What's Uni all about?

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Tuvok

The Fly
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
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Location
UK
Is it some brilliant, fun filled adventure that shapes your future life? I've been at uni for 2 months now and to be honest, I don;t see what all the fuss is about. To me it just seems like school, but you're left to your own devices....I can't help but feel I'm missing out on something...am I?
 
Like anything in life, you have to make it what you want it to be rather than wait for it to be handed to you. If you are expecting the next 3 or 4 years to be one long party, then make it one. It's not a movie. If you are expecting to learn as much as possible, then head down and bum up, etc, lol.
 
it's nothing more than really expensive daycare (plus night-care) for 18-22 year olds to keep them out of mommy and daddy's hair until their cushy exec's job is ready.

i hate college kids.
 
leave princess meredith out this, kim! she has a right to an education! and a mercedes!


did the fish live? i forgot to ask you.
:slant:
 
Freedom? Babysitting? Please.

I've never been more chained to something in my life. The only thing that's keeping me here is my integrity--to get through, to get good grades. I'm in one of the most competitive programs in the country--there's no cushy job ready for me at end--only more school, provided the other 1000 people with good grades, fantastic references, and high GRE scores don't get in.
 
I liked being left to my own devices. I liked the sink or swim aspect of it.

I wasn't much of a party person, but I enjoyed my classes. The profs expected us to learn to think for ourselves and I loved that. Often my ideas were diametrically opposite of everyone else's in the class, but as long as I could back them up I did fine.
 
Unfortunately universities aren't really what they used to be before.

Academia has always been bogged down by bureaucracy, that is true, but it's getting worse. And our undergraduate degrees are becoming more and more worthless. Accumulating a large amount of debt when you'll end up needing 3 other degrees to be employable in your field of interest is really criminal.
 
I'm in my senior year at college and so far, it hasn't been much different than high school. You wake up, go to class, go to work, maybe go to more class, go to another job, do homework, and go back to sleep. The major difference is the coursework is much harder and different things are stressed. For example, in HS I could get an A if I did all my homework, went to class, and got As or Bs on the tests, but in college, you're usually graded on only 2-4 things the entire semester (usually a midterm exam, final exam, and a paper or project somewhere in between). When I took Business Law, I really only went to class like 4 times the entire semester, to take tests (hey, the Cubs were in the World Series!). As I was in high school, anytime not in class I'm working, so I don't have time or money to party or join any fun clubs or whatever. I'm really sick of it all, but this is one of the best liberal arts schools of it's size in the entire country and I've got one semester left....
 
I hate having to work 25 hours a week to make sure I can pay for tuition and books. Sure, I'm supposedly building some sort of independence and character... but at the cost of my studies.

It bugs me when people treat university as a means to an end, and not an end in itself. Why pay $6000+ a year to go to school if you're not going to learn anything? You could just move into an apartment with your buddies and drink all the time and be just as far ahead. Also, why go to school for something you hate and don't want to do? Unless, of course, you're just a spoiled bitch (both guys and girls, I'm not singling out women here) and believe life ought to be peachy keen without putting any effort into it at all. Yeah, because that's realistic.

I hate being assigned a novel a week for -one- class, and then my prof being suprised when I have other homework to do (which, given that I work so much, often also goes unfinished). And then being given a suprise quiz on this content, when it is clearly an unrealistic ammount of work. Total reading for 1 class/week > Total of all 4 other classes combined = bullshit. 250pgs + 200pgs = not going to fucking happen.

I hate when profs piss at me for missing a class (especially if I've only missed one or two all year), as if it weren't a calculated decision on my part. There are people who only attend every 6th or 7th lecture; go bother them. I hand my shit in on time, and I'm there 95% of the time - plus I'm paying $5000 a year to be there, and if I choose not to go, it should bloody well be my prerogative. Plus, going to classes means I have to listen to retarded people make idiotic comments like 'If Partition in Post-Colonial terms always refers to the Partition of India into India and Pakistan... why isn't Tom Hanks' Road to Partition about India?' And people wonder why University degrees are getting more and more worthless when people like that are still going to graduate. Oh, we can't fail people who are clearly incompetent and stupid, we have to treat everybody equally, because we're all winners! -_-

Exactly like highschool, but for older people, is expensive, and people are generally mature enough not to throw applecores at each other in the cafe/hallways. The only thing that motivates me to get my BA overwith is getting away from these jackasses as quickly as possible.
 
