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How was your college experience ?
- Thread starter Baphomet
- Start date
I was 30 when I transferred to my local university. I kind of kept to myself for the first few years. In my last year and a half I was in a senior design class my team had a pretty good group of guys that I ended up hanging out with pretty regularly for my last year and a half before graduating. They more or less called me Grandpa because they were 22 and I was 33, but I would make fun of them for being late to everything.
Good and bad. My college screwed me over starting my freshman year, but the impact didn't hit until fall Junior year where I was not allowed to go to school due to a large debt I had with the school. This was before FAFSA was only digital so an admin could handkey a social security error and fuck stuff up. I went through a spiral of homelessness, being poor as fuck, and 14 temporary worker jobs (to be fair I was poor before) before I got the CFPB to reverse their mistake, got back into school, graduated, and got a job across coasts.
It was okay. I didn't take my first two years very seriously and my GPA was pretty shit. I wanted to major in CS (yeah I know, surprise surprise) but the CS program at my school was one of the most competitive in the country so that wasn't happening with my grades. I settled on Mathematics instead and hit my stride academically my last two years and was able to graduate in four years. I did end up getting a job in tech after all was said and done so it was all good.
Met a lot of cool people - still keep in touch with a few of them. The worst thing I think was the commute. I chose to live at home with my parents instead of getting a dorm or an apartment. My school's campus was in a major city and I didn't live too far away but with traffic the commute was around 45-50 min. I also had to pay 5 dollars a day for parking which fucking sucked.
Good times.
Met a lot of cool people - still keep in touch with a few of them. The worst thing I think was the commute. I chose to live at home with my parents instead of getting a dorm or an apartment. My school's campus was in a major city and I didn't live too far away but with traffic the commute was around 45-50 min. I also had to pay 5 dollars a day for parking which fucking sucked.
Good times.
My first year was pretty miserable, though I did great in class because I had nothing to do. I lived off campus which was a mistake because I really didn't meet any other people.
My second year started out pretty much the same until somebody in class recognized me from youth hockey and told me to try and walk on our hockey team. I made the team and from there on my college experience was awesome!
I ultimately did not need my degree for my current profession, but the experience was worth it just for the friendships I made.
My second year started out pretty much the same until somebody in class recognized me from youth hockey and told me to try and walk on our hockey team. I made the team and from there on my college experience was awesome!
I ultimately did not need my degree for my current profession, but the experience was worth it just for the friendships I made.
As an undergrad I didn't really do any of the social stuff just went to class and it was fine. Student teaching sucked but that's kind of the point, to root out people like me who would not make great teachers and don't really want to be. Working in the library and on public projects after that was fun though.
Grad school was ok until COVID but even with that my perspective is mostly based on working as a graduate assistant rather than what we did in classes which wasn't useful to me at that point.
As a whole I got along well with my professors and made a few connections and friends that have been great. I got some useful experience in my field too.
Grad school was ok until COVID but even with that my perspective is mostly based on working as a graduate assistant rather than what we did in classes which wasn't useful to me at that point.
As a whole I got along well with my professors and made a few connections and friends that have been great. I got some useful experience in my field too.
Undergrad years were just OK. I did a little too much partying and goofing off, but not enough to sink my GPA too low. I feel like it was mostly a waste of time and money, though. I learned little before finally getting out with a liberal arts degree.
Fast forward 10 years and I decided to enroll in grad school. Pretty much the opposite of my undergrad. I went to class in the evenings after work and finished in a year and a half with a M.S. Also, I felt like a learned a lot and definitely used my degree to land a better job.
So, I guess the experiences evened out 🤷‍♂️
Fast forward 10 years and I decided to enroll in grad school. Pretty much the opposite of my undergrad. I went to class in the evenings after work and finished in a year and a half with a M.S. Also, I felt like a learned a lot and definitely used my degree to land a better job.
So, I guess the experiences evened out 🤷‍♂️
My experience was pretty good, but something tells me it could've been way better if I were better at socializing. Even then, I had plenty of great friends who I'll honestly remember for the rest of my life, yet never stayed in contact with because that's just how I am for some weird reason.
Campus was a 1.5-hour train ride and I worked a part-time graveyard shift job, so I skipped class as often as I could get away with, so basically was only on campus for classes where attendance was mandatory, and on exam days. Covid hit in my last term, so the transition to online courses near the end was pretty much seamless for me.
Overall, it was mostly a commuter school, and because I attended class so infrequently, I made basically 0 friends.
I'm still close with nearly all of my high school friends, though, so it's no biggy.
Overall, it was mostly a commuter school, and because I attended class so infrequently, I made basically 0 friends.
I'm still close with nearly all of my high school friends, though, so it's no biggy.
austere. commuted to campus from home. worked part time to pay for tuition, had lots of free time for gaming but otherwise didn't do much partying.
