ladycollegeguide-blog

[ladycollegeguide-blog]

Expecting the Unexpected

Change in life is both unpredictable and inevitable. Although we cannot stop change from occurring, we can plan for some unexpected events in college. On this week’s blog, we’ll be discussing some closing tips while you prep for your new and refreshing university move. We’ll be touching base on homesickness, dorm room preparation, roommate cohabitation, packing and gearing up for your shot at a new and improved life! There is a lot to touch base on, so let’s dive in gals.

Firstly, let’s discuss homesickness. This too, is inevitable. You’ll miss the relationships you’ve worked so hard to grow and cherish. From that, I strongly advise you hold onto these relationships. College is a phenomenal time to expand your horizons, to meet new people and to build more relationships. This should not discredit the relationships you have built in the past. It just allows you more room to grow with other like-minded individuals. As we’re in the midst of June, you should plan to spend a significant amount of time with those in your hometown. Your parents that are overbearing and pesty- you’ll miss them after week one in the dorms. Your siblings that you fight with so very much, you’ll grow to miss their bothersome characteristics. Therefore, take the time to cherish the rest of this summer with those family members and friends. Before you know it, you’re on limited time and you’ll never get those missed opportunities back.

To help minimize missing these people so deeply, I recommend making tons of plans. Invite your family members to come visit and allow time for other visitors as well. Make sure to schedule time home for the holidays! If you’ve gotten tired of family craziness during the holidays, you’ll learn to love these holidays even more once you start college. The holidays allow you to spend time with everyone you’ve missed dearly and that is convenience at its finest! Also, if you can preplan and start your holiday breaks a few days early- do it. Work with your professors and push yourself to work harder in school. Everyone enjoys a little extra vacation time, so work hard to fit in extended time back home! Don’t be upset if you have a tough semester and you just can’t swing an extended stay. Your family will understand that you’re doing your best with what you have going on.

Additionally, I’m sure you’ve got some pictures printed off to decorate your room with. Start hanging these sooner than later! The quicker you can hang those good memories up around your room, the more comfortable you’ll be during your moving transition. This is going to be a huge and drastic change in your life, so make it as comfortable and positive as possible as quickly as you can. This will definitely help you adapt to a new setting as well, because establishing a secure home-base provides you with a comfort blanket to fall back on during the tough times you may endure away from everyone.

Now, I want to reassure you on this move. You may be starting over in a new city with new people, but this is going to be such a phenomenal experience for you!! That sounds cliché, but by the time year two of college hits, you’ll understand just how much the world is at your fingertips. The new people you will meet will help you develop into an extraordinarily powerful and able person. Do not fear this change with new people, rather embrace it and cherish the knowledge offered to you. This applies to you on both an educational level and a networking/relationship building level. You have a remarkable journey in front of you! Aim high and conquer all because you CAN!

Secondly, I realize it is only June. But also, holy cow, it’s already June. You’ll be moving in the blink of an eye, so the preparation and organization should start pretty quick here. I would strongly advise you begin researching dorm-room ideas on Pinterest, like yesterday. It’ll give you a strong push to get the ball rolling on how you want to make your room as homey as possible. When I started planning my move I couldn’t get out of magazines. Of course, that feels a little old school now, but hey, to each their own. Adding Christmas lights is a perfect way to perfect your dorm room vibe. The lights are calming and less obnoxious that the dorm lighting. They also set the mood for reading, wine nights, or Netflix binging with the girls. Perfect for any setting, Christmas lights 24/7 are ALWAYS the way to go! You simply just can’t go wrong here.

It also doesn’t hurt to stock up on a couple boxes of these lights because unfortunately these suckers have a tendency to burn out easily. Quick side note related to other things “burning”, POPCORN. Popcorn is the most cherished prize during your college years. It’s the perfect snack, meal, and wine companion known to man. You can never have enough popcorn, so, make sure to always stock up. Oh, and keep an eye on the bag when you’re microwaving it. When someone burns a bag of popcorn, the whole dorm floor suffers from the stench. Don’t be “that guy.” Sorry ladies, don’t be “that girl.”

 Alright. After that quick tip, we’ll head back onto more relevant and general topics. LISTS. Lists are the best tool for success when packing up for your move. You need to jot down all personal care items, the variety of clothing items you’ll need and so much more. Here’s a quick list of items you may have not thought of, but will certainly come in handy once you transition into dorm room living. 

