The college experience is fantastic. You are on your own for the first time, and you are calling the shots in your life. As a new college student, here are some tips that will help you avoid some of the troubles associated with college life:
1.) Don’t Forget to Prepare for Graduation at the Beginning of Your Final Year
You think you have all your required coursework finished and you are ready to take that big leap into the great unknown of the post-college world; then you find out that you need to take one more class! The best thing to do is to meet with an academic advisor at the beginning of your final year and run a DARS report.
DARS is your academic transcript that shows what needs to be fulfilled in order to graduate. If you want to graduate in the spring, you have to remember to submit your graduation application two terms ahead of time.
2.) Avoid the Street Canvassers if You Want to Get to Your Class On-Time
When you are walking through the park blocks (aka the lovely park that goes through the middle of the campus) you have to avoid the street canvassers when you are in a hurry. I am not advocating that you don’t donate your money to a worthy cause, but when you are rushing to class and some hippy with a clipboard jumps in front of you and says, “Hey!!! Do you like children?!”
Tell them that you hate children and the environment. Okay, don’t really say that! Just say that you already donate to a worthy cause, and run! Because if your time is short and your bank account is empty, you can’t help them anyway.
3.) Avoid Using Your Student ID As A Debit Card
When you become a student at Portland State University, you will get a student ID. What you might not know is that, if you get financial aid, your student refund money is deposited into a third party bank account that is affiliated with Portland State University, and your Student ID is a debit card.
This controversial card has sparked student protests when it was introduced because they felt that it took advantage of people who are just learning how to manage their money. You would be better off transferring the funds from your Portland State University account to your existing bank account and not using the card.
One reason is that, if you use an off-campus ATM, they will charge you withdrawal fees in addition to the fee you agree to pay at the ATM. Also, fees tend to be higher than a bank. So read the fine print, or stick to your bank. Better yet, find a credit union; there are many around Portland.
4.) Avoid living on Campus After Freshman Year
As a freshman, you are required to live in the dorms. After that, you are free to live wherever you want. Most people choose to move. It is expensive to live on campus, and you will have a much better experience if you move across the river to the East Side, where there are more places to hang out and the rent is cheaper.
A popular option is to move into a house with fellow students. You will become more integrated in the social fabric of Portland, and you have more control over your living environment. You can even throw a party if you want to.
5.) Don’t Buy Your Textbooks at the Campus Bookstore
If you can, buy your textbooks online or used. When you sign up for classes, you can email your professor ahead of time to find out what textbook will be used for the class, so that you will have it by the first day of class. There is a good chance that you can buy the textbook, used, either online or at a used bookstore.
Sometimes the professor uses a brand new edition of a textbook, so buying brand new can be unavoidable. If that is the case, options include renting books or checking to see if the book is available at the library. You can also make nice and see if you can borrow a book from a classmate. With a little research and work, you can literally save hundreds during the school year.
J. Emanuel Stuart, originally from Las Vegas, NV, attended Portland State University from 2006 to 2010. He graduated with a B.A. in Communication Studies, and was a member of an Honor Society. He enjoyed the urban campus at Portland State University and currently lives in Los Angeles.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a DARS report at Portland State?
- Your academic transcript showing what still needs to be fulfilled to graduate. Meet an advisor at the start of your final year to run one, and if you want to graduate in spring, submit the graduation application two terms ahead of time.
- How should you handle street canvassers on the Portland State park blocks?
- If you’re rushing to class, just say you already donate to a worthy cause and keep walking; when your time is short and your bank account is empty, you can’t help them anyway.
- How does the PSU student ID debit card work?
- If you get financial aid, your refund is deposited into a third-party bank account affiliated with PSU and your student ID doubles as a debit card. The card sparked student protests when introduced; you’re better off transferring funds to your own bank and not using it.
- Why avoid extra fees with the PSU card?
- An off-campus ATM adds withdrawal fees on top of the ATM’s own fee, and fees tend to be higher than a bank’s; read the fine print, stick to your bank, or find one of Portland’s many credit unions.
- Where should students live after freshman year?
- Freshmen are required to live in the dorms, but after that it’s expensive to stay on campus; most move across the river to the East Side, where rent is cheaper, often sharing a house with fellow students.
Sources
- Portland State University, the university's official site, linked in the original post