With the scholarships for maintaning my GPA, part-time job, and grants I got, ended up graduating without any debt. Granted i'm in Canada and went to Uni in the early 2000s. But I just let the student loan I did take sit in the bank earning interest. so you could say I made money there.
I enjoyed my time. Lots of people enjoyed the partying, but I really enjoyed the learning and studying. Some profs/classes I still think back to with a lot of good memories. The amount of free time/lack of care I had at the time made it almost perfect time in my life in retroscopt even though at the time I was worried about finding a job after graduating and being a poor student.
With the scholarships for maintaning my GPA, part-time job, and grants I got, ended up graduating without any debt. Granted i'm in Canada and went to Uni in the early 2000s. But I just let the student loan I did take sit in the bank earning interest. so you could say I made money there.
I enjoyed my time. Lots of people enjoyed the partying, but I really enjoyed the learning and studying. Some profs/classes I still think back to with a lot of good memories. The amount of free time/lack of care I had at the time made it almost perfect time in my life in retroscopt even though at the time I was worried about finding a job after graduating and being a poor student.
Went to College (University I guess?) with my best friend and another good friend, didn't make any new friends really, just one or two acquaintances, because I was an introvert.
I was best in class in the first two years which blew my mind, then alas my best friend killed himself at the start of the third year and from then on my life went to shit slowly but very steadily.
Never managed to end my Masters paper and thus never got my degree, lol. All these years thrown away for absolutely nothing, I could've just as well been playing Vidya games 24/7 it wouldn't have made a difference.
The End.
I was best in class in the first two years which blew my mind, then alas my best friend killed himself at the start of the third year and from then on my life went to shit slowly but very steadily.
Never managed to end my Masters paper and thus never got my degree, lol. All these years thrown away for absolutely nothing, I could've just as well been playing Vidya games 24/7 it wouldn't have made a difference.
The End.
Feeling more adult/mature (relatively lol) was great, made some good friends, had the chance to study abroad which had a huge an impact on the person I am now.
Never really had to work that hard to get by, and I enjoyed most of my classes. Overall it was the chillest period of my life.
Never really had to work that hard to get by, and I enjoyed most of my classes. Overall it was the chillest period of my life.
I was still pretty immature and really oblivious, I drank too much and really scrambled in the first year, it was hard to shake that off. Good friends and enjoyed the sport activities outside of study but I wish my first year wasn't so much a fast paced blur, felt I was never grounded. I would say enjoy yourself but absolutely get it to fuck 99% of the time.
Stressful and frustrating. I got through it but almost didn't. Enjoyed the internships. Learning Japanese was fun, necessary distraction from everything else I had going on.
I don't really feel like what I learned was applicable to those internships and I think what I learned while working those was far more valuable than anything I did in the classroom.
I don't really feel like what I learned was applicable to those internships and I think what I learned while working those was far more valuable than anything I did in the classroom.
Got good grades and learned some cool stuff but was a shut in who only ventured out for lectures and fast food.
I guess I am technically still in university but its part time and I work full time so I'm more experiencing the work experience than the university experience at this point.
I guess I am technically still in university but its part time and I work full time so I'm more experiencing the work experience than the university experience at this point.
Spectacular.
5 years of stress and worry, but I've never gotten as much out of any other time in my life. I made a point to join as many clubs as I could, triple majored, friend groups all over, and had ample lead in to be able to onramp into my career. I was getting back to my dorm past midnight at least a solid 60% of the time.
5 years of stress and worry, but I've never gotten as much out of any other time in my life. I made a point to join as many clubs as I could, triple majored, friend groups all over, and had ample lead in to be able to onramp into my career. I was getting back to my dorm past midnight at least a solid 60% of the time.
At one point I literally worked 2 jobs and went to college full time to put myself through so it wasn't exactly a party 24/7, but I can't complain.
The real downer was that I graduated at the height of the 08 recession and all of the contacts/internships I had managed right by the end amounted to shit all as everything collapsed.
The real downer was that I graduated at the height of the 08 recession and all of the contacts/internships I had managed right by the end amounted to shit all as everything collapsed.
Pretty good. I went to a state school known for partying, and while I didn't party myself, I was dating someone who lived in an apartment complex that was known for huge weekend parties. I met a lot of cool people when I was hanging out there, even if I wasn't doing the usual party stuff. I also lived in a dorm for the first year full of very tech centric people, and we played a lot of Starcraft (and they also introduced me to Everquest).
I guess I also studied.
I guess I also studied.
Kinda mixed. Had a couple really good friends and I think I got a good education, but I was also really withdrawn at times and my grades took a nosedive in the middle of undergrad. I wish I was more social and tried harder in school
I have some regrets but it wasn't a disaster.
