Livin' La Vida Loca

College Survival Guide

Hello Freshman Fishies! 

And to those of you who are not starting four (or five) of the most exciting years of your life, feel free to pass this along to someone who is. Or just read it, and nod your head in agreement because you've been there before. 

Here are a few pieces of wisdom that I gathered during my college years. You've probably heard some of them before. Maybe this time it will sink in and the necessary synapse will form in your brain and you'll actually put this advice into practice. Or perhaps you'll read it, ignore it, and then in four years, wish you would've believed it. Either way, here is my advice for you. Take it or leave it. 

1. Get involved in everything you can. Join groups, clubs, organizations... College campuses offer a plethora of opportunities for you to get involved. Join now, and as the semester goes, you can wean out the ones that you don't love. 

Joining groups/clubs/organizations helps you meet people (always a plus) and it helps you discover what you're passionate about. Are you passionate about fighting human trafficking? There is probably a group on campus that does that. Do you enjoy trying to solve the world's problems? There is probably a  Model United Nations at your university. Maybe, you are an amazing rock climber... and you just don't know it yet. There is probably a club for that too. 

2. Be friendly. I know this one seems obvious. But the transition from high school to college can be painful at first and you might find yourself pining for your high school friends. Don't. You might be friends with some of them later, but for right now, you need to make new friends. So be your smiling self, and go meet people. Try to remember people's names, that goes a long way in starting a friendship. It helps to say their name in conversation 3x after first meeting them. 

first friend in college & still one of my best 

Also, while you're "being friendly," don't be judgmental. You will meet people that come from drastically different backgrounds than yours. Being friendly doesn't mean that you have to become besties and share your fro-yo with them, but try to keep an open mind when you're meeting people that are different than you. And you will. A lot of them. 


3. Make sure that you and your roommate are on the same page. Talk about things. Communicate. Are you cool with having his or her friends stay the night in your room? Is your roommate messy or clean? Do they care if you're messy or clean? (Full disclosure: I was a MESS freshman year, and it drove my roommate batty. She didn't tell me until the first semester was over. If you communicate ahead of time, it solves lots of problems.) And try to be a considerate roommate. This is good training for later in life. 

4. Make and USE a budget. I know, your father has told you this seventeen times. But listen to him. He has many years of experience of dealing with money. Now it's your turn. There are cool tools you can use on your phone, like Mint. Check them out.

Be aware of how much things cost. For example- a rotisserie chicken costs about $6, and a bag of several frozen chicken breasts cost $10. Figure out which will last you longer. 

Allot money to pay your bills and then see how much spending money you have. Also, in addition to having an emergency fund, have an "except for" budget category. I would have had enough money to pay my rent, except for the fact that I got a parking ticket, or that I got sick and had to get a $30 shot. This way you can save the emergency fund for big ticket surprises- like the time your car battery dies outside your dorm, which happened to me. 

5. Consider going Greek. Greek life is different at every university and it can be a fun way to meet people and get involved on campus, but it can also be a hazing nightmare and major party scene. So, check it out. Luckily, at my school it was the former, not the latter, and I had a great time in my sorority. 

wham bam I am a Kappa Gam

6. Food is a great way to meet people. Seriously. Make cookies for your neighbor, or show up to study group with a pizza, and you'll be the coolest one there. Also, you might feel less awkward if you don't show up empty handed. You won't have the- "uh.. what do I do with my hands... pockets? Uh... I'm _____ nice to meet you" moment. Instead, people will come to you. Because you brought them food. 

7. It's okay if you don't start dating someone right away. In fact, it's better that way. (The girl down the hall who starting dating that guy in the first two weeks of school? Won't last until Thanksgiving.) Explore your campus. Meet people from lots of different groups. Figure out YOUR goals for your YOUR college experience... the rest will come. 

Don't stress about who or when you'll start dating, because evaluating everyone you meet as a potential girlfriend or boyfriend will suck the fun right out of meeting people. Also, be ware of this when you do start "hanging out" with someone: college is a really selfish time of life. It just is. If they're not ready to make you a priority, don't make them a priority. 

Side note: Don't be THAT girl or guy. Even on large campuses, word spreads fast. You do NOT want to known as the easy person that will hook up with whoever/whenever. No matter what the songs on the radio say-  the hookup culture is a messed up culture that only hurts you in the long run. Promise. 

8. Get involved in something that will make you think about something outside of yourself. As I said before, college is a really selfish time of life. Everything can be about you, for you, and decided by you. For the first time, you don't have anyone else telling what to do or not do, and so consequently, you end up only doing what YOU want and only thinking about yourself. Volunteer somewhere. Get involved in a ministry or an outreach. 

You'll be glad you did. Trust me. Selfish people are ultimately unhappy people. 

