The Residential Hub

Living on campus is  a great experience. You get to meet new people who have a similar situation as you by living on campus and, being able to make those quick connections with other individuals. Housing always has planned out events that they provide for residents to participate in. These events can range from being very informational to being a fun and laid back event. Participating in these events you are able to meet new people and show your school spirit. Instead of just studying all day in your dorm, you can go and check out the great studying spots throughout the villages. You can either sit outside at a table around the trees during the evening with your nose in a book. My favourite place to study is the residential hub. A place where you are able to go in and study in either by yourself or with your friends. It is quiet and a nice place to study in overall. Just last week my friend and I decided to go and study in there. You can either study in the front or can go into the back with your group of friends into a nice and quiet conference room. It is a nice place in there if you and your friends don’t want to be bothered. So, if you live on campus and need a place to study whether it be by yourself or with a group of friends, I definitely would recommend to check out the residential hub.

Maintaining a Budget in College

The cost of college is not cheap! When you were in high school you might not have paid attention to your spending habits as much but, once you hit college you do. Once you are in college you begin to have different kind of obligations and responsibilities. You now have to pay for school, rent (maybe), gas (if you drive), books, and other personal items. Throughout my high school years when my parents or relatives would give me money I would save it up and put it into my bank account. This was very helpful because, when it came around to start paying for college related fees I didn’t have to worry about asking my parents for money. I paid the majority of my school fees which included various of application fees, housing, food, and books. The thing with being in college is that you can’t go out and just go on spending sprees anymore or making impulse purchases. You should make purchases that you need not on things that you want. You might be tempted to buy it but do not do it! It will also help you save up some money if you do not go through with that impulse purchase. Budgeting yourself or saving can be very helpful when you are in college for the fees you would have to pay in the years to come. You just have to be wise about purchases and to not miss any deadlines on payments you have to make because, those late fees can be pretty costly once they begin to add up. So manage your time and budget just right!

First Time Friendships

One of the many hardships of coming to college is making new friends. If you are anything like me, you were probably so used to hanging around the same people every single day throughout, high school. It was way better back in high school, having your own group of friends that knew who you were. But once you hit college, it is time to go and make new friends! Australian author, Patrick Lindsay once said, “Every new friend is a new adventure... the start of more memories.” With that being said, you might be thinking “ Well how am I going to make new friends?” Well it is just your luck! CSU Stanislaus has a various of different clubs and organizations, that you can get involved in. This is one of the best ways of being able to make new friends. By joining clubs that interest you and being able to connect with others. Sure, you might be nervous and afraid to meet others but, you shouldn’t pass up an opportunity to get to know others. I was nervous as well but, I met one of my friends at an event that one of the organizations held and ever since then she has helped me out with so many things regarding school and, is actually helping me open up more by joining different clubs and participating in school events! What I hope you can take from this is, to not be afraid and meet other people because who knows maybe the friendships you make here in college can last much longer than the ones you had back in high school.

First Time College Experience

There is always a first time for everything especially, if this is your first time as a college student. You might be feeling mixed emotions; stress, anxiety, excitement. That is probably only half of what you might be feeling. Let’s just say college is very different from your high school experience and what you actually might be expecting college to be like. Being a first generation college student can be tough. I know it from first hand experience. I was very nervous coming into college, just like you might have felt. I was very anxious just with all the different applications you are suppose to fill out: college applications, scholarships, FAFSA, housing, etc. You don’t really know who to ask what. It can be stressful but, once you actually go to college it is completely different. Here at CSU Stanislaus I realised that there are a lot of people here to help you out in order for you to succeed. Which is great! From going to go talk to your professors during office hours to going to tutoring and joining study groups! These things are all here for your own benefit and it is best to take advantage of all the resources they have. Well that and you mostly paid for all these things so, why not! You have to come to a realisation that there are many people just like you and I; who have many different questions and the only way to find your answers, is if you just ask. Like I said they are all here to help you and guide you in the right direction.