Introduction to My Freshman Year

My Freshman Year is a book where the author is a professor from a large university enrolls as a freshman and examines college culture first hand. Rebekah Nathan covers seven main topics in her book. These topics include welcome week, living in the dorms, community and diversity, how other people see college students, academics, managing college work, and lessons she has learned.

I am a freshman student from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. I thought the author's description of college students is not 100% accurate and is somewhat biased towards the drinking and cheating students. Other than over emphasizing cheating and the amount of drinking in college, I believe Nathan's book is accurate. My experience of being a freshman college student did affect how I read the book. I was comparing what she wrote to my personal experiences as I read.

I was excited to read this book because I wanted to see what a college professor thought about being a student before, during, and after becoming a college freshman. That is exactly what this book does, however I did not enjoy reading this book because her thoughts, opinions, and things she experiences are very biased. It seems that she looks for all the negatives in things, whether it be decorations people have on their doors, or the way they manage and spend their time. She seems to rip on the "average" freshman, put the exchange students on a pedestal, and praise the seniors for all they have accomplished. The good honorable freshman that many of us are, are never mentioned. If i wrote about my freshman year it would be a very different book.

Before reading this book I didn't really know what a professor would do immersed in the life of a college student, but now, after reading this book I have gained a different perspective on life as a college student and also saw the problems that a college campus possesses. One of the problems on campus that I was vaugley aware of before I read this book was the lack of diversity present on a typical American campus, but now after reading this book I became aware of what problems do exist and what needs to be done to change them. Altogether Nathan both surprised me by her research results as well as her conclusions on this topic.

I wanted to read this book because I was interested in what an outsider would say about my culture. I never seemed to notice the negative sides of the college experience, but I also believe that Nathan had a somewhat different experience than me due to her age. This book describes the freshman life pretty accurately apart from the social aspect. Kids tend to hang around people similar to themselves, so when someone is older they tend to be left out. I very often compared my own freshman year to her experience and besides a few little things it tended to be right on.

10 Sources for More Information

Bomar, Chuck. “Campus Subcultures: Part 1.” Collegeleader.org. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://www.collegeleader.org/articles-campus-details.php?articlesID=57

Bomar, Chuck. “Campus Subcultures: Part 2.” Collegeleader.org. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://www.collegeleader.org/articles-campus-details.php?articlesID=58

Bomar, Chuck. “Campus Subcultures: Part 3.” Collegeleader.org. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://www.collegeleader.org/articles-campus-details.php?articlesID=59

Bomar, Chuck. “Campus Subcultures: Part 4.” Collegeleader.org. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://www.collegeleader.org/articles-campus-details.php?articlesID=60

Barrik, Audrey. “College Students and Sexual Addiction.” Collegeleader.org. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://www.collegeleader.org/articles-campus-details.php?articlesID=33

Jaschik, Scott. “The New Student Excuse.” Insidehighered.com. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/06/05/corrupted

Brady, Jonann. “Binge Drinking Entrenched in College Culture.” abcnews.go.com. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story?id=1085909

Northcutt, Frances, Mark W. Bernstein, and Yadin Kaufmann. How to Survive Your Freshman Year. Atlanta, Ga.: Hundreds of Heads, 2008. Print.
http://books.google.com/books?id=WzYjMmIbeEgC&pg=PA296&dq=my+freshman+year&cd=3#v=onepage&q=my%20freshman%20year&f=false

Been There, Should've Done That: 995 Tips for Making the Most of College. Lansing, MI: Front Porch, 2008. Print.

Malone, Michael S. The Everything College Survival Book. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2005. Print.

“Debunking the Myths of American College Culture.” Yaleherald.com. Web. 11 May 2010.
http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxxii/09.07.01/opinion/p9vider.html

Afterword: Ethics and Ethnography

Ch.8 Organizer - Natalie

Before going into this project Nathan knew she would need to blend in to experience college life as well as not blend in when she wanted to interview people for research and such. After beginning her work she realized it was much easier to withhold information about her real non-student life. There were only three instances in which she shared her personal information. She also struggled with what she could wright down as to the fact sometimes what she heard was because of eavesdropping not information that was actually directed toward her. She had to keep in mind her students many times when writing especially when writing about the topic of cheating. Because she wanted to be conscientious of the students at AnyU not all her experiences are written in her book, but they are, and will be in her heart forever.

Discussion Leader for Ch. 8 by Chip Fox

1.) What do you think was the main point of her experiment?
We think the main point of her experiment was to get a better understanding of the students she was teaching and to research a particular culture that seems to be completely different than when she went to college.

2.) What do you think was the hardest part of going back to college for her?
We think the hardest part of going back to college for her was being social. Since she is considerably older than the general population in that particular culture, it might have been difficult and scary to have to go out and meet people, rather than just staying in her room.

3.) Overall, do you think Nathan had a positive experience during her experiment or a negative experience?
We thought that Nathan had sort of a mixed experience. She had a positive experience because she learned a lot and had some friends that she talked to and got together with. But she had a negative experience because what she learned about the students had a negative tone when she was describing it, and we think she might have been disappointed when she found out how students have their own set friends and usually do not stray from the group.

4.) If you were in her shoes, a professor at a big university, would you go back to college for a year?
Our group voted unanimously “no”. We think it would be very difficult and outside of our comfort zones to go back to college as a grown individual, and have to be around and converse with students much younger than we are.

Chapter 8 - Summary (Beka W.)

The afterword of Nathan's book was very poignant and wrapped up her research and experience very well. It was interesting to note Nathan's commitment to honesty and ethics in regards to her researching. Most researchers would definitely consider the fact that their actions needed to be careful, however, Nathan was devoted to morals and wanted to pursue the highest ethics possible. Nathan also illustrated the fact that it is hard to keep a hidden identity in the course of the school year if one truly wants to make friends. Although she did tell one journalism student who she really was, she made it her motto "don't ask, don't tell" and that would definitely affect the results one has when researching with students. How could she really know the life of a student if she was trying to pretend she was someone else and keep her guard up? Nathan also acknowledges the fact that she must keep the confidence of her friends and also let some individuals know, such as her RA, so that she wouldn't be needlessly worrying the entire year about her. Altogether Nathan wrapped up the book in a nice way and provided helpful information, however, it would have been more beneficial to read some of the information in the introducion, instead of learning more about anthropology than the actual project.

