SOCIAL RULES-OF-ENGAGEMENT

• Find friends who share similar values, unless you have no values. In that case, find friends who have better values than you.
• Find friends with better study habits than you.
• Consider your school not only a place to earn a degree, but a place to study crazy people. There will be plenty of subject matter. You should collect 10,000 friends or so along the way.
• Get involved. There are many experiences that are unique to college life that you don't want to miss out on! You might try checking with the Student Activities Center.
• Take advantage of free entertainment.
• College is no fun if you get run down and get mono.
• If you go to a party with a friend, come home with that friend.
• Attend sports events. Not only will you cheer your team on, but you will most likely make great friends there! Make new friends.
• College is too much to do in isolation, but try for quality more than quantity. If you are religious, find a religious outlet. Oftentimes, there are student-run organizations, and there are many local churches, etc that offer college-aged programs.
• Join intramural sports. You will have so much fun!
• Don't try to take on too much. Pick and choose which activities are a must. (HINT: Classes are a must!).
• College is complicated enough without an STD or a pregnancy.
• Don't allow yourself to be consumed by the social scene at school.
• Every college can be a party school, but that doesn't mean that you have to be involved.
• Try to meet new people.
• Don’t just hang out with high school buddies.
• Don't take anything you value to a party. You’ll lose it.
• Girls: wear clothes with pockets to parties. Or buy a purse that stretches across your body. You don’t want to worry about where you left your purse.
• If friends suggest different options for going out, pick the cheapest. You'll have money left to go out another night.
• Expect it to take awhile to be comfortable.
• No matter what, college is a big change.
• Give it some time and during the hard times, remember: you're there to get an education, not to make friends.
• Keep a sense of humor. Some of the stuff that happens in college really is goofy, and if you can’t laugh it will make you crazy.
• Take advantage of free social events your college offers.
• Big universities often have free or reduced movie nights.
• Join Facebook to collaborate with classmates.
• Do at least one sport/activity.
• Be friendly with upperclassmen; listen to their advice and learn from their mistakes. But, they have no friggin idea how the world works either, so use common sense.
• Remember that you are your own parent now. You are allowed to do pretty much anything but you have to live with the results.
• If you live near the water, be on the water as much as you can. You'll meet all sorts of interesting people.
• Better yet, go to the games and have some fun.
• You can vent a lot of stress and frustration yelling at a game.
• Set some limits on playing games, checking out social sites and chatting online. 
• Video games will steal your soul and you will not do your work.
• Drunk people mix drinks stronger than they meant to.
• Keep a journal or private blog or take photographs. College has many wonderful memories.
• Say please and thank you.
• Brush your hair.
• If you fall out of bed, make sure your friends see it!
• Get friends, you need someone else at your side.
• Don't call Campus Security on a party without some sort of warning first.
• Be considerate.
• Send holiday cards to your college acquaintances...it's a cheap way to encourage them to become your friends.
• Join a sports team or club if you want a ready-made social circle.
• If you join the crew team, you will never sleep again.
• Or, you will learn to sleep through anything.
• Get a buddy to exercise or several or join a team.
• If you're going to have a party, let the folks around you know so they don't call Campus Security right off the bat.
• Your RA is not your friend. He is your RA.
• Forget about high school it’s over and memories are fine but you are starting over.
• Ridiculous rec-sport leagues like badminton are always a good idea. 
  
  
  

