eight things about college

Some of the best advice people gave me when I was in college and some advice I wish someone had given me

1. Don't spend all your money in your first semester of college- I know you're thinking, "no, duh!", but it's easy to just start spending. When you have the money and a little rectangular card in your wallet, it is so convenient to spend. Confession: I spent 2000 dollars my first semester on NOTHING. I bought a Disneyland pass, which was worth the investment, but I have no clue where the rest of the money went. Slowly the tri-weekly trips to target, the daily outings to Starbucks, the late night fro-yo runs, and the forever 21 excursions  started adding up. 

My advice: Pay attention in your orientation class when they talk about budgeting, figure out what works best for you, and say no every once in a while. 

2. Find an internship- Explore different career opportunities and gain experience. One of the best things you can have when you graduate is experience, and there is no better time to give away your  time and skills than when you are getting college credit for it. And it looks good on a resume! 

3. Take advantage of the services your school provides- Find out what services your school provides, a lot of schools have counseling centers, career centers, tutoring centers, learning centers, and  much more. And the best part, they are all free. Counseling has a bad connotation, but it is great for your emotional health. Once you are in the real world, it costs a lot, so go, be healthy.  Meet with someone in the career center at least once a year, they will have job and internship opportunities, help you create your resume, and assist with career development. Don't be afraid to get tutoring, students who have gone through your hard classes can be a big help both mentally and emotionally. The biggest thing with this point, is ask for help. Find out who can assist you, who can make you a better person, and who can make your experience easier. You don't have to do it alone. 

4. Sleep!- Get a good nights sleep at least 3 times a week. Particularly on Sunday nights, start your week off with a good 7-8 hours ;) other wise, nap in between classes, enjoy late night food runs, have study sessions that begin at 10pm. Socialize after dark and don't be afraid to say yes to random nighttime adventures. 

5. Be authentic- You don't have to spill your life story and your heart and soul to everyone you meet, but be real. There is no one more you-er than you, so there is no one better to be than YOU. 

6. Say yes- There will be a lot of opportunities. Say yes to something, say yes to a lot. Find your nitch. Become involved in dorm life or inter mural sports or academics or clubs or student leadership. Be a part of something. 

7. Say no- something's can wait. Sometimes you need a break. Sometimes school is more important than your social life [only sometime ;)] Some times you need sleep. Every thing will be okay if you say no. 

8. Take alone time- The end. Take time to yourself. If you're living in a dorm, there will be people around all the time. Find a place and a time to be alone. You will thank me later, I promise, it will be a great thing. 

Make mistakes. Learn who you are. Change majors. Call your parents. Enjoy college. Do what you want. This is what you make it. Welcome to the roller coaster of becoming an adult, an individual