Just entering college? Don't be nervous. Below is a guide to most everything you need to know about college and what to expect if you are going to be attending Illinois State University or Heartland Community College. Enjoy!
What To Bring
Ready to pack? It can be very overwhelming thinking about what to bring. It is better to over pack, then to under pack. Bring as much as you can from home so you don't have to buy everything new. So, what to bring?
- Sheets, pillows and blankets
- Snacks
- Tissues
- Laptop
- Supplies to do your wash
- Laundry basket
- Pictures of great events that have happened. Great memories, can turn a bad day upside down.
- Vacuum
If you are going to have roommates, you should talk to them and see who can bring what. Some possible things you are going to need between all of you:
- TV
- Mini fridge
- DVD player/Movies
- Futon
Arriving On Campus
Don't be completely shocked. It isn't as scary as it looks. When first arriving, take it all in. The good news is, all the other students are going through the same thing. No one knows where the food court is, where all their classes are, or even where the library is. Every school wants it to be as easy as possible and there are so many resources to use to make everything easier, They make it easy to ask questions at any time. The school will look huge at first, and for the first couple weeks, but after a while the school will seem really small, and you will wonder why you ever thought it was big in the first place. You will be able to navigate through campus very easily.
Arriving at Illinois State University, everyone has fifteen minutes to unpack their car. Some helpful tips that a recent interviewer brought up were to bring your family and get them to help. Some can unpack the car while some take trips to your room. A key thing to remember, pack things in boxes, it's much easier to move. After unpacking the car, you will have to wait in a huge line for the elevator and it takes forever. Once you arrive on your floor, you will get your room key and will be able to officially move into your room. You will be rooming with either random roommates or people that you chose. You will know this ahead of time.
Arriving at Heartland Community College is different because it all depends on where you live. Because it is a community college, there is no on-campus housing but there are apartments that are very close. Some are walking distance and some are just a short drive away. The Point apartments are right across the street and are very nice, comfortable and affordable. If you are going to be moving into The Point apartments, find out if you are going to be in a first or second floor apartment. Pack everything in boxes, and try to get as much help as you can. You may need to bring more than one car, depending on how much stuff you have.
Getting Organized
Now that you have unpacked everything from the car, and it is all sitting in your dorm or apartment, where do you get started? First, start out with a plan. Try and picture what you want your room to look like.. You may want to immediately ask for help from your parents, friends, or roommates but this is a task that you should try to do by yourself. You are going to want to organize your room by yourself so that you know where everything is, and you give it your own personal touch, and make it where you want to live. This is where you are going to be living for the next year.
In the dorms, at ISU, you are going to want to make sure that all of your things are in your area of the room. That way no problems will form and you will be able to keep track of all of your stuff. You will get a desk, chair, dresser and a wardrobe. Other roommates will get a closet instead of a wardrobe depending on space. Otherwise you and your roommates should try and arrange the room to be able to fit everything in.
If attending Heartland, you will have the option of living at home with your parents or if you are not from the area, then you will have to find your own housing. If you are moving into an apartment, try to get organized as fast as possible and make sure that you organize your apartment so you will know where everything is. If you and your roommates brought the same supplies, keep all of the same things together. Whoever moves in first gets first pick at which room you want, so choose wisely.
Saying Goodbye To The Parents
Hello waterworks. Saying goodbye to your parents is going to be very hard, and emotional. You are saying bye to your family that you have lived with, and have depended on for the past eighteen years of your life. Remember that they are always going to be there for you, love you, and support you. But this is a time for you to move on, start your own life, and officially become an adult. This is where you are going to learn how to do everything for yourself. Don't say goodbye, say "see you later". You will see them before you know it. Live it up and enjoy your first year. But remember, if you ever do need anything your family is only a phone call away. And no one said it was going to be easy.
For some it isn't hard to say goodbye. For some it will be waterworks. Most students are ready for a change and ready to start living on their own. You are going to miss your family and friends, and will eventually get homesick but that is why there are buses,and trains. And always ask around for other people who may have a car and live back where you came from. Try to not go home as much as you would like, because remember you will most likely be going home for holidays and breaks.
Finding Your Way Around
http://maps.illinoisstate.edu/
There are maps everywhere around campus. You can always ask anyone at any time. Chances are everyone is going through the same thing as you, or they were even in your spot a couple years ago. Campuses are made to make it easy for students and for everyone to get around. Never be afraid to ask someone for directions. If you are trying to find your way around town, just explore. College is all about walking everywhere. Just start walking and find places by yourself. But never walk anywhere by yourself, and always try to find landmarks that you can remember so you don't get to lost where you have no idea how to get back.
ISU offers maps for everyone and that is how a majority of ISU students find their classes. After an interview, a student told me that is was pretty easy after you get the hang of things. She told me that there were a lot of buildings and she is still finding new places to this day.
Heartland also offers maps and there are always people around that you can ask for directions. Never be afraid to ask. If you are feeling up to it, you can just explore one day and find places for yourself. For the first couple of days,always leave a little bit earlier just in case you do get lost.
