[Baybe Gyrl`]

as you might not know, i'm a senior this year and will be going off to college ^^.

i was wondering if you could tell me experiences/advices/anything about supporting yourself financially and you managed your time working and going to school full time.

you see, i know that living at home is way cheaper than living at a dorm or having your own apartment and there are many benefits, but i want to experience the college life to be honest. i really feel like i won't be able to experience it if i were to stay at home. although i don't know what UC school i will be attending, i do know that i want to move out and get an apartment or dorm. however, i don't want to burden my parents so much with what i want. so i'm considering getting a job this summer and start saving up, but i'm going to be a full time student (i really want to aim for a bachelor in 4 yrs - 4 1/2 yrs) when school starts. so for those that are full time students and are working, how is it/how do you do it/regrets/give me anything you think is useful please?

my other question[s?] is[are?],

for those that dorm, how was that experience for you? do you regret it? if you were to do it all over again with picking where to stay, would you have dormed? i would like to dorm and meet new people, but it's not like they're my family and i can just fart w/o feeling really embarrass lol. so i'm feeling kind of hesitant, but i'm stepping out of my comfort zone you know.

for those with an apartment, how was that experience for you? do you regret it? if you were to do it all over again with picking where to stay, would you have picked this? i really want to do this too but i know it's way more expensive and friendships might be on the line if you didn't pick carefully. i would feel a little more happy knowing who it is i'm living with though.


oh and btw, is joining a sorority worth it?

pleeeeeeeeease help a senior out. thank you!

-----------

ooh, and for those that dorm, have you ever had this paranoia of your roommate secretly bringing in their s/o and having sex on your bed? or looking through your stuff?

--btw, thank you for your replies.

[knickstorm]

as you might not know, i'm a senior this year and will be going off to college ^^.

i was wondering if you could tell me experiences/advices/anything about supporting yourself financially and you managed your time working and going to school full time.

you see, i know that living at home is way cheaper than living at a dorm or having your own apartment and there are many benefits, but i want to experience the college life to be honest. i really feel like i won't be able to experience it if i were to stay at home. although i don't know what UC school i will be attending, i do know that i want to move out and get an apartment or dorm. however, i don't want to burden my parents so much with what i want. so i'm considering getting a job this summer and start saving up, but i'm going to be a full time student (i really want to aim for a bachelor in 4 yrs - 4 1/2 yrs) when school starts. so for those that are full time students and are working, how is it/how do you do it/regrets/give me anything you think is useful please?

my other question[s?] is[are?],

for those that dorm, how was that experience for you? do you regret it? if you were to do it all over again with picking where to stay, would you have dormed? i would like to dorm and meet new people, but it's not like they're my family and i can just fart w/o feeling really embarrass lol. so i'm feeling kind of hesitant, but i'm stepping out of my comfort zone you know.

for those with an apartment, how was that experience for you? do you regret it? if you were to do it all over again with picking where to stay, would you have picked this? i really want to do this too but i know it's way more expensive and friendships might be on the line if you didn't pick carefully. i would feel a little more happy knowing who it is i'm living with though.
oh and btw, is joining a sorority worth it?

pleeeeeeeeease help a senior out. thank you!

well i guess it kinda depends on how far away you live from the school. Just cause you dont dorm doesnt mean you're not allwoed in them. It doenst mean you cant visit and stay with friends that do dorm. I know plenty of people that live "off-campus". PLus you'll find parties in college aren't even in dorms anyway. As far joining a sorority and even for a frat, find peopel you're comforteable with and if you wanna live in the house, just ask them how much expenses are, in my school most are comparable in terms of money to dorming.

Sometimes it's good to dorm with somone you dont know. If you're both friend you tend to give each other less privacy, and sometimes jsut get sick of each other after a while. all i got for now

[sky82]

I dormed first year. I don't regret living in dorm. It is cheaper after all and it's part of the college experience, but you will most likely get really sick of it. It gets annoying to have classmates and friends constantly in your face all the time. I moved out after my first year.

Later I lived in an apartment near the campus with a roomate (not a friend). We pretty much gave each other a lot of privacy and didn't interact much. I liked that living arrangement much better than dorming.

About working.... I only did part time jobs. It's risky to work at all b/c it's a major distraction from school. It takes a lot of discipline to keep up with all your schoolwork, job, and social life. Save up as much as you can during the summer and learn to be very frugal in your living.

[YellohSwtTart]

as for dorming, i really like dorming, and made a lot of new friends that i wouldnt have made if i lived off campus/at home. i decided to room with a stranger, so that if i didnt get along with her, it wouldnt be a big deal. but luckily we get along very well, and are gonna live next door to each other next year (or hopefully it'll work out that way). i'm actually going to room with a girl that's currently on my floor next year.

i also think dorming is good not just for social reasons, but also for academic reasons as well. i can just go down the hall randomly if i have a question about homework and have a study group with some people, which i prolly cant do if i lived at home.

if you think you'll need a job, i recommend you do something within the school, simple things like answering phone calls at the front desk or something. having a job and balancing school is a tough thing to do, esp. in your freshman year.

so anyway, i hope that helped.

[Aziraphale]

Most universities these days have some sort of Work/Study programmes that help students find jobs to cope with the financial strains of tertiary education. You could look into those on the university websites. Alternatively, check the bulletin boards - some professors might want an assistant to help with getting materials or compiling data, and you'll get paid by university rates, which usually shouldn't be too bad.

I worked during my third and fourth years, doing stuff for a few professors. It was tiring having to juggle between studies and work, but I was glad for whatever extra money I could earn. It does take a bit of discipline, so make sure you can cope with your studies before you start looking for a job.

[Chiyori]

I live in australia.. and i think the system is a little different. So i can't respond on everything you're asking as I have no idea what you're going on about with frats and dorm, sorority.. etc

I do live on my own though and I am a full time student. I do everything by myself and I have a lot of freedom. I tutor for at least AUS$25 an hour, so I get by pretty well. You just really have to manage your time VERY WELL.. and work consistantly at a job that pays well.. You'll be tired sometimes, but you'll have to get out of bed and make yourself study/go back to work. gotta have discipline to move out of home.

sometimes you might have to give up that party .. so you can work the next day.

[EYJAYJAY]

im a full time and working as lab assistant/TA for a couple professors. all i can say is, i get stressed out because of work sometime. i wish i have more time to relax, chill with friends, or study. but i still need a source of income so i gotta hang in there. at least the job isnt that tough.

dorm life is awesome. living with friends, meeting new ppl, its great. however, if u end up living with someone who has certain habits that really get onto your nerves.. OR they are just not your type of person, then that'll be a pain in the butt. id do it all over again if i must and if i have the choice to. it was fun being with friends and chill, play games, go out and make tons of memories. it's a totally new experience than living at home w/parents. i think u should go out and enjoy it. dont be afraid of meeting new ppl, especially your roommate(s) because everyone is at the same place as u do. im sure they are all new to the whole "living in dorm away from home" thing. ^^

i dont know how much it costs there to live in the dorm in cali though. if money will be too big of an issue, then just live at home

[Tsterx3]

working and being a full time student can stuck butt big time.. just because sometimes u just dun hav the times to study fo exams and stuff.. or if u study so much u dun get enough sleep and then the very next day u hav classes and exams...

i just work cause im required to frm workstudy and my parents.. but yeh..

............ and as for dorming.. its not worth it.. if u can, get an apartment it saves so much money and it the quality of the place would be better.. i really regret having to dorm this yr.. if i could i would hav gotten an apartment and not work my butt off to pay fo the dormings ==;;;