F I R S T Y E A R C O N N E C T I O N S M A G A Z I N E - G E T C O N N E C T E D | S T A Y C O N N E C T E D

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F I R S T Y E A R

C O N N E C T I O N S

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E ?

P H OTO CO N T E S T !

PEER LEADERADVICE PANEL

BUYING BOOKS:

W E LCO M E TO N J I T:A L E T T E R F R O M D R . F E Y

CONNECTIONSFIRST YEAR

Where and

How?

Center for First Year Students

CONTENTS

WELCOME TO NJITDr. Charles Fey, Vice President for Academic

Support and Student Affairs, leads off witha welcome letter for the incoming students of NJIT.

F YC PEER LEADERS: ADVICE PANELNJIT’s star students give their advice on how

they made it through their first year of collegeand how any first year student could get that step ahead.

BUYING BOOKS, WHAT DO I DO?We’ll give you the heads up on how to order

your books like a pro.

THE SWITCHThere’s a difference between high school

and college life. We’ll show you thedifference and how to adjust.

CONNECTIONS CALENDARGet the heads up on upcoming events.

PHOTO CONTESTGet the chance to win a gift card

just by taking pictures and getting involved!

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First Year Connections magazine is written and designed by the FYC team at the Center for First Year Students.

Center for First Year Students280 Campus CenterNew Jersey Institute of Technology

973.596.2981FYC@njit.edu

http://www.njit .edu/firstyearstudents

:FIRST YEAR FLASHBACK FYC 1.0#TBT

The group circles around as peer leaders (from Left to Right) Thomas Defries, Pamela Jablonski, Neha Syal, and AnuoluwapoAkeredolu engage them into a fun ice-breaker. These types of teambuilders allow all the new Highlanders to make connections early.

Peer leader Chelsea Chamra isready to start the day and helpdirect students into their firstcollege experience.

better known as “Throwback Thursday” is a popularway to share memorable moments.We’d like to go all the way back toFYC 1.0 when 900 freshmen arrived to campus in June and July. So here’s our version...First Year Flashback.

Peer leaders Aldona Puchalski (Left)and Hafsa Saleem (Right) are givinghelpful information to theirgroup as they all prepare for theupcoming semester.

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WELCOME TO NJIT

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W elcome to the New Jersey Institute of Technology com-munity! You have made a great choice in your college selection and now the journey begins! In addition to exceptional academic programs, we’ve also prepared an array of programs and services to help you succeed in the classroom, develop leadership skills and make lifelong friends. You can enrich your academic experience by participating in Learning Communities, study-abroad options, internships and co-op positions for academically qualified students and research oppor-tunities with our renowned faculty. All that it takes is for you to make the decision to participate in them. I do have some advice for you if you want to make the most out of your collegiate experiences: Get involved!

We offer more than 125 student organizations on campus; including Greek organizations and groups with interests in recreation and sports, the arts, science, business, and many others. Planning on commuting? We also have an office, C.A.R.S., devoted exclusively to your needs. You will find employment opportunities here on campus and off campus to help pay your costs or put some extra cash in your pocket (contact the Career Center) and meet new people right away. To learn more about these great options, visit the Student Affairs website at http://www.njit.edu/studentaffairs and click on the appropriate icon to go to our many

services. Here are some of the very exciting events and activities you can expect at NJIT in 2014-15:

• It all starts during our Welcome Weekend and First Year Connections 2.0, Aug. 28-29. We’ve planned a series of activities and events to welcome you to NJIT and make your transition to college life as easy as possible. University staff, students and faculty will be available to assist you.

• Explore our Campus Center and state-of-the-art Recreation and Fitness Center in the Albert Dorman Honors College, which are bustling with activity every day. There is plenty to do on campus.

• Look for Highlander Days in the fall ; attend our many soccer matches, basketball and volleyball games and get involved in Highlander Spirit . . . and the many student events that will keep you in touch with the campus and your new friends.

If you have questions or need assistance over the summer, please contact the office of the Dean of Students at 972-596-3466 or email at doss@njit.edu, and they will be happy to assist you. Have a wonder-ful and safe summer. I look forward to seeing you on campus this fall – and GET INVOLVED in your Highlander Experience!!