I have some regrets but it wasn't a disaster.
Awful.
You can say I grew up a lot during those years. I went to a commuter school and dealing with the "real world" even from a distance depressed me. Love life was a disaster. I should have gone to therapy but who could afford it?
My grades sucked due to my depression. Limiting my future paths. No time to play games or do anything. Applied to every job I could and got rejected. Even cutting grass.
You can say I grew up a lot during those years. I went to a commuter school and dealing with the "real world" even from a distance depressed me. Love life was a disaster. I should have gone to therapy but who could afford it?
My grades sucked due to my depression. Limiting my future paths. No time to play games or do anything. Applied to every job I could and got rejected. Even cutting grass.
It started okay. I went with a few friends from high school, made a few friends there and played a lot of Quake 3. Second year, though, all of friends decided to not come back and my one friend that did, who was my roommate, just dropped out for a job a couple months in. So I was in a dorm by myself, with no friends and no car. I was 400 miles from home in northern Michigan and it was just cold and gray all the time. I got really bad depression. I understood why people commit suicide, but I wouldn't do it myself. Failed out of all of my classes then didn't go back the next year.
It was awesome.
I dated a number of girls (one rejected me for a relationship but after wanted to fuck anyway which I thought was funny. I also felt like I did a world tour with different ethnicities). My current gf is one I've been with since my second to last semester (6 years ago).
Made a lot of friends, went to gatherings, joined a few clubs, socialized at events, and overall got involved with college life. I was determined to make the most of it and not look back with "what ifs" and shit. One group of friends, we called ourselves "The United Nations Group", I'm still with, get together with, party and enjoy. They also helped me keep positive and have great role models and peers.
I went to the university with the thought of graduating in computer science and working for a tech company like Google. Ironically, I made it to Google before I graduated with a degree in psychology after I found out I hated computer science but loved psychology.
I also found stable jobs that worked with my school schedule and got some experience. One boss gave me a hard time on campus that he threatened me and my credits. I got his stupid ass fired instead.
I dated a number of girls (one rejected me for a relationship but after wanted to fuck anyway which I thought was funny. I also felt like I did a world tour with different ethnicities). My current gf is one I've been with since my second to last semester (6 years ago).
Made a lot of friends, went to gatherings, joined a few clubs, socialized at events, and overall got involved with college life. I was determined to make the most of it and not look back with "what ifs" and shit. One group of friends, we called ourselves "The United Nations Group", I'm still with, get together with, party and enjoy. They also helped me keep positive and have great role models and peers.
I went to the university with the thought of graduating in computer science and working for a tech company like Google. Ironically, I made it to Google before I graduated with a degree in psychology after I found out I hated computer science but loved psychology.
I also found stable jobs that worked with my school schedule and got some experience. One boss gave me a hard time on campus that he threatened me and my credits. I got his stupid ass fired instead.
If you take out the money and debt I don't see how you wouldn't love it if you go to a traditional college.
You pretty much have no real responsibilities (the requirements of doing well in college are not that bad) and you have a ton of friends and free time.
I miss always having a friend around for a meal, basketball, movie, tv, videogames and in general having free time to explore and try different things.
I imagine tv if much different in college now. Back in the day you had to reserve the tv in the common room and it was honestly a blast watching sports, the Simpsons, X-files, etc with a large group of people. Now does everyone just Netflix on their laptop in their dorm and binge by themselves?
You pretty much have no real responsibilities (the requirements of doing well in college are not that bad) and you have a ton of friends and free time.
I miss always having a friend around for a meal, basketball, movie, tv, videogames and in general having free time to explore and try different things.
I imagine tv if much different in college now. Back in the day you had to reserve the tv in the common room and it was honestly a blast watching sports, the Simpsons, X-files, etc with a large group of people. Now does everyone just Netflix on their laptop in their dorm and binge by themselves?
It's kinda funny because in High School I had no friends, and my grades were poor. When I got to college, I still didn't have any friends, but I did very well academically. I just got my AA along with a 4.0 GPA after going back to school 2 years ago. The only real social interaction that I had was from mandatory group assignments and meeting classmates to discuss said projects.
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Got into my dream university with my dream course at the time. It was the top school for my course and it can be very competitive. The people were great, the place was great and it was really some of the best times of my life.
...Then they kicked me out in less than 2 years by not being up to their standard. Fucked me up ever since. Continued my course in a not as prestigious school that would take the rejects and spent the next 4 years alone and far away. The time after getting kicked out, I never found new friends in the new school and I developed my depression and anxiety and took me 2-3 more years to graduate than my friends. I was able to get my license through sheer will of wanting to prove myself for getting kicked out.
More than 10 years later, I am just learning I may have ADHD which made the process of commuting to school (I was consistently late) and actually studying very challenging, I was really down on myself so much for fucking up.
