How to Survive Your Freshman Year: Fifth Edition

by Mark W. Bernstein (Created by), Yadin Kaufmann (Created by), Scott Silverman (Editor), Frances Northcutt (Editor)

Overview

BRAND NEW Fifth Edition of this perennial best seller! How to Survive Your Freshman Year offers incoming college freshmen the experience, advice, and wisdom of their peers: hundreds of other students who have survived their first year of college and have something interesting to say about it. Based on interviews with hundreds of college students at every type of higher-learning institution across the country, this book has insights on every aspect of college life, including, what to take to the dorm, living with roommates, Facebook and other social networks, extracurricular activities, choosing classes, studying, going abroad, finances, food, the social scene, doing laundry, staying in touch with friends and family, and much more. Highly readable, much of the book consists of short snippets with some interesting insight and advice from the college students interviewed. The book also includes expert input from college advisors and officers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933512617
Publisher:	Hundreds of Heads Books
Publication date:	04/02/2013
Series:	Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides
Edition description:	Fifth Edition
Pages:	464
Sales rank:	602,395
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

SCOTT C. SILVERMAN, Ed.D., is the Coordinator of Orientation Programs in the office of Student Life at the University of California, Riverside, his alma mater. His professional career began as a peer mentor, and later as a teaching assistant for environmental science and first-year seminar courses at UC Riverside, where he earned a BS and MS in Environmental Science. Throughout his tenure as a student, he was a heavily involved student leader and activist, having roles in multiple student organizations, student government, peer mentoring, and in community activities, including nonprofit work. While completing his MS, he started working as a graduate assistant supporting student organizations, and separately, running a campus-based community non-profit providing support services and educational programming to college students at UC Riverside, before transitioning into his current position.

In 2007, Scott earned an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California. His doctoral research on Facebook and other online social networks, “Creating Community Online: The Effects of Online Social Networking on College Student Experiences,” was chosen for the Outstanding Research Award by the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) in 2008. Scott continues to be involved in NODA, serving on planning committees, as a regional representative and an Associate Editor of the Journal of College Orientation and Transition. Currently, he enjoys attending campus and community events with friends and family and, when the occasion arises, decking himself out in face paint and school colors on campus.

FRANCES NORTHCUTT, Ed.M., is an academic advisor and admissions reader in the William E. Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York at Hunter College. Her advising career began when she became a peer advisor at Wesleyan University, where she earned her BA in English. She went on to advise students at the University of California, Berkeley and at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, where she also taught classes on college skills and professional development. She has presented at conferences of the National Academic Advising Association and was selected as the Outstanding Advisor (Primary Role) for the Mid-Atlantic region in 2006. She has a master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Temple University.

Mark Bernstein graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. While there he started a business that provided students with "survival kits" consisting of unhealthy food sent by their parents, who were trying to cope with their loss. He went on to earn a law degree at New York University and to run CNN Interactive.

Yadin Kaufmann graduated from Princeton University. He was involved in journalism and started a student agency to publish a book he wrote. He survived his freshman year by chugging Hershey's Syrup, straight up. He also coauthored The Boston Ice Cream Lover's Guide. He went on to earn a law degree at Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review, and to manage a venture capital fund.

Read an Excerpt

How to Survive Your Freshman Year

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By Scott Silverman

Hundreds of Heads Books

Copyright © 2013 Scott Silverman
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9781933512617

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Special Expert Content in How to Survive Your Freshman Year (Fifth Edition)

From Guest Experts
1. Outdoor Orientation Programs (by Brent J. Bell, Univ. of NH)
2. There’s an App for That: Staying on Track (by Tatum Soo Kim, NYU)
3. Choosing a Major (by Thomas J. Grites, The Richard Stockton College of NJ)
4. Making a Strong First Impression on Paper (by Jim LaBate, Hudson Valley Community College)
5. Getting the College Rhythm (by Edwin B. Mayes, Case Western Reserve Univ.)
6. The Library: Your Partner for Academic Success (by Douglas Hasty, Florida International Univ.)
7. Animal House: Having a Pet in College (by Peyvand Mirzadeh Silverman, DVM)
8. The Benefits of Working on Campus (by Christine Kirk-Kuwaye, Univ. of Hawaii)
9. Homesickness (by Clarice Ford, Univ. of Illinois Springfield)
10. Are You Following the Rules? (college regulations & policies) by Tatum Soo Kim, NYU
11. Tag: You’re It (Facebook) (by Elizabeth Lovett, Angie Mock & Robert Rhu)
12. Status Updates (Facebook) (by Elizabeth Lovett, Angie Mock & Robert Rhu)
13. 4 Tips to Improve Reading Skills in College by David Rothman & Jilani Warsi, Queensboro Community College)
14. Tips for LGBT Students (by Justin Long, Univ. of Southern Mississippi)
15. Federal Work-Study Programs (by Pamela Golubski, Carnegie Mellon Univ.)
16. Keeping a Work-School Balance (by Pamela Golubski, Carnegie Mellon Univ.)


