- Stay put. It'll take you longer to finish your degree if you change colleges. Really. Like 2 years longer.
- That includes your major - make a decision and stick with it. Chances are, you aren't going to be doing what you majored in anyway. I did, but most folks don't.
- Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. This is advice for all my life.
- True Love will wait, if it's right. If it doesn't, well then, aren't you glad you know now instead of later? (Not saying that you shouldn't have fun or a relationship, just you know, don't get seriously deeply involved (Do as I say, not as I do....))
- Have fun - get involved. I wish I did.
- Be aware. Walking home from class at 10:30pm and the dude stops the car next to you to ask if you want a ride home? Um, no. And ride the bus the next time (or all semester).
- In spite of your parents (but not to spite them), move into the guy/girl dorm if you are living on campus. The Virgin Vault is no place to be.
- You don't have to put on the freshman 20# (this from a girl who's now significantly overweight). I lost a lot of weight the first year of college - walking everywhere and salad bar in the cafeteria because I was impatient.
- Take night classes, even if you are not working, just going to school full time. You will have better chances at job opportunities during the day, if you want/need to work (not competing with high school or as many other students). You can sleep in later. You don't have to go as often during the week (they are usually 2x/week instead of 5x/week). And they usually don't happen on Friday so you can still attend the local party/game.
- Maximize your credit hours. Maximizing your per semester credit hours means you will be done faster (and cheaper). If I take four classes instead of three, I will be done in 3 years instead of four. Tuition goes up every year, and there is usually some flat fees (which also to up) that you pay each semester. So I'm paying for 9 semesters of flat fees instead of 12. And pretend that tuition is $100/class the first year and $110/$120/$130 the following years. So the standard 3 classes/semester would cost me $4140 and the 4 classes/semester would cost me $3960, saving me $180. Which doesn't sound like much, but where can you find tuition at $100/class?? Do your own math.
Monday, August 23
Ten on Tuesday
10 pieces of advice for college freshmen:
Thursday, August 19
Bison Drive-By
And he's getting closer!
He's headed straight for us!
Can he get any closer?
I guess so....Wednesday, August 18
Advice for Yellowstone...
We had a blast, came home more tired than when we left. I’ll be posting blog pictures probably this weekend – I just downloaded the 1000+ last night from the 5.5 day trip.
Words of advice:
• If you can postpone this trip until after Labor Day, you might want to – it’s crowded with end of summer parent/kid combos in August.
• We didn’t need the bear spray or the bug spray, but ran out of two bottles of sunscreen. But we only went on the trails that EVERYONE was going on – if you are off-roading or taking trails less traveled, I’d still bring the bug/bear sprays.
• They were working on the roads near “the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” and the traffic was horrible. However, don’t miss it, especially if the sun is shining – it’s kinda awesome. (Look for the Osprey nest near Inspiration Point on the North Rim)
• The construction between Madison and Norris (I believe) was advertised as being really bad, but we didn’t really have a problem with it. However, there’s not really that much to see along that road side, so you can avoid it and not feel like you are missing anything.
• You have to see Old Faithful (obviously!), but do it as early in the morning as you can. We got there for the 9:00am “show” and I laughed at how large and empty the parking lot was. At noon, you couldn’t find a place to park and the restaurants were just jam packed with people. Oh, and the cafeteria isn’t open for breakfast – we had ours at the Old Faithful Inn.
• If there are people pulled over on the side of the road and you don’t know what they are looking at (ie. Upcoming Scenic Vista), pull over too – it’s usually some large mammal like a BEAR! Or a BISON! Or even a BALD EAGLE! (I know a Bald Eagle isn’t a large mammal, but it’s still really cool!)
• Which also means – bring your binoculars and the longest camera lens you own. The critters usually aren’t in the middle of the road, but are up the hill a ways from you.
• Usually, means that sometimes, the Bison is coming straight for you down the middle of the road and you could reach out your hand as he walks past your car to pet him. Highly not advised (the petting part – which we didn’t!), but still a story to tell. (Can’t wait to show the pictures!)
• If you have a need/desire for a vegetarian meal – bring it yourself. My veggie sister wanted eggs and hash browns one night (it was on the menu) but they stopped serving that at 8:00 even tho they were open until 10:00 (huh!?!?!). The next restaurant was advertising black bean burgers in addition to the hamburgers and bison burgers – but they were “out”. I suspect they didn’t have much call and so stopped ordering them.
• Bring as many gig for your camera as you can. Those 1000+ pix were on three cards, totaling 20gig (the last card wasn’t full). But I missed a day when we went whitewater rafting – I didn’t bring my camera that day, so I can only imagine if I had the day full of pix too. I had 28gig to play with tho, so I was in no danger of running out. (RAW+L format for my Canon)
• Go whitewater rafting – but do the half day trip, not the full day. You still get the experience, but you don’t spend all day on the river. We used the Flying Pig Outfitters in Gardiner, MT – they had dry bags, storage cubbies, jackets (life and dry), and water booties – all for your use, and free. If they offer to let you “ride the bull” do it – it’s the best seat on the boat! And get there kinda early – parking is a pain. If you do the full day (including lunch), and you have a special diet, let them know and they will do their best to accomodate you.