The people I were friends with are still my best friends though. But I kinda missed out because I was in a different place instead of being there with them.
...Then they kicked me out in less than 2 years by not being up to their standard. Fucked me up ever since. Continued my course in a not as prestigious school that would take the rejects and spent the next 4 years alone and far away. The time after getting kicked out, I never found new friends in the new school and I developed my depression and anxiety and took me 2-3 more years to graduate than my friends. I was able to get my license through sheer will of wanting to prove myself for getting kicked out.
More than 10 years later, I am just learning I may have ADHD which made the process of commuting to school (I was consistently late) and actually studying very challenging, I was really down on myself so much for fucking up.
The people I were friends with are still my best friends though. But I kinda missed out because I was in a different place instead of being there with them.
Ultimately good and worthwhile, though the first year or two especially was a mixed bag. I didn't know anyone at the same school going in, so while I met some people in classes, no friendships from that year really stuck long-term, and it was kind of a lonely time. And academically it was rough, due to both some poor/naive choices in first year classes and some poor study habits. It wasn't a total disaster, but I did lose out on some grade-dependent scholarship money as a result, and found that pretty embarrassing after having such an easy time academically in high school.
Eventually I found a great group of friends, some of whom are still my closest friends nearly 20 years later. I certainly could have taken better advantage of the time academically, which is probably common—but I did get the piece of paper and have been employed in that field since.
Eventually I found a great group of friends, some of whom are still my closest friends nearly 20 years later. I certainly could have taken better advantage of the time academically, which is probably common—but I did get the piece of paper and have been employed in that field since.
Truthfully, it was a pretty lonely time in my life. I really just stopped socializing and dumped 100% of my efforts into schoolwork. Managed to get incredibly high marks, but it came at the cost of my social life. Fortunately, things would turn around towards the end of my Bachelors and I made several best friends and met my wife, but boy were those first three years a slog.
Bad. I entered college as an already fucked up kid who was sheltered with an extreme helicopter mom during high school and deprived of the freedom and encouragement to grow as a person and have a life outside of my house. When I got to college I was woefully unprepared for college life in every respect, so I had zero friends or social life and did miserably academically. Somehow I graduated 5 years later, but my "formative years" were squandered and it's something I'm never going to fully recover from.
There were a LOT of spoiled rich douchebags wasting mommy and daddy's money and partying their way through an expensive school. I kept my head down and worked (my job, and my classes). Shit was too hard and too expensive to fuck around. Mostly liked my professors and classes. Kept in 0 contact with any fellow students from college. Still in touch with lots of folks from high school and the earliest jobs in my career, but none from college. Only real interaction with the social scene was following my nose to free food on campus pretty often, then taking the free food and absolutely not trying to join the frat or whatever organization was giving out the free food to try to recruit.
Pretty much all of my classmates were going into medical/financial/military programming. There were a couple folks interested in games in classes above/below mine, but usually just like 1 or 2 per year. I guess I'm in loose twitter contact with one of those guys, and I bumped into another at work once.
Pretty much all of my classmates were going into medical/financial/military programming. There were a couple folks interested in games in classes above/below mine, but usually just like 1 or 2 per year. I guess I'm in loose twitter contact with one of those guys, and I bumped into another at work once.
Loved it, it was great. Met my wife, met lifelong friends, came out, enjoyed class. Social activity was fun (went to an SEC school, Saturdays in the fall were incredible).
Your teammates lol
Your teammates lol
Had tons of fun. Made life-long friends. Got a degree that landed me some great jobs. I would say it was worth it for me.
Shit awful, but I was working full time and doing school full time. I was getting up at 5 every morning to catch the train to school had classes until noon or so. Then I'd catch the train to get to work by 1:30 and work until 10 PM, get home and do homework until Midnight and then get up at 5 the next morning to repeat it all. By the time I graduated I was an exhausted mental wreck. I made a few friends at school, but most of my lifelong friends have come from work.
Hahaha fuck, alright you got me there. Plenty of that to go around.
Fucking kicked ass. I learned how to become independent, self-confident, organized, and how to use those skills to accomplish what I wanted.
Way better than my high school experience for sure. Didn't get any friends, but had a good time.
Played college football so I had a great experience my first stint. Second stint I took more serious and got my Engineering degree so it was a no fun zone.
It was fine
I started in my mid-20s and worked full time while taking a full course load, with a year or so working two jobs. But I was lucky my main job had enough downtime where I could study at work, so I still had time for dating and occasional fun. So it could have been worse since I wasn't having to worry about homework on my own time.
I started in my mid-20s and worked full time while taking a full course load, with a year or so working two jobs. But I was lucky my main job had enough downtime where I could study at work, so I still had time for dating and occasional fun. So it could have been worse since I wasn't having to worry about homework on my own time.