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

[master m99]

well iv got a year of sixform after this one then im off to uni hopefully i will grow out of my shyness be then but if times like lastnight have taught me anything is i am infact veryout going...when i have drank semilefal quanitys of booze

 

[Dok Zombie]

In a few weeks, three years of University comes to a close for Dok Zombie.

In the past three years I have become a total slob, let my personal hygiene slide to previously unknown levels of depravity, descended into realms of manchild geekiness the likes of which I haven't known since I was 14, been embarrassingly wasted more times than I care to remember, spent a hideous amount of money on weed, filled a whole bookshelf with books and comics I would never have read otherwise, had the most embarrassing sexual experience of my life, which everybody found out about, been introduced to music that I wouldn't have touched with a bargepole beforehand, met some brilliant people and some epic wankers, embodied any number of student cliches (this thread being one of them), gained a disgusting amount of weight, danced like a retard to the kind of music that only mysterious pills of unknown origin could make bearable, watched literally hundreds of films ranging from superb pieces of cinema, to so bad it's funny, to so bad it's embarrassing and developed countless examples of those "running-in-jokes" that always appear puerile and pretentious to anyone who isn't involved.

I've also loved every fucking minute of it.

So I'd like people to discuss either their University (College, whatever) experiences or, if you're enrolling for the end of the summer, what you hope/expect to get out of it.

This is slightly off topic, but I find it interesting. You make the point that us Americans call higher education "college". Although I think you have a point (when referencing our chosen school, we will often say college; ie, "How's college going for yea?"), I actually find something very different.

We refer to our schools-of-higher-learning by name. We don't say, "How's college," we say, "How's Virginia Tech?" When discussing different schools, we'll talk about how UVA is compared to TCU (Texas Christian University) or Michigan State is compared to Trinity College.

In fact, I've never heard any Brit name their "University". It's like what university they go to is irrelevant, at least compared to the incredible pride Americans have in their schools.

Blame it on their education or sports rivalries, people in the US are proud of their specific schools and will tell you by name where they went. If you went to an opposing school (in relation to sports or another competitive contest), they'll likely brag in your face about that one time their school beat you 100-0.

Or they'll talk about the superiority of Yale, or the crazy fun of Radford.

The reality is Americans don't go to "College" or "University". They go to UVA, VT, UCONN, UofM, Marshall, Southern U, Texas Tech, UCLA, etc. etc.

I find this interesting because I think it just shows the difference in cultures; how Americans LOVE their unique schools, and Brits view it as another stepping stone towards getting a job/career/whatever.

Of course, I could be wrong. But it seems true from my experience.

Nah, that's pretty accurate, there can be some light-hearted banter if a city has two universities (like in Leicester, I'm at DMU and there's Leicester University) but most of the rivalry there stems from the fact that one of the two will have been a polytechnic at some point and the one that wasn't look down on them! (Mine is the wally-poly if you must know...) Most people will just refer to where they go as "uni" and leave it at that.

Unless you're at Oxford or Cambridge... those fuckers won't hesitate to tell you!

 

[Cody211282]

I find 90% of college to be a waste of time and money, the only reason I go is because I need a degree for the job I want.

 

[master m99]

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.

dude...no just no seriosly what fact do you have for the accusation that smoking weed makes you an idiot or moron? idiot's drug of choice? it is so much less damaging then say alcohol so how is it an idiots choice and money wise about £25-£30 for an 8th lasts me a hell of a lot longer then the same value of beer. dont get me wrong i love to drink and i know you have a right to your own opinion but im sorry to say your just wrong of my group of freinds a decent amount smoke weed and none of us are "idiots" so ya basicly get your facts stright befor you start with som self rightous bullshit /rant over

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm signing up for the good old University of Alberta right away, and hope to come out the other side with a computer degree, my sanity, and all four of my limbs.

 

[Dok Zombie]

Snipped, for your pleasure...

I wonder if he saw the irony in accusing people who were posting in a thread about being at university of being "idiots".

Whatever, let's not turn this into a flame war...

Despite all my previous gushing about it, I am sort of glad to be moving on to a new stage of my life (but damn am I going to miss this one!)

I desperately need to earn some money and lose some fucking weight! Seriously, I was looking at some photos of me from a few years back and I can't believe how much I've gained! CURSE YOU CHEAP FRIED CHICKEN EMPORIUMS!

