Few questions about Arizona/College

[TSElliot]

Hi, I'm going to university this fall in Tempe, Arizona. I know nothing about this place, and I've always liked MMO-Champ as a resource. Actual responses are better than facts from wikipedia.

Arizona questions
*Is Arizona extremely hot? I know it's like a desert area so I'm expecting it to be... but are there any parts of the year where it's cold? Is it cold at night?
*Has anyone here ever gone/goes to this school? uat (dot) edu (can't post link but it's University of Advancing Technology)
*What should I do in Tempe/Arizona when I have free time? Any sites to see (other than the Grand Canyon)?

College questions
*What should I be expecting in college life? I'll be very far from home. When you went to university, was there anything you didn't remember to bring that you really wish you had brought?
*Around how much of your time is actually spent in class? (assuming you don't skip)
*I know you can get jobs on campus, and I know I'm going to be really interested in getting one when I get there... and I know this varies by school, but how hard/easy is it to get a job on campus if you really want/need one?

If there's anything else I should know about Arizona/college life, please tell

Thanks

[Reeve]

I'm not a native, but I'll answer a little bit, since I was there last week.

Tucson was very much in the middle of a desert, with scrub brush and saguaro cacti everywhere you looked, but it was very pleasant, temperature-wise, in the 70s F. If you drove out of town towards Mount Lemmon, within 30 minutes, you could go from high desert to mountain meadows, to scrub forest, to full on old growth pine forest and snow. There's even a ski area. I found a lot of Arizona had this aspect of rapid change in biome. If you drive south from Flagstaff, for example, you start in a high elevation pine fores, go through a lot more foret, reaching Sedona, which is all amazingly beautiful red rock cliffs, and then eventually down into high desert.

In Tucson and Flagstaff, at least, there's ample night life and fun eclectic bars and restaurants to rival any big city.

[TSElliot]

I'm not a native, but I'll answer a little bit, since I was there last week.

Tucson was very much in the middle of a desert, with scrub brush and saguaro cacti everywhere you looked, but it was very pleasant, temperature-wise, in the 70s F. If you drove out of town towards Mount Lemmon, within 30 minutes, you could go from high desert to mountain meadows, to scrub forest, to full on old growth pine forest and snow. There's even a ski area. I found a lot of Arizona had this aspect of rapid change in biome. If you drive south from Flagstaff, for example, you start in a high elevation pine fores, go through a lot more foret, reaching Sedona, which is all amazingly beautiful red rock cliffs, and then eventually down into high desert.

In Tucson and Flagstaff, at least, there's ample night life and fun eclectic bars and restaurants to rival any big city.

I see, interesting to hear about a ski area. Gonna look that up now.

And also, shameless buff. >.<

[vizzle]

Make sure you bring lotion, especially if you're not used to the heat

[BLCalliente]

Make sure you're not a woman.

Arizona is trying to pass legislation that lets a company fire a woman if she is using birth control and can't prove that it was prescribed for something OTHER than preventing birth.

[Drofu]

Make sure you're not a woman.

Arizona is trying to pass legislation that lets a company fire a woman if she is using birth control and can't prove that it was prescribed for something OTHER than preventing birth.

Wait, what other things would you be taking birth control pills for?

[vizzle]

Make sure you're not a woman.

Arizona is trying to pass legislation that lets a company fire a woman if she is using birth control and can't prove that it was prescribed for something OTHER than preventing birth.

I don't understand how a woman using birth control deserves to be fired :S Are they afraid she might be promiscuous in the workplace? Hah.

[BLCalliente]

Wait, what other things would you be taking birth control pills for?

Seriously?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combine...raceptive_uses

Women take the birth control pill to regulate their periods, to make them less severe, prevent acne, and all sorts of other reasons.

---------- Post added 2012-03-20 at 09:31 AM ----------

I don't understand how a woman using birth control deserves to be fired :S Are they afraid she might be promiscuous in the workplace? Hah.

They are trying to say that women who use birth control are promiscuous and that being promiscuous can make you a bad/untrustworthy employee.

[vizzle]

Then they should fire men who buy condoms too. It's only fair with that reasoning...

[Bearshield]

Hi, I'm going to university this fall in Tempe, Arizona. I know nothing about this place, and I've always liked MMO-Champ as a resource. Actual responses are better than facts from wikipedia.

Arizona questions
*Is Arizona extremely hot? I know it's like a desert area so I'm expecting it to be... but are there any parts of the year where it's cold? Is it cold at night?
*Has anyone here ever gone/goes to this school? uat (dot) edu (can't post link but it's University of Advancing Technology)
*What should I do in Tempe/Arizona when I have free time? Any sites to see (other than the Grand Canyon)?

College questions
*What should I be expecting in college life? I'll be very far from home. When you went to university, was there anything you didn't remember to bring that you really wish you had brought?
*Around how much of your time is actually spent in class? (assuming you don't skip)
*I know you can get jobs on campus, and I know I'm going to be really interested in getting one when I get there... and I know this varies by school, but how hard/easy is it to get a job on campus if you really want/need one?

If there's anything else I should know about Arizona/college life, please tell

Thanks

I'm from Phoenix (Tempe is considered part of metropolitan Phoenix) so I'll give you some answers.

1. In the winter, the temperature does actually drop a bit. Daytime highs are generally 50's-60's but can be warmer. At night it drops into the 30's. Contrary to popular belief, it has even snowed in Phoenix before, though it's rare and not enough to stick to the ground. In summer you can expect it to be above 100 for a good 4+ months and in the evening it drops into the upper 80's/low 90's.
2. Not familiar with the school, sorry
3. Tempe is a college town (home to Arizona State University) so there is a fairly decent night life there, along with a couple malls and various other shopping. As I said, it is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area so you can access the rest of Phoenix via the freeways (or backstreets if you prefer, just be aware that going west on the far southern streets will take you through the ghetto). There is a zoo and iirc, the botanical gardens are in the Tempe area but as far as searching out nature stuff, you will need to leave town. (I can give you more specific suggestions if you want)

Don't really have answers to your college questions as I've never attended university and my college experiences have been brief.

As to AZ info as a whole, depending on what sort of stuff you're into, there is quite a bit to do throughout the state. Up north there are mountains which provide a nice contrast from the desert of the valley. Slide Rock is a fun "natural waterpark" to visit if you go in the summer, and there are places to ski in the winter (Snowbowl, Sunrise). There are old mining towns you can visit in parts of the state or you could search for the "Lost Dutchman's Mine". Tubing down the Salt River is a lot of fun as well.

Well that's all that comes to mind atm, feel free to ask any other questions you may have