50 Things I’ve Learned in Two Years of College

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Next week is the start of finals… To me this year has gone by pretty fast. Honestly, I can’t believe that it is over. I hope it’s been a good first year for you and that the rest of your college career is a good one.  Today I just want to share what I’ve learned in two years of college from my personal journey and from what I’ve observed of other people. I may also throw in a little bit of advice.

  1. College is NOTHING like I expected it to be, but it is worth it.
  2. If you can get through the first two years of college, then you know that you can finish through it.
  3. Professors and advisors are your biggest advocates in your education.
  4. For those of us that commute to campus, just because you are attending a college close to home doesn’t mean that you won’t meet new people and new friends.
  5. We may be “adults” but that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun, immature moments.
  6. Ramon noodles and Easy Mac really are our go to meals when we are low on cash and low on time.
  7. Almost everyone procrastinates, even though we know we shouldn’t.
  8. Getting involved on campus makes being in college more fun.
  9. I’d much rather spend a few hours in classes than go to school for a full day.
  10. If you plan your schedule out right, you can potentially avoid ever having to have an early morning class.
  11. Don’t be surprised if you change your major. I said that I would never change my major and of course I did change it.
  12. Even students in majors that have a very specific career field, we don’t know where we are going with our lives after graduation.
  13. Don’t give up, you’ve made it too far  to do that.
  14. Projects as finals actually take up more time than just studying for a final exam.
  15. Even here at a regional campus, a small town person can be exposed to so much more than they had in high school.
  16. Traditional students can become good friends with non-traditional students, no matter how big the age gap is.
  17. In high school (even my first semester or two of college) I never understood why many college students take more than four years to get their bachelors degree, now I understand.
  18. Follow your own path, not the path that others want you to follow.
  19. Having a job in college is easier than having a job in high school.
  20. Coffee and energy drinks can be your best friend at times, but it’s better if you don’t make it a habit.
  21. Only take on what you know you can handle. If you are questioning if you can take on that extra class or that second job then it is probably something that will push you above your limits.
  22. Immerse yourself in your education, your paying too much not to do so.
  23. College is an investment, don’t forget that.
  24. Study something that has NOTHING to do with your major, but fulfills a GE requirement. You can learn a lot about yourself if you do.
  25. Prerequisites are more than just classes, they help you make sure that this is the field that you should go into before it is too late to change.
  26. Have fun, but don’t push school away… Also work hard, but don’t forget to have fun.
  27. I still can’t believe it’s been two years since I started college…
  28. It’s a privilege to go to college. There are people out there that want to be in college, but for one reason or another they can’t.
  29. Don’t get yourself too busy for family or close friends.
  30. If you can do an internship or undergrad research, do t.
  31. Online classes are not that bad.
  32. No one understands you better than your classmates in the same major as you.
  33. Join a club, or two, or three.
  34. Go to all of the fun events on campus as possible, this is your only chance to experience them.
  35. Being a Buckeye is pretty great.
  36. Now is the time to make mistakes, just make sure that you learn from them.
  37. Missing a few classes won’t kill you, but being a habitual class skipper can have serious consequences.
  38. Don’t forget about any of your online classes.
  39. The freshman 15 is real and if you don’t do anything about, you will have a hard time getting rid of it your sophomore year.
  40. Study with your friends. It makes it more bearable.
  41. Get to know people that wouldn’t have been in your clique in high school. They just might become your best friends.
  42. Take a road trip in the summer, even short road trips help clear your mind after a long semester.
  43. Attend free events, even the ones that may not seem like they interest you. You may wind up liking it, if not then at least you got some free food.
  44. Watch what you say and do in front of professors, especially if you are staying here all four years.
  45. Do something crazy once in a while. Make sure that what you do is legal though!
  46. If you can rent your textbook, do it.
  47. Get a job in college. Even the smallest job helps you build character.
  48. Make sure that you focus on yourself.
  49. College really helps you find yourself.
  50.  Ten years from now remember these years. Look back at the fun you had and lessons learned and see how they got you to where you are then.

It’s been great getting to share my thoughts and experiences with all of you. I hope that the newsletters and the blogs have been helpful and enjoyable to read.  Good luck on finals!