• Check out the library and find a good spot to study that feels comfortable.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help.
• Professors and study groups and tutoring are available if you look.
• In the end, it's a degree you need, not a 4.0.
• Email professors with questions.
• Take art classes even if you're not good at them.
• The initial ones are based only on improvement. 
• As you get older you'll appreciate GPA booster classes. 
• Don't be afraid to go to the writing center, their job is to help you.
• Try to keep up with your reading. It doesn't take long before you realize you're several chapters behind and aren't able to understand lectures anymore.
• Organize your time.
• Write down how much time you need to spend doing "X" every day.
• When doing homework or writing reports, save at least every page, and better ever half page.
• If there are old test banks available for a course, take advantage of them.
• Even if your questions are very different, you get a review and an idea of the style.
• I had lazy chemistry prof who really did use the same questions over and over.
• All he did was change the order and minor things like using chlorine one year and fluorine the next.
• Cliff notes and the like work best when you read them after reading the assignment, not instead of reading it.
• For tough classes, get a study group together and really study.
• Four of us took a biology class and divided the outline for a section and each of us learned everything we could about our own section and studied the other parts a normal amount, then drill and reviewed each other.
• Type up your notes and make index cards for the most important stuff.
• The act of transcribing helps you remember and the cards are great for reviews.
• Get a reasonable amount of sleep at least most nights. Chronic sleep deprivation causes poor concentration and hurts your mind, body and GPA.
• Don't make goals, just get by and do your best and you won't be disappointed in yourself.
• Back up everything you need at all and save on a separate storage system.
• Know the phone number of at least one person in every class, so that if you miss a class you can call for the notes/assignment
• Do your assignments, even if they're not collected. (Trust me, it will benefit you!)
• Choose study partners that have the same goals as you.
• Take a study habits refresher course, if offered. It will help.
• Figure out the best place to study. It may not be your room! Manage your time well.
• Write down important dates, such as due dates, test dates, etc in a place that you will look.
• Allow yourself plenty of time to get assignments completed. Start on them right away!
• Set measurable goals for yourself academically, personally, and mentally.
• Take advantage of tutoring services offered by your college.
• Schedule time with your advisor.
• They can help you stay focused.
• Study every day. This will help keep you from "cramming".
• Have a study buddy in every class.
• Never study for too long a stretch without a break.
• More than two hours and you are getting less return. Get up, walk, get a snack, play Pong (I told you to get a decent computer) or whatever to clear your head.

• Do some kind of community service, if possible related to your career field. It’s not just doing good, it looks good on resumes and grad school applications.
• Keep track of spending. Money can go fast if you don't watch it.
• Don’t get a credit card! You’ll be offered one a many times a day, but you don’t have to accept.
• If money is tight, consider getting a full-time job at a company that offers education as a benefit. Many companies will fully reimburse you for courses you do well in. Plus you'll be starting a resume.
• If you are low on funds or have a lot of responsibilities, know that you CAN finish and at your own pace.
• Check out work study and internships.
• Find a local bookstore that sells used textbooks. You can save lots of money this way.
• Find some ways to make extra money other than the Bank of Mom and Dad.
• Make a realistic budget with some wiggle room.
• Unexpected expenses are not just likely, they are certain.
• Don't turn down anything free offered to you on campus - toiletries, t-shirts, etc. Save your money and try the free product.
• Take advantage of low-cost student health insurance. You never know when you might get sick and need it.
• Look into CLEP programs. They can save you a lot of time and money.
• Try to sell your textbooks yourself at the end of the semester instead of getting the few bucks the bookstore will offer you.
• Save money by shopping sales on things you need.
• Start stocking up on things like toilet paper, paper towels, and nonperishable items.
• Look for scholarship opportunities. They aren't just for incoming freshmen.
• A part-time job will help you with your budget and will help you from getting stuck inside the college bubble.
• Establish good credit by getting a credit card and paying it off each month.
• Buy used textbooks.
• Try to get summer or part time jobs that somehow relate to your major, both as a reality check to see if your really want to do that, and because it also is meaningful to future employer
• Flip through those used textbooks to make sure all pages are intact, and the previous owner didn’t go highlighting crazy.
• Refill water bottles. It’s cheaper!
• Don't buy things from the school store...the prices are usually inflated.
• Purchase your supplies once you arrive on campus make sure somebody is willing to drive you to a store or that you can walk there and carry everything back.
• Also see if you can get your parents to give you the money they planned to spend when buying it near home...stuff is expensive.
• Keep careful track of all money you spend.
• You may want to switch banks rather than get ATM fees every time.
• You may also want to pick a bank that exists both at home and at school so that if the case of an emergency your parents can deposit money into it.
• Join random mailing lists.
• Write down every expense you make; too many college students get deep into debt and can't remember where their money went.
• Your high school teachers probably will not work as recommendations anymore.
• Make some friends and get some new ones.
• Cover career fairs with resumes.
• For a summer job that starts in May begin your job searching in January. You will probably continue this process through March.
• Have something to wear to interviews and presentations.
• Make sure you have what you need to keep this clothing in decent shape (aka if you can not iron don't buy something that needs to be ironed).
• Guys normally do shirt and tie. Sometimes they wear suits. Girls normally get away in most situations with a nice pair of khaki pants and a shirt that buttons. 

