Tuesday, 05 May 2009

• A College Survival Guide

  As my freshman year of college comes to a close, I realize freshman year is more than just a transition from one's status as a top-dog, high school senior to one of the lowliest life forms on the planet. It's also a year when you learn everything you need to survive all four years of your college education and then some.

  Since I'm reviewing everything else I've learned for finals week, I figured I might as well review the life lessons I've been so fortunate to gain over the past 9 nine moths in this ultimate survival guide:

  Everything You Need to Know to Survive College

  1) Binge drinking is bad...especially if you've never had a drink before.

  I remember the first beer I ever had. It was August 31, 2008. I was sitting on a strange couch in an apartment of a friend of a friend of a friend. I held one of those infamous red Solo cups and brought it to my lips. One swig, and I thought I was going to vomit. Beer, especially cheap college party beer, tastes like crap. Still, I continued to choke it down, sip by sip because that's what you're supposed to do at college. When it was empty, I walked back to the keg. I stared at it for a good five minutes, trying to figure out how it worked. I couldn't seem to get it. I guess I was absent the day Keg-etiquette was taught in AP Biology. Finally, some random guy came over, saw me and chuckled. Then, he filled my cup and handed it back. I was surprised to find this second beer went down much, much easier than the first. I finished it quickly and went back to find my keg buddy. This process continued six more times. Finally, my friends decided it was time to leave. I stood up, the room spun around, and I came close to face planting on the floor. That was enough. I knew I wasn't going anywhere, so I flopped back on the couch. I woke up in the morning next to my keg buddy and prayed nothing illegal, violating or disgusting happened while I was extremely intoxicated.

  This routine continued every weekend. I would drink until I couldn't see straight and make decisions I would regret the next morning.

  DON'T DO THIS, especially if you're like me and you've never tasted alcohol prior. It's extremely dangerous, and it leaves you with a killer headache in the morning. I'm not saying don't go out at all. Just know your limits, and stay in control. You can't have fun if you're passed out.

  2) A majority of college kids aren't looking for relationships...just sex.

  I spent my last two years of high school completely devoted to one relationship. He was everything to me. Upon starting college, I noticed there were a lot of potential suitors out there, and I began to question whether I should stay with one person forever or play the field a little bit. I decided to play the field. For all I knew, Mr. Right could be sitting beside me in College Compostion. I broke up with my boyfriend of two years, and started feeling out the waters. Many guys asked for my phone number, and I gave it to a handful. I hung out with a bunch. "Dates" involved little interaction, little talk, and a lot of making out. In some cases, things went further than I ever thought they might. As soon as the guys got what they wanted, the phone calls stopped. The text messages never came. I saw them walking around campus with hoards of other girls. It broke my heart. No dates meant no boyfriend, which meant no relationship, and that was something I really wanted.

  Finally, I started hanging out with my ex again, and we're back together. That's when it hit me.

  When starting college, if you have a relationship, and a relationship is what you want, don't sacrifice it for someone new. Chances are you may not find another relationship; you may only find those willing to play. Playtime is fun, but there's also a time when something more is needed, something real, something solid. Work it out with your current significant other for as long as you can. Otherwise, you may end up alone and miserable.

  3) Timing is everything.

  Scheduling classes can seem like a major burden. Before classes started each semester, I looked like a crazy lady. My hair was sticking out from all directions as a result of being pulled repeatedly while staring at the coming semester's course catalogue. Should I take 8 am Shakespeare? Should I take 3 pm American Drama? Will I be able to wake up? Will I be able to get to work on time? These were all concerns buzzing around in my mind. In high school, you don't really have the option to schedule classes around your personal schedule, but in college everything is left open to choice. I originally scheduled all of my classes after 12 pm, thinking that it would be great. I would get to sleep in every day. Then, I realized I would never be able to make it to work on time, so the schedule needed a total 180. All morning classes. It turns out, it's actually better. I am out of school in the middle of the day, with plenty of time to complete assignments before my hourly obligations at the Acme begin.

  It can seem tempting to wait to take all of your classes until you feel like rolling out of bed, but sometimes, that's at the sacrifice of quality or cash. You have to do what's best for yourself, but don't totally dismiss morning classes. You'll probably feel as though the day has been more productive if you get all of the educational obligations out of the way first, and then do the fun things. Oh yea, and Friday is the best day to have off, just in case you were wondering.

  4) You're there for the education...don't forget it.

  I spent a majority of the time in between classes hanging out with friends during my first semester, and I'd push all of my homework aside for later. At night, I'd have chapters upon chapters to read, with only a few hours to do it all. I started to think being a social butterfly was more important than anything else. As fall semester's mid-term grades came back, my mouth began to hold a shocked expression permanently. B's and B's, with only one A. This was not like me at all, number five in my high school graduating class with a GPA of over 100. For the remaining months, friends came after homework, and while I sacrificed what may have been quality time with the girls, my grades sprang up, and I was once again a Dean's List student.

  You're there for the education. Your first obligation is school. Everything else is to follow. Just because friends are only a few feet across the room or down the hall, doesn't mean you need to talk to them every five seconds. Quiet time is necessary.

  5) Be careful...it's very easy to lose  yourself.

  College changed me. I went from being the good girl who never did anything wrong and spent all of her time doing things for school to the girl who lives for fun. Halfway in, I looked in the mirror and got confused. I couldn't recognize who I was anymore. I didn't like the change. I was no longer the kind, sympathetic person I was upon college acceptance. I became a mean girl, a bitch if you will. I regret that, for I know my metamorphosis hurt a lot of people. It took time, but once I recognized the change, I was able to take steps to correct it. I didn't give up my new self completely. I just brought a bunch of my old parts back: caring about grades, caring about high school friemds. caring about my family.

  If you're going to enter college, you're probably going to change. That's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can be a good thing, as long as you are pleased with the changes. If you only do one thing, don't let your old self, the self everyone loves to fade away completely, because once that self is gone, it may be impossible to ever get it back.

  Don't worry though. Even though the workload is heavy at times, it's still fun and it's definitely worthwhile.

  I love college; just not in the same way Asher Roth does. It has a lot of great opportunities. I've been able to go on trips to museums, see plays, read great books--All things that I love. Sometimes, it's just good to take a step back and get rid of what doesn't need to be there.

  Feel free to add your own experiences to the Survival Guide!!

   

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