This isn't sex related, but I really need some advice about starting uni, so I decided to start a thread in the off-topic board in the hope that some people will share their experience.
Basically, I'm starting uni this year and would really like some general advice. Like, when and where should I buy my books? Should I use my laptop in classes or is pen and paper acceptable? Any stationary must haves, or should I just bring in a pad, pen, and highlighter?
I'd also like to know what happened in your first year at uni/college, and if you have any funny stories to share, please do! :)
It's a few years since I left uni, but...
Books: if your uni has a bookshop on-campus or close-by that's more oriented to students, they may have a second hand section, which saved me a fortune. For saving money, there's also a well known internet auction site, and an internet retailer named after a large rain forest.
Laptops weren't really around in lectures for me (showing my age!), but I do know that many students do now take them in. Depending on your uni, it may be pretty much essential if the course material is online (uni intranet typically). Since I didn't have a laptop, I invariably turned up to lectures with pad and pen.
As for uni stories... I thinking pleading the fifth is probably a wise direction for me to go  , and leaving it "what happened at uni, stays at uni", except to say that I met my best mate there, who I think is also the person I've been friends with longest now.
I'm a year behind you, but I'm doing the whole learning about Uni thing, including 8645834 visits to assorted Unis :P
Books: Check on campus, or in the union. A lot offer thingies where past students can trade in their primarily unused books, to save you a fortune. If not, as FS has said, check the internetz!
It's up to you what you take, but in lectures notebooks are default. If you want to use your laptop, or your phone as a dictaphone or to record the lecture, make sure you ask that it's okay first, each and every time (unless you ask if it's okay for all future sessions too :P). Some will allow it, others will not, and it's always better to play it safe.
You'll generally be able to access most course material online after and before the lecture, so don'tworry about that, but I've been told by staff and students alike that jotted notes is generally the best you can manage due to the speed of the lecture, and yoiu can organise it into longhand and fancy organisation and later thoughts and whatever, later on in your own time :)
Colored pens, tho. They seem to be pretty handy :)
I'm just about to go into my 3rd year and still learning how things work!
For books, we get a list of books recommended for the module and books that are required, you can borrow them from the uni lbrary or if your uni has an online library you can download a pfd version for free and there should be an on campus book store where you can buy them.
Laptops are a common thing, my friends & I all sit in a row with our macs (about 7 of us). In a lecture of 300 people, I'd say 2/3 of those people have laptops out just try not to let it distract you, in first year we would get bored so go on FB or play online games against each other. But bring a notepad & pen, take notes on what the lecturer says or adds to the powerpoint slides, they really come in handy when revising. Stationary must haves are the usual, notepads, pens, highlighters, post-it notes ^_^
My best advice is on the first day, be yourself. You'll all feel the same & terrified to say something to someone but honstly making the first move & say something is the best thing, I did & it eased the awkwardness instantly, we all went out for a drink after our first lecture & now mae it a weekly thing!
For funny stories, there's so many! How thinking going for 'a quick drink across the road' between lectures ends with us stumbling around town at 2am attempting to rap to Kanye West songs. I remember my friend & I went to the pub before a class test, it resulted in me passing but I fell over & started crying when I ran out of time & my friend rolling around the floor eating ice cream laughing hysterically. I love uni!
When I was at a brick uni (I now study through distance learning) I used notebooks pens and highlighters. Some people used laptops but I found those people often weren't very selective with what they wrote down. I prefer to hand write notes because they stick in my mind easier and I can do spider diagrams or link ideas together with arrows much easier than I can on a laptop. I imagine what course you are doing makes a difference (e.g. for sciences you may well need to draw diagrams so pen and paper is much easier). Mainly, I think it probably just comes down to personal preference and competence on a laptop though.
I'd suggest getting some folders/reusing folders and getting a hole punch. I liked having folders for each module so I could keep my notes in order. I used an A4 notepad with prepunched holes and also hole punched any print outs I was given.
