DENIED

So its that time again, when I'm sending out denial letters for graduation. So far I have three, and I'm waiting a few days before sending out some more (giving them a chance to explain the discrepancies). This is the WORST part of my job, but it happens all the time.

Its the end of your last semester and you're so excited. Your family all gathers, gifts in hand, as you walk across that stage. Maybe you have a job offer, maybe you are going straight into grad school in a few months. It's an exciting time.

Until

I send you a letter that basically says "Well, you walked and you THOUGHT you graduated, but you didn't and here's why"

I cannot stress to you how important it is to make sure you have completed all of the coursework you need before applying to graduate. Even more important is passing those final classes. The people in my job at other departments and even other schools are not usually as nice as I am. I go the extra mile, doing your final grad checks AS SOON as I have the list (around the 3rd week of classes) and then EMAILING you about any discrepancies so you have the entire semester to fix it before I do final clearances after grades are posted. If you're a music major at FSU, you're in luck because I will do this for you until for some reason I don't work here anymore. However, if you're in a different dept or school, it is up to you to know up until the final day of finals week that you have done what you needed to do.

I don't want any of you to get these letters I am sending out. If you're at FSU and need a grad check that you can't get from your dept, ask me. I will never mind doing that for you.

A productive summer

Summer is painted as a relaxing carefree time of year when students can get as lazy and spontaneous as they want and have nothing to get in the way. While this is true, and it is usually an enormous amount of fun, there are better ways to spend the summer without losing any fun.

You can study abroad, take dance lessons, join a summer sports team, volunteer, and even earn a big chunk of money working. Some major perks of summer are the job opportunities like earning thousands of dollars as a camp counselor or lifeguard. Imagine spending every day in the summer sun, getting tan, and getting PAID.

I'm a dancer, this is no secret. many of the girls on my team spent their summers relaxing, taking a break, or going on various vacations. I'm sure they had a great time, but in reality they really missed out. Some of us have been taking class all summer, spending 3-5 days a week taking class and training for the upcoming competition season. Not only are we going to have a significant advantage when classes and rehearsals begin again in the Fall (imagine trying to stretch and do leaps after not stretching for 3 months ><), but we have maintained and even improved our techniques throughout the summer. Plus, those of us that were in class this summer will be performing more pieces than the others simply because we were there to learn them. A significant advantage over all.

The same applies to college. Just like muscles and tendons, the brain needs to stretch to stay in shape. By taking summer classes (even and especially in alternative formats such as transient coursework [taking class at a different college near home for the summer] and study abroad), students can ensure that they stay focused and prepared for the coming semester while getting ahead in their coursework. You'll not only do better in your classes, you'll graduate sooner in the end. Win + Win = Win.

So think about it when next summer rolls around. You could go home and party every night, and if that's your thing, that's fine. But if you think that could get boring after a few weeks, and I certainly do, try to fill your summer with adventures and learning experiences that will build lasting memories and give you a head start on the coming fall term.

CHANGE is afoot

They say not all change is bad, and I have to agree with them on some points and blankly at them on others.

The economy sucks, we all know this. The question of the year is HOW IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT ME AS A COLLEGE STUDENT????

Bright futures scholarships (for Florida residents) are a major part of this change. Universities throughout the State of Florida are doing everything they can to ensure a smooth transition and complete understand of these changes as they occur.

The general rules to avoid extra costs (and these can be huge depending on your scholarship) are:

1. Do not drop classes after the 4th day of class (end of drop/add period) unless its a medical or personal emergency or you WILL have to pay back part of the tuition for the course to Bright Futures
---Even though the money never actually hit your hands, your class was paid for by Bright futures directly to the university.

***Sometimes, stuff hits the fan, your homework and tests haven't been up to par, and you need to drop a class in order to save your GPA. This is a decision you must make. You must decide if your GPA is worth paying back over $100 per credit in order to keep a D or F off your record.

2. Make sure your schedule is decided on before the 4th day. Adding classes MAY eventually also incur a fee, so make sure you have your stuff straight by the end of Drop Add (MUSIC MAJORS PLEASE TAKE CARE OF REGISTERING FOR LESSONS!!!!)

3. Some teachers are as unreliable about some things as students. DO NOT assume that just because you didn't show up the first day that your teacher dropped you from the class, even though they're supposed to. Don't be lazy, just go drop yourself. It takes 2 seconds and then you KNOW you won't get charged for a class you have to drop later or end up with a mysterious F.

