Back-to-school conversations: how to deal with small talk
During summer, we get to break from the polite chit-chat we must carry on with those people. You know who I’m talking about. The people who aren't exactly friends because you wouldn’t share your Chipotle guac with them, but they aren't exactly strangers either. Maybe because they threw up on your bed that one long night or you shared chips at the Lit Hum review session.
During summer and winter breaks, we bequeath the responsibility of updating our "school friends" to social media. Instagram shots and Snapchat geotags galore eliminate the need for awkward conversation topics, like weekends and politics.
During summer, Awkward-Polite Chit Chat falls so heavily onto digital that, after 3 months of starring at your Art Hum classmate's vodka-infused Snaps, we barley know what to say to them in-person. Other than, "So, was that sombrero really yours?"
Here are more-than-suitable strategies to help deal.
1. Adapt the plot of a really good movie you saw during summer and hope your conversationalist didn't see the same one.
"Oh yeah, I was interning at this oil rig and it totally collapsed, fucked up the Gulf of Mexico, a bit of Louisiana, and my galoshes."
2. Make up an entirely new persona.
Dye your hair hot pink, but only after getting a pixie haircut à la Alexandra Warrick, and insist that professors only call you Sanpietra von Gufftenschaefen. And wear only Gucci gowns to class.
3. Covet ops.
Once you've managed to suffer through the nauseatingly captivating details of their summer internship at a consulting firm, and they ask you, "So what did *you* do this summer?" ...
Squint your eyes, give shady glances out of the corners of your eyes, pull them ten feet away from where you were standing (even better if it's ten feet closer to the nearest group), and whisper, "I can't tell you about the things I saw."
And, perhaps the best way to escape back to school convo...
4. Avoid the relationship altogether.
If you see the other person making a solidly happy jaunt your way, immediately look at the nearby tree with unbreakable eye contact and keep a firm pace as you continue walking down College Walk.
Just make sure you give College Advice a firm pat on the ass if you see us jaunting to class in a Gucci silk chiffon gown.
Steps of the Met: The CW. Dylan cutie-patootie source. Gucci character source.
First, that coool drift of air that kisses the exposed bit of skin between your cropped mid-rise Gucci trousers and Lanvin wing-tip shoes when you're heading to work...
The falling temperatures that permit you to finally wear the shearling hoodie you scored at Coach's employee-only sample sale...
And most importantly, the feeling of empowerment that comes with the new season. September becomes our second chance of a New Year.
• ZARA shirt . Gucci trousers . LANVIN shoes •
We come back from summer, sleepy and with sun-kissed skin... yet, ready to tackle the next big chapter in our lives. It's as if summer, though long and warm, has equipped us for the remainder of the year. And unsurprisingly, fashion is the same way.
Each September, every designer from Alexander Wang to Zac Posen presents their spring/summer collection to the media. Buyers, magazine editors, and bloggers then take 6 months to prepare for the real product to be available.* As a result, the lengthy wait from staring at Stella McCartney dresses and Fendi fur-clad sandals convinces us it’s already spring.
Research from University of Pennsylvania dons this the “fresh start effect,” where people are biased to think of the bigger picture of their lives and set long-term goals, akin to a New Year’s or even a birthday.
This energy, this anxiety, this excitement – it all rests inside us as the temperatures cool and we crack textbook spines, convincing us to do things we normally wouldn't do. And we at College Advice urge you to do the same.
Go talk to the cool It girl who've you already started obsessing over at your internship
Skip your afternoon art history class and spend a day in New Jersey (ok, maybe not)
Write a handwritten note to the first person you think of after reading this sentence
But most importantly, read our top September posts:
How to make senior year your bitch
Ultimate guide to time management
How to take kickass notes in class
* Note: This business model is dramatically changing with the new see now/buy now format, but the traditional structure of presenting designer’s collection 6 months ahead of customer availability is still the widest and most common model.
Hello! How would you recommend someone who can't swim deal with the swim test? (take beginning swimming early as possible, put it off for a bit, etc...) Thank you very much!
Eh, it’s not like… first day of NSOP, you strip and take the swim test.
You can take the swim test anytime you want in the four years of your undergrad. However, 90.9% of students wait until senior year, and like… 60% of that group take it in the second semester.
Honestly, makes no difference when you take it. But if you fail (or don’t know how to swim), you can/have to take a beginning swim class. And, if you’re a senior about to graduate in a few weeks, you can see how problematic that is.
So, my best advice, take Beginner’s Swimming one semester because then: a) you’ve finished the swim test and b) you’ve completed one of two required gym credits.
