If you follow me on social media you might know that I recently graduated from my university. It was a long tough road but I did it! I wanted to share with some of you what I learned in college. Some of you might be just starting your college career, and if so…I hope these things help you out.
(For some weird reason the order of number #1 and #2 are wrong, I’ve tried to fix it but no luck, please disregard that #2 says #1.)
1.DEADLINES are important. I just want to start off by apologizing to my professor on my last semester. I was lazy and forgetful when it came to turn in assignments, and she didn’t deserve putting up with my bs. A lot of professors won’t be as nice as mine and accept late work. I learned that there’s always deadlines to meet, either showing up to class on time, or turning in an assignment. It’s always better to be there 5 minutes early than 5 minutes late. People will take you seriously if you have your shit together. BE ON TIME.
- ASK QUESTIONS. Don’t be like me and wait for someone else to ask the same question. If there’s something you don’t understand it’s most likely someone else won’t understand either. Professors are there to help you and they want to see you succeed.
3.GET INVOLVED in organizations or in a club. Getting involved in a club or organization will pay off in the end. It’s also a great way of meeting people or new friends. There’s nothing greater than sharing similar interests with friends. I was part of SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) and I wish I would have been more involved with other clubs at school.
4.If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed by homework, DO NOT WATCH NETFLIX. I know doing homework sucks, but there’s always a time and place to relax. I was a huge procrastinator and I always took a break from doing an assignment to watch a little bit of TV. By a little I mean two hours…not a great idea. If you know you have homework to do, write it in a calendar and do it as soon as you can. Don’t put it off until the last-minute. If you do you will end up sleeping at 3am and 15 minutes late for your first class.
5.Speaking of being late, I learned that I am not a morning person. If you know your habits and you know you are not a morning person, DO NOT make your class schedule around the morning. If you desperately need that class, put an alarm on your phone with three snoozes.
6.Sometimes you might work in group projects for assignments, when you do don’t be afraid of speaking out if someone isn’t doing their fair share of work. There’s always going to be that one person who slacks off and takes credit for the work. If you’re stuck in that situation, talk to your professor about it. The conversation might be awkward at first but there’s nothing wrong in calling out that someone. Might have been okay in high school but in college, it’s not cool at all. When you work in group projects exchange numbers and set up a scheduled time out of class to work on the project. Make sure everyone is on the same boat.
7.Take advantage of the opportunities offered at school. Scholarships, internships, trips, ect anything that benefits your education do it. The more you learn the more prepared you will feel when you graduate. It’s always great if you can find a mentor, someone who can take you under their wing and learn from them.
8.It’s okay to have fun while in college. The work load can be overwhelming, I know but it’s okay to go out with friends to dinner or to a bar after you finish your work. If your idea of fun is watching Netflix, go ahead and binge watch some cool TV show.
9.Don’t compare yourself to your friends or anyone from school at all. Everyone has different paths, and yours might be different. Everyone has different struggles and different interests. It’s okay if you don’t do some of the similar things others might be doing.
10.I learned that you can make good friends in college, it’s okay to be afraid of new people and new surroundings, but don’t close your heart to those who want to get to know it. Who knows? Some might even become new friends for life!