Please ask me any and all questions about these and other changes. I am available to you here and on Facebook. I WANT to help you. Please take me up on it.

It's YOUR time

It's not about how fast or slow you finish your degree. It's about the experience and knowledge you gain in the process.

Most undergraduates take between 4 and 5 years to complete their degree, making it NORMAL for students to be on the 5 year plan. It's okay, especially if you're filling the experience with amazing courses, internships, clubs, and the general fun of being an undergrad student.

I took 4.5 years to complete my bachelors, and my fiance took 7.5. We both ended up with Bachelor of Arts degrees, and no one cares how long they took. The end result was years of study and a degree to back it up. When employers see your degree, they never ask how long you were in school. They just see your qualifications. And if your resume boasts 7.5 years of study, jobs, internships, and club/community involvement, you've even got a leg up on the poor sap who rushed through their degree in 3 years and missed out on all the EXPERIENCE they could have had.

My PhD is going to take 4 years (5 total, since I completed one year already int he interim), when they usually take 3 maximum. I don't mind this at all though, because I get to have the opportunities to continue writing for the FSView, write/edit for the Southeast Review (Lit Journal), meet and work with distinguished professors on my own research, and really put my heart and soul into my dissertation. I'd rather be there for 5 years and get all of that then just take class and be done in 3 years.

I hate to quote a pop star, but Miley Cyrus's new song is right: it IS about the climb.

Roommates and Pets

Freedom is a large part of going away to college, and this freedom should indeed be celebrated. There's no more curfew, no more parental nagging (at least in person), and no more "because I said so". However, this doesn't mean that life suddenly becomes a free for all either. In going away to college and being on your own, there are new responsibilities that come up and they must be handled in a mature way or things will start to fall apart.

For starters, just because tour parents paid for your dorm and meal plan doesn't mean that life is suddenly 100% carefree. Aside from the obvious responsibility you have to get your own homework and studying done, chances are you have a roommate or three. Having roommates is a responsibility in and of itself, and if you want to keep yourself from being alienated or having a bad reputation for being messy, annoying, or just unsanitary, you want to make sure you take responsibility where you need to.

In a dorm, cleaning is the number one responsibility shared between roommates. Just because there is no one to force you to "do your chores" doesn't mean that there aren't chores to be done. Clean/organized rooms promote good concentration, so in order to keep yourself and your roommates in good focus, keep your side of the room as neat as you can. Realistically, there will be days when you're too tired to do anything but dump your clothes on the floor and pass out, but just don't make it a habit and you'll be fine.

In an apartment, things get even trickier. In addition to shared chores (like keeping dishes clean so the apt doesn't get bugs and taking out the trash), there are bills to pay. Splitting bills like electric and cable, with roommates save money, but be careful how you split them.

True Story: I lived in an apartment with 2 other girls. I am rather skinny, so I don't like the air blasting or I get freezing cold. However, my roommates kept the air down at 69 degrees nearly constantly, causing me to have to wear a sweater all the time in my own house. I didn't like it, but I didn't want to make them uncomfortable. However, when the bill came, problems came with it. They demanded an equal split of the outrageous $350 bill, and I refused. I did not contribute even close to 1/3 of the energy useage. However, in the end, in order to keep the peace, I paid...and this was how it was every month. I got the short end of that deal, so from my experience, my advice is to discuss energy useage before the first bill arrives. That way, you are somewhat covered to back up your “But I only contributed this much” argument. I wish I’da had that.

Another thing about responsibility: Just because you’re on your own, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to overextend your freedom. What do I mean by this? PETS. It is usually not, I repeat, NOT a good idea for college students to get pets, and I say this as a college student who owns 3 cats. It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to own pets, and chances are, your parents aren’t going to help you with these adorable responsibilities.

If you really want a pet that badly, here are some tips:

Do not get a puppy. I know they’re cute and cuddly, but their poo isn’t. Most puppies, especially those bought at a puppy store, are not housetrained. It takes considerable time and energy to housetrain a puppy, and if you don’t have the time to give, or the money to pay someone to do it for you, all you’ll end up with is a minefield of feces to clean up everyday when you get home from class. And if you have roommates, this is a serious deal-breaker.