University truly is all you make it.

You're without your parents for 4 years, about 3/4 of the year. My english teacher in high school told us as we were about to leave, "college is not all about academics, that's the difference." At university, you have so many more opportunities to take advantage of, and you don't have to go home and feel the wrath of da and ma about what you did that day.

I wanted to go to England to study abroad for a year and only university could have given me that opportunity. I learned so much more about myself there, and little of it had to do with how much I love art history.
 
^ :wink:

In all reality.... I'm slightly terrified of College, as for many of the stories, like here, that I've heard. I believe the intial satisfation of having something you've been waiting for years to come true to actually manifest..... will wear off soon. (as in, I've been waiting for college for a long time... but I have a feeling I'll get bored fast)


In this break between HS and college, I've learned a lot about myself. A whole lot... ... ...But my biggest concern is that I've no idea what I want to study in college. Partying is out - waste of time for me. ... eh... I'll just end this post now.....
 
Angela Harlem said:
leave princess meredith out this, kim! she has a right to an education! and a mercedes!


did the fish live? i forgot to ask you.
:slant:
Click to expand...



it's still alive. i'm quite amazed, honestly. :lol:



seriously:

i live in a college town. there are three schools (three very different schools) in amherst, MA, and then smith college is across the river in northampton, mount holyoke over the mountain (not much of a mountain, it's really just a big hill, but they call it a mountain) in south hadley. a couple community colleges in the area, and springfield, MA is only 30-40 min away. but my town in particular is crawling with college kids, and then clears out for the most part during the summer. college kids think they own the place, they think they're entitled to everything. sure, this sweeping generalization doesn't account for what unforgettablefirefox was talking about - the kid who has to work part-time at the minmum to be able to go to school. i'm talking about the rich fucks at amherst college, or hampshire college, hell, even the vast majority of the kids at UMASS (where i go to school). they're no different than high school kids who think you go to elementary school, then to high school, then to college, and then you're set up with a nice job once you graduate. that's not reality, but it becomes reality for too many kids. uncle joe's company gives them a job when they finally graduate after 5 years of partying.

studying a subject you don't like is stupid. sometimes there's nothing you can do about it, though. there are so many subjects that i'm really interested in studying, but then when i take a class, the material is either so dumbed-down (for the morons who spend all their time partying and can't string two grammatical sentences together to save their life) and boring, or i find that i'm not really interested after all. in the bureacratic mess that is the university of massachusetts (amherst, anyway), pre-major advising didn't do squat to help me figure out what i wanted to do. i declared a russian studies major as a last result, based on the fact that i studied the language in high school, was taking courses over at amherst college (i can do that as a university student. that's probably one of the best things about going to school here), and had taken a couple russian lit and culture classes to satisfy some random general education requirements.

it's ridiculous. i'm taking a biology class right now because i'm required to take some kind of bio class in my 4 years here. it's a non-science major bio of cancer & AIDS course, a large lecture of about 300 students. the lectures are so boring, and the presentation of the material is so basic, that i'm getting a B with almost never going to class. seriously, i've gone to four classes, and i fell asleep or left early during three of those. the exam questions are common knowledge, or just facts i've picked up from other classes over the years. hell, fictional non-reality-based medical tv shows (well, 'house' anyway) don't feel the need to define as many basic concepts as my idiot professor does. but still, there are kids failing the course because college kids are stupid.


i could rant more, but i've said more than enough already.
 
The_Sweetest_Thing said:
Freedom? Babysitting? Please.

I've never been more chained to something in my life. The only thing that's keeping me here is my integrity--to get through, to get good grades. I'm in one of the most competitive programs in the country--there's no cushy job ready for me at end--
Click to expand...

I know what you´re talking about, believe me, its worth it :) Be proud of yourself! :up:
 
I agree with those above who say College/Uni is what you make it. That's absolutely true. For most people, it's a voluntary thing.

If you go away to college, yes, you are definitely left for your own devices. Sink or swim situations breed character and strength and show you what you're made of. It grows you up, and that is always a good thing.

