this is for those who are attending and have yet to attend college


yes, and i jus finished my fresh yr. ervy1 goes threw life saying that ur suppose to find urself in high school... i think that instead high school is when u experiment and college is when u test it all(4 some).

through my first yr...i guess i could say i experienced it all. the drama, the party and everythin that goes on there, the nice teacheres, the nasty teachers, the ups and downs of grades, being homesick, loneliness, depression, and the feeling of being tired all the time due to lack of sleep ( o and the fresh 15).

but as my yr came to an end.. i found myself right where i began.Questioning my career( what career- i havent made it yet), my so called frineds, and my goals and aspirations, oh and myself. After everything..all the experiences.I
found that Imay not be the person that I used to be, or the person that I
wanted to become.

So hopefully, if im wise i shouldnt make the same mistakes next yr.(hopefully)

So i ask..has college changed you and if so how..what did u learn, if anyhting,
besides an education?

Hi daroc :wave:

College didn't really change me because I waited until I had matured a bit before I attended. So when I did go, I was focused and had a better sense as to what I wanted to do and wanted to do it fast. Now that I work at a university I've learned that it's not unusual for some young people to be somewhat in the dark as to what they want to do as far as a career goes. If you haven't already, take a career test and see what professions are suitable to your personality. In any event, don't beat up on yourself because you don't know now. Give yourself time, hopefully it will come to you by your junior year.


For most students in their late teens when they attend college, usually it's their first time away from their parents and so the excitement of their newfound independence and freedom does tend to overwhelm them at times. Some students get caught up into things on campus that maybe they otherwise wouldn't if they were still living at home. But again, hopefully you have gotten most of that out of your system during your freshman year and your sophomore year will be different.

Just try to remember why you are there in the first place-- to become more educated. A word of caution though--whatever you do, don't waste your time and money if you're not serious about being in college. College isn't for everyone, definitely not for the weak at heart--but it can definitely be a good means to an end for many. So try not to get distracted with 'drama' if you plan to stay in and apply your energy to your classes.

When you're lonely and depressed....homesick and all, that's a good time to be with a good friend, or simply pick up the phone and call home or write family a letter to let them know how you're doing. I've been told that journal writing (diary) is also helpful because you can look back years later and see how much you've grown--and have a few good laughs. If it gets too bad, hopefully your school has support services where you can go to seek advice and assistance.

Also, one final word of advice--don't develop bad study habits. It's too early in the game for you to be crash studying for exams and depriving yourself of sleep. The average persistence rate for Black students to graduate these days is SIX (6) years!! You'll be a basket case if you're among this population so please learn good study habits. The night before an exam is not the time to pull an all-nighter! You need to be rested for your exams. For every number of credits you take, you should study one hour. So for example, if you are taking a 3 credit course, you should spend a minimum of 3 hours each week studying the class material for that one course. So you see, you don't have a lot of extra time to blow off doing other things that may be less productive.

Many of the things that you will or can learn in college are things that are not taught in the classroom, as you will soon discover. College offers a huge selection of social activities, for sure. But I'm sure your family is looking forward to the day they receive that graduation invitation so they can watch you march across stage to receive that diploma. Give them a big cheesy grin when you do! :D

Peace and here's wishing you all the best! :toast: (glasses of lemonade)

Queenie :spinstar:

My first year of university taught me some lessons. I was 19 at the time and fresh outta highschool where my cumulative average was about 67%. I did not goof off, but was not able to handle certain courses. I had those I did really good in and a couple I failed mostly due to the exams. I was on probation but no one came to me. I went to them half way thru second term to ask what to do to get off probation. They told me I must have "slipped thru the cracks" cause they were supposed to offer guidance. They siad it is too late to change up my courses so I should just "try hard". In the end I got dropped from my course and none of the profs would change marks at all.

In Ontario, if you get booted from a course, you cannot re-enter that course at any school for 2 terms, so I moved to another city and did the same course. They rejected me at first so I did my first year courses as an independent student and got admitted off those marks. Those experiences got me in gear and I taught myself how to overcome some of my problems and be a better student. I matured alot in that first year and a half after graduating from highschool.

thank u for yall responses, hopefully ill get some more. the reason i ask this is becasue i graduated high school early and didnt kno what type of experience to expect in college jus like most students.

I would have to say college didn't change me becasue I didn't let it. I went into college knowing and remembering all those things that my mother taught me at home and I knew that this was my one chance to go away from home and actually show my parents that I can be independent and responsible. But don't get me wrong I had my fun...going out to clubs and parties..hangin with my girls until like 4 in the morning, but I think you can have fun and do your work at the same time. I did. but you always have to remeber why you are there and what comes first. So just don't let college change you and that may be easier said than done, but just definitly stay on top of your grades and find good friends. Oh and I also have to add that when I went to college it really help me find who I was. I think being away from your family allows you to figure out who you really are because they are not there to tell you what to do..your basically on your on. So..all in all my first year went well!

