What advice can you give incoming college students? / LJWorld.com

Asked at Massachusetts Street on August 17, 2012

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“Find out where Aldi’s is if your parents aren’t paying for it (groceries).”

— Mike Stewart, self-employed, Kansas City, Mo.

“Make great friends, have a lot of fun, but remember why you are here.”

— Lisa Rice, works at a law firm, Denver

“Get on a budget.”

— Denise Guthrie, sells health insurance, Kansas City, Mo.

“Don’t use your loan money on partying.”

— Stephanie Riedel, works at a pharmacy, Lawrence

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RoeDapple 9 months ago

Full stop, look both ways, proceed with caution.

mommatocharlie 9 months ago

Cross only at crosswalks, and be sure to look both ways. Do not walk out in front of a car. Bicyclists must obey traffic rules and regs just like drivers.

riverdrifter 9 months ago

"No matter where you go, there you are."

You have two choices. Have fun, don't study much, enjoy your years in college, and then good luck finding a job doing what you want to do. You're probably going to spend decades doing a job that you hate, all because you had too much fun while you were in college.

Or, you can make a wise choice for your major, and then get serious. Be the best that you can be. Don't strive to be good in your choice of studies, strive to be excellent.

If you party hearty while you're in college, you're gonna be payin' for the playin' for the rest of your life.

This is all from an expert, I know all about those sorts of things. I completed about 165 semester hours in 4 different colleges over a period of about 13 years, I had a lot of fun, and I never did graduate.

That makes me a Jack of all Trades, and Master of None, and that ain't no fun.

damnitimpissed 9 months ago

Your third choice is to get out while you can. You can get all the information you need on the internet, in libraries, and by surrounding yourself with smart people. Audit the classes if you want; most professors will be happy to have you.

Seriously, take it from an entire generation of people (though they won't all admit it) who got tricked into a lifetime of indentured servitude: save your 50k.

acornwebworks 9 months ago

You can have fun in college. Indeed, you should have fun in college!

But, as Ron pointed out, don't spend all your time partying. That is not what you (or your parents) are paying all that money for.

Work on getting decent grades. Go to class....and not always hung over. Act like the adult you actually are and want people to think of you as.

There are too many frickin' losers out there already. Don't turn into one yourself.

Frankie8 9 months ago

Absolutely! A social life is as necessary as studying, and don't forget exercise. I would say to pick friends who go to class and only party when it is appropriate. The truth of the matter is that birds of a feather do flock together. Do have fun and relax because exams and having to write papers can give you that deer in the headlights look.

psycho_theclown 9 months ago

You won't really go blind. That's just a myth.

RoeDapple 9 months ago

Flip it. You're all weird.

See you at the range.

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 9 months ago

If you are untainted, get an HPV vaccination.
If you are tainted get an HPV vaccination.
Wash your hands often, and use a paper towel to open the door as you leave the facilities.
One beer, one water.
If you go to Watkins for a sore throat, they will give you a pregnancy test.
Adderall is really for those with attention abundance disorder, if you use it, you just drive up the cost for those of us who truly need it. (The world values hunter-gathers less these days)
Wash your hands often.

JackMcKee 9 months ago

get your degree and then get the hell out of Kansas.

milkman_dan 9 months ago

You'll never again look this good naked. Don't be selfish.

rockchalker52 9 months ago

Do your best to follow The Golden Rule.

snap_pop_no_crackle 9 months ago

Don't spend too much time copy/pasting.

JackMcKee 9 months ago

always check the back pages of tests to make sure the GTA didn't print it double sided.

JackMcKee 9 months ago

go to class.

don't get a serious girlfriend until your 5th year. At the earliest.

Call 842-1212

if you're in a fraternity, take your car home until pledgeship is over

get the sports pass

live near campus and downtown. Don't even think about living West of Iowa.

gphawk89 9 months ago

"Don't even think about living West of Iowa." Yup. Tried that for one year. Hated it. Moved back to campus the next year.

hitme 9 months ago

And don't say it there either.

Eddie_Haskell 9 months ago

Follow BoB's advice. Driving drunk will ruin your life. Oh, and don't use possessives inappropriately. You'll end up saying things like Aldi's, Hy Vee's, Target's, and WalMart's.

Eddie_Haskell 9 months ago

Double bourbon, neat, with a beer back. Spend time at the Shenago Lounge. Also, drop out of school, throw away the books, get arrested and go to jail. And I don't mean get arrested and bond out the next day. You have to do some time, at least 90 days. You can learn a lot in jail. If nothing else, you can do a lot of drug networking. And there's a guy at Douglas County named Mike Caron who'll teach you a lot about white guilt. But don't go after you graduate. You'll feel like some over-privileged puke who's had every advantage in life in the midst of a bunch of poor slobs who never had a chance.

Eddie_Haskell 9 months ago

Andini and Babboy sure got chatty while I was away.

Eddie_Haskell 9 months ago

I was up on the Hill helping the kids move in yesterday. Not mine, I don't have any. I had my shirt off and jean shorts cut so high the pockets were hanging out of the bottom. Nobody wanted my help, but I got a few phone numbers.

rockchalker52 9 months ago

Every time townies tell you to, you should drop & give 'em twenty pushups.

rockchalker52 9 months ago

"Don't take advice from the locals." tange

wonder which is correct response, then? to take this advice is contrary to the advice.

CWGOKU 9 months ago

Green side up, when laying sod. And keep lots of Pepto on hand for the morning after

CWGOKU 9 months ago

Lock and load. Stop drop and roll. Stay away from guys wear short cutoffs with the pockets hanging out. Never volunteer for anything.

CHEEZIT 9 months ago

Kentucky street is one way going North. Tennessee street is one way going south!!!

misterlee 9 months ago

As a couple of people have already said, don't skip classes. Perfect attendance will almost by itself get you a passing grade. It's especially important to attend on test days. Don't put writing term papers off to the last minute. School is too expensive to waste by not being engaged in it.

kansasdaughter 9 months ago

Keep in mind that less than 1% of the town is represented in the LJW comments section.

rockchalker52 9 months ago

"Keep in mind that less than 1% of the town is represented in the LJW comments section." kansasdaughter

tru dat. policy based on 1% is bad advice.

Eddie_Haskell 9 months ago

Bob, you mean that Joey Kovar guy? Yep, I remember him vaguely from Dr. Spew's Celebrity? Torture. A real cheeseball, but he didn't deserve to be murdered. Scott Weiland does, though. Hopefully, Dr. Drew has his phone number.

Andini 9 months ago

Always use protection.

kansasplains1 9 months ago

Read the Journal-World. It's a superb paper. It will make you much wiser about Lawrence and Kansas.

And--read the BBC, New York Times, and France 24 on line for world news and a different perspective on things.

And comment - especially on Journal-World blogs!

Write a blog when you have a good idea, as well!

hitme 9 months ago

reading the NYT and France24 will make you dumber

gphawk89 9 months ago

Yes, the LJW will make you much wiser about Lawrence. However, the opinions expressed by locals on these comments aren't necessarily in line with those of the other 97% of Kansans.