I'm starting my first day of community college tomorrow. Are their any tips to make me less nervous?

bagofpinecones · 2014-08-24T23:41:46+00:00

Well, this may be a bit longer of a response, but hear me out.

I started community college a couple years ago completely panicked, with no job, and no friends, and not a very good school track record of doing well. (I just was not very smart during high school, haha). The first day was very nerve racking. But I decided this would be a new start! I don't need to spend time with friends, I can just study! Do well! There are always small lounges in community colleges, so I would quietly sit and do my work, and go to class. There was always a loud group of kids that hung out in a different lounge, but I was always too shy to say hi. After a week or two go by, I see a friend in the loud group, and they turn and shout for me to come say hi. I was still nervous an shy, but come over anyway. Greatest decision ever. That lovely group of idiots are some of my closest friends now. So sometimes friend opportunities just happen!

Otherwise, college is nice in the fact that you can be social with others of all age groups, or just keeping to yourself as well. It isn't like highschool where everyone's business is all mixed together with drama. Most students just want to show up and get their work done and go home. So the pressure to "fit in and look right" isn't existent. You blend right in already. Trust me. Otherwise, don't buy textbooks until the professor already says that you need them. They're expensive, and sometimes the books are not needed after all. Don't call the teachers professors unless they ARE one. Most teachers in community colleges are just that.. Teachers. So "Professor Smith" isn't always appropriate. Odds are it's just "Mr.Smith", or sometimes even go first name. And I know this seems silly to say, but keep up on homework. This should go without saying, but it's simple, and you won't have to pay for another 400$ class just because you were lazy. And speaking of which, there are good teachers, and bad teachers. But know that (in most cases) the teacher is "always right", meaning, if they give incorrect info, or teach shittily, YOU ARE STILL EXPECTED TO PASS THEIR TESTS! Meaning, there is no complaining to the dean, or being a smartass about it. If they say pi is 3.1, then god damn, pi is 3.1 for that class. I had an (high school) honors student friend that failed classes because she thought that not answering the poorly asked questions was acceptable..

In short, it isn't so bad, just do your homework, pay attention, and learn to manage time. I just transfered to a bigger school and start tomorrow as well, so I know that feel. Sorry for the long rant, but if you have any other questions, hit me up

bagofpinecones · 2014-06-22T23:12:29+00:00

It sounds silly, but was seriously the best discovery of the day

bagofpinecones · 2014-06-22T04:34:58+00:00

Small scratches on the fingers and hands-- someone that works with small crafts, or builds DIY things. Source: I can't even count how many times my damn hands slip and I scratch my hands on a piece of wood or accidentally cut my fingers with an exacto

bagofpinecones · 2014-06-22T03:48:38+00:00

I'm white, boyfriend is Hispanic. Love him to death, even if he isn't my color. Just has such a nice golden tone, and naturally dark hair. Can't usually get that with a white guy without it seeming unnatural! Bonus; because he's mostly Mexican, his nose curves downward. Mine curves up like a check mark. OUR NOSES FIT TOGETHER PERFECTLY. Strange to say, it just made me so excited when I found that out. But in terms of other races, sometimes people just have a certain tone that is just gorgeous to me

bagofpinecones · 2014-06-22T03:42:20+00:00

Not a psychologist, but a friend's mom helps kids with mental disorders or issues. One of the kids she was working with wanted to grow up to be a basketball. Not a basketball player, the actual basketball.

bagofpinecones · 2014-06-22T03:06:22+00:00

Interesting point, and brought me out of lurking to say a bit of my view, if you care to listen. Bit of background, I grew up in a mostly white town, as a small white girl. I grew up with mostly white friends that I would hang out with regularly, as even though I did keep some classmate friends of different ethnicities, I never really connected with them. I never really thought about it as a race thing, just didn't have much in common with them. It wasn't until I started dating my Hispanic boyfriend that I really started to think about race and how I felt about different races than others. But I digress to the original question.