From Our Special Editors
17. Talking Before the Transition
18. Getting Started with Disability Services
19. First-Generation College Students
20. Welcome Home! Tips for Veterans
21. Tips for Commuters
22. Tips for Academic Success)
23. Rah! Rah! School Spirit, Campus Culture and Traditions
24. Cooler than Facebook: Face Paint!
25. To Waive or Not to Waive (FERPA)
26. Should I Stay or Should I Go? (Transferring)
27. Can I Get Some Credit Here (getting college credit for HS work)
28. 3 Essential To-Dos on the Day Before Classes Begin
29. Getting the Most out of your Peer Mentor
30. The Case of the Missing Freshman (disconnected freshmen)
31. College Involvement 101
32. Social Networking 101
33. The Chili Pepper and You (sites to rate professors)
34. Time Management 101
35. Cracking the Academic Curriculum
36. Starting Your Own Club
37. Volunteering and Service Learning: What’s the difference? .
38. Making Your Mark: Community involvement
39. Does That Extracurricular Fit?
40. How to Find a Student Organization to Join
41. On Finding a Job . . . And some other ways to make money
42. Money Management 101
43. Cooking for 1 or 2 on a Budget .
44. Family, Friends, and Your New College Pals
45. When Friendships End
46. University Health Center
47. Greek 101 (Fraternities)
48. ‘Greek’ Mythology 101 (Fraternities)
49. Explore the World

‘Ask the Advisor’ pieces:
50. Why Won’t Res Life let me switch roommates?
51. Can I fit all my classes into just 3 or 4 days a week?
52. If one of my classes isn’t going well, can I drop it?
53. College just started, but I really don’t like it here. Should I Transfer?
54. I’m having a few problems . . . It would be nice to talk to someone (counseling center)
55. The difference between extra-curriculars and co-curriculars
56. Am I Really Going to Get in Trouble for having a few Beers in the Dorms?


From the Editors
57. Great Music 101
58. Five Reasons to Join Your Dorm Council
59. Five Things not to say to your Roommate
60. Classic College Comedies (movies)
61. Top Five Images Not to Showcase in your Profile
62. Four Phrases that Tame Bureaucracy
63. After the Honeymoon
64. Three Ways to Be a Better Student – Fast
65. Top Three Zero-Effort Healthy Snacks
66. How to Make Your Own Detergent
67. Three Ways to Stay in Touch without Talking
68. Four Things to Bring on a Random Road Trip
69. The Not-too-Early Study Abroad List
70. Email to Mom Made EZ
71. The Essential Freshman Fill-In List


Continues...

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Excerpted from How to Survive Your Freshman Year by Scott Silverman Copyright © 2013 by Scott Silverman. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Chapter 1 Get Ready: What to Take to College 1

