One.
Befriend your professors.
Some of the most remarkable people I have met in my entire life happen to be college professors of mine.
Unfortunately for me, I didn't really take the time to get to know them until my Junior/Senior year. I'll admit, it helps that I went to a small, liberal arts college where most of my non-science classes had a maximum of 15 people in them. (So yeah...they didn't really need an attendance sheet to tell you were missing class).
One of my most favorite teachers of all time happened to be in a very different department than the one I spent most of my classes in. By the end of my senior year, I ended up with a minor in a field I never even considered when entering college- and I owe that entirely to the fact that I signed up for every single class this professor taught...simply because he was amazing.
Two.
It's more-than-okay for you to be yourself.
You know those pictures that you look back on and think to yourself "WHAT was I thinking?" Yeah...don't deny it...you know you do.
Since graduating, and looking at all those pictures from freshman year, I've come to realize that you can try your best to "fit in" like everyone else and wear what everyone else is wearing....
or you can go to class in gym shorts and a t-shirt and be there to learn.
College is about finding out three (or four) major things:
1. Who are you?
2. Who do you want to be?
3. How (on earth) are you going to get to that person you want to be?
4. How to be proud of yourself.
Three.
Salad drenched in ranch dressing = pizza.
So go for the pizza.
I remember when I went off to college I was paranoid overly-cautious about the dreaded
"Freshman Fifteen" (insert-scary-sound here)
I remember thinking: pizza: bad // salad: good
I also remember frequenting the salad bar because this was the "healthy" option....
I equally remember getting to the end of said-salad bar and giving my cucumbers a nice bath of ranch dressing.
To top it off, I remember eating the salad, still craving the pizza....and going up and getting the pizza.
Moral of the story: either ditch the ranch, or treat yourself to the pizza every once in awhile...it won't kill you.
Four.
Make new friends
(sorry this picture is so grainy, but I loved that these ladies were by my side that day)
I was incredibly lucky to have had wonderful childhood friends. I still call most of them "close" to this day.
But looking back, I came home most weekends to visit with these ladies (who I adore, don't get me wrong), and may have missed the opportunity to meet new people.
Lucky for me, I landed the worlds' best roommates my sophomore year and now, well, they are definitely the three people who know me better than I know myself.
If I hadn't opened up and branched out, I never would have met these ladies. I never would have let them have the opportunity to know me, or me to know them.
They changed me....not because they meant to- but rather, they helped me to grow.
Finding friends in college is one of the most amazing experiences. Suddenly you become friends with people because they have similar interests as you. Or they may challenge you. They motivate and inspire you. You're not friends with them because you've "known them your whole life" or because you ended up in "K-12" with them...you are friends with them because you want to be.
These friends, well, they'll stick with you through life's greatest moments...and life's toughest challenges.
They will be your cheerleader when you need motivation.
They also won't be afraid to tell you when you're being a big ole' dummy.
They're real.
Five.
Go to bed early.
I remember thinking "this is the life".
I could stay out til 2 in the morning if I wanted to... and as all college kids do, sometimes I did stay out til then.
Then I realized I truly valued the precious hours of sleep...so did my brain.
Six.
Sign up for stuff you think "you will NEVER be interested in".
If you didn't already get this vibe from number one, well here it is in black & white.
You go to college knowing EXACTLY what you want "to do with" your life.
Some people do.
Others don't.
Or you could be like me and waffle back and forth for three years before firmly setting your mind in a single direction.
This is the time to figure out what you like as well as what you are good at.
My college has this amazing program called "Interim" (similar to a Maymester).
EXCEPT: most of the classes are not academic-based. Sure you'll learn some science and/or history throughout the course, but it is mostly geared toward life experiences.
Freshman Year:
I ended up in a class I thought I would hate (being on the bottom of the totem pole, you get to pick last). Movies and the Meaning of Life.
Yawn.
It was a philosophical class where you watched small-budget films and/or "weird movies" to try and come up with answers to "life's biggest questions".
Guess what?
IT WAS AWESOME!
Not only did I discover that I have an interest in ethics and philosophy, but simultaneously (I may also venture to say "more importantly")
I learned that I love movies (especially weird ones)
Groundhog Day: Brilliant
Sophomore Year:
A stitch in time.
Yup, that's right. a sewing class.
I had always loved artsy craftsy stuff, so I thought "hey why not give this a try?"
Now, I can make pillows, quilts, you name it- I'll try it.
Junior Year:
Internship.
I spent this month rotating throughout different specialty fields knowing that I wanted to pursue a field in medicine. At this point, I had no idea which route to medicine I wanted- whether that be, PT, OT, PA, NP, RN, MD..... every other combination of two-letter abbreviations for providers...I considered it all.
And, while I may not have decided upon the road I wanted this particular month, I did decide what I am most passionate about.
Had I not enrolled into this class, I would not have realized that I am extremely drawn to hospice and palliative care.
I would not have enrolled to do a senior capstone research project for a concentration in Medical humanities, had I not experienced this course.
That research is so much a part of who I am and who I have grown to be, that looking back, I can't imagine what I would have done with my life had I not had this experience.
Senior Year:
Science of Baking.
let me tell you the truth... I was a horrible cook.
by horrible- I don't mean the stereotypical "I can't cook" and then they whip up a full three-course meal.
I mean the "I can't cook I burn water." type.
My desserts came in the means of "warm delights" which you heated up in the microwave... the only muffins I made were the kind you just had to add milk (or water) to... and my idea of gourmet was splurging and going for Velveeta as opposed to my traditional Easy Mac.
And I learned, not only the skills to not burn the house down, but also that I could whip up some tasty treats.... and more importantly
I liked being in the kitchen.
Since then, well, baking has become a source of relaxation for me. (especially cupcakes)
(this is my most favorite cake... pumpkin pie cake with cream cheese buttercream frosting)
Seven.
Go on at least one spring break trip with your friends.
I'm not talking you have to go down to Cabo and spend a week on the beach...
But grab a pal, or two, and plan a fun trip. As much as you'll say while you're in college "When we get out and have jobs we will travel so much together"....let me be the first to tell you: it won't happen.
Post-graduation = new schedule...suddenly you have something more to do than just sitting in a classroom around 4 hours a day. And then your schedule will almost never coordinate with your friend's schedule.
I luckily took a senior trip with one of my greatest friends to none other than the happiest place on earth.
Best. Spring Break. EVER.
Eight.
Take way too many pictures.
I never believed anyone when they told me college would fly by.
It does.
I feel like just yesterday I graduated from High School....
When you leave, you're not going to keep all the things you genuinely think you will want.
You're not going to continue holding onto every single textbook you used.
Or that notebook from that one class you seriously almost made 100 percent in and you can't bring yourself to throw it away because "you put so much work into that".
You will, however, always look back at pictures.
It also grows increasingly more fun to put pictures side by side when you reunite with your friends for life celebrations later on :)
Nine.
Don't rush the first semester to be over so you can "finally" go home for the holidays.
I remember studying the day after what seemed like all of my college friends (except one) had left to head home for Winter Break.
I was bitter.
Why did they get to finish on Thursday and I was stuck eating cafeteria food for another day.
Don't rush it.
Believe it or not, there will come a time when you wish you could go have dinner at your college cafeteria.
There will also come a time when you realized that when all you had to do was study for some stupid exam, life was really good.
Ten.
Don't bring dirty laundry home with you in the backseat of your car.
Trust me.
Even if it is only a three hour drive (like mine)....that stuff will smell G-ROSS by the time you get home.
It's nasty. Take the extra time to do it before you leave.
PLUS the last thing you want to do on your time off is laundry.....
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