PoppinBottlesMGT

Sorry...a) I don't know if this is the best forum to ask and b) this is an impossibly stupid question. But I am almost too embarrassed to ask someone in real life:

(I have never been to school before, at any level, and orientation didn't really orientate me)

Starting as a freshman this summer, taking American Gov't, College Algebra, and Freshman Comp.

There are a few books and a calculator that are listed in the course info, but I understand that you don't really have to buy those until after the first class, because it's not set in stone what you really need, right?

So what DO I bring? I don't have a laptop yet, so just notebooks, pens and pencils? I guess I need a bag? Anyone have thoughts?

Sorry again for such a stupid question, but I feel like if I show up first day with a notebook and a pencil inside a giant bag, I will look like an idiot.

ThisMortalSoil

Bring a scientific calculator, some pens, some pencils, a notebook, a folder for each class. You'll be fine. I rarely use anything besides those items.

Nanner25

All I use is a one and a half inch binder with a tab for each class...

For the first day, I usually just bring a note book and some pens. Unless the professor sends out an email or something saying you need the book for the first day, you aren't expected to bring it. And it's a good idea to wait until the first class to find out what you really need. It's sucks when you buy a book and then find out the professor isn't even going to use it.. On that same note, don't buy your books from the bookstore unless you absolutely have to. It's way cheaper to rent your books from bookrenter.com or chegg.com than it is purchase them. I also use Amazon and buy used or just sell the book back to them (they do buy backs). It's worth shopping around...

Good luck!

pacificvista

Easy schedule

I would bring my backpack, whatever I use to take notes, and my calculator. If you're taking science classes like chemistry, you'll eventually need goggles. I don't recommend bringing a laptop to play games on while the professor is lecturing. It's easier to just not show up than play games while the professor is lecturing.

PoppinBottlesMGT

Thanks guys...wanted to be prepared, but also didn't want to show up with too much kit and look like I was playing dress up.

Backpack, stuff to write on, stuff to write with, something to stick handouts in, and maybe a cheap calculator. Got it.

PoppinBottlesMGT

@pacificvista

Heh...didn't want to overload myself my first term. They actually recommended I only do two.

I will probably buy a laptop, but I'm in no hurry, and I'm too old and too cheap to pay $400/class just to play games.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

soccergurl7988

DON'T BRING YOUR TEXTBOOKS!!! Seriously. At my school, everyone picks out the freshmen the first week because they're lugging around 8 books like it's HS

icedragon

I always brought my textbooks and will contine to do so. All of my classes were small and, more often then not, I would ask the prof about the textbook (what the required reading was and if this was the right one) and such.

pen

paper

planner

a drink

a digital recorder

textbook

Those are what i normally bring.

PoppinBottlesMGT

Thanks soccergurl7988. I wasn't sure about that either. Didn't know if there would be much reading along in class or what. Will still probably have to suss that out a little, and I assume it's a class-by-class thing, yes?

@icedragon - Digital recorder...hadn't thought of that. Isn't that a lot of time commitment, though, going back through 3hour lectures all over again? Can you expand on your process a bit?

Also, for a planner, I was just thinking I'd use Google Calender, print out my itinerary every morning, write new stuff down on the back, and update it all when I get home. Anyone see that as inefficient or anything?

icedragon

I learn the best by listening, rather than by taking notes. If something important is said, I sometimes note the time that it was recorded on (my recorder says how long it has been on, so for example: 33:51 minutes or 1:31:02). But generally, I just relisten to the lectures as i do something else (walking around on campus, etc).

In this way, i do not write anything down wrong and that, if need be, i can go back to the professor with an issue that they hadn't expanded on fully in the lecture.

That planner sounds like a good idea.

PoppinBottlesMGT

Interesting. I have never taken notes before, so I will experiment with that first, but I will definitely keep that possibility in mind. Thanks.

YonderMountain

So far in college I have almost never needed textbooks in-class. The only exceptions have been lab-based classes that assign problems from the book in-class and one upper-level math class where the professor didn't like to bother with rewriting all the matrices and equations on the whiteboard. In general, the only things you need for most classes are a notebook and a good quality pen. You don't usually want a cheap pen or a pencil because they get tiring to write with after a while.

Sunsloth

I just take a notebook and a pen.

RoxSox

All I ever bring to any class is a notebook and pens, and my computer if I want (though I don't bring it a lot because I need to plug it in and it distracts me). You rarely need to bring the textbook, and if you do need to they'll tell you. You most likely won't need any books the first few days though. It's not weird to have a couple things in a big bag though, that's probably what most people do.

fauxmaven

So, how have you never been to school? Are you homeschooled ?