Daily Titan | Welcome Back | August 22, 2022

Seven tips to surviving your first-year dorming

Be friendly with your roommates

Get out of your comfort zone

Don’t be scared of meeting new people — everyone is in the same boat. More often than not, the people you are scared to meet will want to be your friend. In the first few weeks of dorming, you’ll meet so many people that you might introduce yourself to the same person twice. Not all of them will be your best friends, but some might. Keeping your options open and being friendly with your new neighbors is vital.

area you’re living in. Wander the 26-acre Arboretum, hit the weight racks at the Student Recreation Center and use the first few weeks to explore your new home. The sooner you know where you are, the less foreign your new home will feel. Walking around campus is an excellent way to get to know your new city. It can help establish a connection between yourself and your new home.

Find a routine

chance to try new styles, change your hair, and talk with an accent. OK, maybe don’t talk with an accent, but you get the point. Explore who you are. It can be scary, but growth is good. At the end of the day, who cares if you end up disliking the change? It’s college. Just try another!

Remember, bad days are normal

This fall, there will be roughly 2,000 students living on campus, most of whom will be incoming first-year students. Living on campus can be a bit of a mad house, but it can also be an unforgettable experience — whether that’s for positive or negative reasons depends on your first few months. Here are seven tips you should know while adjusting to dorm life.

You’ve likely heard this tip before, but it’s worth emphasizing that you should do your best to be on good terms with your roommate. Sharing a room can be difficult, and plenty of alumni have the horror stories to prove it. It involves a reduced amount of personal space and lots of time in each others’s company. For that reason, it is important that you comfortably share space with whoever you live with. You don’t need to become best friends, but small things like cleaning up after yourself, sharing the occasional item, and simply being friendly go a long way.

Budget

Be smart with your money. Budgeting is underrated and can take a lot of stress off your shoulders if done correctly. In the dorms, you will receive a Declining Balance of $200 to spend at the Community Market or Late Night Cafe, but don’t burn through it during the first week. Since you are no longer living at home, there is nobody to stock your fridge for you. Managing money is a necessary skill now that you’re living on your own

Get familiar

Familiarize yourself with the

Once you have figured out your class schedule, start establishing a routine. Humans are creatures of habit — most feel safer when we have a routine we can rely on. Creating a reliable schedule gives you activities to look forward to and combats homesickness. Plus, it makes it easier to plan meals with others if you know when you are free.

Try something new

So, you know hardly anyone, but don’t think of it as a bad thing. College is a perfect opportunity to shrug off any misconceptions about who you are and explore who you want to be. Take this newfound anonymity as a

It’s vital not to get discouraged. Moving to a new place is always tricky, and the dorms are no exception. Don’t let a few bad days get you down because eventually, you’ll find something that clicks. It might not happen immediately, but it won’t happen if you don’t give it a chance. College is a massive change in life. It is one of the first real steps in moving towards adulthood. It can be intimidating, but remember, everyone is going through the same thing. There are 2,000 other students in the dorms who may be feeling the same way. Now, these tips are not all you need to know, not by a long shot, but it’s a start. So, put one foot in front of the other and create some memories.

Living on your own isn’t easy, but here are ways to make dorm life managable.

AIDAN O’MEARA Asst. Editor

How to make the most of your last year on campus

It’s never too late to enrich your college experience.

SHELBY MARTIN Asst. Editor

Entering your final year of college can be an emotional experience. Maybe you’re facing the uncertainty of life after graduation or the stress of leaving your friends behind. As a senior, you may

wonder if you have done enough to make the most of your time as a student. The past few years have given students an unconventional college experience, and it’s understandable to have feelings of regret.

Here are a few ways to make the most of your last year at Cal State Fullerton.

Watch a game

If you haven’t yet, go to a sporting event. Whatever your favorite sport is, CSUF has many events

to choose from, ranging from baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, volleyball and more. One perk is that students at CSUF are granted free admission to home events with a valid Titan Card.