• Buy a dry erase board marker to leave notes to yourself or roommates on the mirror.
• Invest in a space heater in case you and your roommate don't agree on the temperature.
• Don't listen to the people who say to not room with an old friend. Sometimes to do so can be the best decision.
• Be respectful of your roommate (when having members of the opposite sex visit) Get earplugs and use them on the days your roommate has an early class and you don't so their alarm clock doesn't wake you up unnecessarily.
• If you have roommates, sit down with them at the beginning of your time together. Set expectations for quiet times, cleaning, sharing of the bills, etc.
• If you know ahead of time who your roommates will be, get in touch with them during the summer. Correspond several times. That way, you will at least know a few people!
• Try to pick your roommate when possible.
• Talk to your roommate about study preferences. Do they like it quiet; do they like music or TV?
• Do whatever it takes to maintain a good relationship with your roommate...if you don't, your life at college will be miserable

• Get out of the dorms as fast as you can.
• Be on good terms with the cleaning lady. For example, do not get drunk and mistake the shower for the toilet.
• Bring a can of bug spray for the dorm. You'll probably need it.
• If you don't like sharing, lock up your items.
• Eat your vitamins, everyone will be carrying the plague in the winter.
• Sweeping occasionally is a good idea. There'll often be a vacuum somewhere; ask your RA.
• Yes, you need a printer, too.
• Don't ever mix bleach and ammonia based cleaners. It is very bad and dangerous. If you scrub a room with bleach remember it and don't use ammonia on it.
• Try not bringing a TV for a semester.
• Hammock in the dorm? Excellent idea!
• Pay attention to your mental health, too. If you are depressed or see someone around you who is, get help.
• Don't bring a lot of extra stuff; you'll accumulate plenty during the year.
• Make sure you have shower flip-flops AND ones to wear around.
• Bring cleaning supplies and encourage sharing.
• Bring your own computer...the computer labs are usually crowded
• Try to keep a stash of coins and dollar bills for vending machines, laundry, tipping the pizza guy, etc.
• Bring your favorite childhood stuffed animal, etc; you'll be glad when you're feeling homesick.
• Large trash-cans are better. Enough said.
• Use your computer to play your music instead of dealing with a stereo.
• Bring your own towels...the ones the colleges sell are not that good.
• Don't make enemies...especially among people in your dorm.
• Bring your own tv even if it is a little one
• Get the microfridge...it's worth it.
• Live in a single sex dorm...there are less distractions.
• Sit in common areas to watch tv or read magazines instead of hiding out in your room.
• Bring a microwave. Yes, it's against the rules but the one in the common room is gross. 
• Steal the common room furniture if you need a couch or a chair. Just put it back during break when the rooms get inspected.
• No matter the contraption you might have set up in your window to hide the smoke, just go outside. Or in the woods for other combustibles.
• Use common sense, folks If you're on the lower bunk you can use a blanket hanging down the side to keep light out (a fort!)
• Who needs two phones?
• Leave your dorm room door open for awhile.
• People will stop by and say hi
• Clean your dorm room at least once a month (more often if you can). It will make check out much easier.
• Seriously consider a rug for your dorm...tile floors are cold and dirty.
• Don't bunk your beds...seriously, it's only fun for a week or so
• Do NOT bring high school trophies with you to the dorm. No one wants to be the guy living in the past.
• If your dorm room is crowded (and it will be), institute a one in, one out rule. If you bring something in, something has to go home or into storage.
•  If you live on campus, get to know your R.A. They can have lots of useful information about your particular college.
• Keep your room clean...you never know when friends are going to drop by and you want them to feel comfortable.
• Invest in a Brita water filter. Dorm water tastes bad!
• Bring photos of your friends and family. 
• Consider bringing a laptop (as opposed to a regular PC) to college. After moving all of your things in, the last thing you feel like doing is putting a computer together (and then taking it apart over winter break to bring home
• Bring Lamps!
• Password protect your computer access as well.
• Buy bathroom toiletries at the dollar store to save money.
• If possible, loft your dorm bed to create more floor space.
• It only takes a second for a thief to sneak in and grab something.
• It is common to ban overnight visitors from the room during exam weeks.
• Double check the size of your bed in your dorm room.
• Some rooms have extra long beds that regular sheets won’t fit.
• Put all of your bathroom supplies into a carrying caddy to keep it organized.
• Even if you're busy, maintain your hobbies so you still feel like yourself
• Try to get some sleep.
• If you're out all night, catch up later with a nap.
• Dorms are not clean places.
• It will be very easy to get sick if anybody else on your floor is sick so you need to take personal hygiene very seriously.
• Urban schools have a tendency towards getting roaches and mice.
• Buy some flip-flops/shower shoes if you have a community shower in the dorm.
• Get a robe.
• A lot of dorms like to do middle of the night fire drills, so be prepared.
• Buy extra sheets so you always have a clean set for your dorm bed. Stock up on toilet paper. You'll probably need it.
• Get a first aid kit. It's handy for cuts and scrapes so you don't have to go all the way across campus for just a Band-Aid.
• Pets are never a good idea. Especially fish.
• Figure out which washing machines and dryers do the best job- find this out early!
• Memorize your Student ID number. You will need it, so know it!