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

I am soon scheduled to transfer to another University from my current institute of higher learning. Since I have worked full time for the last two years of college, I never really felt as though I was a college student but rather simply had another job to do. At my new school (the exact one hasn't been nailed down - I blame being accepted into several and forcing me to make decisions) I won't actually have to work full time thanks to a number of new scholarships and so forth that I'll qualify for, but I still don't know if I'll feel like a college student. I started this endeavor after I left the Army at 24, and the differences in life experience and whatnot makes me somewhat incompatible with any of a number of college social circles. I more or less got over thinking booze was awesome, I've had enough sleep deprivation to teach me that going to bed at a recent hour is awesome and since I'm footing the bill, I actually feel the need to show up, study and do all the rest of that junk.

Of course, had I attended college right after high school, the whole thing would have gone down in flames.

 

[lacktheknack]

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.

dude...no just no seriosly what fact do you have for the accusation that smoking weed makes you an idiot or moron? idiot's drug of choice? it is so much less damaging then say alcohol so how is it an idiots choice and money wise about £25-£30 for an 8th lasts me a hell of a lot longer then the same value of beer. dont get me wrong i love to drink and i know you have a right to your own opinion but im sorry to say your just wrong of my group of freinds a decent amount smoke weed and none of us are "idiots" so ya basicly get your facts stright befor you start with som self rightous bullshit /rant over

Well, I don't smoke OR drink, so that technically means I win.

 

[Flishiz]

Starting college next fall, and until then, trying to get a hedge fund set up as a way to make money instead of needing a "real" job. Aside from that, I don't know. Maybe start a few web businesses down the line with some people I meet there.

 

[FangShadow]

I'm still in high school, starting college in the fall. I'm going to community college, so I don't know how life's gonna be like for me, probably the same. I hope I can have a good fun time like the OP, but honestly, I don't see that happening for me due to my social status and the fact that I'm with a live-in girlfriend (long long, depressing story, but I regret nothing)

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

dude...no just no seriosly what fact do you have for the accusation that smoking weed makes you an idiot or moron? idiot's drug of choice? it is so much less damaging then say alcohol so how is it an idiots choice and money wise about £25-£30 for an 8th lasts me a hell of a lot longer then the same value of beer. dont get me wrong i love to drink and i know you have a right to your own opinion but im sorry to say your just wrong of my group of freinds a decent amount smoke weed and none of us are "idiots" so ya basicly get your facts stright befor you start with som self rightous bullshit /rant over

Acute effects while under the influence can include euphoria, anxiety, temporary short-term memory loss. - Short-term effects of Cannabis

An idiot, dolt, or dullard is a mentally deficient person, or someone who acts in a self-defeating or significantly counterproductive way: - Idiot

Say what you like about alcohol, I'm not 16 anymore, and don't drink myself into oblivion. Neither do the grand majority of my friends. But how many people who smoke pot don't do it without achieving two of those above conditions?

Hell there's no point to smoking pot unless you can achieve two of those conditions.

 

[Dok Zombie]

dude...no just no seriosly what fact do you have for the accusation that smoking weed makes you an idiot or moron? idiot's drug of choice? it is so much less damaging then say alcohol so how is it an idiots choice and money wise about £25-£30 for an 8th lasts me a hell of a lot longer then the same value of beer. dont get me wrong i love to drink and i know you have a right to your own opinion but im sorry to say your just wrong of my group of freinds a decent amount smoke weed and none of us are "idiots" so ya basicly get your facts stright befor you start with som self rightous bullshit /rant over

Acute effects while under the influence can include euphoria, anxiety, temporary short-term memory loss. - Short-term effects of Cannabis

An idiot, dolt, or dullard is a mentally deficient person, or someone who acts in a self-defeating or significantly counterproductive way: - Idiot

Say what you like about alcohol, I'm not 16 anymore, and don't drink myself into oblivion.

Get off your high-horse man. Do you honestly care whether some guys you talked to on an internet forum who you will never meet smoke grass or not? Either contribute to the conversation like a sensible adult or fuck off.

 

[Dok Zombie]

Anyway, Gentlemen (and ladies), it's been a pleasure but since it's 2:30 in the morning in Merry Olde England and I have an essay to finish in the morning, I think it's about bedtime.

I'll probably end up wasting time on The Escapist again tomorrow however, so I'll check back then. Adios.

 

[ObsessiveSketch]

I made the mistake of starting classes two days after high school ended. It was just way too much for me, and I got overwhelmed. I quit for a few years, and I just started back again this semester (only a few weeks left in this one).

