h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There are more (and good) universities around the world than just in the USA (or in GB), and some of the questions posed here make me think of either bias or short-sightedness.

The sorority/dormitory on campus/student societies/fraternities-theme cannot be commented for many countries.

The 'how to behave' question is typical for a class-room university system, where the bond between the students is stronger. Some universities around the world work in a totally different manner, and the contact students have among each other can be very low (there have been cases of 40 students that only saw each other once or twice a year even though they were in the same ''class'').

In some countries the average age of the students in the first year can be as high as 23, in some countries it can be 17. In latter countries (typically 3rd world) there is a heavy bias toward the 'American' university-system and - apart from that - a heavy influence of american life style (basically set up by the chewing-gum industry - Check out the entry 'The average day in the life of a typical TV-series American popular teenage girl' and the discussion going on there to know more)... What I am trying to say here, is that you cannot compare (or give general advice to) typical 17 year old teenage boys and girls AND at the same time to 23 year old people (that in some cases are more mature - or at least have a totally different cultural background) enroled in totally different univerity-systems - except for general advice, which is good for everyday life, and is not tied to 'university' (example: How to make friends? You must not concentrate on university to answer that question.)

Anyway... This entry, with these particular topics, would probably 'only' apply to students enroled in American (or British - I honestly don't know, so correct me if I am wrong) universities.

I am contemptuous of this kind of bias. But then again... It's just me.

HELL

I can understand that the information given is not useful to everybody, but as most people will probably agree, the advice given is what we have learnt from our own experience. If taken as such some gretaer themes can be seen. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone feels lonely, everyone has to work out the alien concept of doing their own washing, everyone has to try that little bit harder than they thought they'd have to. In short, everyone, be they 17 or 70 has to realise that although life is changing, you can make it change for the better as long as you are pro-active. The best thing to say is never be afraid of what is happening, take an active interest in what's going on around you and learn to love who and what you are. And eat and as often as possible to make it all easier

Yep, of course, but that's almost nothing to do with University... It's rather more connected to growing up and leaving home instead.

Cheers,

HELL

I suppose you might have a point there, but I didn't really start to 'grow up' until I went to university. It may not be the instigator of maturity, in many ways it regresses you to child hood (squabbles about whose milk it actually is and who gets the better room in a shared house etc.) it is something that makes you realise that there are many many other people out there like you, regardless of age, race or sexual orientation. University is like a three year long comparison for many people, and when it's all over and done with you start to realise that the experiences you have had prepare you for a working life, or if you have done your degree at a later stage, they let you realise some dreams and aspirations.
This is, however, getting away from the point. It cannot be argued that university is bad, or that any advice given relating to starting university can be bad. Everything has its uses, people just have to learn to sift through the detritus to find what they might need

So what are you saying? We shouldn't give advice to these people just because their situation is "American-centric"? This question is supposed to be helpful to people. Specific advice is usually more useful than generalized advice anyway. So maybe next time they can call the topic, "Preparing for the First Day at an American-style University", it doesn't mean it's not a valid topic.

Taxi

It's at a time like this when you realise how entirely diverse the world is, and how wonderful if slightly chaotic that can be. I think however, that as you have said, the advice _is_ general, and most people would, if they were so inclined, just reapply it to their own situation. Either that or just go into life with the happy go-lucky attitude and learn as they go along. Both methods have their positive and negative aspects, but neither can be completely discounted before they have been tried.

I don't know what an "American-style" university is but I always thought that they were just like the ones in the UK (except with houses rather than unions, I think)
I go to Glasgow University in Scotland. When I first started going I had only turned 17. I did not think this was particularly weird as a lot of people my age did. There were people up to about 70 in some of my lectures though. I don't think location affects age of students at all (except maybe in America where they start school older and haven't graduated for a year or two after us)
In fact I was quite happy at the time that I got to Uni so young because i could get served in the union bar because they knew I was a member and didn't ask my age. This meant that I could buy alcohol a year (or in some cases two years) before my friends.

I went to uni in Hull a year after all my friends, and I was in a very differnt situation to a lot of them. I was going to my local uni, and I was also living with my partner, not in halls or with parents. I think that main crux of the argument seems to be that people think that US and UK uni's are in some way elitist and completely different to the other Higher Education establishments throughout the world. My point has been that they may well be different as establishments, but the experiences gained by people attending them can often be applied to just about any student the world over:o) You went before the norm, I went a year after the norm, but I am sure we will have common ground with each other and with thousands of other people. I think that university isn't so much as a method of getting a qualification, it is a way of life that teaches you about yourself, other people and the world and how it works.
Well, that's my view, and that is before the :o)