Reading 8 Vocabulary Mr. Pesavent

Mitigate-to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain- 158
Fabricate-to devise or invent-159
Immersed-plunged or sunk in or as if in a liquid-160
Entails-to impose as a burden-161
Divulged-to disclose or reveal -162
Titularly-pertaining to, or of the nature of a title-162
Privy-private; assigned to private uses-163
Albeit-Even though; although-164
Bolster-pillow, cushion, or pad-165
Auspices-Protection or support; patronage-166
Voyeurism-A person who derives sexual gratification from observing the naked bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret vantage point-167

My Freshman Year: May 10, 2010

Hi group members! Please post a paragraph or two and state what you thought of the book/your perspective on it! :)

Thanks!!

Beka's Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading this book for my Lit Circle group. Before reading this book I thought the content would not be quite as dense and I didn't think about the conclusions the professor might have by researching my culture group. However, as I started reading the book, I was surprised at the results Nathan found while researching. It was interesting to note the fact that there is a lack of diversity among the students on campuses across the United States as well as the persistent racism that is still not addressed. I was also surprised at the lack of knowledge about other cultures displayed by students on campuses. While Nathan's research was done to the best of her ability and her findings were interesting, I believe that in some of her findings her own personal perspective influenced the results. She was a professor doing research on a student group - I believe it would have been different if an ordinary person had been doing the research. Also, I believe that the group she was researching was all freshman and that definitely is not an accurate reflection of the entire college. If Nathan wanted her results to be a little more accurate than she should have researched perspectives and lifestyles of most students on campus, not just the freshman. Overall, I am glad I read this book because it gave me a different perspective on student life and allowed me to see campus from the lens of a professor.

John's final thoughts
I signed up for this book to see how other people viewed the college subculture. I was very interested in how she would portray our behaviors. As I began reading, I realized this book was a little more difficult than I originally thought. Throughout the readings I was constantly comparing and contrasting what I was reading and what I personally experienced. To be honest, her findings were accurate for the most part. However, there were things that she did to make it slightly inaccurate. I thought it was very interesting getting a look at my own culture from someone else's point of view. I would recommend this book to anyone who would be interested in learning more about the college freshman culture or any college student who would like to see their own culture from another perspective.

Natalie's Final Thoughts

I was excited to read this book as to the fact that I wanted to see how a teacher would portray college. Right from the get go Nathan seemed extremely one sided as she ripped on college freshman from the things placed on their doors to their time management. I found it funny at the end of the book when she started slacking and not caring about her grades just like the freshman did that she previously was ripping on. I did not like the book as much as I thought I would it even angered me. She failed to mention anything about the college freshman who were not actually here to party and get wasted every weekend. Its a good book to read as it shows one persons view of college, but I'd read it with a grain of salt as it does not hold true to every ones college experience.

Chip's Final Thoughts
I was interested in this book right when the title was introduced in class. I thought it would be very interesting to be able to see what another person thought about the same experience I am just finishing. When I started reading this book I was interested in what Nathan was saying because I kept thinking about how well that described my experience. However, I do think that her findings about the dorm life, were somewhat influenced from her opinion. Something that really stood out was how different relationships are between American students and students in other countries. I have grown up with American customs and I never thought anything of it. I wonder if her findings would be any different if she was in a smaller school than ASU since many people who go to a big university go with a set group of friends. I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. It is a fairly good description of what goes on freshman year of college, except for the off-campus life and social aspect. I do however, feel that Nathan had a major handicap due to her age because some people might not feel as comfortable around someone older than them.

Ch. 7 Lessons from My Year as a Freshman

Ch. 7 Graphic Organizer by Chip Fox

The cross-cultural conversation between Professors and Students is where Nathan starts off, talking about how most professors don't look at how their students are living or how hard it is to achieve a good GPA with multiple classes, and how most students don't understand faculty rank or how professors advance in their careers. The next section, the student as teacher, is where she notices how her classes are from a student's perspective, and how some readings are not done by the students because they need to prioritize what needs to be done. After that is the teacher as the student section, this is where Nathan talks about how not all students take the easy way out and just because someone sleeps in your class does not mean they are doing it out of disrespect. Then comes the Student Culture and "Liminality" section, where Nathan asks the reader whether the students from the "college culture" will take a new stance on how they see the world and change our world as we know it, or whether they will just wait in line for a job and conform to society. And then the end of the chapter, is the Final Reflection, where Nathan looks back on the entire experience.

Discussion - Beka W. (Chapter 7)

How do you believe Nathan changed as a person and as a professor due to her research?

We as a group believed that Nathan became a better professor due to her new-found awareness of students and even developed an empathy for the students she was teaching as well as finding compassion for her students. We thought that the individual at the end of the book was very different than the person in the beginning of the book.

How does Nathan become like the typical college student she researched?

Our group saw Nathan becoming more and more like the students as the book progressed. For example, Nathan began to slack off and saw herself starting to do poorly in a particular class and even marveled at how easy it is to fall behind. It was interesting to see Nathan becoming less diligent and an "average" student as the book went on.

Do you feel that student-teacher relationships play a vital role in a student's first year experience or a small one?

Our group agreed that a professor can truly make or break a class. If there is a professor that is easy to approach and takes a general interest in students then a freshman's first year could really improve academic wise. A few of us have met several professors that we enjoyed getting to know and have truly made our first year at college both memorable and enjoyable.

Do you feel more teachers/professors would benefit from seeing students "on the other side"?

We definitely thought that professors would be different if they saw life at college from a student's perspective. They would deal with the pressures, joys, lows, and triumphs of college life and notice the struggles and the simple acts of kindness from professors that go a long way.

