Back To School Megathread!

Sunhappy_DC · 2016-09-07T18:49:37+00:00

College is just 2-4 years of your life. Don't be stupid. Have some FTO.

Relevant work experience >>>> anything you say, learn or do in college. Intern/volunteer your ass off.
Get solid references from people in your preferred industry/major.
Build a salary history to have some negotiation power with job offers right out of college.
Include your name on published papers for writing samples.
Get real time in the lab if you are in the sciences.
Save $2-3000 for moving expenses post college. You don't want to have to turn down a job because you can't afford to get there.
DON'T GAIN WEIGHT DURING COLLEGE. You won't have time to work it off as easily when you're working full time and employers do discriminate against fat women in the workplace as women are often considered the face of the company, for better or worse.
Your friends now will be your CREDIBILITY later. Be smart and have decent friendships. You're likely not even to keep them all after graduation but they can drag you down or distract on your way to where you want to go.
Don't get a police record. Other than a DUI or drunken misconduct (and that's pretty bad too), it could completely ruin your chances of employment nowadays when employers are less willing to give chances in this tough job market. For nonwhite RPWs, this is even more important, because let's be real, you aren't white, so you're under more scrutiny anyway.
Finally, if you decide that college isn't for you and you want to do something else with your life (get married, go to the military, get an AA instead, etc) then do that. The debt isn't worth it, and life is more than a Bachelor of Arts in WhoCares.

Other than that, have fun, be safe, and live a little.

Irisandoleander · 2016-09-07T18:47:14+00:00

As an old post wall hag I do love the fall because things like my DAR meetings and local book clubs are typically school year based. So I am seeing so many ladies I haven't seen since May. It's wonderful!

Fall is a great time to find local activities, such as book clubs, to get more involved in your community if you are no longer a student. Check with your local library or community centers.

Kittenkajira · 2016-09-07T19:04:26+00:00

I miss being in school. Used to love buying all those cute supplies!

BellaScarletta · 2016-09-07T17:14:30+00:00

These primarily relate to college, but some can be applied to high school as well. Take or leave what you will.

ACADEMICS

Sit in the same seat every lecture. You want your professor to know who you are.
Also, ask one question or make one comment every day, from that seat. You want them to know who you are, and remember that you participated.
Backtracking: go to class every day. It isn't hard. Don't skip "just because you can" or because there isn't attendance. Be an adult.
You're not ever going to get out of doing an assignment, so don't do it at the last minute. It's just as much work to do it early as it is to do it late. It's not your best work if you do it late. Also, it is infinitely worth it to finish several days in advance and take advantage of office hours with the professor or your TA. Be receptive to their criticism and play the game by their rules. If they tell you to change something, just do it.

By doing all these things, I've received class grades that were mathematically impossible from the cumulative scores of my assignments. I got a B+ on one exam, but then an A+ in the course. Things like that happened multiple times because professors knew beyond all doubt I was present, engaged, contributing, and improving. Those things are not even hard to do, and frankly I just saw them as optimizing my time spent in class so I could fuck around more later. It worked.

Save all your best assignments in a folder, graded. If you need a letter of recommendation down the road, don't flatter yourself and assume the professor will remember you a year or even a semester later. Bring them your graded assignment so they can refresh their memory and read their own words about how great you are. It makes their life easier and your letter better.
If you can't take notes on your laptop without ending up on Facebook or Reddit, just bring a pen and paper.
Don't overnight cram for finals. You're a lot more likely to be able to successfully critically think through an exam with a fresh mind and less studying, than you are to memorize and remember a slew of information you reviewed half-asleep the night prior. In a bind, I would rather go under-studied and well-slept to a final than under-slept and over-crammed; you are far more likely to think your way through something than remember some obscure fact you read at 4:30am.
Your elementary school teachers didn't tell you to eat a substantive breakfast before exams because they have invested stock in Kellogg; eat a good breakfast and set yourself as well up for your exams as possible. The fewer negative variables the better.