Chapter 2 Get Set: Leaving Home 19

Chapter 3 Go: Starting Out 29

Chapter 4 Expectations: College Dreams & Campus Reality 47

Chapter 5 Dorms: The Good Life? 71

Chapter 6 Talking to Strangers: Your Roommate & You 97

Chapter 7 Filling Daytime Hours: Choosing (and Attending) Classes 119

Chapter 8 Hitting the Books: Why, When & How to Study 149

Chapter 9 Extracurriculars: Making the Most of Your Free Time 185

Chapter 10 Technology: Facebook, Twitter, and the Online College Experience 219

Chapter 11 Money for Your Life: Working & Finances 241

Chapter 12 Food for Thought: Pop-Tarts, Beer & Other Essential Nutrients 263

Chapter 13 Ready to Wear: Fashion & (at Some Point) Laundry 275

Chapter 14 Friends: Good, Better, Best - or Former 295

Chapter 15 Going Out, Getting Serious: Dating & Sex 309

Chapter 16 Parties 101: How to Have Fun & Be Safe 333

Chapter 17 Animal House: Fraternities & Sororities 355

Chapter 18 Road Trip! Vacations & Studying Abroad 371

Chapter 19 Family Ties: Keeping in Touch & Setting Boundaries 387

Chapter 20 More Wisdom: Good Stuff That Doesn't Fit Anywhere Else 403

Appendices

The Essential Freshman Fill-in List 421

Useful Websites 422

Credits/Sources 423

List of Colleges 424

About the Contributors 428

About the Special Editors 433

About the Series Creators 434

What People are Saying About This

Winner Best Survival Guide for College Kids Winner Best Book on Adjusting to College Life
—ABOUT.COM READERS CHOICE AWARDS

Unbelievably honest ... I highly recommend this book.
—THE BUFFALO NEWS

Explains college to the clueless ... This quick read is jam-packed with tidbits.
—COLLEGE-BOUND TEEN

Book of the Year Award finalist.
—FOREWORD MAGAZINE

Recommended Reading.
—POSITIVE TEENS MAGAZINE

Included in “Ten Good Books for Grads.”
—DETROIT FREE PRESS

A Top 40 Young Adult book.
—PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL LIBRARIAN ASSOCIATION

“Hidden gem.”
—INGRAM LIBRARY SERVICE

“A guide full of fantastic advice from hundreds of young scholars who’ve been there… a quick and fun read.”
—BOSTON HERALD

“The perfect send-off present for the student who is college bound. The book manages to be hilarious and helpful. As an added bonus, it’s refreshingly free of sanctimony.”
—THE POST AND COURIER, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

How to Survive Your Freshman Year provides student viewpoints and expert advice on virtually every topic pertaining to first-year students from moving in to finding meals....We would recommend this book primarily for high school students as they transition to college....After reading this book students will be aware of the realities of college life and be better prepared to shape their own unique college experience.
—JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ORIENTATION AND TRANSITION

“The advice dispensed is handy, useful, and practical. This book will make great light reading for an incoming freshman.”
—VOYA

“A great tool for young people beginning an important and often daunting new challenge, with short and funny, real-world tips.”
—WASHINGTON PARENT

"...not just any book, but a book that can help that college bound freshman get through that tough first year...Who better to try to help that nervous freshman endure the first year than people who have just recently done it. Laced with different hints and stories, it can be a real help for a student."
—HELLUM

8 Money Must-Reads for Students
"Hundreds of Heads’ annual guide advises students on more than just financial planning so readers looking for a more comprehensive view of college life should purchase the 2010 version and get reading. The book contains more than 1,000 pieces of real-life knowledge from hundreds of students who attended more than 100 colleges across the country. (There are words of wisdom from college counselors as well.)"
—MAINSTREET, powered by the STREET.COM

"a detailed, portable resource for freshmen . . . a relevant and aware—and sometimes, quite funny—resource for incoming freshmen . . . inclusive, honest portrayal of freshman life.

The college-prep section of the bookstore now offers hundreds of self-help books, many of them written by adults whose freshman years are decades past. How To Survive Your Freshman Year offers a holistic alternative: a book chock- full of humorous, contemporary student-derived insights grounded with the educated wisdom of higher-ed professional adults. Somewhere among the dirty laundry and open boxes of Pop-Tarts, this book should find a home in college dorms across the country.
—ForeWord Reviews

Reviewers have called this guide “unbelievably honest,” and “refreshingly free of sanctimony,” probably because it’s written mostly by college students who have just experienced that first, crazy year away from home. It offers advice on big steps like choosing a major and living on a budget, as well as on finding friends and dealing with dormitory food.
—THE UTICA OBSERVER-DISPATCH

Both of my teens give this a "thumbs-up" and love this book. We all agree that this should be something that everyone entering college should read. Highly recommended!
—Just One More Paragraph

How to Survive Your Freshman Year — the perennial best seller — is brand new this year in a new 4th edition. Packed with over 1,000 pieces of real-life advice from hundreds of students who survived their freshman year at more than 100 colleges across the country, the book has become a must have and perfect high school graduation gift. How to Survive Your Freshman Year offers great advice on how to find friends and enjoy roommates, choose the best courses and majors, ace classes and exams, live on a budget, master the social scene, deal with college food and laundry – and much more.
—Between the Pages

