I couldn’t get my antenna to come up on my 23 year old car and my phone was dying, so I had fuzzy radio and no Pandora for a good three hours tonight on my ride home (home (n.) – a paradise of free food, heat, and laughs.) Instead of thinking way too deeply about things, I thought about a few things I’ve learned in college so far. Classically laced with a hint of sarcasm, here are the 10 little, completely basic, no-brainer nuggets that I compiled:

  1. Get to know your professors

It’s not dorky, it’s professional AND NORMAL. I had an anthropology professor who actually might have been a dead man walking; getting to know him was about as entertaining as watching cement dry. You’re going to have the knots-on-a-log for sure, but make connections with the professors in your field of study. There’s a difference in being a suck-up slacker and being a driven student. If you care, show it. Believe it or not there are a ton of benefits: 1) hello, connections, 2) genuine professional friendships, 3) great references, 4) an endless vat of knowledge to soak in, and 5) scholarship opportunities and referrals.

 

  1. Call your parents

DO NOT be the kid who calls home only when he needs gas money. Seriously… no. Call on the way to work or on the way home from class. It’s not hard and it takes about five minutes just to check in. I realize we don’t all have fabulous relationships with our parents, but a five minute attempted phone call won’t kill you. And if you’re anything like me, moving out caused the phone calls to be pretty frequent; navigating the real world on my own is pretty intimidating. Mom and Pops usually have some experience, and they know you much better than you think. << PS: I probably call my mother every other grocery trip because I can’t find what I need. That woman has mad location skills for chili sauce, Nutella, foil pans, and allergy medicine. >>

 

  1. Put your phone away on the walk to class

Yes, it’s not always possible. Some days the antisocial realm is desperately welcoming, and that’s okay. But for those days that are decently sunny and comfy outside, just put the phone up and enjoy your walk. It wouldn’t hurt to creepily make eye contact and smile at a few people too, it throws them off.

 

  1. Get involved in a community

Greek life, a Lit club, the Math Honors Society, a campus ministry, an outdoor club, the larpers (maybe not), the bio lab table who goes and gets dinner together… whatever it may be, embrace the community that pushes you to be a better you. For me, I found this community through Cru in a small group Bible study. What started out as a once a week meeting, for an hour and a half in a grungy community room, has led to life-long fulfilling friendships with people I trust deeply. I’m challenged by them daily and I am constantly encouraged by people who are pursuing a common goal. I’ve also found community in the Education Department (your major), through different jobs (your workplace), and with killer roommates (your home/dorm.)

 

  1. Go to the library

I would probably get married and be buried in the UTC library if I could, I love it that much. But, even if your school has a cruddy library with stinky books and out of date computers, you still have librarians. Librarians rock and they know their stuff. They can help you discover proper sources, construct a credible argument, and find extra resources for your own interests.

 

  1. Have a conversation with someone who isn’t like you

This is where we can all get stuck. Talk to the kid in class sitting next to you, whether he looks lonely or not. Grab coffee with the outspoken pessimist, even after you’ve had a massive debate in class. Walk from class to the UC or the library with the brilliant engineer who just left the Gen Ed course you were both required to take… and have a conversation, preferably. It’s actually pretty simple. The worst thing that could happen in any of these scenarios is a few minutes of silence, and you would’ve had that if you’d kept your mouth shut anyway. Take a chance and learn from other people.

 

  1. Try saying “Thank You” instead of “I’m Sorry”

We don’t all have this toxic problem, but HI, *raises hand and waves it obnoxiously* one of my biggest flaws. Honestly, sometimes people really want to help you. Saying “I’m sorry” is a way to present yourself in a burdensome light. If you ran out of ink and your roommate printed your paper: “Thank you.” You’re out of campus cash, and a stranger offers to pay for it: “Thank you.” You missed last class because you overslept (it happens to the best of us) and you branch out and ask for notes: “Thank you.” These are only the small things. People do care, and they do care about you, and they will help you. So for the people who sacrifice, big and small, thank them. Don’t always assume you did something wrong when you receive assistance.

 

  1. Know that it is okay to be alone

I have become much more introverted since college. It’s okay not to have plans one Friday night. It’s completely acceptable to go get a milkshake from Sonic by yourself. It’s not abnormal to be spotted alone at the grocery store, or in the library. Don’t feel rejected when people have other plans. Enjoy a night off and carry out a plan that doesn’t depend on anyone else’s wishes. << For me these nights consist of endless amounts of Netflix, peanut butter M&Ms that I don’t have to share, and coffee. >>

 

  1. It is important to try

I would love to say that everyone is entitled to one semester of “Do better next time;” however, Mr. GPA doesn’t agree. Do your best, but when your best isn’t enough… do something about it. Professors have office hours, campuses have tutoring, you really can stay up one more hour, and coffee is refillable all night at Waffle House. You can do it, really.

 

  1. Get a job [if you can]

I didn’t work my freshman year and it was pretty fantastic. But, once I got in the groove of things on campus, it was time. I figured out how to manage my time, began paying attention to my school bills, and realized that milkshakes really aren’t an investment. So, I got a job scooping ice cream and making my own free milkshakes on the side- killed two birds with one stone. Over the years I’ve had a few different odd jobs. I have roommates who’ve had pretty prestigious internships, friends who work for a few hours a week on campus, friends who have research opportunities in their fields… there are tons of choices out there. If it doesn’t work for you, move on. Even though my jobs have been unrelated to my major, I’ve done what I could and I’ve enjoyed having a co-worker community and a whole different set of responsibilities aside from school.

 

That’s it. I haven’t graduated just yet, so take it with a grain of salt 😉