Fall’s almost over and I’m heading to Boston for fall break with a Chuck-sized cloud over my head. With school getting into the full swing of things (if it hasn’t already), we know one thing is true – college applications (and miscellaneous other shit) are about to hit the fan.
Before you get your Victoria’s Secret panties in a bunch, take a cooling break outside while reading this week’s top guides for high school seniors.
How to answer the “What books have you read recently?” question: You don’t want to come off too obnoxious with your Shakespearian references, but you don’t want to come off frivolous when you include your favorite The Clique novel. Here’s how to find the right medium between professional and personal.
What Ivy League Recruiters Really Want to See: Ivy League admissioners are becoming more transparent with what they want from applicants. Read an interview here with admissions committee members from Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale.
If you’re considering small liberal arts colleges, give my review of Bowdoin College a read. One of the most quintessential northeast LACs, this college boasts the best Instagram scenic shots and the most small-town feel, very à la Stars Hallow.
Now, time for me to finish packing! See you on the (hopefully chillier) side of the weekend. Here’s to hoping the temperature drops a bit.
Me? I’ve been up to recruiting interviews for some of the most competitive jobs at the world’s famous consulting firms (and sequestering the urge to start a new blog just top write about it). As a result, the pile of untouched schoolwork has grown to be as tall as me (about 5′9″) and I feel like I need to take inspiration from that Gilmore Girls scene where Paris maps out a plan – “Operation Finish Line” – to graduate from Yale with an innumerable mount of success.
Yeah, that one.
One of my classmates – and good friends – pulled me aside in a classroom hallway, frantic with bags as heavy as an Hermès or Chanel under her eyes. “Senior year is killing me,” she hissed through a hushed whisper, as we moved away from eavesdropping bystanders. “What should I do?”
That’s when I knew it was time to make this post. Take our your notebooks, bitches – it’s time to get schooled in Operation Senior Year.
Fly-In Programs, offered by top colleges to students of sometimes all backgrounds, are extremely helpful ways in:
getting into the college application mindset
seeing if a school is the right fit for you
building your network (other students on these programs also want to go top schools); and,
increasing your confidence through the process
You also oftentimes get the chance to preview what the campus is really like on the weekends – sorta like try before you buy. If only fashion worked like this...
There is also a spreadsheet available: http://bit.ly/FlyInProgramList
The effects of fly-in programs: I ended up applying to Bowdoin, Columbia, and Rice because of my visits! Take full advantage of these programs. You never know what will happen.
Bates College
Program URL: Prologue to Bates
Eligibility Requirements: Open to first-generation college students and/or students from diverse backgrounds
Application Deadline(s):
Prologue I: September 7th, 2016
Prologue II: September 28th, 2016
Program Dates:
Prologue I: October 9 – 11, 2016
Prologue II: November 13 – 15, 2016
Bowdoin College
Program URL: Explore Bowdoin
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s): September 23th, 2016 at 11:59 EST
Program Dates: November 3 – 6, 2016
Read more about Bowdoin College here.
Bucknell University
Program URL: Journey to Bucknell
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors who have at least a 3.3 unweighted GPA and have taken the SAT, ACT, or PSAT.
Application Deadline(s): Rolling
Program Dates: November 6 – 8, 2016
Colorado College
Program URL: Flyin’ Tigers
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors that either self-identify as students of color, are Pell Grant eligible, and/or are first generation college students
Application Deadline(s): September 21th, 2016
Program Dates: October 29 – 31, 2016
Columbia University (for engineers)
Program URL: Columbia Engineering Experience
Eligibility Requirements: Exemplary academic records, particularly in math and science. Sincere interest in pursuing an engineering education. Genuine appreciation for the educational value of diversity in all its forms
Application Deadline(s): September 7th, 2016
Program Dates: October 9 – 11, 2016
Read more about visiting Columbia here.
Connecticut College
Program URL: Explore Weekend
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors from underrepresented groups and those committed to issues of diversity
Application Deadline(s): October 3, 2016
Program Dates: November 12 – 14, 2016
Davidson College
Program URL: Multicultural Visitation Program
Eligibility Requirements: Open to high school seniors
Application Deadline(s): September 16, 2016
Program Dates: October 30th - November 1st, 2016
Dickinson College
Program URL: Discover Diversity
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors who are first generation college students or are from an underrepresented cultural or socioeconomic background.
Application Deadline(s): October 3, 2016
Program Dates: November 10 – 12, 2016
Elizabethtown College
Program URL: Overnight Visit
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors.