Editorial Reviews

Winner Best Survival Guide for College Kids
Winner Best Book on Adjusting to College Life
—ABOUT.COM READERS CHOICE AWARDS

Unbelievably honest ... I highly recommend this book.
—THE BUFFALO NEWS

Explains college to the clueless ... This quick read is jam-packed with tidbits.
—COLLEGE-BOUND TEEN

Book of the Year Award finalist.
—FOREWORD MAGAZINE

Recommended Reading.
—POSITIVE TEENS MAGAZINE

Included in “Ten Good Books for Grads.”
—DETROIT FREE PRESS

A Top 40 Young Adult book.
—PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL LIBRARIAN ASSOCIATION

“Hidden gem.”
—INGRAM LIBRARY SERVICE

“A guide full of fantastic advice from hundreds of young scholars who’ve
been there… a quick and fun read.”
—BOSTON HERALD

“The perfect send-off present for the student who is college bound. The book
manages to be hilarious and helpful. As an added bonus, it’s refreshingly free
of sanctimony.”
—THE POST AND COURIER, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

How to Survive Your Freshman Year provides student viewpoints and expert advice on virtually every topic pertaining to first-year students from moving in to finding meals....We would recommend this book primarily for high school students as they transition to college....After reading this book students will be aware of the realities of college life and be better prepared to shape their own unique college experience.
—JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ORIENTATION AND TRANSITION

“The advice dispensed is handy, useful, and practical. This book will make
great light reading for an incoming freshman.”
—VOYA

“A great tool for young people beginning an important and often daunting
new challenge, with short and funny, real-world tips.”
—WASHINGTON PARENT

"wonderful anecdotes . . . The book focuses on what the experience of going to college is all about and has a great balance of advice from both an academic and non-academic sense. . . advice on all aspects of college life.

A good majority of the book focuses on ... the transitional aspects of going to college which include things to bring, how to make friends, eating well, personal life and just about anything else that deals with the change from high school to college including the more controversial issues of sex and partying...Outside the transitional aspects, How to Survive your Freshman Year provides great insight on the academics of college including how to study for exams, become involved on campus, gaining leadership experiences, study abroad and lots of personal advice on how to get the balance between everything just right.

[A] great resource."
—The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), the Global Community for Online Advising

"...not just any book, but a book that can help that college bound freshman get through that tough first year...Who better to try to help that nervous freshman endure the first year than people who have just recently done it. Laced with different hints and stories, it can be a real help for a student."
—HELLUM

8 Money Must-Reads for Students
"Hundreds of Heads’ annual guide advises students on more than just financial planning so readers looking for a more comprehensive view of college life should purchase the 2010 version and get reading. The book contains more than 1,000 pieces of real-life knowledge from hundreds of students who attended more than 100 colleges across the country. (There are words of wisdom from college counselors as well.)"
—MAINSTREET, powered by the STREET.COM

"a detailed, portable resource for freshmen . . . a relevant and aware—and sometimes, quite funny—resource for incoming freshmen . . . inclusive, honest portrayal of freshman life.

The college-prep section of the bookstore now offers hundreds of self-help books, many of them written by adults whose freshman years are decades past. How To Survive Your Freshman Year offers a holistic alternative: a book chock- full of humorous, contemporary student-derived insights grounded with the educated wisdom of higher-ed professional adults. Somewhere among the dirty laundry and open boxes of Pop-Tarts, this book should find a home in college dorms across the country.
—ForeWord Reviews

Reviewers have called this guide “unbelievably honest,” and “refreshingly free of sanctimony,” probably because it’s written mostly by college students who have just experienced that first, crazy year away from home. It offers advice on big steps like choosing a major and living on a budget, as well as on finding friends and dealing with dormitory food.
—THE UTICA OBSERVER-DISPATCH

Both of my teens give this a "thumbs-up" and love this book. We all agree that this should be something that everyone entering college should read. Highly recommended!
—Just One More Paragraph

How to Survive Your Freshman Year — the perennial best seller — is brand new this year in a new 4th edition. Packed with over 1,000 pieces of real-life advice from hundreds of students who survived their freshman year at more than 100 colleges across the country, the book has become a must have and perfect high school graduation gift. How to Survive Your Freshman Year offers great advice on how to find friends and enjoy roommates, choose the best courses and majors, ace classes and exams, live on a budget, master the social scene, deal with college food and laundry – and much more.
—Between the Pages

From the Publisher