How To Survive College

You're entering into a new phase of your life. You're on your own. No longer under the supervision of your parents. Do you run wild? Or do you flop out? (Hopefully it's not the latter). But that's why I'm here today! To give you some helpful tips and tricks to survive college...This is for the Editorial Fellowship

1. Remember how High School Musical gave you false hope about High School? Well, now be aware that Pitch Perfect is nothing like College.

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What do you mean there are no Riff-Offs with other a cappella groups at school? This news brought me some level of disappointment. Especially when I auditioned for an a cappella group myself (Spoiler alert, they didn't take me). I had dreams that I would meet a cute guy that would come and have movie nights with me in my apartment. He'd be able to serenade me all day everyday. Unfortunately, it remained just that, a dream. People in college just don't put all of their eggs in one basket. Instead, they spread out their time and effort into many adverse organizations and don't spend their time singing. Instead of singing, you'll be spending most of your time studying. But hey, if you can join an a cappella group, please live out my fantasies of winning regionals for me.

2. Never leave your clothes in the communal washer/dryer for longer than an hour.

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Yes, we know, you're used to only sharing your laundry with your family...We don't care anymore. Why? Because now you're using a COMMUNAL laundromat with other people. Trust me, most people allocate specified time throughout their day just to do laundry and when someone has left their clothes in the same machine for an extended period of time, flatmates tend to lose their temper. I've heard of people stealing clothing (or potentially throwing out their clothes. They have no idea what actually happened) and people throwing clothes all over the floor. Both people are displeased in the long run, so just do everyone a favor and use the timer on your phone to let you know when your clothes are done. It makes everyone's lives easier.

3. If you have issues with your roommate, talk to them about it.

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There will be at least one instance where an issue will arise between you and your roommate while in college. Every single roommate I had, prior to living with my friends, I experienced at least one complication with them. My first roommate, she was a major slob and never cleaned up her side of the room. It was as if I was living with a hoarder. She would eat my food, use my utensils without washing them, and stole my books. Not only that, but she also ate at my desk during Spring break while I was at home. This may seem like nothing, and it usually isn't a problem, but when I returned there was a dead cockroach lying in the desk of my drawer. A DEAD COCKROACH. I was pretty scarred by the memories of living with her. My problem was I never addressed any of these problems with her. I was too frightened to ruffle any feathers. Because of this, I ended up suffering while she believed that our situation was acceptable. If I had just conveyed my opinions, I believe she would have altered her ways and my living situation would have been bearable. So don't be intimidated by having this conversation with your roommate. He/she will understand in the long run.

4. Get a part time job.

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You may feel overwhelmed by your schoolwork and the 4 other off-campus organizations you're a member of, but getting a part time job is pertinent for your college career. Whether that be an internship or something small on campus, a part time job teaches you how to properly multitask. You'll be able to learn a new skill that you can bring with you to other careers throughout your lifetime. Not only will you benefit but the corporation will benefit due to your assistance. The biggest bonus is that you are gaining a steady income. So you don't have to continue begging your family for funds every month!

5. Wear flip flops in the shower.

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Do you know how gross those floors are? Need I even say more..

6. Attend every career fair.

Matt Hagen

I really wish I knew this as a Freshman. At the time, I was told most of the career fairs were only geared towards Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. Because of that, I never went. What I didn't know was that companies that go to these fairs really respect the Freshman that attend. It shows initiative and motivation. And even though they don't normally hire people younger than Sophomore year, they place their resume in the same file as everyone else (and are normally put towards the top of their desired candidates list). On top of this, even if you don't actually get a job coming out of the career fair, you get to know the company and their recruiters on a personal level. It's just an easier way to get to know the company without necessarily going through the interview process.

7. OFFICE HOURS. OFFICE HOURS. OFFICE HOURS.

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This. This is how you survive college. If you don't take away any other tips from this article, please take this away. GO TO OFFICE HOURS. As much as you don't think you need the help. You NEED it. If you have any issues in class, didn't understand a particular concept, want tips on how to study for the upcoming exam, want to learn a new trick or technique, or even just want to talk to the professor, go to office hours. They are a resource for you. They are allocating time out of their schedule so you can come and talk to them about anything. Take advantage of it because they really do want to see you succeed. A bonus of attending office hours is that your professor will easily remember your name, even if they have 5 classes filled with hundreds of people, they will remember you. A classroom setting in college is much less personal than a classroom setting in high school. Because of this, office hours allows for a simpler process of having more one-on-one time for individual problems. It's catered towards your needs. Just do it. Take my word on it. You'll thank me in the long run.

8. This may seem obvious, but call your parents.

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You've been living in their house for the past 18 years. You suddenly move out and they have one less kid living in their house. Their lives have changed significantly because you're no longer in their immediate grasp. They feel as though they are slowly losing you to your friends, school, and parties. Even if a call is just a few minutes, try to call them every day. The thought really matters. I mean, you're their kid. They love and miss you. Even though you may not necessarily feel homesick all of the time, update them on a recent crush you've developed, a test you aced, or a friend that's starting to get on your nerves. Even if it seems pointless to you, they'll appreciate any effort you put in to reach out to them.

9. Finally, study hard so you can party hard.

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Even though you're in College for academics, if you don't take some time out of your life to have some fun, you will wither away into depression (It's a thing. Trust me). For my Freshman year, I never went out. I stayed inside my apartment studying 24/7. I hated my existence. I barely had any friends and I had no fun. I was so confused as to why everyone told me college was an amazing experience. Then the following year I started going to frat parties and I began to think "Oh so this is what they were referring to." Endless amounts of alcohol and drunk people making stupid decisions. It's a really entertaining scene to witness. Especially when you're the only sober one and you watch everyone around you gradually transform into a different person in a matter of a few hours. Ah the magic of alcohol. It really changes people.

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With these tips and tricks, you'll definitely be able to survive college (most likely).