Easy classes freshman year can definitely be confidence boosters. Or they can be lost opportunities.
These classes are meant to boost your GPA and give you extra free time to relax or explore the campus. Read More »
Say goodbye to five days a week, seven hours of class a day. When you start out in college, you will be amazed at how much free time you have. There might be days when you only have one class, and there might be days when you don’t have to get up until 11 a.m. (or if
you’re like me, you shoot for as late as possible). All this extra time may lure you into a false sense of security because, while that assignment may not be due until two weeks later, you’ll be surprised at how quickly time goes by before the deadline is looming before you. Read More »
Christy Kim, freshman in LAS, studies for finals with coffee at the ready in the Undergraduate Library. Photo by Chong Jiang, the Daily Illini.
University homework can be a daunting task. It seems like from Day One, all of it piles up, and before it can be all done, Day Two ends; and there is even more of it to do. And very soon, finals are here, and it’s cramming time. Read More »
A few students study on the second floor of Grainger Engineering Library on Thursday, July 7. Photo by William Shi, the Daily Illini.
Surprise! It’s already time for your first exam. The first few weeks have been filled with meeting new people, exploring the campus and having a good time, but now it’s time to do actually do some work. Read More »
Students use their laptops during class in Foellinger Auditorium. Photo by Michael Stein, the Daily Illini.
To some, going from high school to college may seem like getting seized from that comfortable pond and thrown into a much bigger ocean. Large classes, which are characteristic of the freshman experience, can be daunting for someone who has never been in a situation where the instructor might not know his or her name. Read More »
Purchasing textbooks does not have to be the same burden as it was years ago; but then again, they are relatively more expensive today. With the increased price, there are also three local bookstores and endless online services that compete for students’ business, each with advantages.
Here are some of your options for purchasing textbooks: Read More »
We all thought that those days of taking mortifying pictures for the school yearbook and our driver’s license had ended. No more opportunities to permanently capture our bad hair days, our strange inclinations to wear black turtle necks or our oh-so-awkward braces phase. Yet here you are on your orientation day, being asked to take a picture for your i-card. One piece of advice: smile big and smile pretty, because unlike your yearbook photo, this baby cannot be shoved into a box in your closet — your i-card has to stay with you at all times. If you fail to comply to this simple rule, the following unfortunate situations can occur: Read More »
Photo by Michael Stein, The Daily Illini
Freshman year is about knowing what freedom means. I don’t mean in some abstract “Do we have free will?” kind of way, but in the sense that freedom is an action made without external pressure.
Again, let’s bypass all the big questions of “Can I kill turtle if no one will know?” and look at something which every student, but especially freshman, are confronted with every day of their academic careers: Read More »
Photo by Michael Stein, The Daily Illini
Discovering the dorms, meeting new friends, scouting out the bar scene and wandering around the Quad are all new adventures for freshmen starting out on the UI campus. However, many things are very confusing and can severely complicate the start of college life.
A big chunk of that is comprised of all the technology that is thrown students’ way the first day of class. Emails, passwords, Compass, Moodle and Netfiles are all teaching tools that are designed to make students’ (and professors’) lives easier. But when unfamiliar with them, they can be a real nightmare and make the first few weeks on campus frustrating. Read More »
Enjoy orientation. Stress levels are low, and the only thing reminiscent of registration is the feeling of being leashed to the sore thumbs that are your parents. You’re two steps ahead as a personal requirement, resisting the urge to pull out the map from your University-provided tote bag. “I’m not here for Orientation,” you say, as you toss your hair. “Yeah, this bright orange bag is a style staple.”
You might soon miss the presence of your parents. Especially in my case, when I was left in a computer lab with little guidance.
“Regardless of their intentions, parents who insist on playing an active role in the registration process are actually impeding maturation and development as a fully functional adult,” said Academic Advisor Robert Steltman. Read More »