Vocabulary Ch. 7 - Natalie

Bimodal (133) - relating to or consisting of a series of observations with two peaks, representing two statistical values that occur with equal frequency and more often than any other value

Placating (134) - to make somebody less angry, upset, or hostile, usually by doing or saying things to please him or her

Officious (pg 134) - characteristic of somebody who is eager to give unwanted help or advice

Superlative (pg 134) - of the highest quality or degree

Anthropological (pg 135) - relating to the study of humankind, especially the study of cultures

Relativist (pg 135) - the belief that concepts such as right and wrong, goodness and badness, or truth and falsehood are not absolute but change from culture to culture and situation to situation
Tacit (pg 135) - understood or implied without being stated openly

Interim (pg 136) - serving as a temporary measure until something more complete and permanent can be established

Appreciable (pg 137) - large or important enough to be noticed

Colloquium (pg 155) - an academic conference or seminar in which a particular topic is discussed, often with guest speakers

Chapter 7 Summarizer Mr. Pesavent

Chapter seven is titled "Lessons from My Year as a Freshman." In chapter seven, Nathan explains that, "This chapter serves as a response to questions others ask me and questions that, since my freshman year, I keep asking myself. What did I personally learn from this experience?" (132). In the first part of the chapter, Nathan explores the cross-cultural conversation between students and teachers. The author explains how most teachers don't see how students live or how hard it is to balance several classes and maintain a good GPA. The second section of the chapter is about how Rebekah Nathan goes back to being a teacher after being a student. Nathan now realizes how classes are from a student's perspective. She learns that many of the articles and readings won't be read or how other students have to prioritize their classes so her's isn't always the most important one. The third part of the chapter is titled "Reflection: Teacher as Student." Nathan explains that students don't always want the easy way our or the easy A in class. She also realized that when students sleep in class or invent stories about their missing paper, it is part of their culture and they don't mean to insult the teacher. In the fourth section of the reading, Nathan talks about student culture and liminality. She asks the major question "Will the liminal life of college culture allow students to arrive at inspired new ideas for society and transformative visions of our world? Or will it simply train young people to become adults who take their place in line in the workforce of existing society?" (148). Rebekah Nathan titled the fifth section "Student Culture, the Public University, and American Culture." In this section, Nathan talks about how universities are funded and how they are changing due to lack of funding. The final section of chapter seven is a final reflection of Nathan's experiment. Nathan reflects on her experiment and compares messages students receive when they first arrive at college.

Chapter Six - The art of college management

Chip Fox Vocab Ch. 6

Monolithic (p.107) - (of an organization or system) large, powerful, and intractably indivisible and uniform

Hedonistic (p.108) - the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.

Pedagogical (p.109) - of or relating to teaching

Thwart (p.112) - oppose (a plan, attempt, or ambition) successfully

Encapsulates (p.113) - enclose (something) in or as if in a capsule

Touting (p.116) - attempt to sell (something), typically by pestering people in an aggressive or bold manner

Mantra (p. 127) - a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation

Recalcitrant (p.128) - having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline

Dissipates (p.128) - disperse or scatter

Wrest (p.130) - forcibly pull (something) from a person's grasp

Ch. 6 Summarizer - Natalie

In chapter six Nathan says “I turn now to consider how students at Any-U negotiate their lives at college so you, my readers, can make your own judgments about the model of campus life that now predominates” (pg 110). In this chapter Nathan looks at the different aspects of college and the issues and choices students make from how to manage their time down to the art of mastering their class schedules. The first aspect of college she talks about is time management to college management. She states, “The key to succeeding at college is effort and good planning. If you plan your time well, you can have it all” (pg 111). The second is creating the perfect schedule. The following are three rules for creating the perfect schedule: “Don’t take early classes, don’t take classes on Friday, and don’t take any class with an unknown professor” (pg 113). Thirdly, is the issue of professors and how to “deal with them”. There are also three key rules to follow in accomplishing the task of getting to know your professor: “be friendly with them, go to class, and sit in front” (pg 117). Fourthly, she talks about the workload students have and how they tend to do only what is necessary nothing above or extra. Most students don’t have a perfect record of attendance and if attendance isn’t taken in a class it’s much easier to skip a class. She also talks a lot about cheating. Maybe more then she needs to, but it’s something that is very important and matters a lot to her. She herself is a professor and does not tolerate cheating. The last thing she talks about is going from a freshman to a senior. She praises those “successful, savvy seniors who” made it all the way (pg 129). She says, It is instructive to look, finally, at those who managed well: college seniors” (pg 129).

Chapter Six - Graphic Organizer - Beka

Through this chapter Nathan illustrates the way an average campus
today operates. There are three key elements, Nathan stresses that
contribute to the ebb and flow of college and they are: good time
management skills, getting a "good" schedule, and cooperating
effectively with professors. However, she also addresses the little
preparation students do before class as well as the large amount
of cheating that does indeed occur on campuses across the nation
today. Nathan wraps up the chapter with an image of a senior
college student that has battled the storms of college and has
emerged as a successful student that prepares well for classes, navigates classes well,and cheats little or none at all. Overall, the ending of the chapter helped
show that students do become successful if they try and offered
hope to almost a dismal portrayl of college students.

Discussion Leader Chapter 6 Mr. Pesavent

1. Why is time management so important in college?

Time management is important in college because it allows students to have freetime during the day. If students do not manage their time wisely, they won't have enough time to finish their assignments, study for exams, or hang out with their friends. Effective time management can also help stress from building up because each student knows what they have in store for them each week.

2. Why is course scheduling so important?

According to the book, course scheduling is considered an art that must be mastered in order for it to be the most effective. There are multiple things to keep in mind when registering for classes. On page 113, Nathan wrote that the times that each class takes place is the most important thing to remember while registering for classes. In the group's opinion, we think that the quality of the professor is considered before the time of the class. Course scheduling is important because it helps with time management and can really make or break a student's semester.


