University (Or "College" for you Americans...)

[StarofAzura]

I have a little good and a lot bad. Growing up in a conservative, iron-clad bubble made it very difficult to integrate with my very liberal, free-thinking peers, and once I did finally break the bubble, my friends had all pretty much said goodbye because I was too conservative. -_-

College- the actual classes bit - has been just a little bit better than completely useless. I've studied writing, and learned more about writing on the internet than I ever have from my professors, with very little exception.

I'll be glad to be done with it.

 

[Spectrum_Prez]

Snip

What're you studying/what's your dissertation on?

(If you don't mind me asking of course!)

I'm 'studying' international relations, dissertation is on identity politics and the Indian invasion of Goa in 1961.

If you don't mind me asking, how about you?

 

[Dok Zombie]

By all means party like a ************, but try and mix it up, there are so many people at DMU who go to the same places week in, week out, only drinking in the designated "studenty" areas.

I should be going to DMU in september provided I get my points. What are the main points of interest for a student in Leicster?

Hopefully someone else will post before I do, i always feel guilty double posting... I'll try typing slower...

What I found is that the DMU student union is an absolute hole. Everybody I know at other universities have said the same, but it is worth it for cheap booze, DMU has the added bonus as being expensive as fuck. By all means check it out on one of the themed nights during Fresher's Week (we saw Wheatus play there, in fact I'm wearing the Teenage Dirtbag t-shirt I bought right now, despite being 21...) but avoid it like the plague afterwards.

There is a cool pub called The Polar Bear right near the campus, had some fucking great nights in there, it's a bit soulless and corporate (it's a Scream pub so it's to be expected) but has a good atmosphere. It tends to be more of a first-year bar, but we still go in now and again.

There's loads of clubs depending on what you're into, Mosh is the one we usually went for, 3 floors alternating music styles depending on the night, but it's usually rock orientated. Redeemer is also a good night out for classic rock/metal. There are a bunch of others like Zanzibar, Liquid and Life, usually packed with chavs and pikeys but on the student only nights can be alright.

Personally I prefer lively bars with late licenses to clubs, there's a place called Firebug in the city centre which is awesome, open 'til one so it's usually a mid point between pub and club if you're out for a long night.

We tend to frequent The Western the most these days, it's a weird balance between old man pub, and geeky student drinking hole. It's near Bede Park (don't worry, you'll know where these places are within your first week).

Aside from drinking there's plenty of really nice parks, Bede is right next to the campus and is usually mobbed out when it's sunny, Abbey is nicer and bigger but a little further away and Bradgate is amazing, but you'll probably have to drive their. (I've cycled it a couple of times but it's a full day thing... really tiring uphill journey!)

Umm, bunch of free museums, the Space centre is apparently cool although I've never been and the city itself is really nice. There's a big-assed shopping centre but I hate those places so I avoid it. Lots of cool old architecture dotted around though, If I think of anything else I'll let you know!

EDIT: There is an AMAZING record shop called Rockaboom in town, it's pretty cheap and definitely worth checking out. Aslo the bars on Braunstone Gate are more unique than the ones closer to the campus, Looking Glass is very classy, sometimes has live jazz on and a brilliant selection of spirits, they have one of those old-school library shelves with a sliding ladder, staked to the ceiling with bottles. Also check out Hub. It's not to everyone's taste but it's quite interesting, it's absolutely tiny but they manage to cram all sorts of different DJ's and bands in there. Plus they have a "drawgasm" night where you can win free drinks with your drawing skills!

 

[Alcari]

I breezed through 'highschool', doing maybe an hour of homework a week.

In uni, this was multiplied about 10-fold, allowing me to finish what is supposed to be a 40-hour-a-week education in about 25 hours a week, for most of my three years (the exception being the last 4 months, and probably the next 3)

Despite my feelings to the contrary, I seem to have actually learned stuff, as demonstrated by me rolling into a working internship without much trouble.