·         First aid kit

·         Bottle opener

·         Screwdriver

·         Duct tape

·         Power strip

·         Microwave

·         Slippers and sandals (especially shower shoes)

·         Eating utensils

·         Shower Caddy

·         Music speaker

·         Headphones

·         Additional shelving

·         Swimsuits

·         A nice, presentable suit for Business Professional events

This list is not exhaustible, merely included to generate ideas of your own personal necessities that you may have not thought of previously. I’ll admit it, a few of these items are things I forgot and desperately needed but hadn’t thought of them prior to my crossing of state borders. A little bit of brainstorming never hurts when it comes to these things! When more random necessities pop into your mind, ensure that you jot them down immediately. This will help you prepare better for your move and keep you under a well-organized blanket during your transition! I love making notes on my iPhone, but if you appreciate the paper/pen aspect of lists, utilize that as well. The important part in all of this is to begin preparing you for how much you’ll need to take with you when you go. You’ll want to get most of these things in order before you take off, because obtaining random items in a different region can be quite stressful. Especially when a majority of campuses do not allow freshman to have a vehicle during their first year. Yes, many campuses offer bussing options, and you may be able to make friends with cars, but set yourself up for success ladies.

 Another quick tip when packing your life up: invest in some sturdy travel bags if you do not already have some. These come in handy for the following reasons: 

1.      They can carry a lot of beer at one time

2.      Several bottles of wine at one time will fit in there

3.      They can hold a lot of clothes when you’re packing for holidays

4.      They travel well when you need to get gussied-up or stay at another friend’s place

5.      You have quality bags for your Aldi grocery store runs!

Quality, sturdy traveling gear is quite useful, believe me! Also, they’re so versatile for all of your needs, so investing is a must!

 On another note, make sure you’re keeping in touch with your soon-to-be roommate(s). If you could coordinate a theme or color scheme for your room, you should absolutely try to. If you sense a slight disconnect here, that’s fine! You’ll each have your own space to decorate as you please. However, staying in touch can get you connected with these people sooner than later. The better you can get along with your roommates, the easier your life will be. Conflict is bound to happen once or twice when you start living with another person, but if you can get more information on your roommates earlier, you can hopefully start building a bond earlier. Us ladies tend to get a little snippy at times, so be understanding when your roommates get a little snippy too. Do not take things personal when a bad day comes around and the people within your room aren’t the most pleasant. As much as you should always expect respect from others when you’re respectful, it is important to understand that other people are doing their best during these times as well and nobody is perfect. Understanding this and getting in touch with your roommate combined will make your move so much easier. My first roommate my freshman year was the complete opposite of me in several ways, and yet we still chat frequently. We came from completely different backgrounds, had differing habits, morals, hobbies, etc. and we still found several ways to love living together. You don’t have to be the same person, per say, you just have to coexist at minimum. Establishing a relationship like this is so important because we all need a support system and you never want to live in an uncomfortable environment. Make sure you’re doing your best to build healthy, friendly relationships with those you live with because it will make your year so much easier if you do.

There was a lot of content in this week’s blog, but I hope everyone who chimed in was able to take something valuable from our time together. Do your best to always stay positive, caring, compassionate and hardworking and good things are bound to happen. This is the time for you to aim to be the best version of yourself possible, so do not take this time for granted. With all of the hard work you are sure to put into these college years, always remember how to have fun in your own way. Stay focused, and stay loving. Positivity goes a long way in life, so always try to add that same great energy onto other. Peace and love ladies, see you next time!

#MKT400UWL

[ladycollegeguide-blog]

Establishing a Balanced College Life

A very intelligent man went by the name of Abraham Maslow. Maslow identified the five-tier hierarchy of needs that stated, in theory, that every human being has five different categories of needs that should be met to for an individual to feel fulfilled in life. This theory has been explained by using a triangle diagram and creating horizontal categories within the triangle to represent how each predeceasing tier has an impact on the following tier of needs, as seen in the picture below.

The special thing about the college hierarchy of needs is it encompasses internet as a necessity as well. Now obviously you do not actually need the internet to survive or feel fulfilled, but you certainly do in 21st century-college-land. All jokes aside, this hierarchy is essential in life and understanding your body’s needs is a very important aspect in college survival. The hierarchy flows in the following order: physiological needs, safety and security, social needs, esteem, and lastly, self-actualization. The rather comedic version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, seen above, does a fairly effective job explaining which components go into the College Six-Tier Hierarchy of Needs. The important aspect is understanding that you possess all of these needs, and balancing them in college may be harder than ever before. Do not fear, though! There are so many healthy ways to help maintain a health, balanced lifestyle.

