I only have one more year left (Class of 2014). I am excited and at the same time will miss the…read morecollege life once I graduate.
I am not a typical college student. I am a transfer student with an associate's degree, in my mid 20s, work part time, and a commuter. This review breaks down to four categories: academics, administration, campus life, and food (of course food! Can't be a Yelper if the review does not include food!).
Academics:
If you are new to the college life and have never been enrolled before, then you are pretty much smooth sailing, you will learn which classes you need to take and when you should take them. For a transfer student, you have to make sure if your transfer credits would substitute properly for a class required for your major, otherwise, you may end up taking a class that you don't really need, which is a waste of time and money.
ALWAYS form a great working relationship with your professors. Being determined about your coursework and grades, getting help every now and then from your professor or from other sources (eTutoring, the Writing Center) can really give you the boost that you need and help you pass the course. Extra credit varies with professors, if they are offered, do them. I took a course last semester where my professor gave opportunities for extra credit in the form of writing assignments, it did help boost my grade a little and also improved my writing a bit. Take up on anything that may help you succeed in your class.
Most importantly, talk with students in your classes to get a general idea of which professors to take, to avoid, and whatnot. This always help!
Administration:
Some people will have a love/hate relationship with admin (depending on what your major is and what department of study you are dealing with). As a transfer student, I had to make sure my credits were counted towards a transfer course equivalency to avoid retaking a class. Getting credits to count towards the transfer course equivalency might be a hassle, but you have to do it. You'll need signatures from the department chair of whatever type of course you want your transfer credits to count for, the department chair of your major of study, and finally from the dean of the school your major of study is under. Then bring all the signed and dated documents to the registrar, but ALWAYS MAKE A COPY for yourself. I had to do this for a biology class and one person at the registrar's office, Lauren, is really great with helping transfer students with their credits dilemma. Ask for her if you need your credits taken care of.
The health services is pretty good. I had the flu, the common cold, and severe seasonal allergies, all in one semester. Of course, I made a few trips to the health services building, and they are great. I got the RX I needed for whatever I had, and it was cheaper getting it directly from the RN than going to CVS if you are full-time student, and the cost is billed to your tuition. I've also been to the counseling and wellness center my first semester there because of stress and returning to school. They are great and will refer you to services outside of campus if you need more help.
Campus Life:
For the 2013-2014 year, the Breakers game room is now FREE! It does not cost $2/hr anymore just to play pool, table tennis or the gaming systems (PS3, Wii, etc.). Free comes with a price. The school year is only a week in and that place has been packed. But, it's a good place to go and de-stress or take breaks in between studying (or in my case, beat the hubby at pool, LOL!)
Can't speak for resident students, but there is plenty to do for commuters. The student center has a nice three story lounge where you can relax, hook up your laptop an catch up on coursework, or even take a SNOOZE if you want to! Pretty much almost once a month, there is always some kind of event going on where you can score some free knick-knacks (keychain, lanyard, stress ball, etc.). The best events is during the warmer months when CCSU has the 'carnival' complete with free fried dough, games, simulators (for alcohol awareness events) and other activities. Semesters sometimes have late night events, such as movie showings or parties. Those are good for residents.
Food:
I've eaten at Memorial Hall and the Devil's Den (has The Grille, Pandini's, Starbucks and SubConnection, which is similar to Subway), but never tried the Blue Room. Memorial is the typical campus dining, food is ok, but not spectacular. At SubConnection and Pandini's, the fresh subs and salads made to order are delicious and the pizza at Pandini's is pretty good as well. The Grille has some good food also, I found it's best to get their food when it's not busy (my fav is the chicken tenders). Starbucks is, well... Starbucks. The best part is using your Blue Chip card to save 20%! If you don't want any of these, there are plenty of other places near campus to chow down.
Hope this review is helpful for anyone. Enjoy your time at CCSU!