• Always have a supply of snacks.
•  Mice love food in your dorm, so do roaches. So do random visitors. Keep it hidden in a drawer somewhere.
• Skip dinner and eat breakfast and lunch to save your dining dollars.
• Bring things to decorate your dorm room...otherwise it feels like a barren jail cell.
• Save money by eating from the meal plan. The food may not be the best, but it's paid for!
• Ramen will keep you alive so long as you have vitamins.
• Eat healthy foods. You need good nutrition to keep up!
• Try new things in the cafeteria. If you eat the same thing everyday, it will get old!
• No metal in the microwave.
• Don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry: you'll buy everything.
• If you have a cafeteria that charges per meal rather than per item (such as $5.00 per lunch, regardless of what you eat), stash some food in your backpack for later.
• If you ever plan to actually use the freezer section of your fridge buy a two part fridge with a separate door for the freezer.
• Buy a microwave cookbook!
• Most people would rather sleep in than walk to breakfast and having random breakfast foods in your room (bagels, breakfast bars, milk and cereal etc) combined with a 14 meals/week plan will cost far less than just a plan.
•  If you have cooking facilities, invite friends over when you cook. It's not much more work to cook for more people if you're cooking anyway and they'll be very grateful.

• Walk around campus as much as possible...it's easy to gain weight if you don't keep moving.
• The gym is your friend. The dining hall is not.
• Prepare for the weather. Ask somebody local if you are properly equipped to deal with the weather
• Get comfortable shoes...you'll probably be walking a lot across campus.
• Keep hair products in your backpack...you'll be walking a lot in wind, rain, etc. so you can try to look your best.
• Be sure you move in, don't be shy to call the school to find out details about the room.
• Show some school spirit - buy a sweatshirt or go to a sports game; it will help you to feel like you belong there.
• When outfitting a college apartment, don't turn down to anything offered to you for free.
• You also won't feel as bad when some careless college student spills something and ruins your couch.
• Exericse. This will help you look great, is healthy, and fights off depression.
• Use the student gym.
• You might meet new friends while you keep fit.
• If you do get sick, be sensible and stay out of class when you really need to.
• Participate in blood drives. You can help out the blood bank and get a cookie at the end!
• Get your shots. Many colleges require it, but there are immunizations you really need and some that are highly recommended. Even adults need things like flu shots and boosters.
• Find some spiritual or ethical center to focus on.
• Pay attention to designated parking...they do check and you don't want a ticket.
• Remember to get plenty of exercise; it's so easy to forget taking care of your body!
• Familiarize yourself with the campus.
• Know where pertinent offices are.
• Don't bother driving around campus...it won't save you any time by the time you hunt for a parking spot.
• Live near the gym if you have a choice.
• Your new state may require some new shots. Try to get them before you leave otherwise you will have to arrange to have them at college.
•  Health Services (aka medical stuff on campus) can give you shots. Bring yourself in for doctor's appointments at Health Services when you need them.
• If you need to see a doctor (in a non-emergency sort of sense) you walk down, make an appointment with the nurse, and then come back at the right time.
• Live on campus at least one year to get the college experience.
• Don't walk around alone (especially at night) when possible.
• Don't forget to exercise (walking to the dining hall doesn't count)...the freshman 15 is sometimes actually the freshman 30.
• If its legal punch a hole in your ID card (avoid punching through the magnetic identification strip). Then you can put it on a key chain with your key and wallet and have a harder time losing it.
• Get in to someplace halfway decent, but resist going where parents want you to go. Of course, what you can afford affects this but if you really hate your family’s school, say so! E