Let’s skip the internet tier, because obviously we can get the point there. The physiological tier relates to a human’s main necessities. This is difficult in college because your eating, drinking, sleeping, and possibly sexual needs will alter during this time. The cafeteria food is destined to be filled with fattening products because your campus is feeding massive amount of starving, poor, growing students. You can only enjoy salads for so many days in a row before you decide to jump in the hot-food line. Your tiny little microwave in your room can only do so much, and believe it or not, Ramen Noodles carry no nutritional value. For an 18-year old woman, this is a lot of change to occur in ones’ body in a rather short amount of time. In fact, a lot of concepts within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs relate to the “Health Triangle,” which addresses mental, social and physical health. However, we’ll save that for later discussion in this week’s Survival Blog. The important aspect here is to anticipate these possible changes in your physiological needs. If you plan for this kind of change, you can allow yourself ample time to prevent unwanted change. For example, if your eating and drinking habits do indeed change, you can arrange a schedule to fit in more exercise. Most campuses will provide an on-site gym, utilize this! Your needs can be satisfied in so many ways when you engage in physical activity. Refer to last week’s blog on “Getting Involved” to find out how you can exercise and have fun while doing so!

The second tier to understand is “Safety and Security.” Now, for a great deal of us, we chose to move across state lines, or at least head a few hours in the opposite direction of home. If this is the case, you will likely not have the same safe and secure feelings you carried in your hometown. It was comfortable there, and you knew your city like the back of your hand. Understand that you somehow have to make yourself comfortable in your new area. Explore as much as possible during the daytime because this eliminates some confusion if you’re ever outside during the nighttime. You know that fancy looking pepper spray bottle your overly protective relative gave you when you graduated? USE IT. Hook that bad boy to your lanyard, because ladies, we need to eliminate risks in life. This is absolutely NOT meant to advise you to pepper spray just anyone. But creating a safe zone for yourself can help satisfy your need to feel safe and secure! To simply put things, always be aware of your surroundings and take care of yourself. A support system of friends also helps here. If being a brownie taught us ladies one thing, it is to always trust the buddy system.

If you keep up with any College Survival Kit blogs, you understand I fully support Social needs. This is the next tier of needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and I cannot begin to express how vital your social skills are during this time. The relationships you will build with your college peers are likely to be lifelong relationships. Seriously, there are countless studies that show that relationships built during this time are much more likely to last longer. Human interaction is huge, and we crave it when it hasn’t been met because we are so very preoccupied with responsibilities. In cases like this, take the extra ten minutes after class to talk to someone about anything. Have brief discussions with professors and peers if need be, but you need to maintain a fair amount of social interaction. Not only will this help you feel fulfilled with your social needs, it will allow you proper room to build relationships. Having these conversations with teachers’ assistants, professors, counselors, etc. allows you to build beneficial networking skills. You will be surprised with how beneficial it can be to become pals with your professors, because their connections are endless. Also, you never know when you’ll need a letter of recommendation, so fake it until you make it if you must!

Ladies, ladies, ladies. I cannot express the importance of this next tier enough. Your esteem is HUGE during your college years. This applies to your self-esteem, your sense of achievement, your confidence and so much more. Understand that there will be times in your college career where you will feel like you do not have it your life completely together. You might take a mental health day, fail an exam, miss a few workouts, the list continues. Please understand that you are still a hard-worker, who cares about their future and beauty shines far more from within. BE CONFIDENT. Understand that your worth is defined by who you are as a person and you are the only one who can truly define your character. The amount of progress and mental growth you will encounter during your college years in tremendous, so trust the process. Understand that you may not be where you want to be, but you’re working on where you want to go. Having this mentality will progressively increase the way you view yourself as a contributing, well-rounded member of society. You have worked so hard to even reach the point of attending a higher level of education, feel confident with that and continue working towards your goals. A healthy self-esteem will carry us young women very far in life.

