College comes with a lot of learning along the way, but there are some tips and tricks I’ve learned on campus in the past three years that would be really beneficial to newcomers. These things are gate-kept by the universe for no reason, so it’s time to expose them to anyone who needs to hear.
You can print for free on campus
After spending hundreds of dollars freshman year on printing in the libraries, I was starved for another option (and money). BUT, right on campus at the Community Programs Office there is a computer lab open ALL day EVERY day and literally all you have to do is log on to a desktop and print from one of the two color printers in the room. This was truly a game changer for me, and I wish this was advertised to me earlier.
Pass/No Pass
You can switch a class to pass/fail up to WEEK SIX. FOR FREE. Additionally, you can take one GE per quarter pass/fail for no penalty. For classes in your major, this may differ, but at least for my minor (Environmental Systems and Society) I could take the upper division courses pass/fail with no penalty to me. Honestly, if a class is stressing you out really badly, I think this option is great, and especially if it’s a random science GE that will have no effect on your, say, marketing career, this is a great option I wish more people talked about.
Library Resources
I might be a little biased because I’ve worked in library events for the last two years, but I truly believe library resources are SLEPT on. Not only are there literally dozens of free workshops and events for students every month (a lot of which feature free food) but there’s also a ton of cool equipment (like DJ equipment, sound equipment, technology, BOOKS, research archive material) that you can check out at any time. There’s workshops to learn how to code, how to research, guest speakers you can learn and network with and so many other fun events that not enough people go to. Check out the library website ASAP PLEASE for your own sake.
So, I hope you take these life hacks and scream it from the rooftops to make everyone’s lives a little easier. They’re not even life hacks because they should be advertised to every student, but I digress.