• Professors are callused people. 'Their way or the highway' is the prevailing thinking.
• Figure out your most alert time of the day and schedule classes for then.
• The famous Tuesday-Thursday schedule will spoil you in the worst ways.
• Try to schedule classes that are physically close together. Sometimes the break between classes isn't enough time for you to walk all the way across campus to your next class. Conversely, if you need to shed a few pounds... you might just try to pick classes that are further apart.
• Talk a lot in class in the first few days so the professor assumes you know what's going on.
• If you've wanted to learn to play an instrument, you can often do so at college for very cheap through the music department.
• If you procrastinate, plan your classes far apart, not on the same day.
• Realize that not everyone finishes college in 4 or 5 years. There's no rule that you have to finish in that time.
• Try to mingle as much as possible with your classmates. You may need to borrow notes or work on homework together later.
• Go to class as much as possible to try to keep the info fresh. Many courses have attendance as part of the grade so don't miss out on that freebie.
• Buy books at an off-campus store. The prices are typically better than the school store.
• Classics Illustrated Comics are not recommended, unless the class is on classic comics If you take notes by hand, just get one big spiral with sections for each class.
• If you take notes by hand, splurge on fun pens and notebooks just to keep things interesting.
• Keep an extra printer cartridge on hand at all times. There's nothing you can do at 2 a.m. when your ink runs out and the paper is due in the morning.
• If your prof doesn't refer to your textbook often, don't bring it to class. This will lighten your load in your backpack.
• If extra credit is offered, take advantage of it to raise your grade but try not to see it as a way to compensate for just nit studying. If it is not mentioned but you need it and have a good idea, ask the prof. At least it shows you care about the class.
• Don't be afraid to drop a class if you need to. If you don't think you can recover from a poor early performance, or it doesn't fit your schedule, go ahead and drop the class.
• Participate in class. Again, professors love this and it's minimal effort.
• If you get a poor grade in a class that also has a second part you're required to take another semester, consider retaking the class. If you don't understand part I, you'll never keep up with part II.
• If you find a prof you really enjoy, look for classes s/he teaches for later semesters. You'll be used to their teaching methods and will likely do better.
• Bring water with you to class. It will keep you hydrated and will also help you stay awake.
• Don't be afraid to sit next to someone you find interesting. You don't want to wait to get chosen by some dork because you sat alone at a lab table.
• Choose a seat by the door in class if you don't like crowds. It will feel less claustrophobic.
• Take at least some small classes; you'll get to really know the people in those classes.
• Try for a lighter load the term you need to take the GRE, MCAT, LSAT or such. Ditto for when you might need to make campus visits.
• Don't expect to be babied...this isn't high school...no one will call your parents if you cut class/are failing/get in trouble.
• Choose classes that start late, even if you think you can get up early. Register for classes as early as possible.
• Go to your classes, even when you don't feel like it.
• Ask upperclassmen that you trust about professors.
• Plan your schedule so that you have needed breaks.
• Don't sign up for an 8:00 class unless you absolutely have to.
• If you need to miss a class, contact your professor beforehand to let him/her know, and to get assignments.
• Take good notes in class. Write it down, even if you already know what the professor says.
• Try to take at least one course in something you really, really like each term. It helps make up for drudge courses.
• Sit in the front of the classroom. You'll have less distractions, and you'll pay attention more.
• If you are going to quote something in a paper, make sure it comes from a reliable source.
• Take good notes in class.
• Write it down, even if you already know what the professor says.
• Don't get your Gen-Eds out of the way first, take classes that interest you.
• Turn off your cell phone during class. You definitely don't want to get on your professor's bad side.
• Get all assigned books before your first class. You don't want to start off on the wrong foot.
• Some courses aren't offered every semester...make sure you take them when they are offered.

• Write letters and postcards. It's nice to get mail from others in your mailbox so you're most likely to get something if you're giving something.
• Keep in touch with your old friends and family through phone calls, email, and regular mail.
• Check out a map of the town and find places you can check out with your new friends, or go exploring alone.
• Call home at least 1 time a week- it's good to have a reality check from home! If you have a commute, find a carpool that will get you to your classes on time. This will save lots of money on gas.
• When going out, remember to stay in groups. There's safety in numbers.
• Acknowledge that you have increased freedom and responsibility. Don't go overboard.
• If your college is NOT in your hometown, spend some time driving around town and learning where things are.
• If you don't have a car, make friends with someone who does.
• Don’t always pass up the opportunity to take a road trip. College is all about the experience.
• When moving in if you are flying to college pack your bags as effectively as possible (buy some bags from the store which you can vacuum the air out of in order to compress stuff like bedding and clothing.
• Get off campus as much as you can and explore.
• Bring a car if you can, this helps exploring as well.
• When looking for an off-campus apartments always factor in if things are included into your price.
• Check for Electricity, Heating, Water, Cable, Internet, Phone and Gas (stove). If they aren't included you will have to buy them for a price that will become significant.
• Call your parents/relatives a lot. That way, if you have to call and ask for help, it won't be the only time you're calling.