Eanrin wrote:I can't emphasize enough how amazing Rate My Professors is. It is a total lifesaver, and can mean the difference between a fun class and a miserable semester of busywork.
AHHHHHHHHH YES.
I cannot believe how many students don't know about Rate My Professor. It has saved me, seriously. it's never been wrong so far. They rate on easiness of the course, how much homework is required, if you need the book, even hotness of the professor. You can sort by each class and see what grade the person reviewing got.
I switched Spanish classes because the teacher hadn't been declared until a month before classes and she had a C rating. I switched to another teacher for a 9 am class (ughhh) but her reviews said she was wonderful, not too difficult, and great for people who aren't super into Spanish like me. She is a GODSEND. Seriously my favorite teacher this semester even though I hate her subject with a passion.
And on the other hand, I took a class this semester from a guy that had a 2.1 rating out of 5 and I was like "it's a freshman seminar, he can't be that bad...right?" This guy was by far the worst teacher I have ever seen and should have retired 20 years ago (he told us in a quiet shaky whisper, which is how he conducted all of his lectures (AND WITHOUT A MIC) that he was 85. Dude. give it up.). He was indeed that bad. First class I've ever dropped.
When registering for classes, I just flipped back and forth and looked up every single potential teacher. Not everyone is on there, which stinks, but also if you find someone whose name is the same but it says they teach at a different college, click on it anyways. There's a good chance they switched to your school recently and haven't gotten a new page yet.
Seriously, this is like the #1 tip I give to people. It's saved my butt so many times. Good teachers make or break classes for me and the two best teachers I've had (and found via RMP) are the reasons why I decided to do my majors.
And yes on the addressing thing. If I think they might have a doctorate, I check their syllabus and see what they call themselves, but normally I go straight to Professor. I don't think I've ever addressed someone by Mr or Mrs, with the exception of my dope-as-heck Spanish teacher who insists we call her Mary.
Oh! Also, if you want to get into a class but you got waitlisted: Show up anyways. I know it sounds ridiculous, but here, if you don't show up on the first week, you're dropped. So people who want to get into the class go and either talk to the teacher afterwards or just sit in to see if they like it so they can get in later. Learn your drop policy too; I dropped one class already but because it was within the first two/three weeks I didn't even get a W on my transcript, which is awesome!!!
Ugh I could go on and on. I feel filled with advice. Go to club meetings even if you're not sure you'll like the topic, it never hurts to just try it out (and if you want to start going in the middle of the semester just do it anyways). Trivia nights are super fun if you ever want to go with friends, and it's even better if none of you know anything about the topics. Make a planner, and a physical calendar, and one on your phone, just so when you're caught somewhere without your physical planner you can just check your phone. Go out for things, even if you don't think you'll get them (for example: I'm now doing two podcast stories for our local radio station just because I was like "Oh I want to try doing a story" and they were like "YES DO IT"). If you live in a dorm, leave your door open, and if you hear other people congregating around someone else's dorm, go out and join them. That's the Audrey method of how to make friends: bust into people's conversations! (It worked!)
Finally: Don't get drunk and put a video of you yelling about how much your floor (who you've never even talked to) sucks and how they're the worst and how they never even talk to you and then put it on your snapchat story. Girl, you are locked in your room 24/7, we don't even know you.
It's basically just a cord with a little hook or clip at the end so that you can attach your keys or ID card and wear it around your neck. I actually find mine useful, since I can put my keys on it and throw them into my backpack; then my keys are bulky enough that I can find them easily and I'm saved the heart-stopping moment of "Where the heck did I leave my keys?? 
" after class. But yeah, wearing it around your neck with your ID/keys/the little booklet they gave you with the lanyard will probably brand you as a newcomer.
I know, I'm weird that way.