Keeping dogs in tiny student apartments is unsanitary for you and your roommates, and it’s not fair to the dogs who need room to run around. If you can’t wake up every morning at 6am with a smile on your face to walk your dog, and spend at least 3 hours a day playing with them outside or in a large room, you should not get a dog.

Cats are easier, but you still have to make sure they are fed and loved, and with a full class schedule, possible work schedule, and the free time you like to spend at the clubs and catching a movie with some friends, they can turn into a burden more than a cute little companion. It shouldn’t be that way. Animals, caged or otherwise need attention more than anything, and if you don’t’ have the time or energy to give them, it’s not fair to them to buy them in the first place.

Not to mention your roommates. ABOVE ALL ELSE, make sure your roommates are ok with your pet purchase before hand!!!! More than that, make sure you are respectful of your roommates space and health at all times. If your roommies are allergic to animals, don’t get one or wait until you are living alone. Make sure you keep all litterboxes and cages clean and stink-free, and if your pet has an accident, clean it immediately. If you are gone all day and your pet isn’t, make sure the dog or cat is confined to an area where your roommates won’t have to deal with any messes. The kitchen is NOT a good place to keep pets that may defacate or urinate on the floor. That is in fact the worst place.

True story: Those same roommates I lived with bought two puppies right before I moved in, promising me they would house train them. I agreed, which was dumb on my part, because they insisted on training them themselves, and I should have known it would be harder than they realized. There is nothing more aggravating than to wake up at 7:30am on a Sunday morning because the dogs won’t stop barking at something, head to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal and find the kitchen covered in dog messes. Oh and on the way to the kitchen, you happened to notice that one of the dogs pooed on your elliptical machine. Nice. Oh and when I complained about living in unsanitary conditions like that, and having to clean up the messes they left after going to work cause I didn’t want my cat to step in it or even eat it (ew), I was basically shrugged off, called a B*tch, and told that my headache was Karma. Nice. Very Nice.

It doesn’t need to be like this. Having a pet may seem like fun, but they aren’t any fun when you’re constantly cleaning up after them, stressing about waking up early to take them for walks, and making enemies with your roommates as a result.

Responsibility is a part of life at every stage, but just because you are on your own doesn’t mean you should begin racking up responsibilities. Pets are great and apartments are fun, but make sure you know what you’re getting into before you ruin friendships and the carpets underneath them.

Sorry it has been so long, all. I am now back from my internship with renewed verve and focus on the important things in life: school, writing, dance, and music. To each his own, those are just what's important to me.

That's something that's extremely important for students to figure out during their first year of college. Everyone has different values, desires, beliefs, and the like, and its important to know what yours are in order to grow and learn as well as respect those of others. College, more than anything, is a time of exploration: exploration of the world around oneself as well as their role in that world. What defines you in your world?

Part of this process begins with choosing a college. First of all, the setting is a crucial factor to determining whether it is the best place for you to explore yourself. For example, if your religion is a major part of your journey, it may not be ideal to choose a college in an area that centers around one belief system that does not jive with yours. Also student who prides themselves on their study habits and prefers quiet nights will not feel very comfortable and able to be themselves on the campus of a top five party school.

College isn't only about academics, no matter what your parents try to tell you. College is a major venture in life that defines us all as adults, separating us from childhood. My advice here is to use the time as best you can and explore anything and everything that is of interest. Get involved in clubs, play sports, party with different crowds, become a part of Greek life. Do what you need to do to feel happy, and become the person you will be for the rest of your life. Oh and while you're at it, don't forget to finish your homework. lol

Don't pay to be bored

There is one thing I stress above all when it comes to being a college student:
LOVE WHAT YOU STUDY!

There is nothing worse than paying in precious money and time for a course that may satisfy degree requirements, but bores students to the point that they can't wait to forget everything they're "learning". Chances are, there are more interesting classes to take that satisfy especially liberal arts requirements. Classes like World's Great Shipwrecks and Japanese Film and Culture are interesting to many people and they satisfy humanities requirements.

Some classes can be more interesting in specific locations than in others. For example, taking a meteorology course in Florida during hurricane season would be fascinating and exciting as the class is able to learn about hurricanes while tracking them in real time. On the other hand, that same course may not be as riveting in Seattle, where the weather is much more constant.