3. Why do students skip class as much as they do?

Many students skip class for numerous reasons. These reasons include the weather, how tired the student is, importance of the class, what they are going to do during the class, to do homework, to sleep, and many more. Most students who skip feel they can do well in a class whether they skip or not. Most professors do not have very big consequences for students who miss class.

4. Why is cheating so common in college?

Cheating is common in college because it is very easy to do and is very rewarding. In the chapter, Nathan declares behaviors such as working on assignments together and signing friends in on attendance is cheating. Our group disagrees and does not consider those as cheating. Many people cheat in order to do well and to earn a better GPA. Other students do it because the test was written unfairly or just to check their answers with people around them.

Chapter 5: Let's get to the Academics!

My Freshman Year: May 5, 2010

Rebekah Nathan's chapter on Academics was very interesting. Our group definitely saw similarities between the examples given in the book and within our own lives. For example, one of the "unconscious norms" that we identified with was the idea that it is important to remain equal with the students and to be a part of the group, rather than identify oneself with the teacher. Also, we recognized that the questions Nathan perceived were "good ones" were actually ones that we use quite often, rather than contributing to class discussions. All of us in our group at one time or another have asked questions concerning the details of an upcoming assignment due to the fact that we are being graded on the assignment and want to know exactly what the expectations are ahead of time. We also noticed how often the kids in class that do ask questions or state opinions are looked down upon or perceived as "annoying". Instead of appreciating that student's contribution, many students, including us, have felt annoyed towards a classmate who is simply trying to contribute to class discussions. Many of us were struck as well with the realization that true to Nathan's description, professors have a difficult time trying to stimulate class discussions. There is an obvious feeling of apathy among the students when professors would try to engage the class in discussion or debate. Either fellow students do not care or know about the topic at hand, or they are simply too afraid to assert their opinions. It is sad that in places of higher learning "ideas are rarely debated, and even more rarely evaluated" (Nathan, 95). This is a special time in college students' lives and it is a valuable part of the learning experience to articulate beliefs or ideas and watch the classroom explode with ideas. By class debates and open, respectful discussions of issues, students form their own opinions and ideas about the issues happening in the world. Are students too afraid of offending others by stating their own opinions? It is a sad fact that classrooms are changing in America, but perhaps the behavior of students could change if some students, including us, raised our voices without hesitation during discussions and debates. We also thought it was interesting that most students were more interested in "the college experience" instead of learning. Although college life is important, academics should be more than simply something one has to do, it should be an exciting part of college. However, one must acknowledge the fact that Nathan was around freshman students who most likely weren't taking classes in their major yet and were just getting used to college. These new students probably were more concerned with the "college experience" the first year, however, as one observes upperclassmen it is truly evident at how different they are than the first year students as well as their passion for their chosen major. Perhaps Nathan's observation would have yielded different results if she was around upperclassmen.

Summary of Ch. 5 by Chip Fox

In Ch. 5, Nathan brings up the differences between classroom talk and dorm talk. In the classroom, people discuss things like "Did you do the reading for today?" and "Did we have anything due today?" (Nathan 97). But students never ask what people thought about the reading or if it impacted them in any way. In the dorms, students usually discuss the following topics: sex, body image, relationships, childhood, entertainment, and drug experiences (98). Nathan also brings up the question of "If the university would hand you a bachelor's degree right now, provided you paid for all your credits and left the dorms, would you take the degree and leave?" (101). Two-thirds of the respondents replied that they would not "take the degree and leave", but would want to stay and finish their years to earn the degree (101). Nathan observes that the reasons are widely varied from wanting the true college experience, to worrying about what it would be like in the real world. The last topic Nathan brings up is the "perfect class" which at AnyU, according to the students, is "Sexuality" (103). This perfect class is mostly due to the professor, who uses expletives and personal stories to grab the attention of his students. Also, this class reflected what students "really learn in college" and it fuses the old standard "formal academic content [with] an informal, largely social world" (106).

In this chapter, Nathan presents herself as a researcher and presents the students at her college as the test subjects. As she does throughout the whole book, Nathan constantly is observing and noting all of the important changes since she has been in college, and trying to get a feel for what the freshman experience is. In this chapter, she notes the differences in language throughout class time and leisure time, and also what students feel is most important about the college experience. It is a very informative chapter, and a very interesting one because of that.

Discussion Leader Ch. 5 - Natalie

What do you think defines “a good class”?
Nathan says as far as the “perfect” class “In the end, I saw the worth of this course, as well as its student appeal” (pg 105). My group feels that components of not necessarily the “perfect” class, but a good class include an easy professor, a class where you learn a lot, there is an openness amongst students and the material is intriguing and presented in an interesting way so you’re not bored.

Do you think the topics mentioned on pg 98 seem realistic?
On page 98 Nathan posts a questionnaire in the girls bathroom about what their late night conversations are about. The following topics were reported “in order of their frequency of mention: (1) boys, meeting boys, and sex, (2) bodies, bodily function, and body image, (3) relationships and relationship problems, (4) one’s childhood, personal history, and future, (5) TV, movies, games, and entertainment, and lastly, (6) alcohol and drug experiences” (pg 98). My group feels that this is an accurate example of what college student’s talk about. The only changes being boys number one most talked about thing is girls, meeting girls, and sex as well as alcohol and drug experiences being higher up on the list.

Pg 101 what is college for?
In Nathans book she says “The great majority of students saw elective social activities and interpersonal relationships as the main context for learning” (pg 101). As a group we feel that college definitely is a place where students come to learn so they can get a degree. Many of us are paying half our tuition if not all of it so we’re definitely not here to just throw thousands of dollars away on just making friendships. However college is definitely also about the experiences you have outside of the classroom and the long lasting friendships that you make. “Non-class-related learning was reported as high as 90 percent for some, and very few students ranked class activities as constituting more than 50 percent of what they learn in college” (pg 101).

Would you take your degree and run?
Nathan decides to post the question “If the university would hand you a bachelor’s degree right now, provided you paid for all your credits and left the dorms, would you take the degree and run?” (pg 101). The majority of students said they would not the number one reason being they want to stay in college for “the college experience” (pg 103). As for my group they too would not take their degree and run. They want to stay here to learn as much as they can as well as live it up and live the college experience that they’ve waited all their life for. I however would take the degree and run because I already know what I want to do with my life and I’m ready to start it!