Application Deadline(s): Rolling
Program Dates: Must apply 2 weeks prior to visiting.
Franklin and Marshall College
Program URL: Collegiate Leadership Summit
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors who have a minimum GPA of 3.3 in rigorous class, of a background underrepresented in higher education, and demonstrated leadership in his or her school or community
Application Deadline(s): October 12th
Program Dates: November 6 – 8, 2016
Grinnell College
Program URL: Grinnell Diversity Preview Program/Discover Grinnell
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors who are students of color (African American, Latino, Asian, Native American) OR the first in their family to attend college, and are interested in liberal arts education (arts and humanities, mathematics and sciences, and social sciences)
Application Deadline(s): September 12, 2016
Program Dates: October 2 – 3, 2016
Haverford College
Program URL: Multicultural Scholars Experience
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s): September 16, 2016
Program Dates: October 23 – 25, 2016
Kenyon College
Program URL: Cultural Connections Program
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s): October 31, 2016
Program Dates: November 5 – 7, 2016
Lehigh University
Program URL: Diversity Achievement Program
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s): September 16, 2016
Program Dates: October 9 – 10, 2016
Lewis and Clark College
Program URL: LEAD Program
Eligibility Requirements: Seniors in high school who are leaders in their schools and communities
Application Deadline(s): September 15, 2016
Program Dates: November 6 – 8, 2016
Miami Univ. at Oxford
Program URL: Bridges at Miami University
Note: 10 participants will receive a 4-year full-tuition scholarship to attend Miami University
Eligibility Requirements:
High school students graduating in 2016
Minimum of 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale or top 25% of graduating class
Rigorous curriculum
Demonstrated leadership/co-curricular involvement
Test scores (PLAN, ACT, SAT, PSAT)
Application Deadline(s): September 19, 2016
Program Dates:
October 30-31, 2016 (Chillicothe, Columbus)
November 6-7, 2016 (Cincinnati, Dayton)
November 13-14, 2016 (Out of State)
November 20-21, 2016 (Akron, Cleveland, Toledo)
Oberlin College
Program URL: Access Oberlin
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s):
October 6, 2016 (October program)
October 27, 2016 (November program)
November 10, 2016 (December program)
Program Dates:
October 27th - 29th, 2016
November 17th - 19th, 2016
December 1st - 3rd, 2016
Or maybe... don’t consider Oberlin?
Pitzer College
Program URL: The Diversity Program at Pitzer
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors from underrepresented racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds
Application Deadline(s): September 12, 2016
Program Dates: October 27 – 29, 2016
Reed College
Program URL: Reed Overnight Multicultural Experience (ROME)
Eligibility Requirements:
be a high school senior;
live in the United States;
be from a historically underrepresented racial or ethnic background;
be a United States citizen or permanent resident.
Application Deadline(s): September 6, 2016
Program Dates: October 9 – 11, 2016
Tufts University (engineering + arts/sciences)
Program URL: Voices of Tufts
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s):
October 6, 2016 (Engineering)
October 12, 2016 (Arts / Sciences)
Program Dates:
October 20 – 21, 2016 (Engineering)
October 27 – 28, 2016 (Arts / Sciences)
University of St. Thomas
Program URL: Fly In Program
Eligibility Requirements: Be a high school senior, admitted to St. Thomas
Application Deadline(s): Rolling, based on admission
Program Dates: Rolling, based on admission
University of Rochester
Program URL: Multicultural Visitation Program
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s): October 7th, 2016
Program Dates: November 10 – 12, 2016
University of Vermont
Program URL: Discovering UVM
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s):
October 7, 2016 (October program)
October 21, 2016 (November program)
Program Dates:
October 23 – 25, 2016
November 6 – 8, 2016
Vassar College
Program URL: Vassar View
Eligibility Requirements: Open to all high school seniors
Application Deadline(s): September 9, 2016
Program Dates: October 9 – 11, 2016
Read more about Vassar here.
Wesleyan University
Program URL: Fall Open House
Eligibility Requirements: n/a
Application Deadline(s): October 12, 2016
Program Dates: November 10-11, 2016
Whitman College
Program URL: Visit Scholarship Program
Eligibility Requirements: High school seniors from underrepresented socioeconomic, racial and cultural backgrounds
Application Deadline(s):
September 16, 2016 (October program)
September 30, 2016 (November program)
Program Dates:
October 13 – 15, 2016
November 6 – 8, 2016
Read next: How to make the most out of your campus visits
First off, congratulations on your acceptance into Columbia! Most likely, you will have received invitation to Days on Campus happening early next month (in April).
