Marquette/College

[77ncaachamps]

Forgot:

+ If you can, plan your schedule so that you can have M/W, Tu/Th classes. Long days, but man, those 3 day weekends are KILLER! It can also help you with your job, if you have one.

+ Meet with your counselor early and often. It will save you time in your junior and senior years.

+ Make a road map of your 4 years. Plan out your pre-reqs, classes for your major, etc. It will give you an even more sense of purpose.

[MUBurrow]

I think an important and possibly useful specific tidbit that has been brought up is the issue of whether or not to pledge a frat. In full disclosure, I graduated relatively recently and did not belong to a frat.

But trying to be objective, there are pros and cons like to anything else. Its just important to note that frats at MU are not like frats at big public schools, or other places where greek life is instrumental in the social character of a school.  Greek life at MU is not set up to be like greek life at a Big 10 school, etc, and is nowhere near as defining or an all-encompassing part of your life as it would be at other places.  There are good and bad things about that, which you can look into and judge yourself.  But I think its important to recognize that MU's greek culture is much different than what many freshman might have in mind/perceive Greek life to be based on prior knowledge.

[HouWarrior]

With less than five minutes of your time-- and a single posting-- you have over 70 responses and advice gleaned from all those who have learned this the harder way --by their experience. You have a huge leg up already(especially on old farts like me who never had these resources-lol)-- you know how to draw on others, and rapidly gather extensive data, with little time or effort. This is a wonderful skill...you will do well.

Likely you have sorted the advice, and decided which works well for you and which may not. Dont worry if you'll make the wrong choices--trying lots of things is what this time is all about...just be ready to quickly respond and go another way when something goes bad. Learning yourself, your talents, and your weaknesses is huge. Having no fear of thinking or acting differently than others-- if you are happy with it, is a big maturing step..dare to be different, get comfortable in your own skin.

If something comes easily for you, and harder for others...its likely a talent.  If you cant seem to crack something, and those around you mostly have-- thats a limit of yours. Learn as much as you can to push your  limits..they may be vital skills you'll need in any job....and fly as far as you can in the areas of your talent-- thats where the world stands ready to reward you-- for what you are particularly good at.  

College is the first step of no longer spoon feeding learning, and its goal is to teach you, how to teach yourself in independent learning, which you'll pursue for the rest of your life...you'll have to put in the work and time all yourself...but the real skill is learning how to how to best get your mind to absorb and teach itself. Never lose or doubt your curiousity--- if you wonder about something--go find the answer. Question, and never automatically accept the opinions, and thoughts of others...and re-process your prior views when you learn something new...learning is always fluid.

Many of the very most important matters you learn in school have zero to do with the books or library. BB games, Social life, travel, love, women, laughter, drinking, fun and friendships are also huge---stay off excessive internet and gameboy use, unless there is purpose to your time---or you just need it to zone out a bit, or to relax....and get out of your room to suck all you can find of life and your surroundings. Talk to anyone, smile at everyone, and ...have as much fun as you can. Dont prejudge from whom you may best learn from...some of my  best life lessons were from the father of the family I lived with, while on MU's program at University of Madrid-- told to me in spanish---go figure. Every person you meet and interact with adds something to your life-- if you remain open to it.

You will do very well...that part is easy...its when something doesnt goes so well when you're truly tested, and your lesson and response to the harder experiences gives you true growth.

Finally, please feel perfectly free to ignore very word here --its your life and your path you're beginning to map---just have a blast doing it, and enjoy!
 

[Sharpie]

In no particular order.

1. Meet as many chicks the first few weeks of school. It will pay off. But don't even think about dating any of them. You'll regret it, trust me.

2. Try and schedule classes so that you have Friday's off. My favorite semesters were ones with no Friday classes.

3. Get your hw and studying done before dinner. There is plenty of time throughout the day and none of your drinking or social time will have to be wasted.

4. Go to as many basketball games as possible. I've never really sat in the lower deck as me and my friends got there just as the game was starting bc we were heavily pregaming. But I'm sure lower level is just as much fun. ALso, make friends with older students so that you are invited to kegs and eggs parties for day games.

5. Rub elbows with fellow marquette students and alums at Buck Bradleys following games. I met some of the coolest alumni ever and shared some crazy insane stories at that bar.

6. Workout at least a few times a week ! You don't want to be the kid that comes home at Christmas that no one recognizes. You'll thank many of us later for this trust me.

7. Service. I was a big partier in college but some of my closest friends to this day I met through community service events.

8. Close Wolsi's, real chili, and every other bar on campus, water st., eastside, and third ward.

9. Participate in every st. patty's day celebration and spring break even if you don't have the money. It will be well worth it.

10. Get good grades, talk with your professors, get an internship(s), and you'll be well on your way when you graduate. Don't burn any bridges (including other students). You never know who will be able to help get you a job when you graduate.

11. Visit all the breweries, summerfest, Lake michigan, the rave, and APC especially.

12. Learn how to do Laundry and shower on the reg. Girls don't like guys that wear dirty clothes, stink, and look like sasquatch. If you can followe this one then you'll be light years ahead of 90% of the other guys. The girls will flock toy uoa nd take advantage of that.

13. Have fun, wrap it up, don't give too much money to the bums, and be proud to be a student of Marquette.

[reinko]

Buy an N64, 4 controllers and Bond and Mario Kart on eBay, open your door = instant friends.

[77ncaachamps]

+ If you're 21 before you graduate, do the Miller Brewery tour for cheap buzzes and free beer. Just make sure you have a dry friend as a designated driver.