Chapter 5 - Vocab (Beka W.)

Palpable: readily or plainly seen (p. 91)
Jargon: language (p. 92)
Reiterate: to say or do again (p. 93)
Reciprocity: a reciprocal state or relation (p. 93)
Elicitation: to draw or bring out or forth (p. 93)
Soliciting: to seek for (something) by entreaty (p. 94)
Discourse: conversation (p. 96)
Disengagement: the act or process of disengaging (p. 100)
Transfixed: to make or hold motionless with amazement, awe, terror, and so on. (p. 104)
Quintessential: the pure and concentrated essence of a substance (p. 106)

Chapter 5 Graphic Organizer Mr. Pesavent

The conventions of the classroom range from frequently asked questions, and what questions are the best, to why there is such a lack in class participation. In the dorms, students usually talked about sex, body image, personal history, entertainment, and alcohol and drugs. According to a poll Nathan conducted, students responded that out of everything they learn in college, sixty-five percent comes from outside of the classroom. Many students don’t go through college just to “buy” a degree. They go to college to learn new things, to earn their degree through hard work, and the college experience. According to many students at AnyU, the perfect class is a course called “Sexuality.”The class was considered perfect because it “reflected most students’ view of what they really learn in college, as well as the proportion of social versus academic content that they believed their learning to comprise,” (Nathan 106).

My Freshman Year: May 3, 2010

In chapters three and four, Nathan discussed two topics on every college student's mind: diversity and foreign exchange students. Our group was very surprised when Nathan discussed some of the community topics of the third chapter because of how similar it is to our experience in the dorms. It seems like everybody on my floor has his or her own little group of friends and just like Nathan says, “ there [are] few open invitations” to hang out with them (Nathan 55). When people go to get something to eat they don’t knock on everybody’s door, they only check with their circle of friends. RA’s try to plan meetings and activities, and often times residents will not show up, either because they have something more important to do or they do not want to do something without their circle of friends. Another part in Chapter three that caught our attention was the fact that “4 of 489 white males […] ate with (only) males of a different ethnicity” (64). We also have noticed that, while there is not as much diversity at Eau Claire as there is at American University, there tends to be very few groups of mixed ethnicity eating at the cafeteria. This could be for a number of reasons, but one of the main reasons is probably because people tend to hang out with people of similar interests to them. Since, when people go to eat they only invite their close group of friends, they may not think to ask a person who is not in their circle of close friends. The last thing we have noticed is that just like Nathan says; there are very few people of minorities eating in the cafeteria in general. I don’t know if it is because they are going out to eat or afraid of having to eat along in front of a group of people, but it is not very common to see someone of a separate ethnicity than you when you eat a meal at the cafeteria. It is too bad, because they are missing out on all of the fun of conversing with friends and eating in a decent environment.

Throughout the book Rebekah has been an outcast due to her age and because of this she is drawn to other “outsiders, and vice versa... Thus, the transfer student on my hall became a friend”. Since she spends a lot of time with them she is given a chance to interview them and see how they feel about their American college experience. The foreign exchange students commented on many things about college life here in America. The first issue that was brought up was the issue of American students. Foreign exchange students say that Americans are friendly, but only want surface level friendships they don’t try to have real friendships or relationships with the foreign exchange students. As harsh as this si our group agrees with Nathan. We also agree with Nathan on other issues she observed that were brought to her attention by the foreign exchange students. The fact that if you’re not involved in anything at Eau Claire it is much harder to meet people and make new friends. We also agree with the fact that some students are disrespectful to professors and some classes, mainly 100 level classes, are easy cheesy!

Chapter Four: As Others See Us

Summary of Ch. 4 by Chip Fox

Chapter four is about how international students view college in America. One of the first things Nathan brings up is how American students are very independent and antisocial almost. When someone asks another person, "how's it going?" it is meant as a greeting, like hello, instead of a conversation starter as it is in other countries. Another thing she notices is that friendships and relationships are much different here than in other countries. When someone is your friend here, it pretty much just means that they will say, "hi" to you when you see them, or hang out with them at parties. In other countries friendships are much more meaningful, and friends will help each other out with whatever they need instead of acting like helping is such a bother to them. Thirdly, Nathan brings up that classes in America are very different than in other countries. The professors are much more laid back, and classes are more casual. People wear shorts and flip-flops, eat and drink during classes, and even leave early from class. The course material is elementary level until the upper level classes, but we have many more choices and freedoms to pick the classes we want here than in other countries. Lastly, Nathan noticed how ignorant Americans are when it comes to the world. Some people don't understand that no one country is any better than another country, although most of the Americans believe America is the best place in the world. Some people don't even know where other countries are located, or care to learn the culture of other countries.

This chapter was written with a very negative tone towards American college students. The author often criticizes the new customs of students in America, like the way we communicate via the internet, and how superficial we are with our friendships. Nathan really opens the eyes of the American readers because no one really notices how we act since it is second nature to American college students because we have grown up this way. Overall, this chapter is meant to show American college students how impersonal and ignorant we are towards other cultures.

Chapter Four Vocab Mr. Pesavent

Mundane-of, relating to, or characteristic of the world. Page 68
Veneer-a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, display, or effect. Page 69
Hospitable- promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome. Page 70
Gregarious-tending to associate with others of one's kind. Page 71
Albeit-conceding the fact that. Page 72
Dearth-an inadequate supply. Page 73
Unfathomable- impossible to comprehend. Page 75
Academia-the academic world. Page 77
Scant-barely or scarcely sufficient. Page 78

Discussion Chapter Four - Beka W.

It was interesting to read about the apathy among Americans towards International students at the university where Nathan attended; do you think the apathy displayed by the students is an accurate description of every college or just this one?

Our group felt that most Americans in every university possess an undeniable ignorance about other cultures and a lack of interest in the customs of students from foreign countries. This attitude can definitely be felt across the United States, not just in Nathan's particular region.