There is no way around taking major-specific coursework. If your degree requires discrete mathematics, you must take discrete mathematics; there's no sugar coating that. However, if the majority of courses in your major are a snoozefest for you, something you should seriously consider is a change of major. I'm not saying that you should drop your major just because you don't want to take one class on the economy of Korea, but if you dread even half of what the major requires, it's time to rethink your goals. The courses you take in your major are there because they are a big part of the field outside of college.

The point is simply to take courses that interest you. Spend your time studying what you love. Don't waste your years and your dollars writing papers about people, places, or things you care nothing about. Don't be afraid to major in something that interests you for fear that you may not make any money with it. Most employers and graduate schools care more about who you are and how well you do as an undergrad than what your major is.

In fact, it is sometimes more beneficial to choose a major based on personal interests as opposed to what is related to your future occupation. Law schools get thousands of applicants every year, and the vst majority of them are from business or political science undergraduates. Medical schools are bombarded with applications from biology and chemistry majors. Whata re these schools really looking for? Diversity and special interests. Law schools want to read an essay from a theatre major who felt that studying theatre and acting was the best way for him to become comfortable and skilled at public speaking and criminal defense. Medical schools long to see an application from a history major who decided to turn her interests from historical preservation to the developments of medicine throughout civilzation.
They want you to be true to YOU and study what you love THEN apply it to the field or research.

I'm a good example of this: Bachelor or Arts in Music, Master of Science in Math Education, and entering a PhD program for Higher Education and a certificate in editing and publishing - journalism. Never give up the opportunity to enjoy your education just because you think someone will like your degree better. PS, I really do love math.

"Congratulations" is not a binding contract

Today, all of us advisors were sent an email on procedures and policies regarding admissions cancellations. To put it simply, they told us exactly how students can turn a "yes" from their college admissions office into a resounding "NO".

The biggest reason for university to rescind their admissions is SENIORITIS.

Senioritis is real and it is no joke. Just because you have been accepted to college does not mean that everything is set and done and nothing matters anymore. On the contrary, colleges, universities, and even employers are watching you even closer now that they have accepted you as a part of their institution. Keeping grades up is crucial to getting and staying accepted, up until the day you move into the dorms or apartments. Yes, they even look at any summer community college coursework you take.

The FSU freshman enrollment information brochure (sent with the acceptance letter) states the following:

A downward trend in your senior year grades, any grade below C, and/or any change in your senior schedule involving academic courses could result in your offer of admission being rescinded. In addition, if your cumulative college grade point average (including dual enrollment) is below 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale), your admission will be rescinded.

The FSU transfer enrollment information brochure (sent with the acceptance letter) states the following:

AA: If you have been admitted subject to the completion of the AA Degree, you must send us your final transcript with the degree posted immediately upon graduation. If you do not expect to receive the AA Degree, you must notify us. Without the AA Degree, your admission is subject to cancellation.

Other: If you have been admitted subject to final college transcript(s), this information must be received immediately upon completion of coursework. If you are unable to meet the conditions of admission (GPA requirement stated in acceptance letter), you must notify us. Your offer of admission is subject to cancellation.

A True Story:

Today, I had to email a girl whom I had JUST checked off as having completed her three day orientation. She had gone through the long ordeal, been assigned a dorm, met her future roommate, and even registered for her classes for the fall. I sent her an email, however, that would undo all of it. I had to let her know that her admissions has been rescinded and she would no longer be able to attend florida state university.

This is a big deal. It's June. By this time, she would have notified all other schools that she would not be attending, and cancelled her admissions at those institutions. Moreover, once any other institution saw her final term grades, they too would likely renig on their offer. What can she do? One of her very VERY limited options is to attend Community College and hope to transfer in the future, but as you can see from the information I posted above that the same reastrictions apply.

I hope to never have to send an email like that again, but I am sure that it is inevitable that I will. Your high school teachers were not kidding when they said Senioritis isn't a joke. Don't let this sad story happen to you.

The Arts and Sciences of Cheating?

In high school, it is highly common for students to try to maneuver around the necessity of studying and hours of paper writing. There are many common ways of cheating from writing the answers on the back of your hands to "borrowing" someone else's paper to turn in for yourself.

This isn't too uncommon on college either, but the difference is in the consequences. In high school, cheating is a serious matter, but more often than not, teachers are willing to grant second, even three or more chances to students who either inadvertently plagiarize or outright copy entire papers. If caught cheating or plagiarizing, a high school student is usually given at least one chance to straighten up and fly right from then on.