I was too much of a wuss to go away to college, but it's also more expensive to go away.

I didn't party in college b/c I partied my ass off in high school. College isn't free, and if you fuck it up, it's a very expensive fuck up.

I used college to prepare me for jobs I wanted in the real world. And for the most part, I was dead on about that. I went to school fulltime and I also had a fulltime job. I pushed myself to my limit and am so thankful for that. It prepared me for adulthood, and again, also a good thing.

If college/uni scares you, perhaps you should make a list of pros and cons about it. Growing up is always a scary thing, but it's a good thing, and a necessary thing. I loooved college. Every frickin tough, paper-laden, book-readin minute of it. Even classes I didn't want to take.

If you don't know what you want to study - that's not a big deal right away. Your first two years of college are exactly for that, and that's why you take a smorgasbord of random ass subjects - to help you figure out what it is that interests you. Of course, only YOU can decide what you like and what fits you the best.
 
HelloAngel said:

I didn't party in college b/c I partied my ass off in high school. College isn't free, and if you fuck it up, it's a very expensive fuck up.
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do you know how many people do not understand this? you went to college, so i'm sure you saw plenty of those kids.

babysitting.
 
Most of my girlfriend's friends (many of which are now former friends) came to school and just got high all the time and skipped class... and, no suprise that 3 of them have dropped out, one of whom has gone from a promising career in music playing whatever instrument she played to barely being able to get her BA now... and my gf's best friend who has been able to party/go crazy these past 2.5 years is finally finding out now that once you're in your senior years, if you get high instead of going to class, and go out to bars instead of doing your readings, that your marks are going to be incredibly shitty. My prediction is that she fails 3 of her 5 classes this year... but, that's probably just bitterness that her parents pay for her apartment, her tuition, her credit card bill, her cellphone, her car, and give her $500 a month of spending money for doing fuck all. And then she manages to spend all that money 2 weeks into the month, max out her credit cards, and mommy needs to put another $200 into her account so she can get through the month. Every single month. :dumbfounded:

It vexes me, it really does.

IWB: Babysitting :up:
 
~unforgettableFOXfire~ said:
Most of my girlfriend's friends (many of which are now former friends) came to school and just got high all the time and skipped class... and, no suprise that 3 of them have dropped out, one of whom has gone from a promising career in music playing whatever instrument she played to barely being able to get her BA now... and my gf's best friend who has been able to party/go crazy these past 2.5 years is finally finding out now that once you're in your senior years, if you get high instead of going to class, and go out to bars instead of doing your readings, that your marks are going to be incredibly shitty. My prediction is that she fails 3 of her 5 classes this year... but, that's probably just bitterness that her parents pay for her apartment, her tuition, her credit card bill, her cellphone, her car, and give her $500 a month of spending money for doing fuck all. And then she manages to spend all that money 2 weeks into the month, max out her credit cards, and mommy needs to put another $200 into her account so she can get through the month. Every single month. :dumbfounded:

It vexes me, it really does.

IWB: Babysitting :up:
Click to expand...


my blood boils when i overhear kids casually saying "i can't go out this weekend, my parents only give me 2,000 pocket money a semester and i've spent most of it already," especially when i hear this less than halfway through the semester.

my parents don't pay for anything. they can't afford it. sure i like being able to say i've got pride in the fact that i pay for my own stuff yadda yadda blah blah and all that, but of course it would be nice to not have to worry about money. so i am bitter and resentful of those who are at school on mommy and daddy's dime.





i should also mention that i hate college because i like living alone and i don't like people. and when you live in a dorm on a campus of 20,000+ students, it's hard to avoid them. but going to UMASS instead of a small private school was a money thing, too.
 
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IWasBored said:
my blood boils when i overhear kids casually saying "i can't go out this weekend, my parents only give me 2,000 pocket money a semester and i've spent most of it already," especially when i hear this less than halfway through the semester.

my parents don't pay for anything. they can't afford it. sure i like being able to say i've got pride in the fact that i pay for my own stuff yadda yadda blah blah and all that, but of course it would be nice to not have to worry about money. so i am bitter and resentful of those who are at school on mommy and daddy's dime.
Click to expand...