Several of the Int'l students interviewed in Chapter four noticed the lack of bond between students and families; this was described as "independence". Do you agree or do you feel that independence doesn't necessarily mean severing ties with one's family?

The importance of family is much stronger in other cultures than in America and that is quite unfortunate. It is important for individuals to become independent, however, one can still do that while maintaining a relationship with one's family as well.

The Int'l students in this chapter noticed the fact that although Amerians may be more friendly than other cultures, there is almost a "superficial" quality to it. Do you agree or disagree?

Our group definitely agreed with this depiction of Americans. Although we as Americans pride ourselves in our friendliness, we must realize that quite often we have friendliness but that is as far as it goes. However, in other cultures, although they may not be as friendly, they display genuine and sincere attitudes instead of a superficial "hello".

One aspect of this chapter addressed the fact that several Int'l students became aware of the different socializing habits that many students possess. While most college students drink for the sole purpose of becoming drunk, other cultures social drink. Why isn't socializing more a part of our lives instead of reserved for an extreme thirsty thursday?

Our group agreed that socializing should not be seperated between "study time" and "party time". A healthy lifestlye should incorporate socializing into one's daily life, not just on the weekends. However, we also stated that although there are many individuals that do drink to be drunk, there are many others that do participate in classy behavior such as social drinking. It all varies.

What do you feel about the classroom habits of college students in America and the break down of work administered by professors? Are today's college students in America simply lazy and disrespectful, or are they laid back?

Our group definitely agreed that the habits displayed by some students on our campus and on many others thoughout the United States is not "laid back" but in fact, "lazy". Many of us have seen students openly eat and drink in class, put their feet up on chairs, and sometimes even fall asleep during a lecture. The students in other countries, however, display more respectful behavior and it isn't surprising that they would be shocked at Americans' behavior in the classroom.

Most Americans display an ignorance about other cultures. What can be done to change this? Will this trend of ignorant Americans simply continue, producing countless other generations of Americans that fail to look beyond their own backyards or should study abroad and Int'l opportunities and courses be required in order to graduate from High school and college?

Our group liked the idea of proposing study abroad requirements on high schools and colleges as well as incorporating Int'l courses throughout one's educational career. If there was more classes and study abroad opportunities offered to individuals in America, perhaps there would be less ignorance and a broder knowledge of the world reflected in people.

Graphic Organizer: Ch 4 - Natalie

In chapter four Rebekah Nathan interviews foreign exchange students to see how they view their American college experience. Their were four main topics that were brought up: the issue of American classes, professors, friendships, and the way Americans view the world. Foreign exchange students felt that American professors were much more helpful then professors they were use to having. They also felt that American classes are set up different and seem to be a lot easier, but they are happy they have an array of choices to pick from. On the issue of friends they feel that Americans are friendly, but yet they have surface level friendships. Lastly, they feel Americans are very ignorant when it comes to the issue of other countries and their cultures.

Chapter Three: Community and Diversity

Discussion Leader by Chip Fox (Ch. 3)

1.) Why is it does it take so much effort for students to respond to questions their professors ask?

I think it’s because a lot of people are afraid of public speaking, and when you’re in a lecture hall of two hundred or more people a lot of people will shy away from sharing their opinions and ideas. Another reason people do not answer the questions might be because they didn’t do the assignment or the assigned reading.

2.) Why don’t students like to join group organizations?

One reason is because group organizations require a time commitment. When freshmen are just moving into the dorms, they don’t want to sign up for something that takes away from the time they can be meeting new people and having fun. Another reason is because of negative connotations, in the book it said that one of the reasons people do not join fraternities or sororities is because they think they will not be able to hang out with other people besides the fraternity or sorority, and that it costs a lot of money that they don’t want to pay just to make friends when they can make friends for free. (p.48)

3.) Why don’t students include minority students in their close social circle?

I think that it’s not that people don’t include minority students; it’s just that people tend to stay with what they are used to, and hang out with who they are around the most. Since minority students also tend to hang out with other people of minority, it’s not that students don’t include other students of minority in their close social circle, it’s that they don’t have as many opportunities to as they would someone they are around more.

4.) Why do most students of color leave the cafeteria after they get their food instead of sitting at a table and eating?

I think that students of color leave the cafeteria after they get their food because they don’t know anyone who is in the cafeteria at that time, so they take it back to their dorm. I don’t think only students of color do this, but they might do it the most.

Graphic Organizer - Beka W. Chapter 3

This graphic organizer consists of several of Nathan's main points and conclusions throughout the third chapter. Her first point was simply that students are encouraged to become a part of the community, however, in later conclusions Nathan stresses the fact that while some students may benefit from participating in groups and organizations, other people may feel stifled. She later makes an important connection between the friends students make in college and demographics. One of her last conclusions after researching and learning more about the college community was the presence of racism in universities. It was difficult to narrow down the most important points Nathan made due to the fact that she had many connections throughout the chapter.

Summarizer Chap 3 John P

The chapter begins with the author explaining how the university first introduces the idea of community during welcome week. They show a powerpoint that shows events starting from when the freshmen were born to present-day events.

Then Nathan talks about the mandatory community class that all freshmen had to take. The author explains how 97% of college presidents believed community was important on their campus which is why the class was mandatory for incoming freshmen. Many students did not participate and the class failed to do its job so the university decided to make the class an elective.

Next, Nathan's RA makes an interest survey to see what the residents would like to do as a group. Although most residents chose movie night as an event they'd like to do, barely any residents showed up, and movie night was shortly cancelled.

After that, Nathan explains how students are not participating in the community nearly as much as they should. She says that students want to be part of a community for all of the benefits, but they are not willing to put in the time or effort. The RA called another mandatory meeting where the residents had the option to write rules for their wing. After the rules are posted by the RA the following week, no one really follows them.

Following that, Nathan learns that students have their own distinct group of friends that they hang out with rather than hanging out with the entire wing or floor. Nathan discovers this during the Super Bowl where she found that most rooms had three or more friends in them watching the game.

