41111MOSINIMINIP
for college students by college students
CAMPUS CONNECTION
Pho to by Seth Sa mue ls
READY FOR COLLEGE from page 31
On a typical fall day at the University of Michigan, students hurry
across campus to class.
For me, just about the only things I
kept after high school were the knowl-
edge I obtained (hopefully, most of it)
and my diploma (which makes a nice
addition to a dorm room tackboard).
Otherwise, everything else either came
from this personal commitment or Bed
Bath and Beyond.
Whether it's a decision to branch out,
modify study skills, lose weight, join a
team or whatever, this summer — appro-
priately dubbed "the summer before col-
lege" — still is the time to make those
choices. Even though school starts soon,
you still can do it.
Get Started Early
Going back to Schoem's thoughts sur-
rounding the qualitative transcendence
from high school to college, I thought
a lot about how important those early
weeks of school were for me as a fresh-
man last year at U-M.
Everyone's figuring things out, ask-
ing the same questions you're asking.
It's been this way since our parents went
to college (even that long ago!) right up
to the days of roommate matching via
Facebook. Thus, by taking some com-
fort from this mass freshman confusion,
you can use it as a way to start cracking
away at some of those goals you set.
As Schoem put it, "the first two weeks
are great; after that, things get more dif-
ficult in terms of meeting friends and
establishing yourself — do it early."
This even holds true for faculty and
staff. I recall looking for my refrigerator/
freezer combination (a hot-ticket item,
I might add), and it was because I ran
into my soon-to-be hall janitor Paul and
his buddy Edsel that I not only found the
fridge, but I also learned who to scout
out when pursuing the ping-pong table
we later had installed on the floor.
In addition to the personal baggage
that comes with adapting to collegiate
life, another notable aspect lies on the
academic side — getting to know profes-
sors. I know, it may be a little intimidat-
ing at first getting to know the guy or gal
who's tucked away in a lonely office and
quite possibly too into whatever topic it
is they teach. Nevertheless, underneath
the surface lies one of college's worst-
kept yet underutilized secrets — office
hours.
Some may suggest there's a certain
method to doing well in classes. While
that may hold true for some, in general,
there really is no magic in academic suc-
cess other than taking the time to get to
know the person at the front of the lec-
ture hall holding some fraction of your
degree in the balance.
Schoem can attest to how quiet offices
are for a majority of the school year.
Livening things up in there will do just
as much for you as it will for them!
Go Extracurricular!
Once move-in has passed and a few
weeks of classes are under your belt, the
last piece of college advice (and one of
the most valuable in my opinion) is to
get involved in extracurricular activities.
To me, a major and minor are just a por-
tion of what it means to be in college
— the rest comes from the teams joined,
the networking done and the choices
made outside of a class schedule.
The work I did this summer, a sand-
wich here and there, and a new project
I'm working on are all products of the
people I was able to connect with on
campus. This is where a lot of the grow-
ing is done — when you're not being
told what to complete and when to do so.
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