Talk To A Freshman

Seasoned students on Planet College have developed an efficient approach to getting through. Getting through registration, getting through a class, getting though a test, getting through the line at the food court. Planet College can be said to be about getting through. Which is why this post my seem surprising. This week or during the course of your busy schedule some time soon talk to a freshman. To many this will seem abhorrent, freshmen being the pariah of the social structure on most Planet College Campuses. But. There is a reason for this suggestion. Find a freshman, right now there are probably a few doing motocross on their fixies in and out of the founders fountain in front of the admin building. Well, you know where they are. The approach is going to be tricky unless you already know one but straight forward will probably work well. Just walk up to one, introduce yourself and say," Got time to talk?" Once they get past that you might be a nark or gay (or a gay nark) they may say "Yeah." If they do, ask them about themselves. How they got to your school, if they have a major, what their classes are like so far. Stuff like that. Then. Just listen. Really listen, because this is the point of this post. Listen very carefully. What you are likely to hear is a great deal of energy, a great deal of enthusiasm and absolutely no sense. Make the conversation brief, you do have things to do. Thank them who ever they are and move on.
Later. Reflect on their conversation and remember at one time, maybe not so long ago, you were bursting with energy, full of enthusiasm and really pretty nuts too. The value of this small encounter is to show you that through all of the daily drudgery and ups and downs of your career you have come a long, long way on Planet College.

Rock The Vote.

Progress on Planet College usually includes a growing awareness of the larger world around us. Larger in fact than typical day-to-day student life encompasses.An increasing awareness of life probably by now includes an increasing awareness of the political factors influencing your life. In the USA, the country where this site is maintained, elections occur regularly, particularly around this time of year. Their varying character include local, state and national elections which encompass every position from animal control officer to president. Your opportunity to influence these factors is characterized by an organization called Rock The Vote. Information about them is available at www.rockthevote.com . Look into them. One important thing they may help you determine is where you are eligible to vote. If you are residing somewhere other than your permanent mailing address, and many, many students are, you will need to determine where you are eligible to vote. Find out when and where you can vote and what you have to do to effectively do so. It is your future.

Easy A

Myths, dreams, rumors and gossip persist on Planet College. In fact they may be said to be the essential stuff of daily student interactions. One such persistent myth is the myth of the Easy A.

You've heard it. "Hey. It's an easy A." Maybe you've followed through. Was it? Safe bet there was a little more to it than "easy" might indicate. Still this myth is so sturdy that recently a film maker has chosen Easy A for a title.

Easy A. Catchy, seductive and fictional. The movie it self capitalizes on the myth of the Easy A to explore other areas of student interaction. Still more fantasy. Attractive, appealing, intriguing and diverting. That is what fantasy is for. Especially film fantasy. For a few bucks and a couple of hours we are taken away to yet another world even more fantastic than Planet College.

When it is over we resume the day-to-day drudgery of slugging out our schedule on the way to a degree, a career and dealing with student debt. (But that's another planet.)

Meantime this fantasy serves a useful purpose. But don't confuse movie titles with the facts of Planet College. There are very, very few Easy As. Very few.

Hey. Do a flyer.

For all of the choices of communication available on Planet College flyers are still among the most effective. Flyers are cheap, they are quick and they work.

Need to sell that Calculus book quick or need that Calculus book quick? Do a flyer.

House mate bailed isn't coming back? Need a room mate quick? Do a flyer.

Got a service you can trade for cash? Sushi catering, frisbee golf coach, house moving helper? Do a flyer.

Make it simple fast and to the point. Some PCs have flyer programs built in. All ya gotta do is fill in the information. Use the kind with the tear off phone tag built in. On this section put the basics. Calculus book (999) 666-XXXX CALL NOW!

Head with what you're offering or what your seeking in large bold type.

ANTHRO 101 WORKBOOK NEVER USED.

$20.00

Since flyers always have to do with money place the cost, fee or price prominently below the offer.

Then your name, first name 'll do and contact number, cell, twitter, land line what ever.

If you've done it on a computer you can probably print out ten or twenty depending on how much paper you have- but- black on white paper doesn't really catch the eye. Better still print out one and then go to the campus quick copy. Have them run the copies, ten to twenty should do it, on flashy eye catching paper. Remember you want a quick response. Some copy places have that really gaudy iridescent type of paper but even a kind of Halloweenie bright orange 'll do. Ya wanna be noticed, fast.

Got the copies? OK.

Now all you need is heavy duty scotch tape, masking tape, possibly a heavy stapler and scissors.

Next, use the scissors to cut the sides of the individual tear offs which are at the bottom of the flyer.

Now armed with your flyer "kit", head out for where everybody is. The quad, the front of the book store, The registration window. Bulletin boards in the residence halls. Places everyone has to go. When you've found a location use the appropriate tape or stapler and fix the flyer at eye level. Tape if you're using tape firmly. People tend to really tear so make sure the flyer is fixed securely. If you can use the stapler do so, But. Run a strip of tape across the lower part of the flyer near the top of the tear off. This will prevent the whole flyer from being torn down when someone tears at a tearoff.

Get them all out prominently. You should have what you want, a sold book, a new housemate, a frisbee golf coaching gig within about twenty four hours. If you don't get a response within twenty four hours- do another flyer run.

Keep tryin', keep flyin' till you do. Flyers work.

Accepting Applications

Planet College endorses jobs on campus. Most student's work at least one job, often more. Working on campus provides some simple advantages. You are there anyway so transportation costs are eliminated. Depending on the place where you work there can be useful discounts, books, food, tickets and stuff. You can meet people. Social is a big part of life on Planet College so working on campus can mean expanding your in-person facebook page.

That's jobs on campus.

How about around campus, near campus, by campus? You'll see the signs at the dry cleaners, bike shop, coffee place and all, "Accepting applications." A job near campus is practically the same as a job on campus. No transportation hassle, meet people, discounts on stuff and a few bucks. Cool.

Listen Up, Soldier!

For veteran's returning to Planet College or attempting to further their education, Planet College can be more than a bit of culture shock. Compared to surviving fire fights, and roadside bombs not to mention the often barely organized insanity that is the American Military the culture of higher education can seem down right trivial. The concerns of students who have no military background often feel exaggerated. This is all in your perspective. Moving from a war zone or at least a war culture to a place where the next big party is the major student concern can be discouraging.

This is to be expected.

The shift in emphasis is overwhelming for veterans at times. While there are commonly resources on campus for veterans, often soldiers transitioning to civilian life will feel no one can understand. In fact, this is probably true. The business of most universities is preparing students for a world far different than the military. This can take some getting used to. If you are not the type of person who commonly ask for help it might be time to re-evaluate your tactics.

Asking for help is often the last thing a veteran wants to do. No one wants to be seen as the soldier who can't handle it. But this is civilian life and it is ok to ask for help. So, if you are feeling a little distressed or confused. Try the veterans affairs, try a classmate or call a buddy. It is ok to ask for help.

Dismissed!

Before you go back read this.

If you're Summer is dragging along and you're seriously considering not going back to school this fall consider this.


While on Planet College You have learned more than you are aware of and you now know more about you, about living, about school and about life than you currently appreciate.

So think about what you might not have learned and skills you might not have acquired had you not attempted Planet College.

Whether you go back in the Fall or not realize now you have learned a lot. If school has gotten too frustrating making a list of your options and making a simple plan of action based on your experiences can be the most useful next step in your career, whether it is on Planet College or back on Earth.