How
to get through college
College
classes are sometimes rough, but getting
through the bureaucracy and paperwork required
to graduate is an education in itself.
Teachers
told me that as a college student I should
be able to figure out how to fill out paperwork
and not miss deadlines. What they didn't
tell me is to be prepared for a circus ride.
"Bring
this form here, get this person to sign
here, oh, gone for the day? Don't worry,
come back on your day off, park 20 minutes
away, and try again."
Incoming
freshmen, I tell you this -- be prepared
to get flustered, get ready to get angry,
and suck it all up, because it only gets
harder from here on out.
I
have come up with a few tips that, if followed,
will lead to increased enjoyment and less
stress over these next few years.
The
first tip is to plan ahead. Don't put off
registering for classes. I put it off for
one day last semester, and ended up having
an unexpected battle with the online and
phone registration. As I kept listening
to the phone message repeat itself, and
have my pin number declined online, I imagined
my classes filling up resulting in me staying
an extra semester. I got so worked up I
put my hand through my wall. I am not even
a violent person, but there I was, late
to class with ice and a bandage wrapped
around it. My cover story was that I smashed
it in the car door, I was too ashamed to
say I was mad at registration.
Next,
treat that course catalog as gold each semester,
and never throw it away. It can be a valuable
reference long after the semester is over.
Be
sure to file for graduation. I know it is
a few years off, but you have to do it a
year early. Juniors -- do it now! Who knew
you had to ask permission to graduate --
no one else keeps track of these things?
I was reminded by a little email that went
in my junk mail folder anyway, and nearly
missed the March deadline.
Freshmen
-- major in something you like! If I had
known that a particular major didn't mean
that much, I could have graduated much sooner
without changing my major three times. Granted,
a nursing degree won't likely land you a
job as a geologist, but many jobs hire candidates
with different types of degrees, especially
in the liberal arts field. Many public relations
jobs look for people with an English degree,
communications, or journalism. At my internship
at the Daily Pilot newspaper I worked with
a film major and a literature major.
My
advice is to take something you really like,
you'll do better in it, look forward to
going to school, and won't have to worry
about hating your job once you graduate.
Make
friends with your counselors and department
heads early on. Find out who they are, and
go introduce yourself. They can help figure
out your schedule, how to graduate, and
they have heard every problem a student
can bring them. You may even take classes
from them. So what if they act busy, make
these people your friends.
There
are also some really helpful people in each
department office, and if you get familiar
with them life will be a lot easier. There
are always transcripts to be copied, petitions
to file, or classes that need explanation.
They can even answer specific questions
about your major, or teachers.
Save
everything. Make a file cabinet called school
stuff, and save it all. By the time you
graduate you could have dozens of passwords
and pin numbers like I do, not to mention
when the school wants to change it up a
bit, and issue everyone new ID's and pin
numbers in the middle of the year. Saving
things means fewer waits in the maze of
the enrollment services line and less treks
around campus to get new numbers.
Last,
take advantage of school while you are here.
Try a weird class, or a sport. There is
a beautiful swimming pool on campus, if
you are even slightly interested in swimming,
go check it out. There are also karate classes
and a club for just about anything. After
college, as I am finding out, things cost
money, so go have fun now while it is available.
Good luck!
Cassady
Jeremias is a Cal State Long Beach graduate.
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