The final tier in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs applies to self-actualization, which entails your needs to be creative, problem solve, be authentic, and spontaneous. These needs are those that keep us in touch with the side of ourselves that not everyone sees at face value. When you come into college, you have likely already established the spontaneous, creative and authentic version of yourself. Whether you enjoy being crafty, reading a certain genre, taking spontaneous trips, etc., these needs often are a stress outlet. It is so very important to not lose sight of these needs when you move to college. If you come into college as a crafty person, try making time to still get involved with those crafts. I had a roommate who had a very strong urge to enroll in Art School prior to the college. Instead of pursuing this degree, she decided to enroll in the Business Program at a different university. Secure and content with her choice of business, she still designs canvases for home décor now. This is a prime example of how to meet your self-actualization needs while also maintaining a healthy well-rounded life style. As much as you are pursuing a higher education, take the appropriate amount of time to meet this tier’s needs because they contribute greatly to who you are as a person.

As promised earlier, I would discuss how Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs relates to the Health Triangle. This can be seen in several of the examples I provided that give you ladies some insight on what to expect in these upcoming years, but let’s go ahead and chat a little more.

Firstly, this triangle is primarily where the healthily balanced lifestyle comes from. At the root of each of these health elements is your ability to be able to meet and balance your needs in life. Obviously, your social health directly relates to your social needs. It also contributes to the safety and security tier of needs, though. Creating meaningful relationships with those around you provides you with more room to feel safe, secure and comfortable at your home away from home. Your physical health can also directly relate to several of your needs. Number one, physical activity releases endorphins, which offers the human body several benefits. The release of endorphins triggers positive feelings in the body and can be very useful for stress regulation! This can help fulfill your self-actualization and esteem needs. Your mental health may also see benefits from a satisfied physical health. Those endorphins we were discussing are great here. Statistically, women are more likely to suffer from mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. Thankfully more commonly discussed in our generation, there are many natural steps you can take to minimize some of these mental health symptoms. Physical activity has shown great signs of correlation when linked to mental health disorders. If you do currently suffer from some of these issues, understand that you are not alone. Maintaining a health mental state is vital during this time in your life, as women are most susceptible to mental health disorders from 18-22 years old.  This is not meant to instill fear into growing minds, rather to highlight that this is a common issue at this age and if you do not struggle with these symptoms, be understanding and compassionate with your peers that do. If you do encounter some symptoms, try finding positive outlets for anxiety and depression. If it worsens, believe that you are not alone and your campus will likely provide facilities to help channel negative energy elsewhere. In conclusion, finding ways to properly balance your life can feel time consuming when you get too busy in college. Do not ever lose sight of who you are and always keep your personal needs in sight. It is so easy to get consumed in college life chaos, but make sure you take time for yourself! Stay happy and stay tuned for more College Survival Kit tips next week. Peace and love, ladies. #MKT400UWL #CollegeGuide #CollegeSurvival #Freshman #CollegeGirls #LadyCollegeGuide #BalacingLife #LifeBalance

[ladycollegeguide-blog]

Diving into College in the Best 5 Ways

When beginning your college career, there are many ways to get involved and meet new people. Now, in order to expose yourself to the complete college experience, there are a few musts for every college-kid-to-be. You have chosen your campus for some very specific reasons. At this point, you realize why this could be a phenomenal experience for you. Getting involved in one or more of the followings ways will set you apart as a qualified leader. Your ambition will create countless memories and experiences for you if you push yourself to do so! Here’s a few tips on how to make the best out of your college experience.

1.       Intramurals

Your college campus is guaranteed to offer intramurals to inspire teamwork and collaboration amongst students. Also, this is a phenomenal way to go ahead and get involved! Getting to know people can be a difficult task, but these group activities are an awesome way to go ahead and get involved. Do not feel bad if you don’t have much experience with a specific sport, many others won’t either. You will be surprised at how much fun you’ll have in these games without being an experienced professional. All you have to do is step out of your comfort zone and be accepting with the fact that you’ll be breaking a sweat here and there and you’ll be just fine! One thing to keep in mind is that intramurals tend to differ in seriousness for the size of the university you plan to go to. For example, a lot of larger schools tend to take their intramurals a bit more serious. Therefore, a campus population around 10,000 may be more ideal for those students who have less experience, as opposed to a campus with a population of 50,000. Big league universities can be slightly pickier in that aspect. There are several different sports that your campus may offer, but I would like to discuss some of my personal favorites first!

