Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

What should every freshman at Ohio State University-Main Campus know before they start?

andrew

If I could go back in time and be myself as a high school senior I would tell myself several things. The first thing I would tell myself would be to join some kind of club or fraternity my first quarter in college. Joining a club or fraternity would have been a great way to make friends and get to know others who knew the campus and could show me the things that took me several quarters to figure out. It would have also given me some friends who have been through their freshman year and have experienced the home sickness I experienced. Knowing some upperclassmen would have been very helpful and could have very beneficial in getting some advice about school and the way things are in college. I also would have told myself to not get so wrapped up in a bad grade. Bad grades happen in college and you can not worry about them, there are plenty of chances to make up a few missed points and receive the final grade you desire.

Tara

Relax. You'll do fine, and for God's sake, HAVE FUN!

Devin

Going to back in time to be a college senior, I would tell myself to not be so worried about the tranisition to college life or making new friends. When you go to college everyone that is with you is in the same boat - they don't know that many people, they are anxious about making friends, and they are trying to figure out the school and living independently just like I was. I would assure myself that I would get in the groove - that everything would work out fine, and that there is a balance between working hard at school and having a social life.

Amanda

You will have a harder time adjusting than you think. College requires you to be more disciplined and independent than you have had to be so far. Your first quarter of college should be used to focus on making that transition and evaluating how much effort you should make for your classes versus your social life. If you don't do this your first quarter, you will have to work even harder and give up more free time in the following quarters. Be open to new ideas and never be afraid to ask questions, you will learn more that way. College will be hard at times, but you will enjoy your time there and will work hard to become a responsible and knowledgable adult. Manage your time well, join a student organization, and don't stress the small stuff. You will have a great time, even in class while you are learning new things. Don't worry about not having it figured out right away, that's what college is for - figuring things out. You will learn a lot more than what your professors teach, but that is now up to you to go find out!

Christopher

It is very important to learn how to manage your time and be self-disciplined. You must learn how to study and be willing to put in time studying outside of class.

Joe

Dont be selfish but watch out for only yourself. Find more ways to finance college because as long as they are getting their money everything seems wonderful. As soon as your out of money, there is nothing to help you except your own research; Something you dont really have time for. Dont let them trick you into believing that the system works in best interest of the student because it doesnt. Stick your head in the books, and keep your GPA up. Dont get caught up in all the things you dont get to experience as a college student. Shut off your attention to most students in general so you dont realize the things your not experiencing. Its all about money. Cant live with it, cant live without it. Thats all that matters

Kyle

I was a pretty shy person in high school. I had friends, and did well in school, but I kept to myself for the most part. After having experienced the transition to college life, I would tell my high school self to not waste any time, but instead just dive right in. In college, no one knows, or frankly cares, about the person you were in high school, and I would tell myself to get involved in any organization that sounds interesting, and to meet as many people as possible. Your friends in college become your family. You live, eat, have fun, and go to class with your friends and it is so much easier to stay busy and have fun when you have diverse group buddies. It also makes doing school work bearable when you at least get to work on it with people who are just as interested in the material as yourself. It would seem easy to meet a bunch of people at a school the size of Ohio State, but sometimes people are seen and never seen again due to the size. It is up to the individual to take it upon themselves to form relationships.

Sheila

If I went back in time and to talk to my high school self about college and making the transition, I would say, “Ok Sheila, listen up. I have a few things you need to know before you finish high school. First off, save as much money as you can now. I was not able to find a job until the spring semester and that put me into debt. Also, start looking for a job before the fall semester. Do not sign up for large lecture classes or early morning classes. You will just drop out of the classes and you need those credits. Take the classes later in the day when possible. You are not a party girl so that is not a problem, but make sure you are doing your work and getting help in those hard classes like Math and Psychology. Take classes that you know will transfer between schools, and choose a school close to home. You are happier when you have friends and family near by. Most of all don’t give up. It is tempting, believe me I know, but stick with it. You can do it no mater how hopeless you feel.”

Brittani

Connect with your advisor early to keep you on track and make sure you understand all the requirements to transfer to a 4-year. I'd also tell myself to make sure you do whatever you need to do to get your priority number low!

Emily

Starting well. Starting well is very important.Human beings can make the mistake of thinking that if they screw up anytime, there is always a method to make it up.But why, when you are given a clean sheet of blank paper, would you want to have some black pencil markings? Even if you manage to erase it, there will be some black marks there. It isn't as good as the original clean sheet of paper that was given in the first place. That's how I feel. Sometimes in college, people would say, I could've done better if I did this and not done that. Once we get out of school and find a job,the things that we screw up in school will be shown on our transcript.Our future employer will see the "black pencil marks" we left behind.How are we going to explain that? Will it even help? In college, we are no longer being monitored closely by our teachers.We are on our own, we make our own destiny.Ask for help.Don't bother about pride anymore,the most important thing is to keep yourself above the water with everyone else.