This time of year, many brand-new college kids have selected their school of choice, packed from home ,and made it into their dorms. For those who went to college, we all know the feeling: We got our keys, we met our roommate(s), our parents went home, the TV and computer are set up, your RA has checked in, and you're ready for school. Now what?
Ah, to be a freshman in college again. I remember that first night of college at University of Illinois, going to freshman orientation festivities, mingling with new people, (frying my butt off cuz it was 90+ degrees outside). It seemed like I'd adopted a new home for the next 4 years (well, for me it turned out to be 3 but for most it's 3) and I couldn't wait to get settled in. So many things to do; I know it's only been a few years since undergrad, but I wanted to take the opportunity to reminisce:
1.) GO TO CLASS!!!! Seriously, some people seem to forgot what they're there for. Obviously, don't stress out if you oversleep or feel sick or something and miss one or two here and there, but seriously, go to class. That's what you're there for; that's what you're paying the big tuition bucks for. Some would argue it's to get the degree at the end; I'd say there's some value in that, but at most it's half; the other half is actual schooling.
2.) Clubs.... Man o man are there clubs in college. At Illinois there was Quad Day at the beginning of every school year where all of the clubs/groups/cults/societies/sororities set up tables in the main quad area to let their presence be known. I just walked around freshman year, but I set up my own table the last 2 for Illinois Fantasy Football. Thoroughly enjoyable experience, and got lots of free stuff. I'm POSITIVE most schools do this; you gotta go if you have ANY interest in ANYTHING whatsoever besides drinking and sleeping.
3.) Athletic events: I don't care if you go to a national powerhouse in football like Florida or a Div. III- school in the middle of nowhere, your school HAS athletic teams, and it's exciting to go. College sports fans are so much more passionate, it's much more intense than a casual L.A. Dodgers game or something (trust me). The pre-game festivities are longer, the tailgates are better, and the fans more passionate. In high school there was very little school pride, but it seems like once people hit college they turn a switch and EVERYBODY's a fan of the school. My theory is that it's cuz students SELECT their college and want to justify their decision to go by pointing at their school's sports teams as a source of pride. Whatever it is, there's nothing like waking up at 8AM on a Saturday morning to screaming roommates and loud music getting ready for a 1:00PM kickoff. CLASSIC way to spend a Saturday morning, I don't care if you're the blandest sports-averting geek in the world or the hipster-est "I don't watch anything as rough as football" dude, you gotta have a full Saturday football experience in the world.
4.) Alternative Spring Break- so far, the colleges I've been at our 2 for 2 for having this sort of program. Instead of sitting on your butt during winter break or spring break (or going off on crazy College Spring Break parties), you go on a volunteer trip to a remote destination (I've been to Alexandria, VA, Eustis, FL, and New Orleans, LA) for a week. Instead of clearing levels with Mario at home, you're clearing woodpiles with Mario the construction worker; Instead of shooting at zombies in abandoned homes on XBox, you're helping paint a home in a neighborhood community called the Box. Instead of drinking all day with twenty-somethings and being utterly unproductive, you go to an after-school program for disadvantaged kids and ask them about their day. Given an option, I would always do the latter things. For at least one week in your year, you put yourself on hold (and ignore your fantasy teams) and go do something for others. I choose to accept that mission.
5.) ultimate frisbee- I wish I had learned this in college. Seems like an AWESOME activity to learn on a nice spring day or end of summer, and get to know people while doing it. Sports = excellent way to bond with new/barely-acquainted peeps.
6) "Game Night" or "Trivia Night" - take advantage of having these while you're still young, once you have a full-time job all the time you won't have any energy saved up at night to do much of anything (so I hear).
7.) Parties: Obviously, much of what I've said doesn't invovle one of the major mystiques of college: the drinking. I don't hate drinking, I don't try to stop people from drinking, I just personally don't need to get drunk all the time to have a great time. Some people do; that's cool. What I find most fun with alcohol is just grabbing some beers at a local sports bar and watch the game, put $1 bets on certain things to happen, or just play drinking games in a dorm with lots of peeps.... beats going out to the bars any day for me. Again, that's for me. However, this is for all people: Don't overdo it. I've seen people who obviously have had one too many, and it's NOT pleasant. You gotta understand that your body has a limit, and you gotta cut yourself off at some point, or else have friends who at least somewhat-understand that. Lots of college freshmen can't control themselves once they're free form their parents and feel that they can do anything; they're invincible. Far from it: being on your own forces you to make your OWN decisions, which makes you most vulnerable to making BAD decisions. One or two minor bad decisions is survivable, have a few too many and you start getting into arrests, academic probations, and social ostracism. You DON'T want to lapse into that.
So, college freshmen: what's the lesson here? Try a lot of new things, broaden your horizons, start living your life, but be responsible to yourself: Don't go overboard and prevent yourself from having the time of your life in college.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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