I know it's little consolation, but you're not alone. My parents stopped paying for my things besides food when I was old enough to get a job - 14. I grew up with no rules, no restrictions....I could do anything I wanted...but I was on my own. So I've never owned a car, a cell phone, a lot of "normal" high-tech gadgets, but I never really knew I was different until I got to college. It costs over $20,000 a year where I go. I live with friends so then there's rent, food, utilities, etc. I've got 2-3 jobs during the school year and work full time all summer. I'm still over $30,000 in debt, even with need-based and academic scholarships. It doesn't bother me that much b/c like I said, I don't know any other way and I've never depended on my parents for anything, but yeah it gets under your skin especially when people want you to hang out and go to this or that and don't understand you can't b/c 1) you don't have money to and 2) can't afford not to work and do that instead. During the two years we were forced to live in the dorms, I took a lot of shit for not participating in the "community building" activities and such....but all the shit I took was from girls who have never worked more than 5-10 hours a week in their lives, who have their own cars paid for and insured by mommy and daddy and don't have to stress over how to afford next semester's textbooks and pay the next tuition statement.
 
LivLuvAndBootlegMusic said:


I know it's little consolation, but you're not alone. My parents stopped paying for my things besides food when I was old enough to get a job - 14. I grew up with no rules, no restrictions....I could do anything I wanted...but I was on my own. So I've never owned a car, a cell phone, a lot of "normal" high-tech gadgets, but I never really knew I was different until I got to college. It costs over $20,000 a year where I go. I live with friends so then there's rent, food, utilities, etc. I've got 2-3 jobs during the school year and work full time all summer. I'm still over $30,000 in debt, even with need-based and academic scholarships. It doesn't bother me that much b/c like I said, I don't know any other way and I've never depended on my parents for anything, but yeah it gets under your skin especially when people want you to hang out and go to this or that and don't understand you can't b/c 1) you don't have money to and 2) can't afford not to work and do that instead. During the two years we were forced to live in the dorms, I took a lot of shit for not participating in the "community building" activities and such....but all the shit I took was from girls who have never worked more than 5-10 hours a week in their lives, who have their own cars paid for and insured by mommy and daddy and don't have to stress over how to afford next semester's textbooks and pay the next tuition statement.
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yeah, i know i'm not the only one. hell, half my friends didn't go to college because they can't afford it.

i'll only be about 1/3 of that in debt. but that still sucks. it all sucks. fucking fuck fuckers.

my roommate works 5 hours a week. what a fucking joke. if i have to hear one more time about how her mom randomly deposited a couple hundred bucks into her bank account, i just might accidentally feed her goldfish that raspberry vanilla body spray crap she keeps spraying all over the place.
 
You guys just don't know how to work the system-make friends with the trust fund babies & when you go out, the bill's on them. Hell, half the time they get trashed in 30min. & they have trouble distinguishing between your drink & their own. Personally, I like to go out & order the $10 fruity mixed drinks-not because I like them, just because I like spending other people's parent's money. All my pay goes to tuition, food, shelter, so I got to have fun at somebody's expense!
:wink:
And truthfully, I think that deep down, they're learning a life lesson about money and sacrafice. Like when I manage to spend their weekly allowance in one bar trip & then they can't figure out why they don't have enough cash to buy that new hilfigure jacket and they have to wait a whole week to get their next allowance-talk about suffering :p
 
i wish i could be like you (i'm drunk right now, it's taking massive amounts of effort to type coherently, by the way) and hang around people i hate. i can't. i hate them too much.
 
I don´t know if I would have gone into the big red for studying. I have paid about 5 or 7 k for uni.

All the stories I hear about college kids.. here it´s not like that. 95% of the students (except of a few law or economy students, probably) are dirt poor, live with several people in small flats, work their ass off to finance housing and food, etc. Since most of them are working half-time (20-25 hrs) or fulltime (35-40 hrs) to be able to survive, their studies will take a long time; here, practically no one finishes after four years, the average for a Masters degree is about 7 or 8 years . Means longer studies, means you have to pay more.. means you have to work more.. takes a lot to finish.

I thought about giving up many times, now I am happy I didn´t. One thing that pisses me off is academic arrogance.
 
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