Your Guide to Fresno State
By Jennifer Palmberg
The Collegian
There’s nothing as exciting,
nerve-racking, and confusing as the first day of school, even if you have
been there before. But, there’s no need to fear. Here is a breakdown
of some of the important things you should know on the first day of school.
Class schedules: (These are handy for finding your classes)
If you already signed up for classes and just need a copy of your schedule,
go to the Fresno State homepage at csufresno.edu and click on “My
Fresno State,” or go straight to my.csufresno.edu.
Once there, click on the red login button and fill out your username and
password. Remember your username and password is the same as your e-mail
address and password. Under the section titled “My Menu” click
where it reads student portfolio. After that you will be on a page that
holds almost all of the information you’ll ever need to know, so
don’t forget how to get to this page. Find a section titled “Registration”
and click on ‘view my class schedule.’ Make sure you click
on the current semester (Fall 2005) to get the correct copy of your schedule.
The process is similar if you still need to signup, add, drop, or swap
classes. First off, you always want to remember to talk to your counselor
to be sure that you register for classes you really need to take. Or the
class you want to drop is a class you can afford to let go.
If you have already declared a major, most, if not all, departments will
assign a counselor to you. Same thing goes for graduate students. If you
are undeclared and need academic guidance then you need to visit the Joyal
Administration Building. Locate the Advising Services/ Academic Enhancement
office. The friendly faces you’ll find there will help you plan
a schedule. Set some time aside for this because there is usually a long
line the first few days of school.
If you are a student-athlete then you will be assigned an academic adviser
who you can see for guidance regardless of whether you’re declared
or not. But if you are a student- athlete with a declared major it is
best to see the adviser you’re assigned to in that department.
Once advised on what to do, go online to My Fresno State (web site), login,
click on “student portfolio” and go to this semester and click
on Add/Drop a Class. You and your adviser should have a class schedule
planned out with the course numbers. To add a class, simply click on the
button, enter the course number, and click “submit.” You should
then, with any luck, be enrolled in the class.
If you can’t enroll because it asks you for a permission number,
print out the page as proof that you tried to enroll and take it with
you to class. The professor should be able to give you a permission number
that you can use to enroll.
Why you need the Joyal Administrative Building:
The JoyalAdministration Building is probably the most important building
on campus. It is where you go to pay your fees, pick up financial aid,
receive guidance from the career center, and purchase your parking pass.
It is always good to be familiar with this building.
ID Cards:
ID cards can be picked up in the keycard office, which is located east
of the University Center. Picking up your card is one thing you definitely
want to get done. It allows you to do many other things on campus.
With your card you can get free newspapers on campus with the card- activated
dispensers. You can put money on your card and use it to pay for items
such as photocopies or books and supplies at the Kennel Bookstore. Plus,
you can’t get into most Fresno State athletic events without it.
What you need on the first day:
Don’t stress. The first day of class is usually low key. Most professors
use the first day to introduce themselves, talk about the course, and
hand out a syllabus. Hardly any professors require you to have your class
book(s) on the first day. Make sure to bring a binder with some paper
or a notebook, pen and/or pencil, and a folder to keep your syllabi in.
Don’t forget your class schedule. Nothing is more embarrassing than
going to the wrong class.
Where to get your class books:
The no.1 place to go for class books is our very own Kennel Book Store.
The upside to this is that it is conveniently located on campus and it
is almost guaranteed to have the books you are looking for. The downside
is that more or less, you can expect to pay a lot. According to a 2004
National Retail Federation survey, college students are expected to spend
more than $8.8 billion on textbooks and materials this year. Fortunately
there are cheaper methods.
There are numerous locations around campus that sell used textbooks. Some
of these places are as close to campus as right across Shaw Avenue. This
can save you money, but there is no guarantee that they’ll have
the books you’re looking for.
Another, and more popular method of purchasing textbooks is via the Internet.
You can find new and used textbooks cheaper at web sites like www.amazon.com,
www.barnesandnoble.com, www.half.com,
www.campusbooks.com, and even
on eBay. Just make sure the price you pay for shipping and handling doesn’t
cancel out the savings from buying online.
The last alternative is to check the “used books for sale”
fliers posted around campus. You never know, you might get a great deal.
Health Concerns:
If you have any health problems, illnesses or mental concerns, the Health
Center located on campus is the best place to go. When you pay your fees,
whether you want it to or not, a part of it goes to Health and Psychological
Services. If you are a current student, there shouldn’t be any immediate
fees. Just go to the front desk, fill out and turn in an information card
and wait for your turn.
Parking:
Most are aware that campus parking is a joke on the first day of class.
If you want to park anywhere near campus, you better come bright and early.
If not, you can expect to either have to wait 10-30 minutes for a parking
spot, or just park in one of the lots that is far from everything and
hike back to campus. Make sure you have your parking pass visibly placed
in your vehicle. If you don’t have a parking pass, you either need
to purchase a day pass for $2 or battle for one of the metered parking
spaces. If possible, use an alternative method of transportation such
as walking or biking. It will end up saving you gas money and will spare
you the frustration of parking.
Fine Dining:
Food is one of the few things you don’t need to worry about. On
campus, near the free speech area, in the University Center you can find
Round Table Pizza, the Coffeehouse and Pub and the University Restaurant.
Downstairs in the University Student Union you will find Taco Bell Express,
Subway and Panda Express. Next to the bowling alley is the Union Snack
Bar, where you will find items ranging from corndogs to ice cream, and
Juice It Up,a smoothie bar, which is opening for the first time this semester.
You can get something to eat at the Resident Dining Facility. I know what
you’re thinking. The dining hall is for dorm residents only, but
that is a myth. Anyone with money is welcomed to eat at the Resident Dining
Facility.
Sometimes it is nice to just get away from campus for a while, which is
when off campus dining comes into play. There’s not too much north
of campus within walking distance, but to the east side of campus you’ll
find a Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Marie Callender’s, Stuart Anderson’s
Black Angus, Tony Roma’s and McDonald’s. South across Shaw
Avenue, you’ll find Suzy’s Bar-B-Q, Uncle Harry’s New
York Bagelry, Betty’s Original Toasted Sandwiches and Jamba Juice.
Further down Shaw Avenue heading east is John’s New England Pizza
and Starbucks and a little further down, closer to the Save Mart Center,
is Dog House Grill and Jack in the Box.
Now that you know almost everything you need to know for the first day
of class, make sure to enjoy yourself.
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