This is not the case in college. Cheating is an even more serious matter in college and the first offense can get you kicked out of the university. The worst part of that scenario is that a student who is kicked out of their school for cheating or plagarizing is not likely to be accepted at any other accredited institution in the United States after the fact.
The question is usually: Is the risk worth the reward? In the case of cheating, college students should ask themselves: Is the risk worth the consequences? Is not having to study for a test or not having to spend hours writing a term paper really worth the possibility of getting caught and never being able to obtain an accredited bachelor's degree?

I think not. Afterall, college isn't about passing. It's about learning. I know that sounds like hokey guidance counserlor mumbo-jumbo, but I'm serious. Employers and business want people with knowledge and skills, not just pieces of paper that say they passed a few tests and wrote a few papers. The point of studying and writing is to learn and reinforce the materials and procedures that are vital to a student's chosen career field or the important aspects of general education. If companies knew that students were able to get their degrees without doing the work, college degrees would not be a basis for hiring someone. They would be useless, money wasted.

Teachers know when students cheat. They know all about the websites where you can purchase fully written, customizable papers. They know every trick in the book from mirrored sunglasses to hand signals. They even know when you turn in the same paper from one of your previous courses. Professors do talk to each other about these things. They can recognize previously submitted papers and they can tell very easily when two or more people turn in the same paper, even if they do it years apart.

There are thousands of tools at every college student's disposal in order to prevent plagarism (this is especially helpful as there are more cases of accidental than purposeful plagarism, such as incorrectly citing a source or forgetting to cite a quote altogether). www.turnitin.com, a website used by many colleges in order to detect instances of plagarism in electronically submitted papers and tests, offers students a proofreading service which will check student papers for citations and quotes, and compare the writing to other papers, dissertations, scholarly articles and books, and other common sources. This is kind of like academic insurance and it is definitly worth any and all costs---though at $4.95 a paper this service is a steal. Also, campuses often offer similar services for free. With all of this assistance available, there truly is no excuse for plagarism, and your teachers will know this.

Cheating on tests is now becoming even more difficult in college as many teachers are moving away from multiple choice items in favor of thoughtful essays. These are difficult for students to cheat on, but if it is done, be sure that the teacher will notice.

It's simply not worth the risk. Go to class, study for tests, write papers, and party on the weekends.

Teachers actually care

Today, I sat in a class of 30 graduate students, and all of them are presently completing their Doctoral degrees to be college professors. These are the teachers that new college students will have in the very near future. And what transpired in this class today was both unexpected and under-appreciated by a vast majority of students.

Today, we spoke about the topics of academic advising, counseling, alcohol, and sexual harassment of students. It was one of the most emotional classes I'd ever taken part in. Nearly everyone was reduced to tears at one student's story of how he helped one of his students seek and find help after being date raped. Almost everyone was giving their own personal recounts about what they have done and what teachers should do to help their students in areas OUTSIDE of academics, areas where students need just as much support as they do for their studies. The students in my class, these future teachers of yours, they really care. They told stories of going above and beyond the call of duty to help students through tough times, personally and academically. They shared their own struggles and how they hope to use their experiences to help students do more than just get by for those four most important years of their lives.

Many freshmen, especially those who are about to start classes at a huge university like Florida State or Indiana University, express fears and concerns about being "just a number" or one out of hundreds or even thousands in a big lecture hall. The truth is, though, that even in a class of 3000 students, you're never just a number. For the majority of teachers, you are the most important part of their job. You are never just a number. If you need anything, they will help you in any capacity they can. Even in a school of 40,000 students, teachers will notice you. Even in a class of 500 students, teachers will recognize you from the rest, especially if you make it a point to introduce yourself. Get to know your professors, your advisors, even your deans. They care about you, and they want to know you.

Welcome

Welcome to The College Experience Blog!

At least once a week, I will update this blog with information, tips/how-to's, advice, news, and random interesting items that relate to undergraduate college life. Join the group on facebook for access to the main content of The College Experience, and stay tuned for more!

Thought of the day: Summer is a time of freedom, even in summer school. For those students who have to take classes or start college in the summer, enjoy the freedom of open parking lots, the freedom of easier access to shows, bars, and concerts without crowds, and enjoy the freedom of picking fun classes and not having to worry about seats filling up.