Best Wishes,

Christina Russell

ALMOST Third Year Student

 

Taking Classes Next Year and Online Classes @ Ohio State

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Many of you will be scheduling your classes this week for your SECOND year of school! Your days as a freshman undergrad are quickly coming to an end and it is time to think about the near future. Do you know what classes you should be taking next year? If not then schedule an appointment with your academic adviser ASAP that way you will not take classes that you do not need to take. No one wants to waste their time or money on classes that are not needed. Do it soon though, because if you wait too long then your classes you need may fill up before you get to schedule them. Today though, I really want to talk about a specific type of class. Last week I discussed how to survive lectures. This week I want to talk about online classes, specifically the benefits of these classes and how to be successful in them.
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During my first two semesters I avoided online classes. Being a new student, I wasn’t sure what to expect out of college and I didn’t want to take an online class if I couldn’t handle it (at that time, there were still EXP classes that were in class only). My first online class wasn’t until the summer after my freshman year. In fact, I took two different online classes that summer that were set up in two different ways. It turned out that online classes were not as bad as I expected and I even enjoy taking them.
In fact there are many pros with online courses…
  1. You get to have class when you want it! This is the best perk for online classes. You can choose when to watch lectures, when to do homework, and even what time of the day to take an exam. Online options are great for those that like the flexibility.
  2. Breakfast in bed… why not lecture in bed? (Yes, I realize that is really corny, deal with it) If you take an online class and have internet at home, you can listen to a lecture in your p.j’s. In fact, you don’t even have to get out of bed if you have a laptop. Online classes can be more comfortable than sitting in class.
  3. You gain more computer skills as the professors typically have specific coursework that requires you to learn about different software and applications that you would not have learned in the regular class. For example, I learned how to use Google drive and Evernote thanks to one of my online classes. I never even heard of Evernote before I took that class.
  4. You don’t have to drive to campus. As long as you have internet and computer access somewhere, you will never have to set foot on campus. This was really nice with my summer classes because I didn’t have to waste gas to get my stuff done. This is also really nice for those of you that are living on campus and want to go home during the summer. You can take an online class or two over the summer right from home. You will not miss the chance to spend quality time with loved ones.
  5. You can take classes that are from Columbus that we do not offer here at Mansfield. This is a nice bonus, especially if you are trying to finish up a GE requirement but haven’t found a class that we offer here that interests you.

Of course, along with all of these perks I must warn you that these classes are not the easiest classes out there. Along with all the freedom, comes responsibility. It is so easy to get behind in an online course because it is easy to forget about it. The first online course I took, I learned quickly that it is easy to forget about the class. It was a full summer course that I was taking and on the third week I made a mistake. I forgot about the class and missed turning in two assignments. Fortunately they were not extremely big assignments, but it was enough to give me a much needed wake up call. It takes some determination to get through the classes. I have some tips to those that are planning on taking online classes in the future, hopefully they can help you!

  1. Plan class time during the week. Many of us are very busy and sometimes the only thing that is keeping us organized with schoolwork is having to go to that class a few times a week. When you sign up for an online class, block off a chunk of your week as your “class time.” The times can vary each week, but they should be pretty consistent. Make adjustments if you notice that you are not having enough time to get through the class.
  2. Know when things are due! This is very important. Most, if not all of your work will be turned in via Carmen dropbox. Dropboxes have a close time, and if you miss the time it is due then you cannot turn in your work. If you had an emergency (or you completely forgot the turn in time), talking to your professor may not help you get to turn in late work. With online classes you usually have a few days to download your assignment on to Carmen and professors will tell you that you had so many days to turn it in. You should have had it done and dropboxed before the last minute.
  3. Have open communication with your professor. Whenever I take an online class, I usually email my professor at least once a week. I email all of the questions that I have, anything from questions about the lesson, to questions about the assignments, and even to questions about computer issues. Even if you know you will never see this professor face to face, it is good to maintain a good relationship with them. They are always helpful, and can help with any issues you have as long as if you talk to them a head of time.
  4. Know how to use Carmen. Not all professors in regular classes use Carmen, but in online classes it is essential. Some professors with online classes will not exclusively use Carmen, but there will always be assignments and information posted on Carmen from the professor. Many professors will use Carmen exclusively, so you are going to have to know how to use and navigate it. If you have any problems with using Carmen, let your professor know. They will be able to help you out.
  5. Don’t give up. It’s easy to let yourself drop an online class, especially since you will probably never see your professor. I was taking an online course this semester, but I got sick in January which made me get behind in that class. I made the choice to give up before I even tried to catch back up. I got it in early enough to not get stuck with a W on my transcript, but I really enjoyed that class. I probably could have gotten myself back on track, but I decided to go the easier route and I still have mixed feelings about that decision. If you get behind in an online class for any reason do not give up on that class, especially if you will receive W for it. I believe that you should only let yourself receive a W if you know 100% that there is no way mathematically that you could get a passing grade in the class. If it is before you receive a W, then you should have plenty of time to get things straight and still get a decent grade. Whatever you do, don’t give up on it!