Guatemala with KKG - one of the highlights of college

9. Actually GO TO CLASS. That was one the best pieces of advice my father gave me about college. If you just show up every time, you are likely to at least get a C. Break down how much college costs and how much you are paying per class. (That piece of advice was from my brother-in-law Chris.) It's a lot, so make yourself go, even if you are in sweat pants, bleary-eyed from the movie marathon the night before and sucking down coffee like your life depends on it. Go. 

roommate movie marathon

10. If you go to class and actually do the reading, you're even better off. If you read with a pen and highlighter in hand, making notes of things you need to remember or don't understand, you're setting yourself up for success. I found that the best study method (for me) was to go over my class notes, go over the reading, and then synthesize the two and re-write it. I had to put in waaay more work to prepare for exams in college than in high school, and chances are that you will too. Start at least four days a head of time, if possible. The night before an exam is not study time. It's review time. 

If you are thinking, "She is so wrong. _____ never goes to class and only studied for two hours before the Environment Studies exam, and he got a 94%!" Well, there are always those people who magically test well and can pull an A on an exam out of their... pocket. Most people are not like that. So study.

11. If you have tried going to class, taking notes, and doing the reading, and you still don't understand, GO TO YOUR PROFESSOR'S OFFICE HOURS. That is why they have them. To help people like you (and me.) And don't wait until the day before a test. Go early and go often. 

Even if you don't need help, go to your professor's office hours anyway. Ideally, visit their office in the first two weeks of the semester. It is a good idea to get to know them. They can be the difference between you passing and failing. You never know when you'll need a favor later on in the semester, for example, when you get extremely sick the night before a paper is due, or you need a recommendation for a job or scholarship. They will be so much more likely to help you if they know you. (Both things happened to me, and because I had visited their offices, both professors helped me on multiple occasions.) 

12. Start building a skill set and a resume for your post-college life. I know, college is supposed to be fun, and you're supposed to do what you love, and chase your dreams... all of that is true. But you are going to have to pay bills and buy groceries when you graduate. So run for leadership positions in the clubs you've joined. Get internships. If your first internship has to be unpaid- do it anyway. Get work experience. Most non-profits need all of the help they can get. Volunteer to be an unpaid intern and work 8-10 hours a week, that much time shouldn't cramp your schedule.  

When choosing your major- keep in mind that you need to be employable. If you are choosing a broad major (like Communications) that doesn't have a direct career path (like Nursing) then make sure that you are gaining skills that you need. Don't just know how to write, also learn design and coding. You need to be able to do something that someone will pay you for. 

If you really want to study something that will not make much money later on, consider double majoring or making it your minor. That way you can still study what you love, but also be able to pay off your student loans later. 

13. Go to church. I know that your mother probably already told you this, but she was right. College is a great time to discover what you believe and why, but if you aren't being proactive in that discovery process, someone else will do it for you- your professors, your friends, or that random guy you met last weekend. It's important to fellowship with other believers, and really, it's a good idea for your mental health as well. Go with friends. You are more likely to make yourself get out of bed on Sunday morning if you're going with someone. 

14. Take care of yourself- mentally, spiritually and physically. Go to church, and volunteer somewhere. But also, rest. Sleep is so important. Give yourself some mental downtime. Exercise. Your brain works better when your body is working better. (I know. Very scientific sounding. But it is true and science will back me.) 

Don't stop eating fruits and vegetables just because your mom isn't doing your grocery shopping. Your body still needs the nutrients that are missing from pizza and puppy chow. Drink emergen-c, or take vitamin C because colds go around in dorms like crazy. Be proactive. It's hard to study when you're coughing up a lung and can't breathe through your nose. 

15. Go easy on the drinking scene. Or really, avoid it all together. First, you're a freshman, which means you're underage. Second, people make bad decisions when they're drinking- decisions that they will regret later and that can have lasting consequences. This is not just parent-speak. It is scientifically sound as well. The place in your brain that makes decisions, the frontal lobe, won't be fully developed until you're twenty-five, so already, it's a little bit more difficult for your brain to make decisions. Don't make it harder for yourself. If you're going to a party where people will be drinking, bring your own drink, (like a red bull) it's safer anyway, because you won't have to worry about someone tampering with it. (That happens in real life. It happened to my friend. It's scary stuff.) If you bring you own drink, you'll feel more comfortable having something in your hands, and you'll be able to drive home safely.

And if you're a Christian, it's a good idea to know what the Bible says about this topic. This is a part of the whole know-what-you-believe-and-why process. I won't spoil it for you- look it up. It might surprise you. 

Side note: People are drawn to confident people. People who know what they are about and who aren't easily influenced. So don't worry about not being cool. Knowing what you believe and why will draw people to you, no matter what drink is in your hand. 

Lastly.... Enjoy it! College is a special, magical, wonderful time. People that emerge from the experience are different, and it's hard to articulate why. They have discovered the secret that is college. Work hard, play hard, and enjoy it all. This time of your life is like none other. 

Costume party. So fun. And so funny looking.

(But don't try to stay in college forever. The life stages post-graduation are pretty fun too.) 

This list could go on, but hey, it's the weekend. Time to hang out with my husband! (Perfect example of post-grad life being fun... married life. BEST. EVER.) 

Perhaps we'll make it a series. What are things that you wished you would've known in college? Let us know in the comments below. 

Until next time, 

xo, The Attic 

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