Monday, April 29, 2013 will mark the last Monday for the month of April but it will also mark the beginning of the fifth week of the spring quarter. That’s right, there are only five weeks of the quarter left! For many of you, this means if five weeks you will be graduating UCR and transitioning into the real world but for most of us, like the first years, it means that we are no longer first years. Us, first years, can now go home and start telling people that we are SECOND years in college; don’t we sound so mature. The top five things I have learned in my first year at UCR.
- Professors are here to help!
– It is important to go to a professor’s office hours and email him/her any questions you may have. Professors at UCR are the most reliable teachers I have ever met. They make the effort to ensure that the students fully understand the material before continuing and they are always available through email.
- Dining dollars = HEAVEN!
– Dining dollars are what students who live in the residence halls have as a part of their meal plans. They are like money that can be used practically everywhere on campus. It is nice having pre-loaded money on a card and not have to worry about asking you parents for food money.
- First year friends become life-long friends.
– Over the course of my first year I have made acquaintances and then I have made friends. It seems the friends you make your first year of college, especially those with the same major as you, will probably stick around for a long while.
- GET INVOLVED!
– I learned the importance of getting involved with campus clubs and activities. There are clubs catered to practically every hobby, culture, and major. You can never go wrong with joining too many clubs and it is a great way to meet new people.
- Experience EVERYTHING!
– College is about new beginnings and new experiences. Before I started school, I promise myself that I wouldn’t let any opportunity to where I can experience something new go to waste. College is what you make of it and having memorable experiences makes telling the stories about life in college that more worth while.