College has been another step towards taking me out of a closed minded mentality. Each step ahead I move in life the more aware I become.

I'm new on tha block and I must say that this is a good thread for young teens like me who have yet to experience the life of college. In the fall I will be attendin Jackson State University Honors College. This thread kinda helps understand the dos and don'ts. I have a lil bit of experience because I live in a college town and my BF is in college. I've seen some of the things that happen in college and I somewhat understand the pressure. For instance...my bf graduated wit a 2.4 and couldn't play football his freshman year...but he got it together in college and now he has a scholarship and he made the Dean's list at AAMU! It kinda goes to show that you can have fun in college but just do what you gotta do. It helps alot to see someone you care about handle it in that light because it makes you wanna do tha same. I appreciate that thread ya'll!!!!!!!!!

[I][B]Wzup Daroc, In a sense I wouldn't say college changed me, but at the same time I am growing into a man (so I guess you can call that change). When I started to go to USC I came there the summer before my freshman year, on this academic program that offered us the UPPERhand in knowing about the campus and also taking a two classes to be ahead of the crowd. So when the school year started, I was pretty laid back and just watched how most of the rest reacted. First semester went by pretty smoothly, met new friends, got into the all girls dorm on the regular, and kept the dean's list. SECOND semester, we had the opportunity to pledge the great PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, ironically I didn't pass my two easiest classes (due to neglect). So after that it really crushed me on the inside, coming from high school with a 4.2 and graduating in the top 10% of my 2002 class. Needless to say I lost my life scholarship. From there it just seemed to be on a very slow decreasing hill. First semester sophomore year, I came out of my shell, and was a bit more open, even managed to pick up a girlfiend, take on a part time job, and be an active fraternity member. Grades were back up par. Once again second semester is always a different story. for the most part I did well, but I found myself sleeping alot more than usual. So now I'm going into my Junior year, and like in high school the last two years hopefully will be the best. College has shined some new light on how people really are, so called friends, love/lust/relationships, and most of all that the high school smarts don't compare to college. So for the incoming freshman, my words of advice is to find a good CONSTANT/ROUTINE study habit, and college might just be alright for you.

ok i need some advise on majors and career stuff

i was pre-med- but the sciences have got the best of me last yr. and over the past months my interst in history- African American Studies(AAS) has grown. so now im debating on changin my major to history and persuing a BA in AAS when i go to main campus(emory university). but....i kinda sorta dont want to end up being a school teacher or a college professor. i kno those arent the only jobs availabvle with a history(AAS) degree- u can be a lawyer, jouurnalist, psychologist, public relations, socialist and more- but im not really sure if i want to be one of those jobs- i kinda want to be more of an activist- but i gots to get money from somewhere. and i have to start somewhere. i love learnin about my culture and history- and even if i dont change my major that is not going to stop- but i dont want to not change it due to me not really knowing what ( type of job) is going to come from it. i dont want to get down the road and hate my job. but i was also thinkin- that i shouldnt really be concentrating on the job aspect yet and just try the major first and see what falls into place....

so if anybody can give me some advice on this stuff - please i need some.

If you are gonna do something like AAS.....you better minor in something else or do double mjor so you can fall back on something. Unless you have rich parents willing to support you thru your 20's, dont expect that you can "try a major and see what happens". I am not in the US so my education is much cheaper and I could never afford that. Maybe you could double major (or have as a minor) with political science or anthropology. Something to add on top of the AAS. You really do need to think about what you want to do NOW so you cn ask people doing those jobs what kind of degree and education is best suited to that job....then d to it a minor or something that you can fall back on if things dont go the way you planned it.

i didnt mean - try it- and waste money- i kinda meant try ti and hope for the best and make the best out it

but see- i go to a 2 yr school and then after that u move to main campus- i hae 1 yr left there and need to get my graduatin requirements first to graduate from at school- before i go to main campus. so basically if i wanted to major in AAS and minor in somin else it wouldnt really all start til i get to mainb campus- junior yr- because i was first takin premed classes- not history classes. but im not really worrieed about when i graduate but rather hw well i do and if im happy studyin what im studyin.

this is stuff i should prolly be askin my advisor- but i want to get str8 b4 i go back to school- so then i can really be more focused when she needs me to answer questions that i dont have answers to now

the minor- sounds good thanx for the advice mrblak- but i still feel kinda lost

Personally speaking, if I were in your shoes...AAS would not be my major but my minor. Remember, even in college the curriculum is set. You can major in AAS in your own free time and with much better freedom. The medical field leaves you at the mercey of the phamacutical powers and facilities that we do not own or control. Besides, in order for you to actually learn the difference in black health and white health...you would need a whole different journey.

