COPING WITH FIRST YEAR IN THE UNIVERSITY

For many first-year Students also know as Freshers, the University may be their first experience living away from home for an extended period of time. It is a definite break from home. The individual's usual sources of support are no longer present to facilitate adjustment to the unfamiliar environment. Here are tips for students which may provide realistic expectations concerning living arrangements and social life on campus.

* The first few weeks on campus can be a lonely period. There may be concerns about making friends. When new students look around, it may seem that everyone else is self-confident and socially successful. The reality is that everyone is having the same concerns but staying or visiting friends you knew from home on campus may be very helpful in this time of loneness until you are able to make good friends around your hostel according to Samuel Ogaga Egbo, a graduate from the Institute of Science Laboratory Technology, Delta State University, Abraka.

* If they allow sufficient time, students usually find peers in the university to provide structure and a valuable support system in the new environment. The important thing for the new student to remember in meeting new people is to be oneself, without Pride, just being natural as if you are at home, However students should avoid parasitic mode of friendship; fellow students or course mates who incessantly ask for favours in form of money or food as friendship should be mutual.

* Meaningful, new relationships should not be expected to develop overnight. It took a great deal of time to develop intimacy in high school friendships; the same will be true of intimacy in university friendships.
* Increased personal freedom can feel both wonderful and frightening. New Students/Freshers can come and go as they choose with no one to "hassle" them. At the same time, things are no longer predictable. The strange environment with new kinds of procedures and new people can create the sense of being on an emotional roller-coaster. This is normal and to be expected.

* Living with roommates can present special, sometimes intense, problems. Negotiating respect of personal property, personal space, sleep, and relaxation needs can be a complex task. The complexity increases when a roommate is older than you as a fresher or as been in the university before you as the fresher, when roommates are of different ethnic/cultural backgrounds with very different values but communicating one's legitimate needs calmly, listening with respect to a roommate's concerns, and being willing to compromise to meet each other's most important needs can promote resolution of issues.

* It is unrealistic to expect that roommates will be best friends. Roommates may work out mutually satisfying living arrangements, but the reality is that each may tend to have his or her own circle of friends and when this happens, you as a fresher should try as much as possible to be acquainted to your roommates friends but maintaining your morals and integrity inculcated into from home.

* University classes are a great deal more difficult than secondary school class. There are more reading assignments, and the exams and papers cover a greater amount of material. Lecturers expect students to do more work outside the classroom. In order to survive, the student must take responsibility for his or her actions. This means the student needs to follow the course outlines and keep us with the readings. The student must do the initiating. If a class is missed, it is up to the student to borrow lecture notes from someone who was present. If the student is having difficulty with course work, he or she needs to ask for help for his/her predecessors--ask to do extra work, request an appointment with an academic advisor, or sign up for tutoring or other academic-skills training.

*A new student/fresher must be focused and always remember the reason why he/she is in the campus, never to forget where he/she is from (family background) and keep in mind the goal he/she has set. Every human is born with the potentials to succeed irrespective of where he/she came from  –Tope A.  Banjo.

*A New student/Fresher finding it hard to cope with his/her new environment two weeks before the first semester examination is advised to seek the services of a counselor in the Counseling Services office of their respective institutions.

Edited and Published by Publicfact with contribution from Delta state university Facebook page.

DELTA STATE POLYTECHNIC, OGWASHI-UKU POST UTME FORM IS OUT

This is to inform all interested candidate that the Post-UTME Screening Exercise for admission into various ND programmes of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku has been schedule to hold on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st September, 2013.

1. ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION
i. All candidates who chose Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku as First and/or Second choice and Scored 150 and above in the UTME for the 2013/2014 Admission Exercise are eligible to participate in the screening exercise
ii. Those who did not choose the Polytechnic but wish to be considered for admission and scored the afore-mentioned cut off mark are also eligible to take part in the screening exercise.

A. PROGRAMMES AND GROUPING  OF THE EXAM
 The grouping of courses, days and time for the screening exercise are as indicated below:
(a) SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING -  20th September, 2013. Time: 9.00am
i.    ND Mechanical Engineering
ii.   ND Welding & Fabrication Engineering
iii.  ND Electrical/Electronic Engineering
iv.  ND Foundry Engineering
v.   ND Computer Engineering
vi.  ND Metallurgical Engineering
 
(b) SCHOOL OF APPLIED SCIENCES - 20th September, 2013. Time: 9.00am
i.  ND Computer Science 
i.  ND Hotel & Tourism Management
ii. ND Mathematics and Statistics

(c) SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN - 20th September, 2013. Time: 9.00am
i.  ND Fashion Design & Clothing Technolog
ii. ND Art & Design

(d) SCHOOL OF BUSINESS STUDIES -  21st September, 2013. Time 9.00am
i.   ND Accountancy 
ii.  ND Business Administration
iii. ND Office Technology & Management
iv.  ND Mass Communication
 

METHOD OF APPLICATION

1. The application fee for al ND candidates is N2,000 ( Two thousand naira

2. Payment should be made online with interswitch verve Atm or Mastercard or payment should be made directly to the school account number 0010761873 in any union bank plc branch

TO APPLY

3. Logon to www.dspgportal.edu.ng and click online registration and follow the instruction strictly

4. Only candidates who sat  for 2013 UTME are eligible to apply

5. Application fee is non-refundable.

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THE SCREENING EXERCISE
(I) Original and One (1) photocopy of acknowledgement Card
(ii) Original and photocopy of payment receipt
(iii) Four figure table, where applicable
(iv) Writing materials (HB pencil and eraser)
(v) UTME score slip

SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES (CANDIDATE THAT PASSED THE SCREENING) WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING AT THE ADMISSION OFFICE

1. Five (5) recent passport photographs
2. Photocopy of UTME Score slip
3. Examination result listed in the application form
4. Certificate of Local Government Origin
5. Birth Certificate or Declaration of Age
6. Two copies of your on-line Application form

D. CLOSING DATE

The closing date for all applications is 16th September, 2013
Note: Date of Screening Exercise, as Stated in the grouping above
Venue: School/Department Screening Halls

Note Also:
GSM Phones and Calculators are not allowed.
Candidates who make false declarations of UTME Scores and Ordinary Level grades shall not be considered for admission.