 

[Meggiepants]

I actually didn't care much for the University experience. That might have something to do with not being a party girl. So all the huge parties that everybody else went to and all the people they hooked up with weren't really part of my experience. I was friends with plenty of people who participated heavily in the party scene, but that wasn't what I was looking for.

I'm not trying to be a downer, but I am trying to offer another side of things. I think the main reason I was disappointed was because a lot of people who've been to University recall it so fondly. For me, I really didn't start to feel like I fit in until I got to the graduate level. But then graduate school is less about the partying. In any case, it definately got me a good job when I got out, so it was worth it for that.

 

[Dok Zombie]

Snip

What're you studying/what's your dissertation on?

(If you don't mind me asking of course!)

I'm 'studying' international relations, dissertation is on identity politics and the Indian invasion of Goa in 1961.

If you don't mind me asking, how about you?

English Literature, pretty self-explanatory.

My diss is on Irvine Welsh (Of Trainspotting fame) and how he represents working-class, Scottish society/identity, particularly in terms of post-colonialism and religious divides. Got into some really interesting stuff about how religion and politics affect football hooliganism, and how much IRA/Ulster have an impact in working-class areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

 

[Dok Zombie]

I couldn't stand the tedium! I firmly believe that Irish politics is only interesting once people start getting killed.

I watched 50 Dead Men walking last night... I'm so morbidly interested in the Troubles.

Hey, me too!

Considering that I've had first hand experience of them and most of the flashpoints are about an hour away from my house. Still, fascinating stuff. I'm somewhat biased towards the IRA though. If that film's your bag, you should try some other films like Cal, Hunger, Bloody Sunday and Hidden Agenda. Good films all.

I find myself drawn to the IRA, it's hard to believe the British were getting away with what they did to Ireland in the 20th century. (And I say that as an Englishman.)

As I said in a previous post, writing my dissertation on Irvine Welsh has meant concentrating on the impact the whole Ulster/IRA thing had on working-class areas of Scotland, it's amazing how much people took it to heart, hero-worshipping Irish rebels like Jimmy Conway and the like. it even became a huge part of the football violence up there.

 

[Sunstrike]

Just finishing first year computer science here (well technically a general engineering first year, but meh).

I don't drink, so I can't say I've been to any wicked parties, although I have had some good times. One of the most epic was watching my friend trying to figure out a boolean logic assignment while drunk on St. Pattys day, that was hilarious. Aside from that, my schools LAN club has been awesome (CSS and DOTA tournies, several of other more general events) and the steam group had a bunch of gaming events going on throughout the year.

Spent most of my time studying (might be on the deans list depending on exams) and playing WAAAAAAY to many video games with a bunch of friends (I believe I've played 200ish hours of league of legends since starting halfway through the year).

 

[Valeran]

In Canada the system seems to be.
College: Where you go if you barely passed highschool.
University: If you realize paying attention might benefit you... Also an extra thousand more in fees.

I've attended both College and University, and I know people who have attended both and it's really more like:

College: Where you go if you want a job
University: Where you go to learn shit and not know how to apply it in a job

Going to the right college can get you a job in 2-3 years, University is going to suck up at least 4, but normally it's going to be 4+3 for a Masters or 4+2 or 3 for Bachelors and a college degree. Taking the right college course can give you all the experience you need in 2 years for a job, while an someone taking a similar university course is going to need at least 4 (and quite possibly additional years).

Anyway, I'll be finishing a college course this year. Still deciding if I should finish my Bachelor's and move onto teacher college (3+2 years) or if I should hit up college for Librarian or Museum work, (2-3 years).

 

[pixiejedi]

I graduated just about a year ago. I got a degree in history, knowing pretty much at the time that I didn't want to really use it. I went to community college for a year and then to a commuter school so I drank a bit eventually but never made real friends in college. I was lucky enough that most of my friends were within 45 minutes away so I could drive and hang out with them on the weekends. My now husband, on the other hand, went away to Cali so that was probably the biggest hurdle for me at the time. Now its finding a job, and preferably one I'm not embarrassed to say in public with all my actuary and engineer friends.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Damn, son, you had fun. Sounds something similar to my (so-far) experience. Can't count how many times I've woken up on the couch of someone I don't know, having hung out with them so well at a party I went back to their place. The number of times I said "why yes, I would like a beer" in various levels of pleasantness and excitement. Hearing the sound of sirens and knowing not to freak, they don't know you, and you're just calmly hiding somewhere else. Attending certain classes just to get in a nap during your day. Accidentally attending the wrong class, and not noticing because of the pretty girl next to you (and finding out later that making out with a girl with a pierced tongue is fuckin' exciting!). Nights you don't remember. Nights you do remember.

