Vol. CI | Fall | Issue VI

We’re back and we hope everyone’s midterms went well! As we head into the home stretch of the semester, we hope you find our advice helpful! We’re always looking for new submissions, so don’t hesitate to fill out the form!

Question #1

Things to do around Newark/NYC for a birthday?

 

Birthdays are so fun!! Being at NJIT gives you many options for places to go and things to do for your birthday. For a nice local sit-down birthday dinner, we recommend Tops Diner. With plenty of fun food options, this place is great to go with friends. Plus, they do the whole singing dessert performance for your friends to embarrass you! For a more chill activity, visit the Newark Museum of Art or roller skate at the Branch Brook Park rink. If you’re 21+, McGovern’s Tavern is an ol’ reliable in the area. Outside of Newark, there are a lot of fun places in Hoboken and NYC that are just a train ride away. Check out different events happening in NYC, such as concerts, markets, and shows. The city also has no shortage of novelty restaurants, especially if comically large desserts and unique foods are your thing. For Hoboken, we recommend scrolling through @thehobokengirl on Instagram to get all the new things happening in the town. But whatever you end up doing, make sure you’re surrounded by people you love, doing something you love!

Question #2

What present do I get for the friend who already has literally everything?

 

This is so real! We all have friends who don’t spend long wanting anything since they’ll just buy it for themselves within the week. However, there’s always the element of surprise or the art of gifting something to them that they might not even know what they want. Play detective and note down anything in their life that could be improved or things they complain about. Your gift could be the solution! You can also think about giving these types of friends a non-physical gift. Maybe treat them to an experience at a fun new restaurant or, if you’ve got the budget, get them concert or sports tickets. And if you’re feeling bold, ask them to make you a holiday wishlist. You might be surprised at how much they were actually holding back on. In the end, there is always the backup plan (gift cards), but you can make it interesting by getting gift cards to new places or places specific to that person. For example, a bookworm would love a Barnes & Noble™ gift card! You can also take on an interest of theirs and try to find something unique related to it, like special merch from an artist they like. At the end of the day, it’s the thought that counts — just make sure you’re actually thinking about them when you’re shopping!

Question #3

What grade do I need on my final to get an A in my class?

 

Great question, but do we look like mind readers or https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/grade/final-grade-calculator.html to you? There are many ways to calculate your goal grades or do the absolute bare minimum ⏤ just make sure you’re reading your syllabi and emails, especially if your professors are prone to changing things. Don’t trust your Canvas grade; it may not be weighted accurately. You can always ask your professor if you need help calculating it. And never hesitate to ask for extra credit opportunities (even if you don’t think you need them). Sometimes final exams can hit differently, so it’s better to be safe than sorry!

We hope you all have a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving break! Don’t forget Thursday classes and Friday classes meet next Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The end of the semester is within arms reach, so let’s keep going, everyone! See you next time!

With love <3, 

U & M

Vol. CI | Fall | Issue V

We all know the drill by now. Hello! We are your local graduating seniors – here to assist you with all things life. Take our advice if you want, or don’t! It’s completely up to y’all, but we’d love to hear if you actually do! Without further ado, here’s this week’s content!

Question #1

How do I win the registration game?

 

If you want to win the registration game, you’ll need to make sure you’re even ready to play. First, meet with your advisors to remove all existing holds under your account and address any other important information needed to get your degree. After settling those issues, Schedule Builder/Course Schedule/Plan Ahead are your next “best friends.” You should know exactly what sections of your classes you want to take and be ready to register at exactly 9:30 PM if you want to get your dream schedule. That being said, if you’re not yet rolling in credits, have backup plans ready to avoid scrambling the night of registration. Leading up to the night of registration, check Schedule Builder daily to see if the sections you want have seats left. If a class is full, you can always waitlist yourself, but we recommend registering for backup courses, just in case. The Plan Ahead tool under Banner lets you build up to four potential schedule options, so use and load it directly during registration for maximum efficiency. Pro Tip: try registering a day earlier than you’ve been told to, just in case you counted your credits wrong (and do the form at the beginning)! One of us heard the CRN method is the fastest way to get into nearly full classes, so if there’s that one class you’re fighting for, try that! Every second counts during registration. You got this!

Question #2

There’s this cute girl I see sometimes at the gym. Should I approach her?