[Hards Alumni]

+ If you're 21 before you graduate, do the Miller Brewery tour for cheap buzzes and free beer. Just make sure you have a dry friend as a designated driver.

Suggesting this makes you old.

There are far better brewery tours in the city... where you can get druuuuuuuuuuuunk.

[🏀]

Suggesting this makes you old.

There are far better brewery tours in the city... where you can get druuuuuuuuuuuunk.

Yep, Miller sucks. Find the best way to get to Milwaukee Brewing Company and be there every weekend.

[JimmyB!]

College is amazing, just try to enjoy every moment of it. It's gone before you know it.

- 1st semester freshman year meet as many people as possible. This time is all about house parties. You will wander around with other large groups of freshman and pay some upper class-men $5 to drink in their crapty basement. You may get screwed (keg kicking right after you pay), or it may be an amazing night. Make a ton of friends, and start thinking about who you want to live with sophomore year.

- 2nd semester freshman year start to make a few really close friends. A few of the guys I became really close with 2nd semester freshmen year are my best friends to this day, and were all in my wedding. It can not be said enough, develop really good week-day study habits. You do not want to be the guy staying in Saturday night to finish that paper, you will miss on so many stories and great experiences just by missing one weekend of roaming campus. By this time you will have figured out a way to buy alcohol underage. Someone earlier mentioned Kampus foods. I can tell you that they IDed me every time I was on campus, even throughout my senior year. By far your best bet is Westtown Market near Straz Tower, I swear half their business was from under-agers my sophomore year. If you have an awesome RA like I did, you will be able to drink in the dorms no problem. My RA once caught me chugging from a bottle of Captain (don't ask), and just rolled his eyes and walked off. But house parties will still be the main things on weekends. By now you will have your go-to locations, and the appropriate nicknames for each. (the graffiti house, the basement on 15th & state, etc). Oh, almost forgot. If you are into sports, GET OUTSIDE AND PLAY SNOW FOOTBALL. I cannot begin to tell you how much fun we had freshman year playing tackle football in the snow.

- Sophomore year house parties start to get a little old. Although they had their fun, you start to lose interest in paying some random dude to drink in his dirty/crapty basement. Parties start to gravitate towards apartments or houses of upperclassmen you actually know. Meet some upperclassmen and become friends, it will pay off.

- Junior year is when most people will be turning 21. So get ready for a lot of b-day parties weekends. And if you turn 21, start getting acclimated to the bars. You will spend basically all of junior year at the campus bars, Caffs & Murphs. In my experience, caffs was generally the better time, while murphs was where you went at 1:30 to find a drunk chick. We always joked that you needed to try to NOT get laid at murphs after 1:30. Back then we had another campus bar, but it sadly closed down. By this time you will be out of the dorms. I would personally recommend not to hold parties at your place, crap always seemed to get broken/stolen.

- Senior year is the last hurrah. Go out, explore the city. Start to leave the campus bars behind and get downtown. 3rd ward, water street, brady street, Sugar Maple & Romans south on water, Stubby's Pub & Grub, Milwaukee Ale house. Go do brewery tours. Lakefront brewery and Milwaukee brewing give great one's. Go try new restaurants, Milwaukee has some great hidden gems. Get to know the city outside of campus, its a really neat place between 3rd and the lake. Start bringing home girls from downtown. Trust me, it will make your roommates jealous. Marquette is a pretty poor school for good-looking women. Much better can be found downtown. Some of the best times can be had bar-hopping downtown and meeting random people. Just get out and explore. One of my favorite memories is just wandering around the city around bar close while its lightly snowing.

[PBRme]

Find a way to scrounge up the cash for regular season tickets your senior year.  You will be several rows ahead of most of your classmates,

[StillAWarrior]

Find a way to scrounge up the cash for regular season tickets your senior year.  You will be several rows ahead of most of your classmates,

Full disclosure for this response:  I live out of state and have a very limited understanding of how season tickets work at Marquette.


That said, I disagree with this post.  Sit with the students.  Please.  Sit with the students and help make it a great student section and a difficult place to play.  You'll have a lifetime to buy regular season tickets and sit in those seats, but your senior year will be your last chance to be part of the student section.

If getting ahead of your classmates in the alumni season ticket pool is that important, could he just scrounge up the cash, put it in the bank earning interest, and then make a cash contribution to the B&G fund the following year (in addition to buying his tickets)?  Would that help him move ahead of others?

I have such great memories of sitting in the student section when I was at Marquette, I can't imagine trading a full season of those memories to sit several rows closer then my classmates in the future.  If I've misunderstood the original post, my apologies.

[Brewtown Andy]

Find a way to scrounge up the cash for regular season tickets your senior year.  You will be several rows ahead of most of your classmates,

Or just find an extra $50 a year and join the 6th Man Fund.

http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/blue-gold/6thmanfund.html

[Chili]

Or just find an extra $50 a year and join the 6th Man Fund.

http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/blue-gold/6thmanfund.html

I still think this idea is f-ing bullcrap!

[Brewtown Andy]

I still think this idea is f-ing bullcrap!

Not disagreeing with you, but it is a middle ground between "get a jumpstart on season tickets senior year" and "always have student tickets."

[77ncaachamps]

Suggesting this makes you old.

There are far better brewery tours in the city... where you can get druuuuuuuuuuuunk.

I'm not OLD...just not a resident of Milwaukee. Yay areaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

[BubbaWilliams]

11. Visit all the breweries, summerfest, Lake michigan, the rave, and APC especially.

Great Art's Performance Center Reference!