LIFESTYLE

It's easy to think the freshman experience = the college experience. Freshman year is NOT college. It's a unique year and you only get one chance. Cherish what you can.
Embrace the dorm life. It's okay to get frustrated with it, but remember it's the only time in your life you'll live in a situation anything like that. It's virtually a giant hotel with all your friends -- this is your childhood dream come true. Next year you can do something else, but don't get whiny because it isn't easy all the time.
It's easy to have a messy dorm. Don't. You are now in the business of forming life habits you will likely maintain the rest of your life. Nobody likes cleaning. But do you really dislike cleaning more than living in an unclean living space? Remember kindergarten: clean up one activity before moving onto another. It's much easier if it doesn't pile up. And remember, dorms are small; if you leave a jacket out, half of the room is now cluttered.
There are 2 kinds of roommates: roommates who do have sex with you in the room, and roommates who don't. Be the kind of roommate you want to have. I hope that goes without saying, but you never know.
Also, while your roommate may be a good instant-friend for you, maintain boundaries and lower them slowly. It's more sustainable to build a slow and sure foundation for friendship than to over-invest and regret giving too many privileges too quickly, or worse, needing to take them away.
This isn't high school. You're not 'stuck' doing anything, or being with anyone. Make new friends; made a friend you end up not liking? Cool. It's a school of 16,000+ people. Move on. There aren't 'cliques' or anything stopping you. Chose a major you didn't end up liking? Cool. There are a bunch others, change it.
Piggybacking off the above: College is not only a place where you get an education, but also where you foster your individuality and grow exponentially as a person. You are a product of your environment and the master of your environment. Make a good environment.
It is okay to experiment with drugs and alcohol. It is not okay to let them get in the way of your responsibilities. Your responsibilities include: your school, your job, your relationships with friends and family, your relationship with your SO (or future SO), your health, and more. Remember that.
Alcohol is a drug, and surprisingly few students realize that fact. And drugs are also drugs, and surprisingly few students appreciate that fact. Many times you'll find yourself a lot less far from emergencies than you might think. Should anything happen, be the person to call 911, unless you know without a shadow of a doubt somebody else has. 6 phone calls for the same emergency are better than 0.
If your mom wouldn't think it's a good idea, it's probably still not a good idea. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

RELATIONSHIPS

If you're thinking of having unprotected sex outside of a monogamous relationship, just remember: if they're having sex with you unprotected, they're probably also having sex with other people unprotected. Regardless of ethical beliefs, the fact is pregnancies can be terminated, genital warts cannot. Don't get tunnel-vision on the wrong issue, "I'm/she's on the pill" is never sufficient.
Piggybacking off the above: Don't have unprotected sex outside of a monogamous relationship. Just don't.
College is a great time to meet a special someone. It's also a great time to forget you may not have any real responsibilities yet, and a relationship is more than "who is fun to hang out with". My personal experience is vetting in college is actually extra hard because the bar of what needs to be achieved for success is so much lower. It can be difficult to tell who is actually doing a good job that will carry into the real world, and who is just doing the bare minimum to survive the college experience. Just something to keep in mind.
Keep in mind where you are meeting people. Good guys and good girls are all going to party a bit, so it isn't to say meeting someone at a party is inherently a bad idea. But there are other, more positive environments, you can also easily meet people. Class, study groups, side jobs, academic or recreational organizations, etc. consider all your options.

Babara123456789 · 2016-09-08T16:11:04+00:00

Make your own food and coffee. That is too true. I always use Glass Jars to carry along salads and Soups. This food is good for transportation and gives nutritions.

Despite the warnings: A Tablet can make University easier. I use it mostly for PDF reading and note taking. But there is also a calendar app wich I use heavily. Law takes too much Paper and Printing costs so that a good Tablet is worth it. .

Babara123456789 · 2016-09-09T10:23:14+00:00

I do not like to bash schools, but sometimes it does pay to have an Ear on the Ground. Especially with Waldorf Schools. My Husband was all for sending our 7 year old twins to a waldorf school. Since my sister attended one I am quite deep into it. I even got to see the negative, overbearing Side of this educational System. Anyway, since I submitted under protest, I took it upon myself to be at every Parent Teacher Meeting. And I would like to tell you what I consider Essential for that kind of Meeting: - Paper in multiple colors / College blocks you color coded beforehand

textmarkers
Pens you feel comfortable writing with
Water in a bottle
Pepermint
Additionally I always ask if I can record the meeting - most parents agree with that.