Lastly, Nathan realized that AnyU is not a very diverse school when in comes to eating habits or friendship. Most minorities were found either eating by themselves or bringing their meal to their rooms and eating there. When students were asked to name their closest friends then name their ethnicity, most people's friends happened to be the same ethnicity as them.

The author wrote the chapter with a surprised tone. She was not expecting the students to be as individualized as they were. Towards the end, the author seemed to be scolding the reader abut how we are becoming more and more private with out lives. She is hinting that we need to participate more in our community.

Vocab Ch. 3 - Natalie

Convocation - the arranging or calling of a formal meeting (pg 41)
Surmised - to conclude that something is the case on the basis of only limited evidence or intuitive feeling (pg 43)
Proliferation - to increase greatly in number (pg 45)
Amalgam - a combination of two or more characteristics (pg 47)
Flatulent - having or showing excessive self-importance (pg 49)
Anteroom - a subsidiary room that opens into a larger room, often used as a waiting area (pg 50)
Paradoxically - a statement or proposition that contradicts itself (pg 51)
Opulent - characterized by an obvious or lavish display of wealth or affluence (pg 52)
Bolstered - to strengthen something through support or encouragement (pg 54)
Superfluous - in excess of what is needed (pg 54)

Chapter Two: Dorm Life

Graphic Organizer by Chip Fox (Ch. 2)

For Ch. 2, I put “Classes” at the top of the pyramid because this was the most important topic of the chapter. Rebekah Nathan wanted to research the culture of undergraduate schooling, so when the classes start that is when most of her important research will start as well. After that I put social Activities in the middle, because the week before the classes start she gets involved in activities through her dorm hall and gets to know some of her hall mates. After that I put Hall meetings, because the first hall meeting was mandatory and that is where she learned some of the rules and policies on drinking and other things. And the last thing on the list is dorm door decorations, because when Nathan first moved into her room she started noticing that all of the other girls were putting pictures and phrases up on the doors.

Discussion Leader Chapter 2 - John

1. Why do college students have so much "stuff" crammed into their rooms?
I think it is because we are used to always being entertained. Living with two people also contributes to the mass amount of gear and electronics. Nathan isn't young enough to understand why or how we use all of these things on a daily basis.

2. Why are nudity, craziness, sexuality, and spontaneity usually portrayed on students' door decorations?
Students now feel free from their parents and what to express themselves their own way. Some may also use their door decorations to find things in common with their neighbors. Other students may think it adds color and a more personal touch to their rooms.

3. Why is it that the "Bad" RAs enforce the law, while the "Good" RAs enforced the spirit of the law?
Students feel they can't always connect with an RA who has or may get them into trouble. Strict RAs are more often looked at like police and are not as popular among the other residents. The "Good" RAs want to be able to feel cool and be friends with other residents.

4. Why does Nathan make it seem like it is nearly impossible to hang out with people with other majors from other dorms?
I am really unsure why the author does this. I am in a sports club, have a declared major, and live in a different dorm than my friends and I see them everyday. In my experience, different dorms, activities, or majors do not affect one's friends.

Summarizer Ch. 2 Natalie

The second chapter of the book focuses on the things Rebekah sees and notices as she's walking through the dorms, listening in on her first hall meeting, and experiencing class as a student not a teacher. She describes the insane amount of things in each dorm room and that the biggest change for her was seeing lofts. She describes the different subliminal messages on boards, pictures of friends, funny sayings, and all the information RA's put up to make students aware and get them involved. She sees how unimportant the hall meetings are to students even the "absolutely positively mandatory ones" (pg 29). The first week of school, before classes started, she witnessed all the craziness and liveliness of dorm life it wasn't until classes began that "real dorm life, as I began to know it, began" (pg 31). As college life began she was filled with questions and it wasn't until she "began to do interviews and collect time diaries from other students, that i would begin to notice the patterns and patterned variations in student life" (pg 32). She begins to follow 10 students in their daily life. She gives a clear description on each student; what they are involved with, what a day in their life looks like, their eating and sleeping habits, and the daily struggles they face as a college student. She finds two things to be true in her studying. First, "there is little that is automatically shared among people by virtue of attending the same university [and secondly] one can easily opt to move out of the dorm, drop the class, change majors, or quit the club, resulting in a social world that always seems to b in flux. In this light, the university becomes, for individual students, an optional set of activities and a fluid set of people whose paths are ever-shifting" (pg 39-40).

Vocab - Beka W. (Chapter Two)

Contiguous - being in actual contact: touching along a boundary or at a point. (p.20)
Ubiquitous - existing or being everywhere at the same time: constantly (p.23)
Interspersed - to place something at intervals in or among (p.23)
Cryptic - having or seeming to have a hidden or ambiguous meaning(p.25)
Forethought - a thinking or planning out in advance (p.25)
Unambigously - clear, precise (p.25)
Provost - a high ranking academic administrative officer (p.29)
Elusive - hard to isolate or identify (p.31)
Jibe - to shift suddenly and forcefully (p.33)
Microcosm - a community that is an epitome of a larger unity (p.38)

Ch. 1 Welcome to Any U

Discussion Leader Ch. 1 Natalie

Why does she decide to undergo this process of being a freshman in college?

While sitting in on some of her colleague’s courses she begins to see and hear things she didn’t previously notice and she has “gone through a looking glass”. She was sitting in classes talking notes as she overheard discussions of students as well as the topic of the class conversations. As she wrote she realized she was “starting to do ethnography.” During this moment she got the idea to become a student and do a research project for her sabbatical year. She says, “My interest in American culture, in the changing American university, and in the undergraduate student culminated in a research proposal to study, as a freshman, at my own university” (pg 4).


What are some things she learns about college life that her eyes were not previously opened to?

She overhears things about kid’s writing papers drunk at 3am, parties, unfair grading, etc. She also takes a tour of the campus and learns many things on the tour about struggles of college students. She hears about meal plans, class registration, tutoring, tuition, etc. She says that “as an anthropologist I was humbled at how little I as a professor knew of my student’s academic world” (pg 8).


