Since I work a 9-5 office job (gasp, I thought I'd never say that), I spend a lot of time online. Twitter has become my muse. It's constantly feeding me information and creative inspiration. One of the trending topics at the moment is #dearfreshman (not exactly proper grammar but I'll let it slide). This got me thinking of all the things I'm glad I did in college and even a few of the ones I wish I had done.
I was fortunate enough to attend West Virginia University for Journalism school. During my time there, I had more fun than I could have ever imagined, worked for our campus radio station and reported for WVU News. If any future academics stumble upon my little blog, I hope these pieces of advice come in handy.
1. YOUR MAJOR
I was one of those kids that knew what they wanted to be from a young age. I never questioned nor changed my major. Sadly, this isn't the case for most people. There's nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do when you graduate. Maybe take a year off in between high school and college. Discover what interests you. Consider careers that you will love. The old addage rings true; "find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life."
2. GRADES
Unless you're studying to be a rocket scientist or some other prestigious field, your GPA doesn't matter much in the real world. How many people do you know who bring up their SAT scores beyond the age of 18? The same is generally true for college GPAs. Unless you have a very high GPA, it's advised that you shouldn't even list it on your resume. If you don't make the Dean's List that first semester, don't panic. Focus on the overall learning experience and balance it out with adventures outside of the classroom. Twenty years down the road, you'll remember a party you had with friends a hell of a lot more than what your 8:30 am lecture discussed on a random Tuesday.
3. THE 5 YEAR PLAN
The best advice I ever got was to prolong my stay in college as much as possible. I was lucky enough to achieve the 5 year plan on purpose. Results: Less hours spent stressing about fitting everything into one semester and more time making memories. My only regret is that I should have done a semester abroad in Europe. I loved WVU so much that I didn't want to miss a minute. If I could go back and change things, I would spend a summer interning in Ireland.
4. EXPANDING YOUR MIND
In college, I learned a lot outside the classroom. I surrounded myself with many different types of people and activities. My love for alternative music developed at U92 and my affinity for wine came from fall afternoons at the West Virginia Wine & Jazz Festival. It's important to keep an open mind and make friends with people who you might not have otherwise known. Take advantage of all the events and groups on campus. Most colleges have something for everyone.
5. RELATIONSHIPS
Love is what makes the world go 'round but one thing I'm so grateful for is my time spent SINGLE in college. Growing up, I usually had a boyfriend (pre-school, grade school, middle school & high school). When I graduated high school, I broke up with my boyfriend who was a sophomore at WVU. I wanted to experience college on my own and not be tied down. If you meet "the one" while filling up your solo at a frat party and a healthy relationship follows, that's great but most don't last. When you look back at your time at university, you'll want to have positive memories that are your own. I do think I cursed myself, though. I said I didn't want a boyfriend in 2004 and I've been single ever since, lol! Make solid friendships and foster your relationship with yourself! It's the 21st century kids, you have the rest of your life to be married.
Now Playing: "I Love College" by Asher Roth
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