In light of me graduating tomorrow, I’ve decided to make a bit of a guide for those younger students who have not yet experienced college. Keep in mind, I am American and attended an American university while living on campus.
hand wash your intimates (panties and bras). they’ll last longer.
don’t get wrapped up in sticking to an aesthetic. just wear what’s clean
hang the next day’s outfit on your closet door
have one outfit for every occasion
invest in plain solid colored tops, a business formal and business casual outfit, and comfortable shoes
fold a plain t-shirt, roll it up tiny and stick it in a bag. keep this in your everyday bag if possible in the event a guy named Eric spills coffee on you in Bio
use scarves, plaid shirts, belts, ties, etc to spice up your wardrobe. but also, its fine to wear the sweatpants and hoodie to every class
don’t get attached to just one singular spot. explore like you’re in a video game looking for hidden items.
sometimes you end up working in the library for their full operating hours. keep a travel bag with toothbrush/toothpaste/floss, mini bottle of face wash, pads/tampons, pain reliever, hair ties, and chapstick. just in case you stay until 2am at closing and you have an 8am and you know you won’t get much sleep.
have cash on you, have money on your student card, have your ID with you at all times and USE EVERY RESOURCE they offer.
minimize how much you bring. my library had desktop computers but also you can borrow macs and ipads for a period of time. also, they have chargers you can borrow.
photocopy, print, scan, etc is your friend. borrow a textbook from a friend for a day and have your own copy in minutes at the library.
follow the rules of the land. don’t be that guy/girl/person.
budget your meal plan so you don’t end up starving during finals week
KNOW EVERY SINGLE DEAL/SALE/SPECIAL OFFERED AT FAST FOOD JOINTS
eat with others, especially when you’re struggling to get food
if it isn’t essential, don’t buy it
make lists before you grocery shop. shop more on the outer rings of the stores where the fresh, healthy food is
cook like you’re trying to survive a harsh winter. leftovers that last. carbs and protein heavy.
have family send you care packages with essentials you can’t get where you are.
GET THE RECIPES FOR YOUR FAVORITE HOMECOOKED MEALS
unless you invented mornings or are the god Apollo, please refrain from taking 8AM classes
never make big gaps in between your classes in one day. schedules should maximize efficiency. have enough time to eat and pee between classes and nothing more.
office hours. go to them. no matter what your status in the class is. you want those letter of recommendations, don’t you?
do the readings, write down questions you have, take good notes, make sure all your questions are answered before class is over
make friends with your classmates. emailing the whole class to get notes you missed is a huge nono
make money by being someone’s note-taker
make besties with your TA
never work on outside assignments in class
start the day you get an assignment even if it’s due next month
the minute you start a new unit, prepare for that inevitable test
you should spend hours studying for each subject. daily. for the best results
online homework is hard to remember. make phone alerts
download apps that won’t let you procrastinate on your computer when you need to study. i use writer’s block.
study before you go to bed, then pause and continue once you wake up
PUBLIC SPEAKING/PRESENTATIONS
record yourself while you practice
don’t stare at one person the whole time you’re speaking. pick three in different locations around the room
if you need to pause and look at your notes, do it naturally and comfortably. even announce that you’re taking a second to check your notes
take frequent short pauses to avoid saying uhhh and ummm while you’re trying to remember something
ask that your audience save questions for the end
perform your script to a friend first. have them act as your audience, teacher, and the bad scenarios that can happen when you prepare but everything goes to shit
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