I have learned a variety of things in college I wish I had known coming in. I wish I had been prepared for how much I was going to change, how much I needed to be patient, and to ask more questions.
Here is an A-to-Z list of some of the advice I have found useful going through college, things I wish I had been prepared for, what I wish I had done more of:
A: Ask. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask questions because you’ll never know if you don’t ask.
B: Breathe. College can be overwhelming and stressful, so take that extra minute to breath and regroup.
C: Change. Be prepared for change and don’t be afraid of it, it’s inevitable.
D: Degree. Ultimately, you’re working to earn a degree. Remember to stay focused on the end goal when you’re struggling.
E: Exercise. It will keep your energy up along with maintaining your health and fitness.
F: Friends. They will get you through the hard times and make your experience so much more enjoyable.
G: Grow. Allow yourself to develop mentally and push your academic limits.
H: Help. Not only others, but yourself. Ask for help, give help and receive it. It’ll make life easier.
I: Interpret. There are so many ways to interpret lectures, conversations, stories and life. Just remember that everyone has a different way of interpreting and it’s not going to be the same as yours.
J: Juggling. Learn to multitask because there will be multiple things on your plate that you need to balance.
K: Knowledge. You will expand your mind and skill set, learning more than you knew was possible. Embrace it.
L: Listen. It’s easy to talk about yourself, but sometimes by listening you will get more out of a conversation than if you were talking the whole time.
M: Meet. College is full of new people – go meet them. In your classes, at social events and in the residence halls.
N: No. Don’t be afraid to say no, but try your best to get outside of your comfort zone and experience new things.
O: Observe. Look around you and always be aware of what is going on. Sometimes you can learn more from simply observing.
P: Positive. Keep a positive attitude. It will influence you and others around you, making for an optimistic environment.
Q: Quiet. Sometimes it is best to keep quiet. Keep that rumor, comment or opinion to yourself – it could cause more trouble than it’s worth.
R: Read. Not only should you complete your class readings, but read material outside of class. It’s good for your imagination, decreases stress and promotes creativity.
S: Support. Develop a support system and be supportive for someone else.
T: Time. Time is precious and valuable. Don’t waste it.
U: Umbrella. Bring an umbrella to college and use it. No it’s not weird, and yes, everyone else does it. You’ll be glad when you’re dry on rainy days.
V: Value. Value your time as a student and your experience in college. You’ll soon be ‘adulting’ after all!
W: Wait. Have patience and know that not everything will always come to you when you need it most. Good things take time, so be prepared to wait.
X: Extra. One thing I’ve learned in my experience is that you can never have enough of some things – like notecards, shampoo and toilet paper. Always make sure to stock up on items you know you’ll always use.
Y: Yearn. Find your passion and fearlessly pursue it. Take your goals seriously and strive to be the best you can be.
Z: Zzz’s. Sleep is immensely important, and I often find myself struggling to get all the sleep I need. Make time for sleep or a lack will take a toll on your body.