It’s never too late to join a club

If there is a club you’ve secretly wanted to join or an activity you’ve always thought about trying, now is the time to do it. Learn what you are good at, and find a club or

group where you can use those skills to make an impact on campus. If you love art and graphic design, find a group that needs someone to make posters or flyers. If you love to sing, ask around and see if anyone needs live musicians for campus events. As cliché as it sounds, there is something out there for everyone.

Have no regrets

Limit how often you decline invitations (within reason, of course). While school should always be a priority, don’t deprive yourself of a balanced and healthy social life. If your friends invite you to an impromptu movie night or beach trip, accept the invitation, especially if you have the slightest feeling that you’ll regret saying “no.” Find ways to meet new people. Get to know the person sitting next to you in class or start a conversation with a fellow club member. You may make a lifelong friend. It’s never too late to form a new friendship, even if it’s your last year on campus.

Go see a play

If you have never had the chance to watch a play or dance performance by the College of the Arts, now is your chance. You can watch live music, dances and theater performances this semester beginning in October. Tickets can be found online or at the box office with a discounted price for fellow Titans. The good thing is tickets are not limited to only students, so you can bring your mom, dad, uncle or cousin to make your experience even more memorable.

Check out the Titan Student Union.

If you still do not know, the TSU offers weekly specials for students to alleviate their stress. Grab a friend or two in between classes and check out the Titan Student Union on a Tuesday for a free afternoon of billiards between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, you can bowl for as little as $1. Take advantage, especially on Thursdays, for an all-you-can-bowl afternoon between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Network, network, network! CSUF offers plenty of panel events specific to your major. These events allow students to ask questions and receive advice from professionals in their desired fields. As a senior, panels can provide networking and potential career opportunities useful for post-graduation. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and talk to those experts who one day can help you land your dream job.

Make memories

Creating a bucket list is one way to get the best out of your last year. Think about what you want to get out of college, and write down everything you’d like to do before you graduate. You can write anything from academic goals to activities you would like to try with friends. In addition, there is no shame in taking too many pictures. If you want to remember a moment, no matter how mundane, don’t feel embarrassed to take as many photos as possible. You’ll end up with more ways to commemorate your time in college.

ADVOCATE DEVIL’S

G.E. requirements secures a rounded education

categories we put them in.”

ALEXANDER ALVARADO Asst. Editor

General education classes are important for ensuring a college student’s long-term success not only by sparking genuine interest and purpose in students, but also by preparing them for their career and real-life experiences.

With classes ranging from humanities, social science, physical science, mathematics, and oral and written communication, these are all useful assets that the university helps students to develop.

Edward Fink, Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Academic Programs said, “I think education is so important in a democratic society for people to learn, to think, and to use evidence-based decision making and use their critical thinking skills and learn that there are many perspectives from many different people, regardless of whatever

In fall of 2021, Cal State Fullerton implemented a required ethnic studies course aimed to “ensure students can demonstrate active engagement with anti-racist issues, practices and movements to help build a diverse, just and equitable society beyond the classroom.” A course of this caliber opens up students to having a better and more knowledgeable approach when engaging with racial topics.

G.E. requirements are essential in making sure that students are kept up to date with valuable informationpreparing for real-life conversations they may have with people from all walks of life.

“This particular ethnic studies area focuses specifically on that so students get that broader perspective about the diverse society we live in,” Fink said. “I think that is an important component of being a generally educated person.”

While some people may argue that the many general education requirements do not benefit people outside

of those courses, the benefits of G.E. requirements apply well after college and into the daily lives of students. Fink gave an example: Oral communication, one of the G.E. requirements, may not be deemed useful by a STEM. major, but they never know when those public speaking skills will be necessary.

“Maybe you don’t think you need public speaking because you really just like to do computer programming,” Fink said. “But you’re going to have to interview right, you’re going to have to interview for a job. So maybe you want to learn a little bit about how to present yourself as a public speaker and you don’t know, that might become very valuable for you.”

