The official "Clue MasterShakezula into College and the Real World" thread

[PuffyPat]

Sorry, had to run to the store.

A few things to keep in mind Shake:

1) and this is VERY IMPORTANT:  Things don't always go according to your plans.  Matter of fact, very little will.  Don't set very specific goals for yourself at this point in your life.  I know they are teaching more career awareness in HS, but if you start thinking in too much detail about what you want, you're not going to handle the dissapointment when it comes, AND IT WILL COME at some point.  For now, getting into an appropriate college and having a general idea of what you want to do is enough.  When I was your age, I wanted to be a neurosurgeon just so I could become filthy rich.  When I was a freshman, I wanted to get into football coaching and I did.  Then I realized while I loved coaching, teaching high school kids would not be intellectually stimulating to me.  Hello grad school.  Realized I enjoy teaching chemistry almost as much as I loved coaching football.  Hello career.   I have friends who's career trajectory is much more random and sporadic, but they all fell into something they wanted to do.

2) You have to learn to be social.  I'm not talking about being one of the cool kids.  Those kids are assholes, I used to be one of them.  But you need to learn to get along with your peer group, and as you get older your peer group will be less about age and more about what you have in common.  You need to get along with your co-workers, superiors, and subordinates.  Everyone talks about networking, but you learn how to do it without making it obvious you are trying to puts you ahead of the game.  I met a professor at a teaching conference that I went to specifically to network simply because we had a shared love of spicy food.  We had a contest to see who could handle the hottest stuff, and by the next session everyone knew who the grad student and the Hungarian guy from the small college were, and all because we weren't afraid to be ourselves.  People saw us as friendly and outgoing, and everyone tried to get us during break down group because we were engaging and comfortable in our own skin.  We weren't putting on an act, it was natural.  That means make friends, the kinds you can physically shake hands with.  Start practicing in HS.

3)  Dorms are required (and a good thing) the first year, but they suck beyond that.  Don't become an RA.  You'll encounter way too many people in situations you'd rather not be in, and I'm not just talking about finding some dude masterbating to a picture of a female RA.  When you move off campus, learn to cook.  Start easy, raman noodles, mac & cheese from a box, hot dogs.  Gradually move up in complexity.  Cooking impresses people (particularly ladies), look at how big of a rockstar lonestar is here.  You also learn more about finance.  You learn how to deal with others.  One roommate doesn't do the dishes, another has the TV too loud when playing video games, another is taking his sweet-ass time in the bathroom and you need to get to class.  All that stuff prepares you for the real world.  It's also a great way to make great friends.

4)  Don't throw a party at your place.  Someone else is always willing to host a party.  Trash their place, don't let people trash yours.

5)  Don't hesitate, just do it.  You don't want to live with regret later.  Have fun, whatever that becomes for you.  That doesn't mean get blitzed the night before your 8 am final, but go bowling with your friends and stay up late to finish that assignment occasionally.

6)  The real world can wait.  Enjoy all the time you have until then.

7)  Internet message boards barely existed when I was your age, and I didn't have the internet or anyone to tell me what to do/expect in college.  It's different for everyone, don't plan it or micromanage your life that way you can enjoy it.

I start college in a week, and this is going to help me out so much. Thank you sir.

[antigoon]

ok cup listen here. I just graduated in may.

1. One of the most important things to do is MAKE FRIENDS EARLY. In the beginning (orientation - first few months) people will be dying to make friends because they know nobody. In my experience, everyone was super outgoing and happy to meet you. Be friendly with everyone, even if you don't think they're awesome. You probably won't stay friends with half the people you hang out with during your first week or so, but I guarantee you will with at least some of the people. My very best friends in college were ALL the ones I met in my freshman dorm. If you wait too long, cliques start to develop and you may feel awkward.

2. Join a damn club or three.

3. Have too much fun. Do things you wouldn't normally do. College is a completely unique time in your life that you will never get to relive, so let go of some inhibitions and just live your life. You will regret it if you don't.

4. Don't forget your schoolwork. Yeah, even that shitty Art History class that has nothing to do with your future plans.

5. Don't stress too much about declaring your major right away.

I'll add some more if I think of anything.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

If she says "nothing's wrong", she doesn't mean it.  Ever.

[MasterShakezula]

Why do females get off from lying and acting annoying and "mysterious"?

That masquerading is total BS.

[ReaperKK]

Why do females get off from lying and acting annoying and "mysterious"?

That masquerading is total BS.

Every woman I've ever dated has done that, although as time passes you learn to read them so well that generally you don't need to ask what's wrong.

[alirocker08]

Why do females get off from lying and acting annoying and "mysterious"?

That masquerading is total BS.

Because we're whores. We're all horrible horrible people who only wish to confuse and aggravate men.

You should know, you're one of us now

[Jamesman42]

cup is a girl now? wut

[ZBomber]

I hate college, but that's just me. I'm a little excited for my living situation this year, but other than that college can go suck a flaccid penis.

The only advice I have is try to figure out what the fuck you want to do ASAP. I waited until the end of my sophomore year to declare my major, and now I will be a 5-year student because I need to catch up on a lot of the pre-reqs for my major. And I don't really want to do what I went with, but I don't feel like going through the process again so I'm gonna stick with it and just find something I can do in the field. 

[Jamesman42]

Yeah, some people suggest waiting a while to declare, but that may mean you have to take longer anyway to catch up on pre-reqs (in my case, there were 4 pre-reqs I had to catch up on, 3 of which couldn't be taken in the same semester). But if longer time in school means eventually getting the degree you want, then it is worth it.

[Pyroph]

1. Dorms suck (Assholes and loud annoying fucks for me, not the restrictions on drinking)

2. Get sleep. There's no reason to be staying up the whole night unless you either a. Didn't attend lectures b. Never did anything up until studying til the night before. Your body and mind will thank you later.

3. It's nigh impossible to know what you really want to do going into college, but think ahead and don't pick something unless you're really interested in it. Also, if you don't do that don't be afraid to change your majors. I was in construction engineering my first year, and it turned out to not be at all what I wanted to do. I switched to Psychology right after, and my college experience improved tenfold. I help proctor exams and do miscellaneous things around the Psych department occasionally now as well.

4. Do something outside of class/fun. I've never done clubs, but do anything campus related. I've worked at a new renovated, pretty small dining center for two years now, and it's decent pay along with meeting a lot of new people. Find something that involves yourself with others that you can expand with.

5. Whatever your major is, get involved with it wherever you can. I had a Psych professor that I really enjoyed having in a class, and she needed students for her 491 Lab. I'm now in my third semester with it running experiments, entering data and analyzing some of it. It's really awesome, and I love doing it.