Summer in a College Town

(A.K.A. Invasion of the Townies) Okay technically it’s not an “invasion” of Townies, because they do live here year-round. But when you live in a true college town like Davis, you don’t see this much of the regular townsfolk during a majority of the year. I have never taken summer classes, so this year is my first time spending a large quantity of time staying in the summer. Previously I have gone home to work during the summer, but this year’s job market has been especially rough.  Without a job lined up, I returned up to Davis to spend more time with my friends who had stayed up. I hadn’t really thought about if or how the town might be different during the summer, but I made a quick discovery. Cities like Davis take on a whole different feel in the months between June and September.

I pick Stan…Harv…Berk… I don’t know.

The Super Six Considerations for Picking the “Right” College? Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. Either way, these six criteria are all important factors to consider when deciding on a college. Start with these and you may just make a pretty darn good choice when it comes to college.

My Top Ten

As a graduating senior in my final quarter of college, I have begun to reflect on my time at UC Davis.  I started to think about all of the things that I am going to miss (and somewhat already do), and made a list of them.  I wanted to share them with the readers in the hopes that they remember to live in the moment at college. Here they are, in no particular order: 1. The greenery. Davis has a vast campus, featuring a large grass quad and an arboretum with a good-sized pond.  I always enjoyed these natural areas, especially after being in classrooms for the bulk of the day. 2. The roommate bond. Living with someone different leads to many new experiences, but the ones that I will remember the most seem the most trivial. I will always remember my roommate and I eating soup in the middle [...]

Why College? Part 5 – Challenging Yourself

When I made the jump from high school to college, it was not a smooth transition. At first, I feared the life change that I was about to make. While my fellow classmates were eager to receive their admissions responses, I was unexcited about them. I didn’t think that I wanted to go to college because of the challenge that it posed. I had lived in my hometown since birth, and had never been away for my family for an extended period before. The first few weeks at college were an emotional challenge. After some time at college, I grew acclimated to the new situation and embraced my newfound freedom. During the rest of my freshman year I learned even more about people, especially myself. When you live and study with a new group of people, you learn an incredible amount. While this knowledge occasionally comes from a stress-laden screaming [...]

Dealing with a Difficult Professor

Getting into the right classes can be quite a difficult task in college, especially in your first couple of years, when you do not have registration priority.  Since you do not get to register first, sometimes you will find yourself in a class with a difficult professor. This is also the case when it comes to required classes, for a major or minor; but, you can find a way to survive, and succeed in the class. So if you leave the first lecture in fear or disgust, know that there are ways to endure this tough situation Use the TA If you have a professor whom you find insufferable, consult the TA for further help.  If you have a discussion section, it can be a great way to get clarification on difficult or confusing material. When I took Statistics in my freshman year, I could not stand my professor.  She [...]

Getting Sick at School

When you are a kid, getting sick is not too big of a deal.  You get to miss a day of school, your parents take care of you, and you get sympathy from your friends. At college, being sick is a totally different story. You have to take care of yourself, and missing a class means that you are behind schedule, and have to procure the notes from someone who did go to class. I thought I had it all figured out until this past weekend, when I awoke Sunday with severe pain in my throat.  I slept very little, and I had to study for a midterm and finish a paper while seriously under the weather.  It was not an easy experience for me, and I learned some important lessons: Get as much rest as you can When you are sick, sleep is your best friend.  Your primary focus [...]

College: Four Years, or Three?

Should undergraduate programs in the United Stated be reduced from four years to three? Senator Lamar Alexander makes the case for “yes”; Executive Director Kevin F. Adler offers reasons to be skeptical.

Why You Should Not Fear Failure While in College

In continuing to answer questions sent from the Granada High students, I wanted to spend some time answering one that was not included in Lisa’s post. The question was something along the lines of, “What was your favorite memory from your days in college?” The easy answer would be something along the lines of, “Well, there was this one weekend, where I went to this fraternity / sorority house, and everything that happened that night made me feel like I was in Asher Roth’s ‘I Love College’ video / “Animal House.” During my college career, I did partake in these kinds of weekend activities. But, those fleeting moments did not define my college experience. On the contrary, my favorite college memories include the times I failed. In particular, failing one of my intermediate economics courses was probably one of the best things to happen to me, and here’s why: Failing [...]

Alternative Weekend Activities

In the spirit of Friday, I believe that it is only appropriate to discuss other fun things you can do during the weekend instead of partying like a rock-star :) 1). Get to know your local community: There is always something fun and exciting happening on a Friday night within your college’s local community. In Eagle Rock, CA, there was a fantastic farmer’s market with delicious fruits and vegetables, and some of the best floral arrangements I had ever seen. There were plenty of times where I purchased the raw ingredients that were soon to become part of scrumptious dinner dishes later that night. Research whatever it is that your future school’s community specializes in, and take advantage of the opportunity. On a similar note, take advantage of the your community’s cultural offerings. Perhaps there is a huge Lebanese population and there are a plethora of delectable Mediterranean restaurants surrounding [...]

The semester’s started; now get to work!

10 reasons to get an on-campus job