URI: Campus 411

By: Brenna McCabe

Posted: 6/13/09

Summer 2009 - At the University of Rhode Island, life as a first-year student can be overwhelming. So here's the spiel on campus life.

Scheduling tips

One thing I've learned in college is that time management is essential. That being said, if you label yourself as a procrastinator, scheduling three classes back-to-back is probably not the best idea. I would recommend giving yourself a couple hours in between to finish up homework, or take a nap to catch up from the three all-nighters you pulled. Look at your classes accordingly - which class will take the most time preparation? It's best to pair hard classes with lighter ones. Another thing is that even though you've come from high school where you took five or six classes a day, freshman year of college is a period of adjustment. Limit yourself to one, two, or three classes per day. You'll thank me later.
-CT

Toto, we're not in high school anymore

With every university or college comes a variety of professors with many different teaching styles. But this isn't high school anymore - there's more than one class you can take, and better, there's usually more than one professor teaching a class. Take classes that interest you. If you attend the first day of a course and realize that the professor just might cramp your style, switching out of a class is as simple as logging onto your e-Campus account and clicking "Drop." Having an approachable professor is just as important as taking a course in an exciting topic. Sometimes teaching styles can ruin your experience in a class ... or if you don't do anything about it, an entire semester.
-BM

Unofficial homework

It seems easy to cast aside reading week after week. But don't be fooled, work piles up and cramming shouldn't become your best friend. In college, not every class grades you on your "effort," but on three tests, period. Having a planner and making note of what you've been having a tough time understanding is the first step in acing that midterm. Along with that, days off aren't always free time. It might serve you well to take a few hours and sit in the library with a coffee in between classes instead of hanging out on the Quadrangle sunbathing.
-CT

Get involved

I'm sure you've heard this speech a million times already, but let me just say that joining a student group your freshman year is the best way to meet people and find out what you want to do with your life. Or maybe you just have a hobby like sailing that you'd like to tack on (get it?) to your schedule. It's important to not only do homework and take on more responsibility in college, but to also have fun and enjoy yourself. There are more than 70 organizations on campus, including Student Senate, the Student Entertainment Committee and the Good 5 Cent Cigar, to name a few. Some even have some great perks! Find a group and stick with it-it's definitely worth your while.
-BM

Don't stretch yourself too thin

While it's important to get the most out of college and find a student group or organization that you're passionate about, remember you have your academics and general sanity to take care of. Make sure that you can handle everything you take on before it's too late to quit. Being stressed all the time can seriously mess with your sleeping patterns, your health and your grades.
-CT

Roommates! Ahhh!

We know the thought of meeting your roommates is scary (and for some, your roommates may actually BE scary ... just kidding). But the best thing to do is bite the bullet and shoot him or her an e-mail during the summer. One of the biggest problems that incoming freshmen encounter is starting a "he said/she said" war with Housing and Residential Life because they waited until September to talk to their roommates. If you arrange who will bring what during the summer and maybe give them a little insight into your personality and habits, it makes the transition to college much easier. You can also find out if you need a room change right away, which is much better than finding out later. You don't want to be stuck with a loud, night owl roommate when our eyelids start to droop at 10 p.m.
-BM

Know your hallway

One of the best things about college is meeting people, and one of the easiest places to start is in your hallway. So after you're done unpacking, grab your roommate and go knock on some doors. Trust me, freshman year (and maybe even beyond), it's perfectly acceptable. Plus, if your roommate is driving you batty later on in the year, escaping across the hall or down a flight of stairs sometimes offers the perfect solace. And it's much easier to tell a friend to turn down their TV than to go bang on their door, irked at the lack of sleep you're getting. Just 7don't be creepy and bake a batch of cookies for your entire hallway. Leave that in Mom's hands.
-CT

All dressed up and nowhere to go?

Don't be that guy. The reality of the Kingston campus is that it's one giant hill. Some of you may come from private schools with uniforms and are excited about the thought of picking out an outfit every day. But make sure you dress for the New England weather, as well as the landscape. Walking up to Washburn Hall in stilettos the first week of school just isn't a good idea. URI's also cancelled classes due to flooding before, so make sure you pack a pair of rain boots, too.
-BM

Mapquest won't help you find Crawford Hall

Believe it or not, if you click on "About the University" at the URI homepage (www.uri.edu) there are several maps of both the Kingston campus and directions to the Narragansett Bay, W. Alton Jones and Providence campuses. You'd be surprised at how hard it is to find certain places on campus. Take a look at a map the night before your first class and print out a copy to take with you. It's also good to know how early you have to get up before your first class if you know you have to walk from one side of the campus to the other. For those who area directionally-challenged (don't be ashamed, there are many of us out there,) the Information Desk in the Memorial Union is also extremely helpful and can assist you in finding your classes.
-BM

Check your e-mail

Face it, we live in a technological world. Professors, for the most part, are not going to have your personal cell phone numbers, and are certainly not going to call you if class is cancelled. So, instead of waking up at 7:30 a.m. to walk 20 minutes only to find out your 8 a.m. is cancelled, check your e-mail. This is where many professors and other URI administration will send important messages. In addition to this, the University Library sends e-mails out if your books are overdue, updates about the university are sent to each and every student and confirmation for mail packages are also e-mailed from the Union Express.
-CT

Free condoms? What?

We're not your parents and we're not going to lecture you about abstinence. But there are some simple ways to practice safe sex. In 2006, Trojan and Sperling's Best Places ranked URI as the 22nd safest campus out of 100 campuses when it came to sexual health, and there's a reason for that. Speakeasy, located on the first floor of the Memorial Union, offers free condoms. And remember that song "Sex and Candy" by Marcy Playground? Well, your RAs have taken that in a quite literal sense-most RAs have a sex and candy jar if you're too embarrassed about asking for a condom. Instead, you can just come in to "grab some candy" and "accidentally" take something a little extra with you. Health Services also sells them for 10 cents each. Even if you're a woman on birth control pills, it's never a bad idea to double up. It's key to make sure you are protected from sexually transmitted diseases, as well as pregnancy.
-BM

Budgeting your money

I guarantee you, by the end of the year you will have made, or will overhear, quite a few phone calls to parents about their new college student's dwindling bank account. It doesn't seem like much, but if you buy a $4 coffee every day before your 9 a.m. class for a month straight, that's around $70-gone. Add going out with friends to Applebee's or a cab ride back from Providence a few nights a month (about $60 per cab, one way) and it's bye-bye bank account. Have fun, but be frugal, especially if part of your cash is supposed to going to buy next year's books.
-CT

Go to class

You'd think this is obvious, but many college students think that their years spent at URI are for partying and blowing their parents' money, and they forget about the prime reason for coming here. Education. So go to class, because if your GPA drops too low your first year here, it might be too late to ever bring it back up to where you want it. Morning classes suck, but that's why coffee and friends are great things. Make it a point to walk to class with others, and it will also be so much harder to skip. Also, check your syllabus carefully ... some professors take off entire letter grades after that third unexcused absence. Even if you're professor doesn't take attendance, he or she will know when you're not there. You'll miss pop quizzes and more importantly, you may fall so far behind that it's impossible to catch up.
-CT

Parking woes

Every year, the URI community experiences parking woes. Some believe there aren't enough spaces for upperclassmen, while others are just not aware of towing hours and other important information. It's something that not only affects freshmen with cars, but the entire campus community. The easiest way to solve this problem is to check out the Parking Services Web site at www.uri.edu/parking. Know which lots you can park in and know what kind of parking sticker you need.
-BM