 

We’re going to be real with you. Most people do not want to interact with other people at the gym. For most of us, this is an important part of the day dedicated to being in our thoughts. Now, we’re not saying you’ll ruin this girl’s day by approaching her ⏤ who knows, she might be interested in you as well! But please take the time to consider how you go about it. We can speak about all the different ways our friends have been harassed on campus by a variety of people, despite having good intentions. If you’re trying to date this girl, maybe try becoming a friend first ⏤ you also don’t know if she’s already taken. We also recommend checking to make sure she looks approachable in the first place. If she’s locked in on a machine with her headphones on, maybe wait until she’s done. For the conversation itself, if you’re going to lead with a compliment, try making it more genuine and not just about her physical appearance. Or just try talking about something neutral/in your surroundings. Good humor usually works like a charm! Most importantly, pay attention to her body language. If she looks uncomfortable, back off! It’s never worth ruining someone’s peace because you think they’re attractive. You’ll find your person another time; maybe they’ll approach you!

Question #3

I’m literally in the worst group for this group project that’s worth like 25% of my grade and I have no idea what to do. Almost all my group members do NOT communicate with me, and I feel like I end up doing all the work for each of the assignments. Our final presentation is still like a month away, but I don’t know if I can keep doing this. Have you guys been through this before? What should I do?

 

Awful group projects are an unfortunate canon event in college. It sucks having to be the person that picks up everyone else’s slack. If you are willing to be in a more managerial role, we suggest creating a timeline with specific goals for each person. This way, objective tasks and deadlines are laid out for everyone. Sometimes not having concrete plans makes it easy for people to forget or not care. Hopefully, this gets everyone on the same page and back on track. Also, make sure you have a group chat if you don’t already! And please create the group chat on a platform everyone in the group uses. Some people are not as Discord-savvy as you presume them to be, so we would stick to regular old text messages. But if the situation does not change, don’t be afraid to talk to the professor. If you have a schedule and tasks for each other that are not being met, you can use that to show your professor that your group members are not pulling their weight. Hopefully, the professor can intervene by talking to them or changing your group/grading. You’ll get through this (probably with some character development). We wish you the best of luck!

We’re more than halfway through the semester everyone! The vibes of the semester are changing, and with that, we hope you continue to submit questions about all the changes you encounter. There will be ups and downs, but in the end, it all becomes a good story to tell in the future. Keep pushing and we’ll see y’all next time! 

With love <3, 

U & M

Vol. CI | Fall | Issue IV

Hi, everyone! It’s officially one of our favorite times of the year, with all of the upcoming holidays approaching. Whether Halloween or Christmas is more of your thing, no one can deny that feeling in the air. If only college and exams weren’t part of the equation…As the semester continues, we know all kinds of questions will arise, and as two seniors graduating next spring, we’re here to offer our advice! Just don’t hold us responsible for your life decisions!

Question #1

Is it weird to dress up for class?

 

No! Contrary to popular belief, going to class can be like going to a fashion show! While many people opt to dress comfortably in sweatpants, hoodies, or pajamas, that doesn’t mean you have to! There’s no shame in expressing yourself through your clothes for class. Clothing is a way to show people who you are, and you should always wear whatever makes you feel the most confident — whether that’s a T-shirt, a suit, overalls, or a maxi dress. Plus, if you wear specific merch, someone with the same interests might just start a conversation with you. It could be a chance for a nice meet-cute (platonic or not)!

Question #2

I love my friends, but every time they want to hang out, they want to do something that I can’t really afford. I feel like they know that money is a struggle for me, but it seems like all their plans revolve around eating out or buying tickets to something. How do I talk to them about this?

 

This is a real problem, so we’re glad you asked! This is another one of those uncomfortable but necessary conversations (we know, not fun). In this economy, it is not worth it to just keep going along with things and spend money you don’t have. You can be honest — when something gets brought up, tell them that it sounds expensive. If they are truly your friends, they won’t make you do anything you don’t want to or can’t afford. You might also be speaking up for other people who are in the same situation as you but don’t want to say anything. Try suggesting cheaper alternatives and plans, instead. There’s a lot you can do for free, and not every hangout needs to be a meal or ticketed event. You can go to public parks, museums, cook at home, or just watch movies and TV together. The best memories are usually made when you’re having an impromptu hangout or are just kind of doing nothing. Like Sia sings, “[you] don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight!”

Question #3

Tips for actually getting parking on campus?

