Choices and Decisions Equal Experience....

1. 82

   Rafiniposted 11 years ago

   Hi all, long time no see!  How is everyone?  It's exam week here and I'm considering changes for the upcoming semester....
   
   Such as:
   
   The degree is more important than the grade.  True?
   
   If true then I'm free to pursue other interests and create my own college experience - as long as I maintain a 2.5 gpa. 
   
   I realize I can't compete with recent high school graduates, heck, I'm just now learning how to verbalize my thoughts rather than rely on the written word, but that doesn't mean I don't belong.  I mean, really, I don't live on campus, I'm not a party-girl, and I have much more life experience than the majority of the student population.  That just means my experience will be different than theirs - so why not start creating my experience to match my reasons for being there?
   
   What are your thoughts?  How did you manage your own college experience?  Thanks, in advance, for sharing!

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2. 59

   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   I took courses apropos to questions I had, based on analysis first and experience second. However when I went to college I was already through the army and Europe, Haight-Ashbury, visionment, and was
   a bit-older. Actually I found college fairly limiting for the questions I had, but had fun. My college is everyday.

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   1. 82

      Rafiniposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I understand.  My first two years I took courses I was interested in, mostly, and then the few that were required to graduate.  Now I'm at a different university and want a different experience - more fun. 

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3. 61

   Hollie Thomasposted 11 years ago

   I was a mature student with two very young children when I went to university. I think the units which I studied helped me to make sense of my experiences and the world in which I lived. The learning kind of sealed the deal if you know what I mean. Just make the most of it, at the end of the three years you'll be amazed at how far you've travelled, just how much you've learnt and how much you're perspectives will have changed. The degree is important, the grades are important- but IMHO, the personal development is the icing on the cake.

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   1. 82

      Rafiniposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Gotcha!  Personal  development as a goal - that sounds good. 

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4. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

   If you will be competing on the job market against people with the same degree, the hiring committee will look at the grades. My personal approach was to get good grades.  I still had plenty of 'life experience' during that time. Getting good grades is more about technique than time.

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   1. 61

      Hollie Thomasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Getting good grades is more about technique than time.
      
      Actually, I'd completely agree with this statement. Knowing, exactly, what you are required to do/show etc. makes it all a damn sight easier then just aiming blindly and hoping for decent grades.

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   2. 82

      Rafiniposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks!  Excellent advice!!  I'll be sure to remember technique over time.

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      1. 83

         psycheskinnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I am naturally pretty lazy but a few things can really help you do well. These would be my tips:
         1) Always attend class.
         2) Always plan to complete assigned work one week before it is due in case it is harder than expected or you get an unscheduled hangover.
         3) Get copies of previous exam papers for the course to see what questions they ask (In my case the library had these).

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         1. 82

            Rafiniposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            seriously?  the library may have copies of previous exam papers??  omg.  the uw has so many libraries...should I ask the professor which library would have them?

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            1. 83

               psycheskinnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               It will depend on how your university works.  But I would certainly suggest asking if previous exam papers are available or could be made available.  Based on these I had a very good idea of exactly what would be in the exams.

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5. 59

   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   I learned right quick - you should take the teacher if possible, and not the class. I found that taking the class, I didn't do that well. Taking the teacher, I got top-notch.

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   1. 82

      Rafiniposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh.  I'm not going to be so lucky...most of my classes are pre-determined.  I have to take 10 English classes.  I can choose the specific class (ie: Shakespeare or Shakespeare in Love) but there is only one of each offered.  And, I have to deal with the unknown of student Teaching Assistants.   This past semester was really a trying experience cuz I had two TA's and a brand new professor - not one of them had the teaching experience to know how to organize their time and (obviously) hadn't yet perfected their teaching method/style.  I'll have to deal with TA's throughout the rest of my college experience...and, when I go for my Master's, I'll be expected to teach.    (Very Scaary!!) 

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