College....

[BJ Laster]

Well I have two weeks and I start this college stuff.



I'm attending Rose State College here in Oklahoma City. Its a two year school...but the board just passed that they will have a 4 year program for their Business program. Thats good. I dont know if I will do that but its nice to know that its there.



I know for sure I'll be at Rose for my first two semesters if not four. After that I'm looking into going to a few different schools. I have this adventureous side and I kinda want to go to college out of state (like the New England area....tons of schools and its BEAUTIFUL up there).



Anyway....I guess college can be fun. When my grandfather passed away he left us his house and I'm going to move into it with a guy I graduated with (he's also going to Rose). I'm not trying to sound rebelious, I love my family, but I'm also ready to try living on my own. It'll be a few weeks before I get to move into the house. It needs to be fixed up and I'll try to go over there and work on it.



So after all that....Where did ya'll go to college and what was it like? I know that question will open up a lot of doors...so lets keep it simple... I'm not big into parties and a lot of highschool grads who go to college dont have enough smarts to know better. Its the first time they've ever gotten to make decisions on their own and a lot of times they arnt good ones.



BJ

 

[Greg Meyer]

BJ...



I am very imnpressed that you have you head on straight... School is like a foundation for a house... Solid foundation doesn't guarantee a good house... But, you can't ever have a good house without one... So laying a good foundation for your future is very important.



Now, two years down the line... You "could" go to school at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois... smack in the middle of the best bass fishing in Illinois... A school where a pickup truck and camo fit right in... But, still all of the big school stuff...

 

[Mike L.]

BJ,

I never had the chance to go to college out of high school , but my son

leaves in two weeks to begin his freshman year at York College of Pennsylvania. I hope

he does good. It gives a Dad a lot to worry about.



Guess I'll have to visit him alot and hit the Susquehanna River for smallies with him!

 

[BJ Laster]

Its kinda wierd tho...



I've been very negative about college all summer. I really didnt want to go.



Its wierd...today it just hit....I'm really looking forward to it. I think its going to be a blast!!!

 

[TrepMan]

BJ - My dad didn't go to college and when my brother and I did, he realy enjoyed visiting us.



I went to Purdue (84 - 88) and got a BS in Management Information System (IT and Business). I was away from home about a 2 hour drive. First year roomed with my brother (a Senior that year). I partied WAY too much my first semester, and it showed with all b's and a D in math!!! Learned my lesson and kept my grades up after that. This is the TIME of your life, young man. Enjoy it, learn, listen, meet/talk to all the people especialy ones from somewhere OTHER then OK, so learn about life elsewhere. Growing up in Indiana, and having been born in Jersey (with parents born/raised in NY city) I never thought i'd end up in Chicago (88-90), Texas (91-95) or Georgia (95 to present). But i met a LOT of life long friends and my wife at school.



Trep

 

[Rich Stern]

BJ, there will be a lot of distractions from school when you live on your own. It's a lot of responsibility to step into all at once. But you can do it. Stay level-headed, make sure you choose your friends wisely, and try to get enough sleep to be able to learn something in class.



I didn't always follow that advice, but once I accumulated enough maturity, I made out ok.



The world is your oyster. Good luck to you!

 

[Jim in VA]

Congrats BJ!! For me, college was the start of the best years of my life. I met some of my best friends there and nearly twenty years later, we're still great buds, even though we all went to different parts of the country. While in my last year of college, I also met the girl I married. I also did well enough to go on to get an advanced degree. Is it worth it? Hell yea! When my boy gets ready for school, I'll be there to support him morally and financially. Good luck. Corny as it my sound, you really are taking the first steps on a truly great adventure!

 

[Larry Harp]

BJ, I went to the Air Force first then went to Central State (now UCO). I lived on my own for the first year or two then got tired of trying to work full time and carry a full load which was necessary to receive GI benifits, (a whopping $175 a month back in those days) then I shared an apartment with my mother for the last year or so. I didn't finish college which I regret. I was a broadcast major and I found a job jocking records at a small radio station so I dropped out and went to work, that led to the sales career that I'm still slugging away at. Remember the road of life has many branchs, some of them are dead ends and some are super highways...problem is you can't tell until you go down that path.



A personal director for a major corporation (AT&T) once told me that it didn't matter to him what type of degree an applicant received as long as they had one. He said that all a college degree told him was the person could set a goal and accomplish it.



I personally reccomend getting all the writing and verbal communition skills you can, it will certianly pay off later in life. Read everything you can get your hands on, even books you're not necessarly interested in, it will broaden your world. Too many people these days shy away from information they don't agree with, that's a big mistake.



Harpo

 

[Bill McElroy]

"TOGA!!...TOGA!!...TOGA!!!!"

On a more serious note,...Do what YOU want to do with your life,...NOT what some other people may think you should do. You will be MUCH happier in the long run if you follow your dreams. Don't be affraid to make mistakes,...we ALL learn from them,..it's part of growing up, and something GOOD will always come from it! Don't be affraid to join a Fraternity (whether it's a social, or professional one),..I was a very active member in Tau Kappa Epsilon (social) all through college and was President of our chapter as well as President of the IFC which was the governing body of all the Fraternity's on campus. It was a heck of a learning experience, and I developed leadership skills, negotiation skills and an ability to get along with all kinds of people from every walk of life. All of those experiences are part of who I am today and I have no regrets whatsoever of my entire college experience. I graduated with a Bachelor's in Business Mgt, and an Assoc. in Technical Illustration. I also made TONS of life long friends that I still keep in contact with 25yrs later and I met my wife who belonged to a sorority there.....we still occasionally talk about the GREAT times and GREAT memories of college life!! Now that our daughter is leaving in 2 weeks for school, it will bring back even more memories as she embarks on her first real adventure. She'll do just fine and I'm sure you will too....just remember to keep in touch with your folks and NOT just when you need money or your laundry done!! You'll love your new found independence,..but remember the responsibilities that come with it. Use your head and follow your heart,....your trip is just beginning!!



Carry on young grasshopper....

Mac

 

[Texas Transplant]

Get as much as you can, while young and un-attached. Life has a way of getting in the way of educaiton, especially after you have a family.



I attended part of Texas A&M University - part of their vocational program taking Electronics Technology (a very long time ago).



And also, no matter what you major in or take, you had better come out of college with a good foundation in computers and technology. If you don't, you'll regret it.



Best of luck.



Also remember, out of state schools are generally MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.



Tex

 

[TrepMan]

I agree 100% with Harpo, even though computers were my thing, I realized early that just one technical skill would NOT get me far enough in life and open enough doors. So I minored in Communication and business. So that i've been able to do everything in the computer field thus far (programming , maintenance, business analysis, design, testing, operations, management, project management, consulting, training....). As Harpo said "Too many people these days shy away from information they don't agree with, that's a big mistake. "



Information is power!



Trep

 

[Paul Mazza]

If it doesn't work out robbing banks is always an option...