Five Things You Should Know

I think it might be important for the incoming freshman if we attempted to share five things we feel are important about Umich and Ann Arbor that we did not learn during orientation. So lets get this thing started.

Five things you should know about UMich and Ann Arbor:

1. The Fishbowl is not the only computing site on campus. I highly recommend checking out the Union Basement as it is often empty. Also check out the basement of the Michigan League if you are into gaming and need your WoW fix.
2. Don't believe the crap they told you about the student who was lost for days in The Stacks. The Graduate Library is actually a great place to study and I recommend isolating yourself in The Stacks if you are like me and easily distracted. Sometimes you just need a desk, a chair, and very little to look at.
3. You don't need to bring a computer to campus. Make use of mfile or Google Documents to store and share out files and remember there are public computers just about everywhere. I often see people more engrossed in facebook and Perez Hilton than their lectures.
4. Make an effort to visit your professors and GSIs during office hours. I know the classes may seem easy but it is important you start getting to know people with influence. This really helps when you want someone to write you a letter of recommendation or grease the cogs of academic bureaucracy for you. The cold hard truth is that nepotism is just as important to your success as your abilities and knowing the right people will help you get a foot in the door.
5. We all know college is expensive. If you want to save some money you can always do your first two years at a community college. Check your individual college for details but according to the LSA Bulletin, if you complete a semester at UMich and remain in good academic standing, there is nothing to stop you from doing the next three semesters completely at a community college. As long as you are gone for less than 24 months, you do not even need to reapply for admission. Check the Bulletin for the entire details.