prepared for class only makes you appear immature and it can also make it difficult to understand what the professor is talking about when they move on to more difficult concepts. Not to mention you will look pretty stupid if you’re called on to answer a question on something you should know but have no clue about.
5. If your interested in the subject then show it!
Its just a fact that your not going to enjoy every class that you take, so for some your just going to have to do the work and hope it goes by quickly. But hopefully there should be at least a few of the classes you take that you will enjoy and are interested in taking. If you are interested in the subject or the way the professor teaches it then you should show it. Participate in discussions (if there are any), do some extra research on a topic and ask questions that promote further discussion and thought (just don't ask questions that have already been answered or aren't relevant to the topic.)
6. Make yourself stand out
Unless you have a professor who only teaches one class (which sometimes happens) then your professors are likely to have a lot of students (especially if your in a lecture hall with hundreds of students each class.) Its a fact that not every professor will notice you, many of them probably won't know you as anything more then a student ID number and that's the best your going to get out of them. But if your lucky enough to be in a small class then you have a good chance you will be known by name (or nickname.) If you are usually the first one to class, the last one to leave or one of those people who asks really good questions it will be a lot easier to be remembered. Just make sure your not remembered for the wrong reasons.
7. Don't be annoying.
Don't become the person that your classmates (and secretly the professor too) peg as an annoying person. Annoying people tend to be easier students to remember than the not annoying ones (and that's not a good thing.) Try not to become one of these "types" of annoying students:
The "Know-It-All" -- This person may do any of the following things: Asking questions that they end up answering themselves, contradicting the professor whenever they have the chance, answering every question asked before anyone else has a chance.
The "Well this one time..." Person -- This person feels that every discussion warrants a long, personal story from their life (most of the time it will have little to do with what's actually being discussed and wastes a lot of time.)
The "Yup/Nope" Person -- This person needs to constantly confirm what the professor is saying by adding "Yup", "Yea", "Nope" or "No" as if to say that their personal approval will somehow add to the lesson.
The "Will This Be Graded?" Person -- This person will constantly ask any of the following questions: "Is this being graded?", "Will this affect my GPA?", "Is there any extra credit?", "Is this on the exam?" or "Will you point out what will be on the exam?"
The Drama Queen -- This person makes it their priority to be overly vocal about their opinion on everything (even when no one else asks for it) and to ensure that everybody else realizes their presence. The "drama queen" may also have some of the same characteristics as the other annoying personalities.
Those are the basic rules to making a good first impression with a professor. If you can think of anything else that should be added to this list by all means make a comment or send me an e-mail and I will put it up.
1. Show up and be on time.
It was Woody Allen who said "eighty percent of success is just showing up" and he was right. College classes require that you show up and more importantly that you show up on time. Most professors find nothing more annoying than being interrupted by someone walking into their class twenty minutes after its already started or being told "I wasn't here last week, can you tell me what I missed?" It’s disrespectful and shows signs of immaturity. If you have trouble waking up early in the morning when the alarm clock goes off How to properly handle being absent from class is for another lesson.
2. Find out what is expected of you (and what you can expect from your professor.)
On the very first day most professors will hand out a syllabus explaining all the basics or they will tell you and expect you to remember. If he/she doesn't give you a syllabus then taking some notes wouldn't be a bad idea. In your notes be sure to include:
+ Ways to contact the professor (such as an office telephone number and/or e-mail address) incase something comes up and you need to get a hold of him/her.
+ The professor's office hours (not all professors will offer them so its good to find out if they do.) If you have more than just a few questions about an assignment or need some extra help this would be the time to ask.
+ The grading policy. How many tests or quizzes will you have? Do you have take home assignments or essays? How much of your grade is each thing worth? Most of this should be explained but if it’s then not be sure to ask so you can keep track of your progress throughout the semester.
+ If there are any required readings or extra materials. Some professors may ask that in addition to your textbook you purchase additional books as required readings for the class (often the case for English and literature courses) or some additional supplies for laboratory/clinical courses (such is the case for many students in healthcare related majors.)
3. Act like you care (even if you don't.)
When you’re in class you should look like you want to be there (even if you don't want to) and show the professor some basic respect. Just try to imagine that you’re the one who has to stand up and teach the entire class. If the students aren't looking at you and are talking to each other while your speaking or are on their cell phones then you would consider it pretty rude right? Well that's exactly how your professor feels. Basically, you should turn off your cell phone (or put it on vibrate) and keep it in your pocket, look at the professor and don't talk unless you've been called on and finally pull out a notebook and at least pretend to be taking some notes. Whether you want to pay attention is your business (although I would since your paying to be there) but this way your not disrupting the rest of the class and your not being openly rude to the professor.
4. Be prepared.
It’s a simple enough concept. If your supposed to have read a selection before class to be able to discuss a the topic during class then do it. If have an essay due in two weeks, then you better make sure you have it ready in two weeks. Not being prepared for class only makes you appear immature and it can also make it difficult to understand what the professor is talking about when they move on to more difficult concepts. Not to mention you will look pretty stupid if you’re called on to answer a question on something you should know but have no clue about.
5. If your interested in the subject then show it!
Its just a fact that your not going to enjoy every class that you take, so for some your just going to have to do the work and hope it goes by quickly. But hopefully there should be at least a few of the classes you take that you will enjoy and are interested in taking. If you are interested in the subject or the way the professor teaches it then you should show it. Participate in discussions (if there are any), do some extra research on a topic and ask questions that promote further discussion and thought (just don't ask questions that have already been answered or aren't relevant to the topic.)
6. Make yourself stand out
Unless you have a professor who only teaches one class (which sometimes happens) then your professors are likely to have a lot of students (especially if your in a lecture hall with hundreds of students each class.) Its a fact that not every professor will notice you, many of them probably won't know you as anything more then a student ID number and that's the best your going to get out of them. But if your lucky enough to be in a small class then you have a good chance you will be known by name (or nickname.) If you are usually the first one to class, the last one to leave or one of those people who asks really good questions it will be a lot easier to be remembered. Just make sure your not remembered for the wrong reasons.
7. Don't be annoying.
Don't become the person that your classmates (and secretly the professor too) peg as an annoying person. Annoying people tend to be easier students to remember than the not annoying ones (and that's not a good thing.) Try not to become one of these "types" of annoying students:
The "Know-It-All" -- This person may do any of the following things: Asking questions that they end up answering themselves, contradicting the professor whenever they have the chance, answering every question asked before anyone else has a chance.
The "Well this one time..." Person -- This person feels that every discussion warrants a long, personal story from their life (most of the time it will have little to do with what's actually being discussed and wastes a lot of time.)
The "Yup/Nope" Person -- This person needs to constantly confirm what the professor is saying by adding "Yup", "Yea", "Nope" or "No" as if to say that their personal approval will somehow add to the lesson.
The "Will This Be Graded?" Person -- This person will constantly ask any of the following questions: "Is this being graded?", "Will this affect my GPA?", "Is there any extra credit?", "Is this on the exam?" or "Will you point out what will be on the exam?"
The Drama Queen -- This person makes it their priority to be overly vocal about their opinion on everything (even when no one else asks for it) and to ensure that everybody else realizes their presence. The "drama queen" may also have some of the same characteristics as the other annoying personalities.
Those are the basic rules to making a good first impression with a professor. If you can think of anything else that should be added to this list by all means make a comment or send me an e-mail and I will put it up.
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