This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ohio U chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
It’s my junior year of college, well, actually- I have about five weeks left of my junior year. That being said, I’ve realized that looking back on my college experience, I would definitely do some things differently. I’m sure anyone would, but unfortunately, we can’t turn back the clock. So, as I reminisce, I’ll tell you what things I would’ve done differently as a freshman and a sophomore.
Meal Plans
As much as I hated the dining halls when I was forced to eat at them everyday, they are the one thing that I miss the most. I would’ve definitely taken more advantage of my meal plan as an underclassman. I had flex points (they allow you to use your meal plan at campus cafes and our student union) more frequently. Who doesn’t love Starbuck coffee and amazing slices of pizza? This year, I’ve been sweet talking my way into the dining halls and scrounging around for food…definitely not the same. Take advantage of your meal swipes and flex points- you’ll really miss them someday!
Textbooks
Everyone always says it, buying textbooks will make you broke in an instant. This I learned my freshman year. I had a job all summer, but once I got to school the employment was few and far between. I guess you could label me as a ‘typical freshman’ because I bought all of my textbooks BRAND NEW. I know, I know, what the hell was I thinking? I could’ve saved myself, and my parents, hundreds of dollars if I had done some research on the best places to get used books on campus. Now, I refuse to buy a book unless it’s used. Kids, even though buying books from the bookstore is convenient, you could get the same $100 book from Amazon or elsewhere for a fraction of the cost.
Extra Credit
I’d like to consider myself a pretty good student. In that case, I always feel confident with my grades, so doing extra work for extra credit points seemed pointless. Boy, was I wrong. Extra credit in college is basically like getting free points! Why would you give that up? Especially with the ups and downs of college life, two points can make a big difference when it comes to grades. Also, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve attended a lecture and actually found it interesting. That’s another bonus of extra credit- you might actually learn something!
These may seem like basic things that I’d redo, but hey, I cant help it! You get older and you learn things, and throughout my college career I’ve learned that I really missed out on things or seriously screwed them up. I’m sure as soon as I publish this article I’ll think of something that I should’ve done differently. Hopefully you underclassmen sit back and really think about how you’re currently living day by day, and if need be, change your life up to make the most of your younger years!