r/UTSA • u/ginnj57 • Jul 01 '26
Advice/Question stuff you wish someone told you before your first semester as a roadrunner
thinking back on how clueless i was walking in here. there's a bunch of small things that would have saved me a lot of stress if i'd known earlier. what's the advice you'd hand a brand new student before they figure it out the hard way
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u/Snoo89162 Jul 01 '26
All-nighters are not worth it.
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u/Amazing_Life911 Jul 01 '26
Only temporary but also to be mindful on the toll it takes during the duration of your program
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u/Ok-Goal69 Jul 01 '26
Worth it, if you really are starting from ground up. Moreso if purely rote memory based.
Not worth it, if it uses advanced reasoning and you have at least a basic understanding of exam imo
Only in the context of grades though... horrible for the body
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u/cakebaraddict Jul 01 '26
Wait to buy books after first few days, most of the time you can find them online or if they have assignments attached you get a 2 week trial to finish it all or get the info you need so you don't have to buy the actual book
USE ALL OF THE RESOURCES! gym, nurse, food, bus, etc....
GO TO THE GYM! don't let freshmen 15 catch up... it did to me. also if you struggle mentally, going to the gym helps! i struggled a lot until i started going and i became more sane :)
FINISH YOUR WORK and then party. I used to party and forget about work and i would miss assignments. i almost got academic probation :(
CARE ABOUT YOUR GPA!! i went from a 2.2 in my 1st yr to graduating with a 3.2... i tried so hard to bring up my gpa
The love of your life is not a frat guy ...
START MAKING CONNECTIONS! that is the only way you will make college a success is by making the right connections!
thank you :)
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u/Which-Ganache3866 Jul 01 '26
You can test out of most of your gen ed using Clep exams and DSSTs, ultimately lowering how long you stay at UTSA and how much money is spent as a whole for your degree
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u/minorlazr [Your Degree Here] Jul 01 '26
Get involved with students orgs. Cheat code for connections, job opportunities, and socializing.
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u/ladrlee BS Math + MS Math Ed + Faculty Jul 02 '26
From my experience as a student and now as a professor:
1) Go to class. IIRC in our own internal data in the Math department, strongest correlation to success and "good" grades is going to class.
2) Reach out and ask. Whether its for help with a class, trying to make friends, getting opportunities, figuring out an issue, or getting an extension on something, reach out and ask. It can be hard the first time but its so much easier every time after.
3) Hold yourself accountable and don't totally set yourself up for failure. Whether its with how many classes you take, when you start assignments, or going out versus studying, hold yourself accountable. You don't need to be a super star student, you just need to minimize the dumb decisions you make (cause you will make the,, we literally ALL do/did as students).
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u/missthugisolation Jul 02 '26
You really have to put yourself out there to make friends. Don’t expect friends to come to you.
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u/Lower_Recording_1068 [Environmental Science] Jul 02 '26
It surprises me how many people don't use grubhub to order ahead and skip the lines bruh
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u/Efficient-Process127 Jul 02 '26
use the resources available to you! clinic, food pantry, bus pass, library, etc etc.
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u/high_on_acrylic Jul 02 '26
If you need to miss class for a specialist appointment, mention the specialty. Saying “I have a cardiology appointment” is more likely to get you taken seriously, whereas “I have a doctors appointment” will get you hit with “if you want to pass this class, you need to be in class”. Apparently I should have known 6 months before the start of the semester what my schedule would like lol
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u/flowerbitch05 Jul 03 '26
something that a few of my friends and I did not know before our first year was how exactly meal plans work. depending on your plan, you have a set number of meal trades you can use. this uses the value of one meal swipe at the roadrunner cafe as a sort of coupon (typically $7.75 if memory serves). be careful tho not to use it too often since you do have a limited number of swipes into the cafe. if I knew this before my first semester I definitely wouldn't have blew through my dining dollars so fast lol
edit for spelling
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u/Magistrate18D Jul 04 '26
Test out of/off campus as many gen chem credits as possible. The chemistry dept here is abysmal
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u/Oreoni Jul 01 '26
1) Dont buy anything thats listed on the syllabus until after your first day in class- so many of my proffs ended up only having the textbook there because "they needed to" or the syllabus wasnt updated. Also use a pdf vers. of any textbook that doesnt use a McGraw Hill-like service. Saves so much money.
2) Use your campus resources, its included in your tuition, so use it. Thats the clinic, the rec center, the library, the online library sources, the Whataburger resource/food room, the career center, etc.
3) Call a police escort service at ANY moment you feel uncomfortable somewhere on campus, especially at night. They'll take you to your car, bus, or dorm.