The breadth of knowledge offered by G.E. courses are also considered marketable in today’s economy. In a 2015 study done by the Hart Research Associates, they found that an overwhelming amount of employers valued employees who had broad knowledge outside of their career.

CSUF currently requires students who were admitted

in fall 2021 and after to take courses that touch upon core competencies, scientific inquiry and quantitative reasoning, arts and humanities, social sciences, lifelong learning and self development, ethnic studies, cultural studies, and a graduation requirement that consists of the American Government.

Through those concepts, students can expand their knowledge on skills and topics that they would not typically be educated on outside of the classroom.

Students who share an anti-G.E. requirement sentiment will argue that a lot of the concepts taught within those courses are subjects they already learned in high school. While the concepts may be similar, the level in which they are taught is one above the high school education. Not only do G.E. classes allow students to review material from high school or make up for lower educational standards, but G.E. classes allow people to get comfortable with the standards and expectations of

higher education.

“I think that when you get to the college level, it takes some things that students might or might not have had in high school but it takes it to a higher level,” Fink said. “Now, if we’re going to put a Baccalaureate stamp on you and give you a diploma, here now is the higher bar that we expect people to hit in all these areas of general ed.”

CSUF currently offers a range of G.E. courses that are diverse in their own way. Students should take the time they have now to discover and expand their education while they have the resources.

Fink also advised incoming students to abandon the idea that general education courses are a bother.

“I know that sometimes students look at G.E. as a burden,” Fink said. “My advice from years down the road is don’t come with that attitude. You have a chance to learn something. You have a chance to expand your horizons and get a broad base of knowledge.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROSEMARY MONTALVO

General education classes give all students practical life skills.

ADVOCATE DEVIL’S

Reduce G.E. requirements with standardized tests

only costly, but repetitive.

AIDEN O’ MEARA Asst. Editor

Given the climate of the current education system, general education requirements frequently encourage suboptimal use of students’ money and time.

General education classes were originally designed to create well-balanced citizens, which is an admirable task, yet unreasonable. However, these classes often consist of material that is contrary to student interests.

G.E. classes were established in the 1960s, then expanded in the 1980s with the goal of giving students a comprehensive background on a number of di fferent subjects, before moving on to major classes. In modern America, this task is not

The main G.E. subjects at CSU are math, science, oral communication, and English. While these classes may be important, they are not unique to college. Excluding communication, state educational law requires extensive work in these fields already; Californian high school students take three years of English and social science each and two years of math and science each.

The California Department of Education began raising the standards for public education from elementary to high school in 1996. The establishment of standard testing procedures, like Standardized Testing and Reporting in 1997, provided schools with a way to track students’ understanding in general subjects like math, science, English and social studies. For that reason, general education classes have become mirror images of high school classes,

if not identical. Taking classes that hold little value in the mind of the student is detrimental to the overall success of the degree. In education, motivation is essential. If you are taking classes you are not motivated about, it stands to reason that you are less likely to be successful in those fields.

Also, G.E. requirements might actually put students further into debt. According to the article “Borrowing” by the Urban Institute, “70 percent of students who receive a bachelor’s degree have education debt by the time they graduate.” Because the majority of these classes are essentially being covered in high school, the student loan debt would only increase. With so many students relying on external aid, it is all the more necessary to make each class count.

In spite of all the glaring issues, the main reason G.E. classes should be revised

because they no longer serve their intended purpose. Being a well-rounded, educated scholar won’t happen but taking a generic class on a subject people are already unenthusiastic about.

The main way to prevent students from wasting their time, money and motivation on redundant classes is by reducing G.E. requirements altogether, which can be achieved in a variety of ways.

As mentioned previously, the standards for high school education must be raised to better prepare students for college without the need for G.E. courses. High schools offering more Advanced Placement courses, which provides them with college credit, would help in preventing them from repeating basic classes. It would also reduce graduation times and encourage precise, focused education when students reach college.