Best regards, Dr. Charles J. FeyVice President for Academic Support and Student Affairs

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here on campus and off campus to help pay your costsor put some extra cash in your pocket (contact the Career Center) and meet new people right away. Tolearn more about these great options, visit the Student Affairs website at http://www.njit.edu/studentaffairsand click on the appropriate icon to go to our many

campus this fall and GET INVOLVED in yourHighlander Experience!!

Best regards, Dr. Charles J. FeyVice President for Academic Support andStudent Affairs

AUGUST 25PLACEMENT TESTINGOUT-OF-STATE/INTERNATIONALSTUDENTS

AUGUST 26FIRST YEAR CONNECTIONS 1.O

AUGUST 27SCHEDULE CHANGE AND LATE REGISTRATION

AUGUST 28FIRST YEAR CONNECTIONS 2.OFIRST YEAR MOVE-IN DAY

AUGUST 29FIRST YEAR CONNECTIONS 2.OSERVICE DAY

CONNECTIONSCALENDAR

SEPTEMBER 10UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION

SEPTEMBER 2FIRST DAY OF CLASSES

SERVICE DAY

FIRST YEAR CONNECTIONS 1 O

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THE SWITCH ollege life is very different from high school. In college, you are in charge of your life. The key to success in your first year boils down to making connections and managing your time well. Here are some key strategies to help kick off your first semester like a pro. C

Making Connections

Among the most important people to know on campus are your professors. These men and women are an excellent resource. In addition to teaching the course material, professors can help you with internships, job recommenda-tions, and research opportunities. Get to know your professors! They can provide feedback and support in a lot of things outside the classroom, like ensuring your resume is aligned with the profession you are seeking.

Another important resource on campus is your academic advisor. Things your advisor helps with: selecting courses, meeting major requirements, and finding and selecting internships or co-ops. Your advisor can also function as a reference for jobs and graduate school. Outside of academic focus, the staff members at NJIT are important to get to know. The staff can help you find the appropriate campus resource for clubs, classes, fun, and staying healthy. This ranges from residence life staff to student health services or any other campus department needed. In addition, the Center for First Year Students can assist you in the transition to life at NJIT. They are an important office to utilize in your first year.

The final group to know on campus is the other students. Know your classmates and other students in your major. Upperclassmen can give helpful tips on accomplishing major projects, while classmates can be a benefit for group work, studying, or just making sure you understand the material properly. There are a lot of spaces at NJIT to work in small groups. Take advantage of this by getting to know your fel low students.

Managing Your Time

Time management skills are extremely important to your success at NJIT. In college the most successful students are dedicated and hard-working, not necessarily those with the highest IQ scores. Part of developing good time management skills is realizing that you are now in charge of your time. For example, you can select your class times and determine if you want early classes. In addition, you decide when you eat; if you are not a fan of breakfast, then you can skip it and eat later. This amount of control helps make sure that you can be productive for your classes. If you aren’t a fan of morning classes, avoid them if possible so that you are more alert in class to perform better. Planning when to work on assignments and when to work with others is just as important.

Let’s Work Together

Group work is a big component of NJIT academic work. To manage these assignments, you will need to manage your time well. Not only do you need to work on group assignments, but you need to stay on top of your individual assignments while finding a mutual time to work on the group project. Using the Google calendar with your NJIT email account can be a great way to ensure that everyone can meet and get reminders. You will also receive a student planner at First Year Connections 2.0 if you prefer making plans the old-fashioned way.

In addition to the many different demands on your time from college, there are other considerations, such as family commitments. Let’s say your family may be planning an outing and you want to go, but you have a common exam in a few days. It may be worth talking to them to see if there is a way to plan around your exam. Perhaps you can go after the exam or your family can give you additional time to prepare.

With family commitments come things like chores and helping around your home. Weekends are a time many students use to catch up on homework and other assignments, but if you are supposed to be mowing the lawn or cleaning the bathrooms, the school work can fall behind. The best advice is to budget your time.

