Compared to high school, college is a whole new world. It is a place full of learning experiences. With that said, here are some helpful tips of the good, the bad, and the ugly to get through college.
1. Make connections that will benefit both your personal AND professional life.
2. Learn how to say, “thanks, but no thanks” to people who don’t treat you the way you deserve to be treated.
3. Become friends with at least one professor (especially if you plan on going to grad school). Spending time with your professors after class is no longer “embarrassing”. You can learn A LOT from them, and it’s fun to occasionally share/learn from one another.
4. Learn how to make coffee. You’ll need LOTS of it. (Or tea, if you don’t like coffee).
5. Learn how to do laundry. You don’t want your favorite white shirt to come out as a shrunken baby pink crop top.
6. If you have the opportunity, study abroad for at least a semester. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you get to experience different cultures.
7. If you’re not a morning person, don’t schedule morning classes. You think you’ll go, but you won’t.
8. Sometimes it’s okay to take a break and have a dancing sesh alone, or with your friends.
9. Go to review sessions. Professors essentially go over exactly what’s going to be on the test.
10. McDonald’s, or In N Out at 1am won’t be the end of the world.
11. Learn the art of letting go.
12. If you plan on wearing high heels, know how to walk in them.
13. Sometimes, all you need is a good cry.
14. Pinterest is the website to go on when you’re bored.
15. Stand firm in what you believe in, even if you stand alone.
16. Dorm life is a whole new experience.
17. Don’t drink and drive. Drink responsibly
18. Just because you CAN skip classes, doesn’t mean that you should.
19. Get as many experiences through internships as you can. Your resume will be the same as others, so it’s important to make yourself stand out.
20. Take advantage of your student discount!
21. Take advantage of the campus health center while you can (free health check ups, pens, birth control, and sometimes even beauty samples).
22. Try your best to avoid freshman 15. You’ll feel better physically and mentally. University students get free access to the school gym, and you can also take fitness classes.
23. Be spontaneous every now and then.
24. When you’re working on your homework/project on your laptop, press save OFTEN. You don’t want to lose your hard work.
25. First impressions are never forgotten.
26. Don’t ruin your college experience because of some guy that won’t call you back.
27. Get involved on campus.
28. Find a strong group of friends. They will have your back.
29. Grades aren’t everything. You won’t be looking back remembering what you got in your Sociology 101, you’ll be remembering that one time you and your friends spontaneously went to the beach at 3am.
30. Find a balance between having fun and working hard.
31. Go see your academic advisor once in a while to make sure you’re on the right track.
32. Find “your place” in the library. When you get attached to that study spot, you’ll feel more comfortable sitting there to study/do work.
33. Accept that you won’t get A’s on all your tests, or papers. Instead, think of it as a learning experience, and motivate yourself to do better next time.
34. Stock your dorm with food/snacks because the dining hall isn’t open 24 hours.
35. Call your parents whenever you can.
36. Be studious.
37. Find a hobby you want to get into during your free time.
38. Not all friendships last forever, but that’s okay.
39. Manage your money.
40. Don’t sleep with your makeup on.
41. Spend a day with your friends eating ice cream, and watching Netflix.
42. Piling classes on the same days to have longer “weekends” may seem like a good idea, but that means all your papers and projects will be due on the same day. Don’t overwork yourself.
43. Take advantage of FREE STUFF at school. Free food, free concerts, free events, free shirts, free etc.
44. Try to get a good night’s sleep when you can.
45. Use a planner.
46. Keep yourself updated with current news.
47. Part of the college experience is finding out who you are.
48. Take care of your mental health.
49. Failure is a part of life.
50. You will change and grow. The experiences will be painful, but also awesome.