Another alternative to taking G.E. courses would

be to promote College-Level Examination Program tests. CLEP tests are administered through the College Board, which is the same organization that oversees AP tests. By passing the CLEP test, students entering college would be provided with college-level credit and, therefore, would save time in college.

To motivate students, the structure of G.E. courses should change. More G.E. classes should provide a more project-based learning or experience-based learning so that they can build real-life skills, not be so tedious or repetitive, and they would also be meeting the G.E. requirements.

College is a place of higher learning. It is a field where minds are meant to be pulled in new directions, not dulled by monotony or buried in debt. Instead of taking redundant G.E. classes, students should be encouraged to move forward with their education.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROEMARY MONTALVO

Repetitive and irrelevant nonmajor coursework demoralizes students.

Your campus parking survival guide

Certain parking lots can be a better option for students depending on their major. Student athletes may prefer Lots A, D or G because of their close proximity to the sports fields.

The parking spot hunt is on for Cal State Fullerton students this fall, and there are some new things to expect from campus parking: price increases.

Student parking pass prices increased to $334 this term, up almost $40 from the spring 2022 semester. Parking is leaning toward contactless payment with apps like ParkMobile, where students can pay for parking hourly, said Monica Chavez, CSUF Parking Services manager.

Still, only certain parking spaces are available to students. There are four lots and four structures students can park in. Lots A, D, and G are located on the northwest side of campus, while Lot S is south of College Park. A fifth parking lot is behind the dorm buildings, but is reserved for residential students. The four parking structures are split between the east and west sides of campus: Nutwood parking structure is southwest, State College parking structure is northwest, and the two Eastside structures flank the east side of campus.

There are signs displaying the exact space numbers at the entrances of Lots A and G and the Eastside parking structures. However, the signs at the Nutwood and State College structures are being upgraded and will read either “open” or “full” until the upgrades are finished, Chavez said.

“When they’re not ticketing and everything, I’ll park in this parking lot right here, the Lot D just because it’s close to the sports facilities and everything,” said Jeffery Morris, a third-year CSUF student.

Communications majors would benefit from parking in Lot S, since it is on the same side of Nutwood Avenue. as College Park, where many Communications classes are held. Students frequenting the library or the Starbucks in Mihaylo Hall can appreciate the quick walk to the

Eastside parking structures. Parking tickets are dispensed for multiple violations such as: parking in a faculty or staff lot without a permit, parking in a student lot without a CSUF parking pass or daily permit, or parking in a lot aisle. Tickets cost parking violators $80 apiece, whereas parking permits are over $300 a semester.

One option is off-campus parking . “Just park outside of the school. It’s cheaper, and just ride a board to class. Regardless, parking over here is terrible, and no one wants to park over here,” said Tylin Williams, a third-year student.

Parking on campus is limited, Chavez said. She recommends taking alternative

modes of transportation when available such as biking, walking or public transit.

Alternate commuting options can help students save money, for those worried about the cost of a $334 semester parking pass. An off-site parking pass is available for $100 a semester, where students can park at the EVFree church on Bastanchury and Brea Boulevard Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. There is a 25% Metrolink discount for students, and a 10% Amtrak student discount as well.

“When in doubt, asking friends is a good way to get tips on parking,” said Rafael Gutierrez, a Pi Kappa Phi member and CSUF student.

“Make friends, ask people their tips. I mean, mine are parking off campus or try to risk a ticket. There are certain places you won’t get ticketed, but I mean, make friends–do what they do,” Gutierrez said.

Arriving at school early is another way to help secure a parking spot before class, Williams said. “Biggest advice, just get here extra early. If you’re worried about what you’re going to do in that time, just hang out on campus, enjoy your campus,” Williams said.

The IFullerton app is also available for students to download, and has a parking feature that displays total spaces in a lot or structure as well as how many spaces are open at any time.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROSEMARY MONTALVO / DAILY TITAN

The best tips to fnd a spot during the fall semester, according to CSUF students.

SINCLAIR ANDRUSKA

Asst. Editor