Back on campus, you will have other time commitments based on the clubs and organiz-

ations you join. These typically come in two forms, meetings and events. Once again, one of the best options available is to effectively budget your time. Plan when you need things done and when you have commitments. Then create a schedule to work on your assignments. Creating a plan to do homework is not exciting, but it is very helpful.

How About Jobs?

If you have a job, don’t overload your hours. It is extremely difficult to work a full-time job and attend NJIT. There is ample evidence that when a student works more than 10-15 hours a week, it impacts his or her grades. It also helps to find an on-campus job so you feel connected to NJIT and get to classes with ease. If you can handle more hours, make sure you can stil l get your schoolwork completed on time. One other important consider-ation for work is if and when you can take off work for projects, group assignments, and finals. Taking off a six-hour shift to work on a project could be the difference between a C and an A grade.

Finally, get plenty of sleep. There are lots of fun and exciting things to do, and you will face challenges managing your schedule—every student faces this problem—but do not let your sleep be dramatically impacted. Getting a full night’s rest wil l improve energy, grades, and your ability to focus. Even though you have heard this advice your entire life, it is critical to succeeding.

Succeeding at NJIT

Being a successful student isn’t as difficult as it seems once you manage your time and make connections. Learn who you should know for your major and get to know your fellow students. The other piece of advice to is schedule your activities so you can manage your time. Block out time for homework, projects, work, family, and friends. Controlling your time makes everything else easier. Don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep!

Contributed by Erik Tiernan

STUDENT

ADVICE

PANEL

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#QUESTIONS? ASK THE STUDENTS

Go to many NJIT events as you can,you could win iPads, TV’s, and FREEFOOD!

Get involved with as many clubs andorganizations as possible. It will allowyou to network with fellow studentsand experience the social life hereat NJIT.

Phil Larussa

Jerhard Evanggeelliissttaa

can,REE

Do your homework as soon as possibleso that you have more free time. Oh, andhave fun, be safe.

Patrick CCordes

Take your time and think things over beforedoing them, even if it’s something like pickingclasses or picking a career or just goingsomewhere for lunch.

TasneemFariha

Chelsea Chamrahamra

Get active and enjoy all the activities theschool has to offer! Our gym, fields, andclub sports are great ways to get movingand involved!

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BUYING BOOKS:WHERE AND HOWNJIT BOOKSTORE AMAZON.COM

CHEGG.COM UPPERCLASSMENChegg.com is another great way tobuy and sell your books. The site wascreated so that it primarily sellsonline textbooks so you can staygreen while reading. It has otherservices such as homework help andinternship matching.

Amazon.com is a great way to get discounted books and have the opportunity

to sell them back. They have a wide selection of books and items that you may need for

your classes. Plus, you could sign up for Amazon Prime Student which would give you

2 days express shipping!

The NJIT Bookstore is located right in the Campus Center for your convenience. You can order your books through their online store and then pick them up soon after right from the Campus Center. They know exactly which books you need for your classes and you could even rent them if needed. Their website is njitshop.com.

If all other options are too costly or you cannot find a book, there are always the upperclassmen. Find one of them that are in your major so that you have a possible chance at buying a book right off of them. They have been in your classes before, and you will most likely have the same books. It is also a possibility that if you befriend them, they might just give you what you need for free.

Submissions are being accepted from now until ! Post your picture of students being proud to be Highlanders on the FYC facebook page with

for a chance to win:

There will be three third place winners, two second place, and one first place. Also: FRESHMAN ONLY!

FIRST YEARCONNECTIONS 2.0

F I R S T Y E A R

C O N N E C T I O N S

Registration is now open for FYC 2.0, the second part of NJIT’s required freshman orientation on August 28-29, 2014!

Participating in this two day program will give you a great advantage in starting at NJIT. Missing these two days will count as absences against the First Year Seminar course. In addition, students also invited to attend social events throughout opening weekend. Contact us at: FYC@njit.edu or 973.596.2981.

Register at: https://fyc2-2014.eventbrite.com

Center for First Year Students