Hi you. Yes you. I am about to impart some wisdom that was once imparted upon me by a multitude of internet lists, friends, and family. Wisdom on how to be successful in college, and how to make the most of your experience at whatever wonderful institution you attend. But unlike every other list I've seen, I thought I'd make this one a bit more realistic per say. Because, let's be real, no one goes to office hours, or completes their project a week in advance, or never goes to that one party, or never makes that one stupid mistake.
ONE. You don't need to visit every teacher's office hours. In this time, there isn't much you can't just find the answer to on the internet. Pick one or two professors who are an integral part of your major and try to get to know them better. Half the time you'll have a Teaching Assistant in your class who is more approachable. They are great for that class, but they can't exactly write you a reference....
Or you can just take the easy route and do a summer overseas (or Catalina) class so you get to know your teachers really well. Like you follow them on Instagram well.
TWO. Your roommates will not necessarily be your besties for life, nor will they be spawn from hell. They're most likely going to be pretty decent people who you get along with most of the time. I mean you're living with them of course there will be issues that have to be resolved. And it's totally okay if you're not platonic soul mates. (And it's totally okay if you are). This also goes for all friends. You're going to fight, sometimes you'll drift apart, sometimes you won't.
THREE. Most nights you're gonna just end up in your room watching Netflix (or in my case being the only person without it) and just working alone. I average one party a week. Sometimes two, but those weeks are rough. Every other night I'm really not doing much with my life in terms of socializing. That's totally normal. Most people are doing that. Feel free to watch Netflix with other people and popcorn. When you look back those will be the nights you remember and love the most anyhow.
FOUR. Cooking food for yourself is not romantic, nor easy, nor fun. Getting groceries involves a lot of work. Like renting a zipcar and carting all the stuff. Not having a dishwasher means washing your dishes. Try to eat healthy, but you're in college. If there ever was a time to just eat cereal and sandwiches for ten days straight...it's now.
FIVE. Speaking of dishes. If you don't do your dishes / take out the trash / pick up your waste you will get bugs. And they are not pleasant.
SIX. You will learn to sleep through anything. And I mean anything. A car crash, some drunken revelry outside your window, an impromptu dance party...a murder down the street. You might think you're a "light" sleeper. Don't worry about it. Exhaustion doesn't take no for an answer.
SEVEN. People party in college. People drink in college. Underage people drink in college. It happens. It's up to you to decide if you want to participate or not. Many people don't drink at my school and they have just as much fun (if not more) at parties. There are three types of parties as I understand it.
1. The frat party: what you've seen on TV is completely accurate. Except unless you know a decent amount of people and guys in the frat, you spend most of your time just wandering around and avoiding spills.
2. The house parties: These are usually hosted by other organizations and random people. They're a bit smaller and you'll usually know more people there. These are more enjoyable because people aren't just there to hookup.
3. The kickbacks: These are the small, chill parties of your closest friends. More like just a hang out session with loud music and revelry.
4ish. The pregames: the parties where you prepare for the "real" party. Sometimes you never even make it past the pregame.
EIGHT. People say join a bunch of clubs and then pick. I say do your research and join two or three organizations near the beginning of your college career. These organizations are where you make your closest friends and where you're most likely to get those highly coveted leadership positions.
NINE. A relationship is not the end all be all. If you find someone, then go for it. If you don't, live your life to the fullest and don't worry about it.
TEN. Don't ever take yourself too seriously. There will be times where you will be miserable. There will be times when you will be elated. There will be times where it feels like your world is ending, or when you feel the need to avoid certain people. Just laugh at yourself for a bit, and move on. It's not like your mistakes are going to cause World War III.
ELEVEN. Remember to call your parents occasionally. They love you.
I love you. Good luck this year. And as always, Fight On.
