opinion
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Is it fall break yet
KANSAN.COM | TUESDAY, AUG. 16, 2016
my calves haven't trained hard enough for this semester
campus just isn't the same without Harambe...
usain bolt is the fastest man in the world! wow! so quick!
Is anyone else using Tinder social for orgies or just me
Adele is to the Super Bowl as every guy I ever liked is to me.
can russia hack my transcript
another semester, another game of "what's in her water bottle?"
I haven't seen one Olympic horse named Ponyboy and I think that's an oversight.
mama always said life is like a pawn shop. you never know what's going to come through that door.
the olympics dropped their ban on marijuana. Finally, I can compete.
All-time gold medals:
Ethiopia, 22. Phelps,
23. Brazil, 24.
I like loose leaf paper because it's boring and plain like me
Zayn was framed
Usain Bolt just ran at approximately 23 miles per hour to win the 100 meters.
I'm an internet commenter, and I vote.
Long time reader, first time FFAer
I put the "pro" in inappropriate
You can whine about it or you can wine about it
How do I college?
Life is like a football game, you just can't win
Some days I just want to throw away all of my socks and start over
Never trust KU buses. They're either "full" or late.
I need coffee in an IV and school hasn't even started yet
if only I could pay my tuition with monopoly money
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Illustration by Jacob Benson
RYAN LISTON
@rliston235
College is the first time many students live independent of their parents and with roommates. Initially, it seems that everyone is excited to live with people they don't know. Roommates meet up, they post pictures on Instagram (#Roomies), and they imagine late nights eating pizza. Yet these expectations often become a filtered version of reality. Relationships with roommates can grow sour as the dishes are left passive-aggressively unwashed for the third day in a row and trash begins piling up in the most obscure places (behind the couch, on top of the TV, etc.). For those who are new to the roommate experience or those who are still improving, here are some tips to being a better roommate:
Bring a reasonable amount of appliances, furnishings, necessities, etc. that can be used by everyone in the room. Do not split payment on these
items, however, because then it will be unclear who has possession over them when move out day comes.
Take part in the housework: cleaning, taking out the trash, dishes, etc.
If you have a problem regarding one of your roommates, address the problem. Don't talk about the problem behind that roommates back and expect it to get solved.
Pick up after yourself. Don't leave your clothes, shoes, food, drinks, etc. strewn all over the place,
especially in community areas.
Respect your roommates' schedules. Even if you aren't early to bed or early to rise doesn't mean your roommate will be the same way. There are few things worse than a groggy, grumpy roommate being woken up in the middle of the night.
Spend time away from your roommates. When you're cramped up in a house, apartment or dorm with other people, tensions can rise and your tolerance
for even the smallest issues can drop.
Overall, the best way to be a good roommate is to act how you would like your roommates to act and respect the space and belongings of your roommates. You and your roommates will likely break some or all of these rules at one point or another. The key in those situations is to admit blame and correct the issue.
Orth: Embrace academic experiences
MAGGIE ORTH
@orthadontist
College is many things. It is a time for growth and education, friendships and introspection. While we students enjoy the freedom and diversity of choice and time, we must remember why we enrolled in the first place. We enrolled to get a degree, to make money, but most importantly, to learn Here are four valuable tips to make the most of your learning experience.
1. Ask questions and encourage discussion in class
Odds are that you are not the only person confused in class. Speak up! Not only will it be beneficial for you, but also your
classmates. Additionally, the professor will take note of your interest and participation. Be cautious when asking several questions, however. There is a fine line between helpful and downright obnoxious.
2. Control your schedule
College can be roughly divided into three realms: social life, sleep, and school. Now pick two of those. To reduce deadlines and extra stress, plan how you will allocate your time. So, whether this requires a planner, a note in your phone or a superb memory, create a schedule.
3. Be accountable, go to class
Your parents will not be there to wake you up. Your school will not hold your hand. If you miss, that is tough luck. Always email your professor if there is a real reason. Of course there are classes where you can slip by not buying a book and only showing up on exam days. But those are truly rare. The majority of classes have strict attendance policies. For example, in my history of contemporary art class I earned a D. Even though all my papers and exams averaged a 94 percent, I skipped class here and there. In the end, it totaled a staggering 11 missed days. I had to retake it. In my women, gender and sexuality studies class, I missed 4 classes when the cut off period was 3. I had to drop and take a W. Showing
up is half the battle. There is more to it than simply going. Sit where you will be seen. The farther a student sits, the lower the grade in the course tends to be.
Within two weeks, you will forget 80 percent or more of what you have heard. If you choose to take notes on a computer, try not to be distracted or distract others with your addiction to Sons of Anarchy or whatever. Those who take notes on a laptop tend to fall victim to simply recording the professor verbatim. Taking notes by hand produces significantly deeper understanding and improves retention. In your notes, implement an outline and be systematic. Write with
4. Take notes
a smooth pen for fluidity and speed. Keep subject notes dated and together. To save time, abbreviate. Writing down examples is important for thoroughly understanding the presented material. If you do not understand the material and cannot ask questions, leave gaps in your notes and revisit them later. At a later time, with supplemental resources, you can return and relearn.
The amount of learning you can experience inside and outside the classroom is astronomical. Every one of these lessons is applicable to real world scenarios. With practice and proper implementation, organizational skills like these will create a competitive advantage on top of what other skill sets you possess.
Illustration by Jacob Hood