Days on Campus is a luxurious weekend of school spirit (just about the only time it exists). Combining unlimited amounts of free food and school paraphernalia, DoC is a three-to-four day affair, depending on your travel. It can also be extended if you’re staying for Perspectives on Diversey, a secondary series of endless ‘why you should attend Columbia.’
When I visited DoC, I had a little too much fun.
Here’s my guide to making sure you learn if Columbia really is the place for you.
Hi! I'll be attending days on campus in two weeks and I was wondering if you have any advice on what to do while there things to look out for? Thanks!!
Okay,
First off: CONGRATU-FUCKING-LATIONS! Definitely reference this post on what to do now you’re officially accepted into the Lion family.
Second: message me off-anon, duh. I’d love to give you my email incase you want to grab lunch / dinner while you’re here!
And third: yes! We do have a “Guide to Days on Campus.”
Q: Could you review Tulane University, University of Illinois, and Lafayette College please?
# TULANE UNIVERSITY
Description
Tulane is a university that is very much on the rise. Years ago, it was considered a party school with no academic clout whatsoever (#TheBackupPlan), but recently it has begun to improve drastically in its academics, and is finding itself with a number of new accolades.
A) #41st National University - US News and World Report's 2016 Best College Rankings
B) Named a Southern Hidden Ivy in the book Hidden Ivies: Thirty Colleges of Excellence
C) Received a 97/100 Smart Rating on StartClass.com
Admission Profile
At a 28% admission rate, it's a tough bet, and likely, necessitates some backups. That being said, if you posted decent grades (3.5+) and notch around a 31 on the ACT, your odds are looking quite fine.
Type of Student
“I want to go to amazing parties, but still receive a good education.”
Academic Peer Schools
Lehigh University, Dickinson College, University of Illinois, University of California-Irvine, Trinity College
# UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
Description
University of Illinois is your standard Big Ten public university (large, big athletics and Greek life presences), but with a twist -- it has elite business and engineering schools. Both programs are top 15; if you’re thinking of a future in business or engineering, these are worthy of consideration.
Applicant Profile
While the 62.4% acceptance rate will ultimately give you a better chance of admission, Illinois’s standards are quite similar to Tulane. If you want to be admitted to most programs, you’ll need pretty good grades and an upper-shelf ACT score (30). However, the standards get tighter with the business and engineering programs, with business likely needing a 31+, and engineering 32+.
Type of Student
“I want to get that big state school experience with all of those crazy fraternities, but I want to get a fantastic education as well.”
Academic Peer Schools
Lehigh University, Penn State University, Occidental College, University of Wisconsin, Connecticut College
--
# LAFAYETTE COLLEGE
Description
Admittedly, I’m a little bit biased because I was recently admitted to Lafayette as a member of the Class of 2020; I was drawn to the school because you get to:
Use university-sized resources (Lafayette has roughly $350,000 in endowment per student - more than Carnegie Mellon and Tufts’s figures combined)
Watch Division I athletics (Lafayette made it to the NCAA Men’s Tournament in 2015)
With a 2,500 undergraduate population and no graduate students, you have many more opportunities to work closely with professors and you get the perks of a small liberal arts college. And, as an added bonus, New York City and Philadelphia are no more than a 75 minute bus ride away.
Some numbers for you number-lovin’ people
Ranked 21st Best Liberal Arts College by StartClass.com
Received a 98/100 smart rating from the above website
Considered a Little Ivy and a Hidden Ivy (along with Tulane)
Applicant Profile
Lafayette has made it a point to be different from other liberal arts colleges in this regard. A 3.5 GPA and 30 ACT could be cause for rejection at many of Lafayette’s peer schools, but at the College - it’s not as important. They care more about the fact that you have the right spirit within you: the inquisitive nature, desire to try new things and to revel in experiences you’ve never had before. Lafayette wants students that will make them proud - not one-dimensional students.
Type of Student
“I want to do it all (from sports to Investment Club), but I still want to go out with my friends frequently and get an amazing education from a highly respected institution.”
Academic Peer Schools
Kenyon College, University of Richmond, Wake Forest University, Boston College, Georgia Tech
– CO
Tulane University source. U-Illinois source. Lafayette source.
For a majority of high school, I planned everything two minutes before it was due. As you could then imagine, my mornings sucked.
I’d put together an outfit that was probably a little too color-coordinated for my now New Yorker taste, pour half of the coffee pot with a gallon of sugar down my throat, and throw all of my shit from last night into my schoolbag – which was a hyperlink-blue Baggu backpack. Embarrassingly enough, this was my most prized possession at the time.