Obviously, I am partially bias, but you can never go wrong with volleyball. It takes some coordination, I’ll admit, but the amount of fun this sport offers is unbelievable, and it is an awesome way to get a little bit of exercise in as well! This sport heavily relies on team work for functionality, so there is never too much pressure on only one individual at hand. “Teamwork makes the dream work” is basically the universal motto in this game. Also, the skills you may pick up will prove to be quite handy for those sunny days on the beach! Beach volleyball is another awesome way to get involved if you have the opportunity to play. Usually this game is always offered with complementary drinks too if you like to spice things up just a little the good ole college way.

Another awesome sport to get involved in is basketball! Most campuses have coed teams so you can get an awesome mix of guys and girls in on this one! Wow, does this really prove to be a workout though, so you definitely have to be prepared to break a sweat here. Nonetheless, this intramural sport is always a good time. Similar to volleyball, you can pick up a game just about anywhere, so your new-found skills may come in handy later! I have found these intramurals to be my personal favorites, but there are so many more to choose from.

Other infamous intramural sports may include: flag football, soccer, dodgeball, softball, baseball, tennis, beach sports, and even frisbee. With a list this long, any student should be able to find something to fit their needs. The amount of connections you can make through getting involved in sports in unbelievable and I guarantee you will be very happy you chose to get involved in such a fun way.

2.       Campus Connections

Defining yourself as a leader can be quite difficult in college. However, there are many clubs and organizations to get involved with that can define your hard work and character throughout the next few years. Joining a club can actually be quite simple. It is your involvement in that club that contributes to your success, though. Whether you chose to be in a sorority, a women’s club, an ethnic club, or a club that aligns with your major, there are several ways to become a leader within an organization. Do your absolute best to strive for a title within the organization. Whatever you feel passionate about, pursue it within your club or organization. This title may hold more weight on your resume, and you will probably gain more experience as a leader as well. In these circumstances, you can absolutely form new bonds and connections with other fellow leaders. In addition to the leaders you chose to surround yourself with, you can also form bonds with people in different communities who have formed positive associations with your organization. Volunteering for these organizations is also a great way to form new connections while simultaneously building your resume. This form of involvement solely builds your credibility as a goal-oriented member of society, and future employers perceive this quality in an extremely positive manner.

3.       Studying Abroad

Studying abroad is not only a wonderful experience for any student, but this form of travelling solidifies that you are an adaptable person who can deal well with varying cultures and personalities. The experience and knowledge you can gain from a positive trip like this will certainly contribute to your well-rounded character. This is a great way to gain more travelling experience and earn a few college credits while you do so. In addition to the gained experience, adding a language onto your other academic achievements could be very useful in your future. Spanish is a growing language in the U.S. and the growing Hispanic culture is showing no sign of decline. Pushing yourself to earn a degree in a foreign language will only serve to be beneficial in your future. Employers are constantly looking for how students have chosen to separate themselves from their peers, so learning a new language is a fabulous way to do so. If you chose to visit a country that primarily speaks the foreign language you have chosen to either major or minor in, you will divulge yourself into that culture and force yourself to learn native speaking habits. I have used Spanish as an example because of its prevalence in the U.S., but I want to clarify that there are many options available when studying another language, so choose wisely! If you do not choose to learn another language though, you should still do your best to earn a few credits abroad. Experiencing a different culture for an extended period of time is an adventure I have only known to be cherished. 

4.       Campus Employment

Most universities offer countless varying jobs for students living off and on campus. If you intend on working on campus, I advise getting on this ASAP because the truly great campus jobs will go fast! Aside from the experience you can gain, at a convenient location, many campus jobs will qualify you as working under the “Work Study Program.” For those who are new to this concept, it essentially means that more money will be eliminated from tuition for as long as you are working on campus. In addition, many schools will still offer to pay you minimum wage while eliminating a lump sum from your tuition bills. This is extremely beneficial to those who are nervous about student loans and the cost of college in general. It is common knowledge that pursuing a higher education is not a cheap task. Therefore, a campus work title may serve to be extremely useful for you.  Becoming a tutor or a teacher’s assistant are phenomenal ways to get involved in a leadership position as well. Not only does this show that you can commit to a job while maintaining college school work, most of these positions show that students can work well with more authoritative figures. This is another great position to utilize and build your resume with.