How does she represent herself?

As she began preparing to be a college student she began a “delicate balance act between truth and fiction about my life” (pg 6). She has to figure out what in her life is okay to tell the truth about and what she needs to lie about. She can’t give her identity away no matter what. She has to figure out a new identity to take on including why she is there, who she is, and what her profession is.


What does she have to learn to fit in better with college life?

After attending Previews in the summer she learns that if she wants to fit in she needs to dress different. She attended the camp dressed like all the adults in her denim shorts, baseball cap, and golf shirt instead of like the students in flip flops, short t-shirts, and jeans. She also realizes she needs to learn the rules of dorm life such as not drinking in public places as well as the fact that she needs to learn the lingo and speed of conversation (pg 13).
dergo this process of being a freshman in college?

Graphic Organizer Chapter 1 - John Pesavent

I organized the main points of the chapter in chronological order to help the reader understand what happened in a step-by-step progression. The first point is where the author explains her background and why she is going to become a student. The second point is where the author lets the reader know how she plans to identify herself as a student. June orientation is where Nathan learns what it is like to be a new comer in a large school, and where she is mistaken for a parent. When Nathan moves in, she shows us what it is like moving in and getting used to the new rules. The final point of the chapter is where Rebekah Nathan explains how she adapts to living in college.

Summarized by Beka W. (Chapter One)

The first chapter of our book was centered a lot on the author, Rebekah Nathan, and why she wanted to write this book and how she went about conducting this research project for her sabbatical.

Rebekah Nathan did an exceptional job of introducing the readers to not only herself, but the aim of her research project as well. Her words seemed to flow from the pages as she explained to the readers the first weeks of college and displayed the emotions most freshman feel: excitement, confusion, and fear. In fact, one of her most relatable quotes from this chapter was, "It came as a surprise, then, to discover that I was completely disorientated." Overall, Nathan does a fine job through this chapter of introducing her aim for conducting this project as well as incorporating intriguing examples, relatable experiences, and clear writing to set the stage for future chapters of her book.

Vocabulary Builder (Chapter 1) by Chip Fox

1. Penchant- a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports (p.1)

2. Ubiquitous- existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent (p.2)

3. Pedagogy- the art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods (p. 3)

4. Impetus- Something that incites; a stimulus (p. 3)

5. Moot- of little or no practical value or meaning (p. 7)

6. Acumen- keen insight; shrewdness (p. 8)

7. Debacle- a general breakup or dispersion (p. 12)

8. Lexicon- a wordbook or dictionary (p. 13)

9. Privy- belonging or pertaining to some particular person (p. 3)

10. Flouting- to treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff at; mock (p. 18)

My Freshman Year: April 23, 2010

Our group thought that the first and second chapters were very interesting and provided insight into why she was doing her research project; however, we did see minor mistakes she did make along the way. We, as the readers, were intrigued at reading about an individual who defied the barriers and became a freshman at the age of fifty. Some of us were shocked that Nathan was so intent on staying in the dorms, following the meal plans, and attending freshman classes. Many of us acknowledged the fact that we would be embarrassed at being an older student and mingling with students that were twenty years our junior and being in an environment where we weren't comfortable. However, Nathan faces her challenges with confidence and ease, and although we are sure just as every human being Nathan had her low points, she continued to be excited about her project and the results it would yield. Another aspect that surprised us about the first chapter was the fact that Nathan didn’t know her campus like she thought she did. For example, she stated, “I was shocked at how vulnerable and out of my element I felt. I found myself frequently wandering in the wrong direction and stopping other students, who looked more competent, for directions” (Nathan, 11). Clearly, Nathan was out of her element. She was used to being able to park in the faculty parking lot and access buildings from the opposite side of the campus mall; this entire experience was both confusing and humbling for a professor that thought she knew her college backwards and forwards. One aspect of chapter one that some of the group members found interesting was the fact that Nathan felt she needed to, “master the current speech conventions” (13). Most of us felt that our speech was easy to follow, and not very different, however, after reading about Nathan’s experience we were all surprised to find that we do use words that are different from the typical adult’s conversation, such as, “sweet”, “oh my god”, and “totally”. Also, she noticed at the speech of our conversations. At times, although we may not realize it, our speech is quite fast and can be difficult for others to follow. After reading the chapter, we did feel, however, that Nathan did make a few mistakes as to the fact that she could have done more research on the type of clothes typical college students wear as well. One example of this was found when Nathan was preparing to move into the dorms for a pre-freshman get together. While registering, Nathan was asked politely if she was a parent due to her apparel: a sporting hat, golf style tee, jeans, and shoes with white socks. This is one example of Nathan not doing her research properly. If she had done her research she would have found herself in a more comfortable situation, instead of looking like a parent on a critical, first-impression day. The second chapter was mostly about life in the dorms, and that for all members of our group, very easy to relate to. As Nathan wrote with ease about the possessions she was trying to situate in her small dorm room, all of us could empathize with move-in day and how difficult that was for all of us. For most of us, this would be the longest we'd ever be away from everything we held dear, and that was a frightening thought. However, the promise of things to come helped ease the difficult, yet exciting transition. It was also comical for some of us to read about her reaction to the images on people's doors and what kind of statement the individual was trying to say about herself. Most of us are still trying to figure that out on our hall as well. :) It was also quite interesting to watch a middle age professor try to absorb the colorful bulletin boards displaying announcements, participate in the activity nights hosted by the RA's, discerning who were the "good" RA's, and the list is endless. I believe Nathan does over exaggerate in this chapter about making friends with different majors that live in different dorms. On page 38, Nathan makes it seem nearly impossible to hang out with other people with a different schedule than yours. From my experience (John), I do not think it is difficult at all to be friends with people who live in different dorms, have different majors, and are in different clubs. I have multiple friends that I hang out with everyday that have completely different housing and majors than me. Other than that, I believe Nathan is doing a great job so far in her research and am excited to read more.