 

NJIT loves accepting more and more students every year without thinking about where they’re actually going to park, so like you implied, parking hasn’t been easy this semester. It’s crazy that we pay $300 to $500 a semester for parking and then still have to fight for a spot if we make the mistake of coming to campus after 10 a.m. If you happen to live in a town that NJ Transit cares about, consider using public transportation now and then to lessen the headache of your commute to class. But we realize that some of us are very attached to our cars, and in that case, you’re going to have to commit to getting here early. Even if you don’t have morning classes, there’s plenty to do on campus while you wait. There are so many study locations you can use to catch up on your assignments or you can make plans with friends (social life is important too)! And if you’re all about self-care, the gyms in the morning are a much better experience. You can avoid the crowds in multiple places and take advantage. If you sleep through the entire morning, it might be over for you in terms of parking, but our tried-and-true experience tells us to always try the old deck first — even if it says it’s full on the outside. We’ve found parking there even during the 1 p.m. craziness. A real insider tip — don’t forget to check the Maple parking deck, as many commuters and residents forget about it and there might just be a spot open during the day that you can capitalize on. Good luck!

If you’re still reading this, we appreciate it! Thank you, readers, and be sure to submit any questions you may have to our form! We look forward to answering all of your deepest inquiries next time on Between yoU & Me!

With love <3,

U & M

Vol. CI | Fall | Issue III

We’re back! If this is your first time reading our column, here’s our quick spiel: we’re two seniors with Wisdom™ and we’re here to answer the questions you send in to us! And our usual disclaimer — take our advice with a grain of salt! We are not responsible for any consequences of the advice we give, but if you do take it we’d love to hear about it!

Question #1

Since school started again, I haven’t been able to work as much and I’m lowkey broke. This wouldn’t be the biggest problem if I wasn’t so addicted to buying food on campus every day. Any advice on how I can save money but still eat (commuter btw).

 

This is something we’re also trying to be better about since we love buying ourselves silly little treats for every occasion (even if we’re just celebrating the fact we went to class that day). But as you’ve definitely noticed, inflation is real, and checking our bank accounts can truly be devastating. Since you’re a commuter, it might just be time to try to incorporate more home-cooked meals into your everyday routine. Don’t be afraid to bring food from home as your lunch a couple days of the week. Plenty of students do it and there are microwaves all over campus if you know where to look! Perhaps this is your sign to join a club that has one and a fridge in their office (shoutout to the 4th floor of CC)!

With this in mind, we know that you sometimes just have a craving for good “outside” food. Look for good deals on meal delivery apps, student discounts, or just split some meals with friends. And if you scroll through your Corq app or Highlander Hub, there are almost always student organizations or NJIT departments giving away free food. Sometimes, if you go towards the end of an event, they’ll have so much leftover food that they’ll let you take it home, and then you’ve got free meals for the next few days. There is also the food pantry on the fourth floor of CC that is open to everyone, no questions asked. You can go twice a week and get 6 items for free per visit, and all you need to bring is your NJIT student ID.

Question #2

Be honest, how bad are the commons?

 

Commons are no joke! Unfortunately, you have probably taken your first one by the time this comes out, but here’s some advice for the future. We’re not going to lie — they’re not exactly a great experience, but they can be managed. Most commons involve a lot of math, whether it’s calculus, physics, or chemistry, so the biggest thing to do is PRACTICE. Book a library room before the common and redo all (yes, ALL) of the homework and in-class practice problems. You’ll be surprised by how much it really does repeat. And don’t suffer alone! Everything can be a game if you try hard enough. Plug in your laptop to a TV, display the questions, and have you and your friends answer them individually before revealing your answers to one another. Start studying as early as you can so you have time to use the tutoring centers or go to office hours. Nothing feels worse than going to a review session the day before the common and not knowing anything (been there, done that). Also, we can’t stress enough how important it is to get to the correct classroom early so you can snag a seat with lots of space. It’s kind of crazy how they want us to do full exams in lecture halls with desks that aren’t even big enough for the exam. But we know you’ll get through it, and we hope the curve is in your favor!

Question #3

So, one of my friends(?) just confessed their feelings for me and I didn’t know how to respond, so I’ve kinda been avoiding them…help!!! I don’t think I like them like that because we pretty much just met, but I don’t want to lose them as a friend??? I hate it here.

