Starting college is tricky - especially when it comes to knowing the ropes in this new world. What should you do now that you're here? What are the greatest words of wisdom that you can heed? What are the things that you should be on the lookout for? Should you make new friends? Meet your professors? Eat the cafeteria food?
Since I decided to start college in the summer, rather than the fall, I was blessed by the opportunity to get to know my great RA, Jenni. She is a wonderful girl who has been great company and just the other day she emailed me this list of advice that she wrote for her incoming freshman friend a couple years ago. So, I thought, since we're all moving into this second chapter which involves going off to college or post-secondary school programs what better than to share her words of wisdom? So, without further ado, here is some advice from an upperclassman:
Since I decided to start college in the summer, rather than the fall, I was blessed by the opportunity to get to know my great RA, Jenni. She is a wonderful girl who has been great company and just the other day she emailed me this list of advice that she wrote for her incoming freshman friend a couple years ago. So, I thought, since we're all moving into this second chapter which involves going off to college or post-secondary school programs what better than to share her words of wisdom? So, without further ado, here is some advice from an upperclassman:
College 101
Take Pictures All the Time!
Don’t ever let your phone die.
Ever.
Make new friends.
Climb something, a tree, a house, a water tower, and claim it to be yours.
Find the perfect study spot.
Make friends with a few upper classmen and take their advice.
Use good judgment, but the upperclassmen usually know what’s up.
Call your mom.
It can be daily, weekly, bimonthly, whatever. Just do it.
Don’t be stupid. Use your brain.
Find a church, bible study, ministry, and GO!
I advise something during the week or Sunday evenings because no one likes to wake up early in college…let alone on the weekend.
Don’t be afraid to look ridiculous.
It’s the most fun.
Pack up a car of friends and go drive somewhere.
Bring snacks.
Buy a school sweatshirt!
Hold off on buying them for your family, they make perfect gifts when you can’t think of anything else.
Avoid buying school T-shirts.
They hand out free ones like candy.
Join something!
Club, intramural, research, anything! Just get involved, it’s how you meet people.
Don’t forget about your old friends.
Find out something new about yourself!
Do childish things.
Sit in the first or second row.
Take more photos.
Use Professors’ office hours.
Even if you have to make up questions you already know the answers to, go talk to them multiple times, you’d be surprised how much they’ll remember you.
Network.
Much of life is about connections.
You’ve got a great smile; use it!
For good and evil…
Try new things.
Find that perfect shop on the corner.
It can be clothes, bagels, coffee, just make it yours.
Start new traditions!
When people start getting on your nerves, just remember that everyone just needs love these days.
Start a Blog.
You’ve already got videos, great life stories, and one hell of a following.
Stay.
Don’t transfer back your sophomore year unless there are legit reasons; “I miss home” is not legit.
Think for the Future but Live in the Now.
People say you only get one life. And it’s true, but remember the specifics; the second that just passed, you’ll never repeat.
Take advantage of your opportunities
Use YOLO wisely.
Take a self-guided tour.
The best way to know the campus and make a new friend is to get lost on it with that said person, preferably at a very early hour in the morning. Say, 3 am?
If you’re curious, go discover.
Tomorrow is just an excuse.
Sleep when you’re dead.
Don’t smoke anything.
At. All.
Take advantage of Dead Week.
You’ll feel dead, but it’s better than cramming right before the final.
Be Crazy.
Be Interested.
Have Fun!
Balance.
Most college students understand that there are three pieces to university life: sleep, academics, and a social life. The worst part is, you can only choose two of three at any given time. Advice: the two you choose for one day or one week, don’t have to be the same two you choose for the whole year or semester. Shuffle things around a bit ☺
Stay You. Stay Awesome.
-Jenni (from the block)
The Application
Being at the university for these past couple weeks has been interesting to say the least. The time that I have spent here has been a whirlwind of late nights, early mornings, studying for exams, and jamming out to music for no reason.
Progressing towards the fall I've been thinking a lot about what it will hold for me. Did I pick the right university? The right classes? The right housing?
What will happen?
I'm sure I'll be writing about it a lot more in a future post...
Jami, I know that your school in South Carolina is a little different, and Remington, you've been in college for a while...but nonetheless, I hope that these tips are applicable to you as well!
-Amethyst
-Amethyst
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