 

[Angerwing]

Starting next February. Excited.

Doing Psychology.

 

[Dok Zombie]

Can't count how many times I've woken up on the couch of someone I don't know, having hung out with them so well at a party I went back to their place.

Heh, we had our car locked in a carpark in Sheffield after a VNV Nation gig one night (our uni is in Leicester) so we wandered back to the venue, met the band, tried to get them to let us sleep on the tour bus, then went back with this random guy who said we could crash at his halls, he was weird as fuck so when he eventually went to bed and left us along (about 5am) we escaped and walked back into the city and hung around a 24 hour McDonalds ordering loads of breakfasts waiting for the carpark to open again.

 

[Nickolai77]

I actually didn't care much for the University experience. That might have something to do with not being a party girl. So all the huge parties that everybody else went to and all the people they hooked up with weren't really part of my experience. I was friends with plenty of people who participated heavily in the party scene, but that wasn't what I was looking for.

I'm not trying to be a downer, but I am trying to offer another side of things. I think the main reason I was disappointed was because a lot of people who've been to University recall it so fondly. For me, I really didn't start to feel like I fit in until I got to the graduate level. But then graduate school is less about the partying. In any case, it definately got me a good job when I got out, so it was worth it for that.

I think im in a similar situation to what you were. I've been a bit disapointed with the university experience so far, because i hear people who recall it so fondly but i don't share those feelings.


I'm a 1st year student, and i think on balance university for me vergues between "alright" and "good", which disapoints me because i was expecting more considering i worked so hard to get into university. I think it comes down to me not being much of a party person. I'll go to night clubs, but the obbsession around drink and loud annoying pop music frustrates me. I prefer pubs, but most of the people i know don't share the same interests as me (which of course is a problem in pubs). For instance if a conversation turns to music, i don't know anything about bands like REM and whatnot, i'm not interested in them. I could however talk all night about bands like Rammstein, Iron Maiden, Alestorm, Tyr and the general metal scene. Likewise, a few of them will play video games, but don't take the serious interest i do.

I suppose i should have joined a society and met more like minded people, and i did at Freshers Week, i joined the Rock Society and the Gaming one, but i missed both their first meetings, and since then and would not want to go alone to a society meeting. I did manage to go to a Rock Soc gathering with one of my friends, but it was full of second years, and me and my friend ended up drinking too much, partially from bordom, and went home.

The friends i have fulfill my social needs adequatly, about half the people in the social group i properly talk too, i would say i have two "proper" friends at university whom i truely value- again, this is down to the problems of lack of common interest or indeed common personalitys. I get on though, i smile when i can, and i'm generally well respected i hope. But during term time i miss my old 6th form friend a lot, i do have common interests with them, i feel so much more at ease with myself when i am with them, and so am much happier with them- probably because i grew up with them through high school, we have shaped one anothers interests and personalitys as teenagers and so we all get on as adults. But, hey, i don't regret university, because if i had not gone i would regret it, plus with the kind of career i want, you need a university education. I put up with these problems i suppose and live with them, what else can anyone do?

 

[joshthor]

first of all, im in the united states. and im going to a "university" however, i call it college because university is harder to say and it also sounds pretentious. anywho, things i learned in college:

math is of the devil;
im taller than most people;
the further you go into your major the more erratic your class schedule gets;
there is nothing to eat that is actually good for you on campus;
the freshman 15 actually happens;
far too many people play WoW;
there are not nearly as many crazy parties as i have been expecting from tv;

 

[BehattedWanderer]

...he was weird as fuck so when he eventually went to bed and left us along (about 5am) we escaped and walked back into the city and hung around a 24 hour McDonalds ordering loads of breakfasts waiting for the carpark to open again.