Luckily, things have changed.
I now wear as much head-to-toe black as possible, I’ve upgraded my bag to an agnès b., and I plan my next day (and outfit) prior to bed the night before.
It wasn’t until I decided I’d spend a week night at E.’s apartment when I realized the importance of planning the next day.
That, and the necessity for a quality handbag. Really, I don’t know what I’d do without my agnès.
# LAY OUT YOUR OUTFIT
Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama are one of the lucky few who can get away with wearing the same outfit everyday (don’t believe me?).
For the rest of us who are without decision fatigue, we should treat every day as a fashion show. Or, at the very least, a Gossip Girl episode.
Choose your outfit the night prior; it streamlines the waking up process.
Instead of groggily wading through notes strewn across your floor from a late night cram session and accidentally picking the shirt you wore last week with the pizza stain still in it, you can have a beautiful outfit pre-planned, increasing your confidence and focusing your attention to things that are more important. Like the next SoHo sample sale to attend.
For me, my EC dorm can often times be chilly (and Housing has yet to answer my email requests about installing floor heating in our bathroom). So I have to succumb to pulling on my Redwing socks and jeans hanging on the wardrobe door. I then only have to tug on a shirt with my favorite JACHS sweater over it before I’m out the door to CC (Contemporary Civilization) on Monday and Wednesday mornings.
Recently, I’ve taken a fond interest in sporting my light red rain jacket – even in spite of the recent sunny weather.
# OUTLINE YOUR AGENDA
One of my three notebooks is solely dedicated to my daily agenda. I list the day’s events, meetings, and goals.
As you may recall, I used to break my day into hours from 8am-8pm, with tasks wrestling for open spots between classes – but this always made me feel overwhelmed and unable to add new things into my day as they came up.
Instead, I now only list the events I have scheduled with two tables.
One becomes my school list; targeting all of the homework I have to do for the day. The second list is for other activities – clubs, internship work, College Advice, applications, etc.
I limit myself to two boxes, because this yields only eight things to do.
SIDE-TIP: OVERESTIMATE & OVER-COMPARTMENTALIZE
When creating your to-do list, it’s important not to overwhelm yourself.
Everyone feels like SuperMan once they finish half of their Starbucks vente, but there’s only so many hours in the day and so little time to finish 5 Econometrics problem sets.
Instead of cramming an infinite amount of work, overestimate the amount of time it will take to do each task on your to-do list.
If a problem set normally takes 2 hours, give it 3. Reading Rousseau on a rainy Wednesday? Add in an extra two hours. (It also helps if you actually close Facebook/Snapchat/etc once you start working.)
Also, avoid trying to “finish a project” in one sitting. Our minds aren’t coded to pump out endless supplies of work in a continuous fashion. The best way to combat our humanness is to simply break up large assignments into smaller pieces.
I’ve found a strong comfort in writing “Finish one-fourth of next Psych chapter” on my to-do list over four continuous days, as opposed to writing “OMG FINISH THE FUCKING CHAPTER THE TEST IS TOMORROW” 12 hours before the exam.
# BUDGET TIME FOR SPONTANEITY
The greatest moments are those that we don’t anticipate.
In our speed-driven, productivity-over-all-else society, we often forget to stop and fucking smell the roses.
Whether it’s a conversation outside Ferris with a close friend I hadn’t seen in awhile, or walking in-between classes when I end up unexpectedly flirting with a boy I like, we can’t plan for those special moments. And that’s what makes them special.
Instead of booking your calendar from sunrise-to-sunset, add one-hour breaks for frequent walks and do-nothing time. Avoid booking back-to-back meetings and, instead, create 15 minute buffers between each commitment.
# PUT AWAY THE LIST AND REFLET
Once your plans for tomorrow are solidified, stop thinking about them.
Plug your phone into the charger, pack your Muji notebook into your agnès b. bag, and crawl into bed or a comfy armchair. Preferably with a Gossip Girl book in hand.
Instead of worrying about your next day, it’s important to end your current one on a high note. To combat worrying about tomorrow, I started writing out lists things that I’m grateful.
On a new page in a beautiful red Moleskine notebook, I list 3 things I’m exceptionally lucky to have. Sometimes it’s the chance to be young, wild, and beautiful while living in NYC (kidding… kinda). Other times, it’s the sweet, sweet taste of pinot grigio wine with my EC roomies. And far too often, it’s just the trail mix at Ferris Dining Hall.
Signing off,
CT
Photos by CS. Thanks, girl! Steps of the Met source.
Read next: How to make New York public transportation your bitch
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