• Be prepared for weather. The folks from TX were in jeans and sweatshirts the whole time, while Mark & I were in T-shirts and shorts (or short pants) most of the time. Put the rain jackets/ponchos in your backpack EVERY DAY even if it looks like a clear day! It will rain on you some time – maybe not for long or even hard, but it will rain. Friday night we were at the campsite and we got a winter mix – rain/sleet/snow. So bring sweaters/sweat shirt/layers just in case…
• We went down to the Grand Tetons on Friday and did the boat ride/hike to Hidden Falls on Jenny Lake – way cool. The boats run every 10 min or so, and again, the parking lot was jam packed at noon – get there earlier if you can.
• Plan a full day the night before – you probably won’t see everything you want to, but without a plan, you definitely won’t see half of what you want. Be open to the unexpected/detours though as well.
Words of advice:
• If you can postpone this trip until after Labor Day, you might want to – it’s crowded with end of summer parent/kid combos in August.
• We didn’t need the bear spray or the bug spray, but ran out of two bottles of sunscreen. But we only went on the trails that EVERYONE was going on – if you are off-roading or taking trails less traveled, I’d still bring the bug/bear sprays.
• They were working on the roads near “the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” and the traffic was horrible. However, don’t miss it, especially if the sun is shining – it’s kinda awesome. (Look for the Osprey nest near Inspiration Point on the North Rim)
• The construction between Madison and Norris (I believe) was advertised as being really bad, but we didn’t really have a problem with it. However, there’s not really that much to see along that road side, so you can avoid it and not feel like you are missing anything.
• You have to see Old Faithful (obviously!), but do it as early in the morning as you can. We got there for the 9:00am “show” and I laughed at how large and empty the parking lot was. At noon, you couldn’t find a place to park and the restaurants were just jam packed with people. Oh, and the cafeteria isn’t open for breakfast – we had ours at the Old Faithful Inn.
• If there are people pulled over on the side of the road and you don’t know what they are looking at (ie. Upcoming Scenic Vista), pull over too – it’s usually some large mammal like a BEAR! Or a BISON! Or even a BALD EAGLE! (I know a Bald Eagle isn’t a large mammal, but it’s still really cool!)
• Which also means – bring your binoculars and the longest camera lens you own. The critters usually aren’t in the middle of the road, but are up the hill a ways from you.
• Usually, means that sometimes, the Bison is coming straight for you down the middle of the road and you could reach out your hand as he walks past your car to pet him. Highly not advised (the petting part – which we didn’t!), but still a story to tell. (Can’t wait to show the pictures!)
• If you have a need/desire for a vegetarian meal – bring it yourself. My veggie sister wanted eggs and hash browns one night (it was on the menu) but they stopped serving that at 8:00 even tho they were open until 10:00 (huh!?!?!). The next restaurant was advertising black bean burgers in addition to the hamburgers and bison burgers – but they were “out”. I suspect they didn’t have much call and so stopped ordering them.
• Bring as many gig for your camera as you can. Those 1000+ pix were on three cards, totaling 20gig (the last card wasn’t full). But I missed a day when we went whitewater rafting – I didn’t bring my camera that day, so I can only imagine if I had the day full of pix too. I had 28gig to play with tho, so I was in no danger of running out. (RAW+L format for my Canon)
• Go whitewater rafting – but do the half day trip, not the full day. You still get the experience, but you don’t spend all day on the river. We used the Flying Pig Outfitters in Gardiner, MT – they had dry bags, storage cubbies, jackets (life and dry), and water booties – all for your use, and free. If they offer to let you “ride the bull” do it – it’s the best seat on the boat! And get there kinda early – parking is a pain. If you do the full day (including lunch), and you have a special diet, let them know and they will do their best to accomodate you.
• Be prepared for weather. The folks from TX were in jeans and sweatshirts the whole time, while Mark & I were in T-shirts and shorts (or short pants) most of the time. Put the rain jackets/ponchos in your backpack EVERY DAY even if it looks like a clear day! It will rain on you some time – maybe not for long or even hard, but it will rain. Friday night we were at the campsite and we got a winter mix – rain/sleet/snow. So bring sweaters/sweat shirt/layers just in case…
• We went down to the Grand Tetons on Friday and did the boat ride/hike to Hidden Falls on Jenny Lake – way cool. The boats run every 10 min or so, and again, the parking lot was jam packed at noon – get there earlier if you can.
• Plan a full day the night before – you probably won’t see everything you want to, but without a plan, you definitely won’t see half of what you want. Be open to the unexpected/detours though as well.
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