PhantomDream09 · 2016-09-07T20:02:51+00:00

If you play sports it's really important to turn your assignments in on time (or early). Be proactive about getting to know your professors and meet with them early about assignment/test and travel conflicts. They have heard every excuse in the book, but if you give them your travel itinerary, and then remind them ahead of time that you will be absent, confirm the date to make up tests, or when you will need to turn in assignments etc - that will go a long way. Be proactive about going to your professors during office hours/open labs/optional lectures. Don't wait for something to become a problem and only start looking for a solution after the fact.

It's hard to balance a full class load, the demands of being a college athlete, and everything you may have to deal with...but ask for help when you need it. Don't skip class. Seriously, just showing up and listening will reduce how much you actually have to study/cram later. Never pass up extra credit opportunities.

School and socializing go hand in hand. It's so easy to find different clubs, meet people and fill up your schedule. Don't make excuses, and use good judgement.

SouthernPetite · 2016-09-07T21:37:36+00:00

Choose your prerequisite classes wisely. Profs of certain subjects have a tendency to think their class is the only one in existence, so they have a habit of assigning way too much. In my experience, the biggest offenders are visual arts and Lit professors, so I suggest art history if you don't want to spend all your time on art projects, and Librivox for your Lit class to give your eyes a break and/or use your time efficiently.
Order your books early and shop around. They only get more expensive after the semester starts, and you don't want to get stuck in the shuffle of sending everything back, reordering, and getting behind on your assignments. If you don't have access to your syllabus at least two weeks before class starts, email your prof directly to ask what books (and which edition) are required. Chances are what the school says is wrong and the copies it sells are way overpriced.
Fill out a calendar of all assignment due dates and tests. It's really useful to see when everything is due in relation to each other. You don't want to get immersed in a project and forget that another assignment/test was happening that week.
Start assignments early. Many classes will give you a bunch of small assignments (ex. article commentaries) that are due at the end of the semester. Knock these and anything else you can out right away. A lot of profs hardly assign anything the first half of the semester and then overburden you the other half, making what looked like a reasonably planned work schedule a nightmare, Don't do that to yourself- just do it in the beginning when you basically have nothing else to do.
Make your own food and coffee. Campus food is crazy overpriced and usually unhealthy. The convenience will get the better of you if you don't plan for it. Student organizations are cheaper if you have to eat there, but usually still fast food. I had good luck with a Krishna group (yes, you read that right) that had all-you-can-eat vegetarian indian food, tea or juice, and the greatest banana bread ever for $5.

jade_cat · 2016-09-09T18:48:41+00:00

Develop/adopt a good note-taking system. I personally recommend the Cornell one.
Join a study group, or study with your friends, and try to help them if they have questions. You'll learn the subject much more efficiently if you have to find a way to explain it to someone else. If you are studying alone, explain stuff to your teddy bear. (There's actually a debugging method used in software engineering called rubber ducking. It's very useful and it can be used for many other subjects, especially those with a lot of problem-solving problems).
If you have assignments to hand in, and especially if you want to do graduate studies, learn LaTeX. It's very useful for making documents, much less frustrating than Word, and it's widely used in academia. The learning curve might be a little steep, but it's very useful and can be used later in life for all kinds of things, not just for academic purposes (letters, résumé, etc).

Babara123456789 · 2016-09-10T10:23:17+00:00

Let the Lecturer Sign everything you turn in. Even Presentation Handouts.
If Lecturers take more time than the current Term write a polite mail or schedule an appointment to make them aware of them still needing to deal with your work
If you are in work groups ask for Private Adress and Telephone/Mobile Numbers besides the mail Adress. ASAP!!!
forward loose papers in Protective sheets wich are easy to open! (Sleeve)
If you need a book scan it! Thieves are a pest.

Title	Back To School Megathread!
Author	RPWives
Upvotes	9
Comments	16
Date	September 7, 2016 4:30 PM UTC (9 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/RedPillWives
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/RedPillWives/comments/51m4ld/back_to_school_megathread/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/RedPillWives/back-to-school-megathread.209611 https://theredarchive.com/post/209611

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