 

Oh dear. Rejecting someone is always hard, but if you value them as a friend, ghosting is not the way to go about this. You’re going to have to talk to them one-on-one and be completely honest. Chances are that they may be a little sad, and that’s okay! We just need you to not fall into any people-pleasing habits and remain clear about your feelings (or lack thereof). You might think consoling them is the best way to handle the situation, but we’ve noticed that people usually just need space and time to process their emotions when something like this happens. Trust us, leaving things ambiguous is probably only going to backfire. This should not be a will-they-won’t-they situation. And this doesn’t mean you guys can never be friends again! With some time, everyone will hopefully move on and be mature enough to be friends. But if they don’t want to be friends with you, you’ll have to accept that boundary, and that’s okay! There are plenty of other people to be friends with (and more than friends with ;)). 

Expenses, exams, and emotions, oh my! We hope our advice helped—even if some of y’all didn’t ask about anything to begin with. As always, if you have any questions or sticky situations you need advice on, don’t hesitate to fill out our form! See you next time!

With love <3, 

U & M

Vol. CI | Fall | Issue II

Hey! We’re two seniors with several years of wisdom (3 years of lots of mistakes, but also some wins!), and we’re here to counsel the masses. But for real, we’re here to help you with your college experiences! Take our advice carefully, as we might not have the full context of your situation, and please don’t hold us responsible for any bad decisions (but tell us about them; we love entertainment).

Question #1

I’m a commuter and I feel like I can’t make friends because everyone already has friends 🙁 – Is it too late?

 

No!!! Being a commuter can suck. The traffic and the inability to stay late are all annoying barriers. Think about it this way: if you’re leaving during peak traffic time, you’ll probably get home at the same time as if you had stayed on campus for an extra hour. 

We strongly recommend joining a club! We have so many of them on campus, so don’t be afraid to explore the ones that interest you. Many have office spaces that are honestly mini commuter social lounges. It’s way better to spend your breaks between classes there versus in random corners of CKB (speaking from experience here). We know it can be intimidating to just walk into a club, but if you go to a general body meeting, you’ll be among so many other people that it’ll feel less awkward. Clubs are a great way to find people with similar interests as you, and they are typically very welcoming environments, especially since every club is usually begging for more members. 

Also, don’t be afraid to talk to people in class! Those random groups you sit with can start as study groups and turn into real friend groups. 

A trip to Intrinsic (the cutest café nearby with the best beverages) with strangers can surprisingly do wonders. Bubble tea and board games — those are all you need for a budding friendship. 

Question #2

My roommate got a new boyfriend and he’s always over in our room. We live in a double room and he snores! I don’t want to move, so how do I deal with this in an unproblematic way?

 

You know what they say — never let a man get between you and your sleep. But really though, college is hard enough without losing sleep. 

We suggest talking to your roommate about it ASAP. I know that’s an awkward conversation, but this situation is already awkward! Being in ‘love’ or whatever can really make you lose your self-awareness, so we’re sure that an honest chat will probably help here. 

If you’re not comfortable with the boyfriend being there, that should be respected, considering how small those dorm rooms are. If the issue is more about the snoring, maybe get him those anti-snore nose strips as a little present. 

Hopefully, you all can work this out, but if nothing changes, don’t be afraid to get your resident assistant (RA) involved. They’ll probably be entertained, and maybe they can help you transition into a better room situation, if needed. We know you don’t want to move, but you deserve to be happy and comfortable in your space! Good luck!

Question #3

I know it’s early in the semester, but I’m thinking of dropping out. Please convince me to stay. 

 

Whoa! Although you provided us no context on why you’re thinking of dropping out, we know that you know that it might be a little too early to be making such big decisions. 

If you hate what you’re learning so far, we can understand that. Not everyone picks the perfect major on the first try, and we’ve had friends who’ve changed their majors two or three times. If you think this might be you, we cannot stress how important it is to start your research now on what major you’d like to switch into. NJIT understands this and hosts a Major/Minor fair in October, so be on the lookout. 

Now, if you actually love your major or switching isn’t an option for you (read: your parents are making you do it), we can try to help you make the most of it! The biggest piece of advice we can offer you now is to make friends! Talk to the people in your classes and try to make school less about academics and more about the fun stuff, which will make you happier. 

We’re basically telling you to distract yourself from the pain in a healthy way. Talking to the professor or your advisor might be cringe, but they’re there to give you the real advice when it comes to dropping out or not. 

That’s the end of our first column. As always, if you’d like to hear from us, fill out our form! Also, if any of you out there do end up taking our advice on anything, we’d love to hear about it in our form as well. We won’t let it inflate our egos too much — we promise. See you in two weeks! 

With love <3, 

U & M (see what we did there with the title ;))