Definitely use the laptop locks in the larger dorms. I always have mine on. IU had some serious theft issues my freshman year and people were blaming everyone from maintenance people to faulty locks. In reality, in our dorm, I think it was housekeeping and someone may have been caught, but that was the rumor. Anyhow, our cleaning lady was awesome for our shared bathrooms, but I still locked down my stuff. If you don't want anything stolen, don't leave your door open!

I recommend getting a printer, even though there may be conflicting opinions on this. Our school has some AMAZING techinical services and we have tons of computers/printers in the dorm, but I have had several occasions where timing was tight and I found something I needed to turn in last minute. Usually this was the moment the printer was malfunctioning. Also, if you are up late studying at night, the lab may be closed, you may have to go across campus, or your printing allotment may be maxed out. I have found it more economical to buy cheap toner cartriges and and a laser printer, which is what I have done for this year. It just makes sense. I can print something like 5,000 pages for $50.00. When I had an inkjet, I was spending about $100-$150.00/semester for ink alone! And my printer was crap. If you don't print that often, get a crappy one like I did and just print something little every once in awhile to preserve your cartridge. You'll not regret it when something happens. I think I paid $20.00 for the crappy one and if I didn't have to worry about my allotment, I wouldn't have needed to print much!

It is also worth getting OUT of your dorm room to study. I study better and read better on a couch somewhere AWAY from my dorm room. Study lounges are amazing and my freshman dorm had like 12 of them. Huge ones with cozy couches, tables, you name it. If you study better in a library, do that. I don't study well there for long periods of time because I get uncomfortable. Find a library that suits you. The main ones are usually very loud, obnoxious, and busy. If your school is large, like mine, you will find a smaller library sometimes deserted which will be perfect. I use the art library at home. It is great. There is no one there and you can look out into our art museum through glass windows. It was designed by the guy who did the Louvre pyramid and I love it.

Learn to study in chunks and give yourself a reward. I find that if I know I want to watch a TV show at nine, my studying from 7-9 is really good and I retain a lot of it. Watch that show and then give more studying a try. If you are doing something with memorization, copy down your notes and say them back while you mute the TV during commercials. It sounds crazy, but it keeps me sane and maximizes my time. Don't overstudy and ensure that you get 8 hours sleep a night. I do this - even during finals - never cram and don't ever get below an A-. I'm a senior, so I don't see this pattern changing. It really *does* work and NO I do NOT procrastinate. Procrastination will fail you.

Get a start on projects early for this reason. Always stay on top of the reading and learn to summarize. If you know you have a paper due in 3 weeks - get started on the research. Do note cards, organize your ideas, and give yourself a week at least to review your paper. It will allow you time to ask your AI's questions about what you are doing if you have them. Even if you don't, get some and go and talk to your AI's. I do this for every single paper and it shows that you care. Your grades will not suck because you will have some more knowledge and the AI will know that you care.

GasMenagerie wrote:
Misinformation: informing FiSHes for 3 years now.