I would take law up. Not only because of the pay involved, but because I know that from a legal perspective, there's so many of our people who really need me as European law is used against us because we know not the loop holes. Furthermore, in terms of activism...who can be more activist or radical than a lawyer ? Who knows the ends and outs of what has, is, and will be legally going down than a lawyer ? Who knows and meets people in positions of power and influence better than a lawyer ? Just my opinion.

Oh, and in terms of ones search for truth ? It will never stop ! Once you learn the spiritual truth needed for your own personal empowerment spiritually and mentally...which of course affects the physical reality, there are other realities (illusions) that affect you and each have their own truth to them. Sometimes, believe it or not...in this physical world, one can be too spiritual.

Imagine if you embraced the purest spiritual reality of life. At that point you would not kill a roach or rat or any living thing because of your supreme understanding and harmony with it. The problem is that, the things I mentioned can not co-exist with us due to the germs and harm they present to our own life process. So one can be too spiritual...therefore balance is needed. KEITA OTIBA KENYATTA

Personally speaking, if I were in your shoes...AAS would not be my major but my minor. Remember, even in college the curriculum is set. You can major in AAS in your own free time and with much better freedom. I would take law up. Not only because of the pay involved, but because I know that from a legal perspective, there's so many of our people who really need me as European law is used against us because we know not the loop holes.

Brother Keita/Sister Queentswana is telling you correct sister Daroc. I have a bachelors & 27 credits towards a masters in history (specializing in African Diapora History). You are extremely limited in what you can do with this degree. The only real option is teaching, and this severely limits your income. You can work in a museum, but the positions available are miniscule. If your interest is history, then I would also recommend studying law. Actually I am considering law school myself. Although I am older, I'm still young enough to start another career.

thnakx yall for the advice. ... i was thinkin about law sschool as well. hopefully watever decsioon i make its a good one and ill get threw it. thanx

Oh, man.. college. I went, but still haven't finished. I am graduating from a vocational/technical school next month, though. Let's see, college. First of all, it was culutre shock for me. Even though I was in D.C., I went to George Washington University. Then, there was the course work. I went to one of the best high schhols in my city (Detroit) but I couldn't keep up. These were people who had been in prep school all their lives. Then of course, the partying, the clubs, the drinking. I learned thing abnout myself that I really didn't want to know. Picking a major? Yeah, right. I changed majors sooo many times in that one year, it wasn't even funny. What's I'm doing now has nothing to with the plans I made when I graduated from high school back in 1997. Go figure.

Daroc, what school do you attend in GA, or attended? I'm starting my first year of college soon up north, peaces

i go to oxford college of emory university....u?... north where?

Emory is great, I live in Decatur, close by. I'm going to Brown University in Providence.

brown is a very good school- but y u goin so far from home...

To tell you the truth, I don't really like Georgia. I mean it's coo, but its time for a change. I wanted to go to Cali, but they cut all of their educational funds. And besides, I'm not originally from GA I'm from the Midwest, so its not really my home I would say. But I don't want to be in the Midwest either.

Are you from GA? Why did you choose Emory? And I'm guessing you are interested in Medicine.

naw im not from ga im from roc, ny and i dont really like it here either. my moms from ga so we moved back and looked at school.. found emory.. dot denyied..but got excepted to oxford( i go to emory wit 2.0 junior yr). so i jus went there... it cost losts, its a small school, but im str8... jus miss home lots

Oxford is still good. But yes, you'll love when you can leave Georgia. You should have bounced to a school in NY lol, but you prob. don't want to leave ya moms like that. You'll make the next two years though, and do you check out the local spoken word cafes? Like the Apache and the Five Spot, etc?

i hear about them spots but aint have a chance to hit em yet... maybe this semester when i go back to school.... yeah i wanted to go to school in nj.. but moms wasnt feeling it.. so i came here... but thanks.. and enjjoy brown... and the north.. boy do i miss ny

I found out four things in college:

1. There are too many Black Middle Class and Upper Class folks pretending to be ghetto at these schools.

2. College is full of Black Male homothugz, I took this dude wallet in front of his girlfriend and he did not even do nothing. Straight homo. College dudes sell you out hard when they are with their frat ****, and when they get solo they show their skirts.

3. College is an overrated, coorperate machine, that can devour you, if not approached with the proper direction.

4. College is really a culture shock from people from the streets, you never realize how people portray the hood so badly, until you go to college.