CONGRATULATIONS! IN A couple of weeks, you will be stepping into a different world. You’re possibly scared, excited or both.
Whatever you’re feeling right now, let me share with you some of the things I wish I was told three years ago on my own first day as a college kid.
Choose knowledge over mere grades
Begin the school year with a hunger for knowledge and awareness. Make learning—not getting a high grade—your top priority. Don’t be the kind of student who would always choose classes based on teachers who easily give high grades.
I’ve taken classes under professors known for showering students with Fs and heavy requirements. Do I wish I never did? No. Although their exams and quizzes stressed me out more than anything else, at the end of the semester, I was able to say I learned a lot because of them.
College is hardly about numerical values. Grades are good on paper, yes. But in the end, what will really count are the knowledge, skills and virtues that will stick with you as you work hard for learning’s sake.
Keep it simple
“Freshmen—they always go to school like they’re going to a party,” observed one of my friends. Although having the freedom to wear whatever you want to school is exciting, use it with discretion.
Spare your teachers and other students from getting distracted by your clothes. There’s nothing wrong with expressing yourself by dressing up, but keep in mind that college is about extensive learning and not excessive flaunting.
When it comes to wearing makeup, make sure you don’t overdo it. Thick makeup is a bad idea especially if you’re going to spend a lot of time walking from one building to another.
Once in my freshman year, I decided to come to school wearing thick eyeliner. Having taken a long walk to my classroom on a rainy day, my eyeliner smeared under my eyes. Upon entering my class, my blockmate said to me: “You look like Sweeney Todd!”
Trust me, it’s not the kind of comment you’d want to hear about yourself.
Laugh off the embarrassments
Freshman year is a critical period for every college student: It’s a year of adjusting to the demands of college life. Should you get a couple of failures or embarrassing moments, be kind to yourself and don’t dwell on them.
If you do, then it’s very likely that you won’t be getting the most from your college experiences. Failing and being caught in an embarrassing situation early in your freshman year will not be the downfall of your entire college life. You’ll get more chances to offset them.
What’s important is that you continue to work hard and hold your head high as you get used to the demands of your college or university.
Make as many friends as you can
I spent two years of my college life making friends only with my blockmates, classmates and a few of my friends’ friends. I didn’t participate in any organizations or make real conversations with people beyond my arm span.
In short: I had an unsatisfactory social circle. Come junior year, I started making new friends by dropping my reservations in social situations. I joined organizations and hung out with new people. You know what? It made me happier!
Expand your social circle. Spending time with friends both old and new will surely make your college life a lot more bearable.
College can get tough. It has the power to give you sleepless nights, bad skin, and an unhealthy appetite all at the same time. But I promise you, despite all that, once you find yourself surrounded by great people, you’ll have more fun and love than you can imagine.
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