Getting Involved
Getting involved is a great way to meet new people, have a great time, and find something you love. Always keep an eye open for flyers around campus. Also, listen to see what other people are talking about. You may find something new and interesting that way. Also, see what your school has to offer for clubs, sports, or even volunteer opportunities. Getting involved will keep you from being bored and sitting in your dorm or apartment alone and bored. It is okay to be alone and just relax most times, but college is all about getting out there and getting involved. Getting involved with sports is always a good option if you are looking to make friends. Heartland offers a men's soccer and baseball team and a women's soccer and softball team. ISU offers a men's baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, tennis, track and field; they also offer women's basketball, cross-country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
For students attending ISU, you will have a lot of time to get involved. You move in a couple of days before classes start so you can walk around and see what events are going on. For some people it is hard to get involved. For some there are too many clubs and it makes it hard to choose from. ISU offers a day where you could go back out all the clubs on the Quad. At ISU, there is at least one activity there for everyone.
Heartland has a bulletin board with current events, clubs that are offered, and job opportunities. If you can, try and stop by there and take a look.
Parties
At ISU, most of the time you get invited to parties just by asking around and seeing what other people are doing and just going along with them. Most of the time peer pressure will not be a problem because if you go to a party, you are most likely interested in drinking. A good way to stay safe, especially at a place that is known for being a party school, is by having at least one sober person in your group. Before going out make sure you know how you are going to get home. And a good suggestion is to set a time that you want to start heading back. A good tip is, if you hear the word "cops", get going. Because that has happened to several people off campus and a couple of them have gotten tickets, and those are not good. The times you should even consider partying would be on the weekends even though you will hear about everyone going out on Thursdays.
If you do not want to go to a party, then don't go. Do whatever you want to do and what you think it right. Do not give in to peer pressure. Underage drinking is bad and illegal. If you get caught you are going to have to pay the consequences. If you still want to go and drink at these parties, make sure you are really safe, know your limit, don't get caught, and make sure you know your way home.
Most students are too young to legally drink during freshman year, so it’s best not to partake at all. If you do drink, it’s important to realize your limits. Always be fully aware of the consequences of underage drinking and getting drunk. Once you start drinking, that will put a target on your back. There are tons of cops on every college campus just waiting to give out drinking tickets.
Always remember there are so many other things you can do besides underage drinking. Your time will come to be 21. Be patient and don't get an underage drinking ticket on your record. You do not want to be that person doing the "walk of shame" like in the link above.
How To Keep Your Stress Level Low
For some, working out is how to keep their stress level low. Taking little breaks for a breather. Eat well and make sure you get a good night sleep.
ISU has a great work out facility that has every machine and exercise class you can think of. Get signed up for one of those to give yourself a break from studying and not get to your breaking point. There are plenty of places on campus that you can get food. There are a variety of different restaurants and some are open all night.
Heartland also has a great work out facility in order to go work out. Heartland has one cafeteria on campus that you can go and eat.
There are many places to eat in the surrounding area of both schools.
Studying Tips
Weekends are a great time to catch up on all of your homework. You can either work really hard and keep up with everything during the week and then take a break during the weekend. Or keep up with things during the week and then catch up fully on the weekend. Try and find out what works best for you as soon as possible and stick with it. If whatever you are doing doesn't work out for you or you feel it is not working, you should change it right away.
Make sure you get the necessary amount of studying time in.
ISU and Heartland both have libraries and cafeterias that you can go into and grab a table and study. ISU often has flyers about different study groups. Try and meet people in your major so that you can study with them. Your fellow students will all be in the same boat and know all the information.
Heartland has a great library that offers tutoring hours Monday through Thursday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. They offer math and writing tutors to help you out anywhere from solving a hard math problem to beginning a paper. They offer drop-in or you can make an appointment. Drop-in is helpful when you have a busy day and just need a little help with something. You do not feel pressured to go all the time, you could go once if needed or not at all. Once you go, there isn't the disposition that you are not smart or need to go there all the time. Sometimes a little extra help is all someone needs, so do not be afraid to ask.
How to Excel In College
Always ask questions and look in the book for help. If you ever have questions, do not be afraid to go and ask the teacher. Even a weekly review is helpful. On Fridays you go over everything you have learned through the week and make sure you know all of that material. College moves pretty quickly so make sure you stay focused on your A game. Make sure to do all your homework on time, turn everything in when it needs to be turned in, study for all your exams, try not to skip classes, and avoid putting too much on your plate because that leads to stress.
Random, Helpful Tips!
- Try not to procrastinate and go to class, it is actually helpful.
- Just because there is a party, does not mean you have to go to it.
- If you ever feel uncomfortable at a party or a friend's dorm, don't be afraid to leave.
- Don't do things that you don't want to do.
- If you have any questions, never be afraid to ask them.
- If you need a tutor, ask around. Maybe your classmates can help. If not, tutoring centers are offered for free.
- Get involved early, and things will start to pick up fast.
- Go out of your comfort zone to meet people, it will be worth it in the end.
- Get a job, but make sure you first have a good handle on everything, and make sure you will be able to keep your grades up.
- Your parents are not always going to send you money, so save, save, save.
- Eat healthy, work out, and do not gain the freshman fifteen.
Moving Forward
Stay focused on school and make sure you make time for yourself. Your first year will be over before you know it. Try and make it last! If you know what your major is, make sure you stay on track and take the classes that you need to take. If you are still unsure of your major, take a variety of classes that might catch your attention and follow through with it.
If you really enjoyed your time at ISU or Heartland, then stay there for the two or four years. If you were not happy, you either can give it one more year or transfer as soon as possible. College is suppose to be the best four years of your life, so make it that way. If it isn't looking that way, then make some changes.
College is an amazing adventure, love every minute of it, make great new friends, and enjoy the experience!
Good luck!!