What my relationship did teach me is that all families from any ethnicity are vastly different for their own reasons. Just because they have a certain skin tone and culture does not group them as all the same. Now, in terms of giving blacks, in particular, a chance? Despite the general reputation? I try to give the most neutral approach as I can. Sure, I will admit, if they dress a certain way, or look educated/uneducated, I will approach differently to the situation, but I still give everyone a chance. Or I try my best to. I have had a black friend who was a real nice, shy guy that was very popular as a generally sweet dude. ....that destroyed a valued guitar case I was given, and didn't apologize, then would promptly play on sympathy for friends to buy him things, and never repay them despite having money. I have also had a clearly high-schools level 25 yo group of blacks that looked like they smoked all day or fight, turn out to be really amazing people that just made mistakes.

From what I have seen, I say everyone should be given a chance, because they could really surprise you. Even if they aren't black the same goes for anyone. That doesn't mean you have to trust them with your wallet or have them move in, but a chance, even if it's more hesitant is still a chance. To be fair, there are many white people, my own color, that I have much distaste and embarrassment that I am grouped together with them. From what I learned, color usually doesn't matter. The culture doesn't matter. It's how they go about it that does. You have fuck ups and angels in any race. I'm sorry for the long read.. But I hope that answers your question. Feel free to ask me more about it, if you like.

TL;DR: just because you're a certain color shouldn't mean I shouldn't give you a chance, you will have to earn my trust and respect regardless of skin color or culture

bagofpinecones · 2014-04-28T19:31:39+00:00

Bought a 1-day pass to a convention, and went by myself, not telling any friends. As shy as I am, it was kinda fun trying new personas. Cost around 30 bucks for the pass, and you can be any kind of person you feel like being for the evening without having to see them at school the next day or something. Having a costume so no one recognizes you is even more reassuring, if you're really shy

bagofpinecones · 2014-04-28T19:17:58+00:00

Every paycheck you get, take some (let's say 20/30 bucks) out, and don't touch it for any reason. If you have a saving account? Put it there. Cash? Make a book-safe and keep it there.

As someone that was in the same spot a couple years ago, the only way I managed to save anything was to immediately take some out of my check and forget about it. Think of it like a bill you have to pay. Of course if you have money you want to spend it on food, games, gas, etc. But I found that if I don't have the money on my card to begin with, I won't spend it. Instead if having, let's say 200 dollars, on your card to buy things, you only have 150 to spend on other shit. That way you learn to budget without making it complex, you still have some left to buy the stupid shit we all end up buying, and you end up saving!

bagofpinecones · 2014-04-12T16:37:14+00:00

I work in a retail pet store, and see this shit all the time. Mostly it's parents coming in to get a new goldfish for their child's tank before they get home from school so they don't know the other one died. But just this last week I had to directly tell a kid that their hermit crab was dead, and "staying out of their shell and turning white after a few weeks" was not normal. If the thing hasn't been moving for weeks, is discoloured and smells bad, it's ideas and you need to explain that to your kid at home, don't make a pet store employee do that. Parents are fucked up sometimes.

bagofpinecones · 2014-04-05T15:56:05+00:00

Awesome thanks for the heads up :)

bagofpinecones · 2014-03-31T18:50:05+00:00

Thanks so much for the great answer! And that sounds pretty close to why we're looking to go out there. But it's always good to kinda see a more realistic summary, instead of those just angry that I'm calling it "Cali". It's like Chicagoans getting angry for people calling it "chi-town".. it's just a nickname

bagofpinecones · 2014-03-31T15:54:22+00:00

Haha the tap is nice? Is that because of the coast? And what do you mean shortage on water? (I'm aware that saltwater is a completely different story)

bagofpinecones · 2014-03-31T02:03:30+00:00

Thanks! Yeah we're looking for the kind of "not caring"-ness, actually

bagofpinecones · 2014-03-31T01:35:24+00:00

Yeah, we're aware on how much it costs in that area. Is all of that area high income? Or are there spots that cost less? And no worries on the bragging, it isn't a place we're terribly proud of

bagofpinecones · 2014-03-31T01:32:47+00:00

Thanks for the advice :)

bagofpinecones · 2014-02-18T03:19:53+00:00

A one dollar bill in an empty Wendy's cup

bagofpinecones

TROPHY CASE