God do I love stores that are always open. I had a similar experience with some weird fucker. Dude wanted to do some lines (which I don't do) with us at 3 in the morning, then go for a road trip. We bailed on that, and ran out of his neighborhood to a 24 hr superstore. We were in the back, at like 330am, playing with the water guns and foam bats. We then played hide and seek, which almost got us kicked out. Then everything else opened back up, and we went to our friends work, so that we could borrow his car and get the fuck home.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

Im now in my sixth semester...no really? am i? dude wheres the time ... I started at a pretty bad uni, at least for my subjects, well i start at the beginning:
I wanted to start a normal job at a bookstore (wanted that always since i saw blackbooks ) but 3 days before i could sign my contract my "boss" had me called by a "coworker" to tell me his nephew got in trouble and needed a new job...hoooray fairness.
So i went to a place to get me a lil tutored wtf i should do, and it turned out that in 1 university the deadline to sign in wasnt over, so i thought, well lets give it a shot.
I enrolled for German and English Literature at a university which is sponsored by a pharmacy con. Bayer (the guys with the Aspirin licence), so a great place for science, specially chemistry, but the philology department was treated like shit plus they accepted twice as many students as they had room for in the seminars.
(they just started with the tuition fees here in germany and so they took as many as they could)
It was a desaster. i tried my best in the first semester, could attend all needed courses for it by the end of 2nd semester (like i said, places for 50% of the students in every course, including the stairs).And in my 3rd i decided to leave. Much too late i know.

Since then i'm at a great University for German and English (doing theatre also now) one of the best in this part of the country.Just sad that i had to start over completely because they havent accepted anything i did at the first place.
People are great here (well at least i made much much more great friends here than at the first "scientific" uni, more free spirits, artists and freaks)
I love my subjects here. I have so many courses for choice.
The Partys are Wild, hell i thought i did some crazy stuff in my early punk times, but damn.
I know people in every bigger city around now, to party with and crash on their couches.
Its an awesome time, a lot of work of course, no time for boredom. Not a day i havent made plans for in the next 5 weeks. But Damn i love it.

first of all, im in the united states. and im going to a "university" however, i call it college because university is harder to say and it also sounds pretentious. anywho, things i learned in college:

math is of the devil;
im taller than most people;
the further you go into your major the more erratic your class schedule gets;
there is nothing to eat that is actually good for you on campus;
the freshman 15 actually happens;
far too many people play WoW;
there are not nearly as many crazy parties as i have been expecting from tv;

I know that.
1)well don't have math, never ever will have again
2) yup a lot of small people here
3)yup
4)Not here, we have great healthy options .
5)sad but true
6)well yes , and no. met a lot of guys and girls gaming, but no one in overdose
7)false! (but i still wanna start a toga-party thats as cliche as it can get)

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

snip

Well, thankfully, I don't drink, and I'm incredibly shy, so none of that applies to me! I'll probably just stick up in my room, and continue meeting with my friends back where I live.

Still, the city thing shouldn't be a problem, I know Dublin like the back of my hand, but I doubt college life will be anything to me but studying.

If you're shy then you should stay in the dorms (like flats) and just leave your door open, as you smoke weed I'm sure you'll make friends quickly without the awkwardness of the whole meet and greet at a bar. Best thing is to jump right in, best outcome is you meet some unique people worst outcome is that you're in the same shape as you arrived and then you can just fall back on your original plan.

Weed makes you smell bad, look worse, and give you the shits and giggles ... smoking weed to make friends .... um okay ... how the *HELL* tdo you meet anybody else -BUT- weed smokers (who smell bad, look worse, and are acting like morons)?

How about if you actually smoke the stuff, or be around people who do, before you give advice that smoking weed makes you cool?

Such a waste of fucking money ... 20 for a foil of weed ... I'd rather buy a slab of beer thankyou. Weed is an idiot's drug of choice.