5 things I wish I knew as a freshman
August 28, 2013
By Eleanor Hasken | Assistant Photo Editor
Seeing the entire freshman class move into the dorms reminds me of how I felt four years ago – like a lost person stumbling around campus. I have to admit that to this day I still don’t know what goes on in most of the buildings. I can, however, tell you that Movie Tavern is the best place to go for dinner and a movie, and that frozen yogurt is slowly taking over the dessert world.
Here, I’d like to pass on a few of the things I’ve learned to you.
1. After the first few days of being on campus, you’ll realize that your money is being spent more quickly than you thought possible. Textbooks totaling $600? Pretty normal. Various notepads and binders reaching $350? Not so much. An easy way to avoid school supply fees is to take advantage of the limitless free resources on the web.
My all-time favorite is Evernote. With separate notebooks for each subject, features like tagging notes, various formatting options
and PDF organization, there is no excuse for buying that binder/notebook combination when you have Evernote. Other free services include: the Microsoft suite (available to any enrolled UK student), Prezzi (a presentation creating website), Dropbox (an online version of a USB) and Quizlet (a flashcard creating website). The last step to having a fully stocked school supply arsenal is taking any free pen or highlighter in sight. With the first few weeks of school approaching, there will be tons of opportunities for free swag. Don’t miss any of them.
2. Add/Drop is your best friend. Nothing is set in stone the first few days of classes. You are free to drop or add as many classes as you want. Take advantage of this. The full add/drop schedule is on the online academic calendar.
3. Midterms are super important. By the time they roll around, you’ll still care a considerable amount about your courses. Typically, teachers weigh midterms as much as finals, which means they determine a lot of your grade. Put a lot of effort into getting a good midterm grade. It will make the final push at the end of the semester a lot less stressful.
4. Submit any disability requests the first week of classes. Teaches require any disability slips to be turned in during the first week of classes. Disabilities can range from mobility problems to ADD/ADHD, and all needs will be accommodated. If you have any disabilities that need to be reported, bring a copy of your diagnosis to Alumni Gym, Room 2. They will issue an official paper to give to all of your professors. If you have any questions feel free to contact them, either in person or on the phone at 859-257-2754.
5. Finally, the most important thing I’ve learned: build a good rapport with your professors. No matter the size of your class, this is important. I’ve visited my teachers during their office hours before a big test and been given very specific things to study. They will become great references down the road. In smaller discussion classes your teachers can be your best friends. If you are really struggling, go in to see the teacher on a regular basis. The teacher will know you are trying and be more prone to giving you a better grade.
6. OK, I lied; there is one more thing I’ve learned that is important. Make the most of your freshman year. There are tons of places to get involved on campus. No matter what your interests are there is something for you to do.