For books I'd only suggest buying what the uni says you definitely need to buy. The library will have multiple copies of core textbooks but around the time of a deadline, you might struggle to get hold of the one you want so plan ahead, if possible, and possibly take photocopies/scan chapters of books that are short loans (obviously pay attention to copywrite laws and don't copy the whole book!). For first year at my uni there was only one 'must buy' but there were about four other textbooks that were used so often I decided to buy them second hand online. It was definitely worth it to have them at home and I found my essays were better referenced for having them to hand. To save money, you might be able to get an earlier edition but I'd only do that if the earlier edition was published in the last couple of years (especially for sciences where developments can happen quite fast).
My main advice would be not to worry about having the right things. Once you get there you'll have a better idea of what resources are available (library opening hours, online journals, PDFs of books etc) and you can then decide what you need. As long as you have a pen and paper, you'll be fine.
Books: wait a week or so if you can to find out which ones you REALLY need (I wasted money being diligent and buying everything on the list when it soon became apparent that not all essential reading was necessary. See if the library has enough copies in case you can just keep borrowing instead of buying and see if your uni has a second hand book shop.
Laptop: pen and paper is acceptable, but unless you write very fast and can maintain neatness at that speed you'll probably then have to waste time typing them up. I'd recommend a laptop or getting a tablet and a little keyboard to avoid lugging a heavy laptop around.
Stationary: notepads, highlighters, pens, a week to view diary for your general life and a page per day for purely uni stuff so you can not down deadlines and full details of where your classes are.
Good luck!
Personally, when it comes to lectures don't take notes - record the lecturer on your phone or other voice recording device, keep your pen and paper free incase there are any references or diagrams you need to jot down. When you get home, write up your notes neatly and organise them in a binder.
Secondly, I would advise getting a scanner app if you have a smartphone. I use Turboscan on iPhone, and when you're in the library you'll get used to finding as much information as possible. The key to this is to scan the pages that have the content that you need, and then also scan the book details for referencing later on, it will save you an awful lot of time if you keep publishing data with your sources.
the moment that you get your reading list through, get down the library and take those books out before anyone else does - take the opportunity to get ahead of the game. If you take a book out but haven't got time to read it before handing it back, scan the pages you are likely to need and then you can refer back to them instead of being stuck on a long waiting list to read it again.
I would definitely advise that you get an NUS card, it will save you money on megabus travel and in shops.
If you have a study skill advisor, make your bookings in the beginning of the term, you'll be wanting help with referencing, bibliographies, planning etc - don't let yourself down by being too late to be seen.
Finally, be prepared for freshers - it's an amazing opportunity to meet people and get to know the people you'll share your next three years with. Grab as many vouchers and discounts as you can from the freshers fair :) Enjoy!
Hello!
For books- I can't stress enough but GET THEM SECOND HAND! Online is great for doing this, otherwise it reallyt does eat all your money.
I personally preffered to use my laptop for most classes, but a lot of people used note/pen/paper too. It's more a personal preference I think. I like to be organised digitally so I always used my laptop :)
As for must haves: pen, pad and definitely highlighter!!! Probably a calculator too.
My first year was pretty much awkward and hilarious, it takes a while to properly settle but do use every resource around you (academic help, advice, tips, educational uni sessions) as they are brilliant.
Best of luck!
I work for a higher education establishment in the UK, and here are a couple of points you may wish to consider.
There is academic research that shows you learn better and engage with the material better is you use a pen and paper to make notes. As the materials are made available by the staff, it is only anciliary notes that you need to take anyway, there should not be that much to write.
Several institutions are banning recording devices from their classrooms (we have), as the presence of a voice recording device often stunts other people's learning and reduces interaction in the classroom. This is also worse on the engaging with the material scale than using a laptop, as you are less likely to listen in the lectures, and even less likely to be able to play back a recording that is good enough quality to be able to hear.
I am sure you can find the papers that talk about this - they make interesting reading.
Finally from me, second hand books and pdf copies of books will save loads of money.
Take care, best of luck and have fun!