I'm not really sure what I expect to get out of all of it when I'm done. Every one I know that went for what they love hates what they do, except for like two friends I have. I just hope I won't hate what I'll be doing by the time I get done with classes.

jesus mother of funky crabcakes! I couldn't go from high school to college in two days...that's ridiculous. I'm in my first year of college right now, and I must admit, it's really really REALLY fun.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Get off your high-horse man. Do you honestly care whether some guys you talked to on an internet forum who you will never meet smoke grass or not? Either contribute to the conversation like a sensible adult or fuck off.

Okay, I'll contribute.

When I was in high school I did a whole lot of bad shit, by year 11 I got my act together. I got into uni. I met people who lived their lives exactly as you described it whilst at uni. Doing postgrad stuff now because I want to be a lecturer, have a good para-professional part-timer most days whilst I study most nights.

Some of the people I met from my first time around are still at uni. Failing most of the time. Living like pigs as they did from three years ago.

In short, I've outgrown all that crap, as do 99% of people do because of this thing called 'growing up'.

And personally ... I don't care too much for people advocating smoking drugs which are seen as a taboo by most 'sensible adults' as you say. Weed is something you do in highschool, and then you get over it and grow up.

Many people don't, and for some ... it's an addiction. And they don't need people saying 'it's okay man'. It's a taboo for a reason, just like smoking is becoming a taboo (or has more correctly), for a reason.

 

[dududf]

Going one further from stealing a regular little temporary road sign, and stealing one of these bad boys instead.

Spoiler

I find this a little hard to believe...

Mainly as those signs aren't just stuck in the ground with the pole, but have a very large cement anchor on it. The size of the anchor being roughly 2.5x2.5x2.5

Ahh right, fair enough. Maybe we took it from a the back of a roadworks truck or something, it would help if anyone could remember. It is in our kitchen though. Photographic evidence can be provided if requested

I wouldn't say no to a picture, just due to the oddity of it. Maybe have it in a small hallway in your house or something, to mess with guests, as they look for some hidden passage or some crap.

Now as to the pole... When I was younger I was dicking around with the poll (lossening it, trying to take it out) so from the amount of success as I had then... I'd say 2-3 average guys with a bit of muscle, at around 17-35 who coordinate picking it up, then smashing the concrete base against something, or smashing something again the concrete base to break it. Then from there, moving the pole is trivial matters.

 

[MentalBakura]

Well, I've been at uni for nearly two years now, doing games programming. It turns out I really dislike programming, not to mention the way the course was structured. I can't program for shit either. Leaving this year, and not quite sure what I'm going to pursue yet. Uni has basically done two things: turned me into a lazy bastard, and helped me open up a little bit, socially. I don't see myself as much of an academic person either. Oh well, what did I know? I was just another teenager who wanted to get into the games industry.

I wouldn't call it a waste of time though. I've made some good friends, and had a lot of great times.

 

[De Ronneman]

I'm in uni now, 3rd year law student.
Let me tell you a story of those 3 years:
In the beginning we were left to roam free. There was no obligation to attend classes or anything. Everything was good. There was a balance. The lazy students dropped out, the diligent ones stayed.
Then I enrolled in my 2nd year. They turned all classes obligatory for my year, as a test. Missing 3 classes: extra assignment. Missing 4: you're not allowed to take the exam. You had to wait a FULL YEAR.
Then my 3rd year came. Now THIS year is obligatory too. Next year all years will have that obligation.
Next year there's also a "you must be at least this awesome"-bar for the first year. You have to collect 40/60 collegecredits, or else you HAVE to quit.

In my first year I didn't make the bar. I scored a meager 21/60. Now I'm in the top 10% of my year.

So, university in Holland: it started out as an adventure of freedom, in which you could chose whether you attended class or studied from the books in that time. Now it's turning into regular school. Moreso: kindergarten with "you must be at least this awesome"-bars.

Now it's only lacking quicktime events...

The city rocks though. The facilities are really nice, teachers are competent and classes are interesting. It just lacks the alure it used to have...

where in Holland you at? I'm first year at UvA, and we already have to get at least 50 out of 60 credits to pass to next year, as well as 80% attendence rate for most work groups.

Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen. It used to be the only university that refused to implement those same rules as you have, but donators and teachers have complained about the students being lazy, so now they gave in.

The teacher that whined the most doesn't reply to any emails sent to him by students unless they open with "Hooggeleerde heer", rougly translating to "highy educated sir"...