5.       Dorm Community

There are several ways to get involved by interacting with those who live in your dorm hall. Attending activities and meetings within your dorm hall is another great way to get involved with those surrounding you. Each dorm offers their own activities, but many offer a student council or a group who determines which activities play a role in a specific dorm. You may afford yourself a great deal of power by involving yourself in a dorm community. If you chose not to have a regimented schedule with dorm involvement, ensure you are taking advantage of living in such an open community. The ties and bonds that you can create with your peers may have a huge impact on your college experience. Make sure to get out and enjoy the community you are living in. At some point, you will be living away from your college campus, so form these bonds with those living closest to you because you will not have the same opportunity again. Socialize with others whenever you can, attend the fun activities when they are offered. Do your absolute best to make your mark on your community because all of these factors will have an impact on who you become in the future and who you chose to be during these years.

#MKT400UWL

[ladycollegeguide-blog]

Preparing for Takeoff: Lady Edition

1.      Don’t forget the corkscrew

If you think you will be able to pack everything you need for college prior to landing on that campus, you’re sadly mistaken. However, hopefully by indulging in some of these tips you’ll have a better idea of the true college essentials to set yourself up for true college success. First thing is first, you absolutely must not forget a bottle opener for the copious amounts of wine you will consume throughout your college career. For heaven’s sake, the dollar store sells them, so make sure to stock up. Even if you don’t drink much wine now, you will in a very short period of time so you absolutely cannot forget this.  

2.      Home Décor for the Dorm

Secondly, you can never have enough command strips and power strips. Seriously. Never. Those command strips serve themselves as quite useful for hanging your year-round Christmas lights and other flowing decorations. In order to perfect the Christmas light décor, you have to remember to grab some paper clips, the color of your choice, to pair the calming lights with your lifetime full of memories in the form of pictures. Homesickness is inevitable, so being surrounded by the pictures from the last eighteen years of your life will give you great reassurance during this monumental transition. You’ll want to get a start on the dorm décor as quickly as possible. The sooner you turn that tiny little room into your tranquil home, the faster you’ll accept and cherish your move.

3.      Sleep tight, sleep right

The small twin-sized bed will have nothing on the comfort of your bed at home. Therefore, ensure that you pick the bedding that will meet your comfort needs and your taste for a new room. Everyone in the history of dorm-living goes with a color scheme. You’ll want to start considering your new favorite colors immediately. Or you may want to stick to your legendary favorite color, that certainly will work too, you just have to ensure your bedding perfects the vibes that your little room/house will emit. To combat the uncomfortable bed, you’ll want to make sure you have a mattress pad. Boy of boy, do those save you from the endless possibilities of knots in your entire back. You’ll want to check your list twice before leaving your life-long home to ensure you’ve got your mattress pad jam-packed in your departure vehicle too.  

4.      Organization Preparation

Now we’ll dive into academic preparation tips. Organization is an absolute necessity during your first year. I can almost guarantee your life will seamlessly fall apart if you do not choose the pens, pencils, highlighters, notecards, sticky notes (of all varying shapes and sizes) and calendar of your choosing. Book holders, shelving units and organizers will help you accomplish the kind of structure you will need during this time, so make sure you make this investment. Also, bring your favorite book from home. It is quite possible you will not open it your first year because unfortunately you’ll be swamped in college kid academia. However, it may serve as a helpful reminder that not all books come in the form of a textbook and once that semester is over, there is still hope for reading something you may enjoy! Your Gen Eds will fly at you faster than you can blink, so make sure you’re prepared to take fabulous notes, with great highlighter color and structure. In my personal experience, the organization dims over your college years, but during this first year you must stay on you’re A-Game so keep your course content in great shape for success. If you think your brand-new laptop is going to suffice for notetaking during this first year, you’re sadly mistaken again. Do not forget your dependable notebooks. When your Wi-Fi cuts out, or your internet system fails you, these are the only thing that will still have your back. Hence the need for nifty pens and pencils of your choice.

5.      Life goes on

You will, I repeat, YOU WILL sleep through a class during this first year. You’ll wonder why you aren’t able to pop out of bed in the morning with the same energy you had in high school. Please understand that while making habit out of this behavior is detrimental to your success in college, it will indeed happen. I, in fact, slept through class sign-ups and an exam one day during my first semester. Life truly goes on. The panic that will overcome your entire soul will not pass for a while, but your life will continue. Hopefully you will be gifted with professors who are willing to work with you during these manic modes, but in case they don’t, understand that one class does not dictate your entire life and you will overcome these struggles. A fair majority of professors do not rise each day with the intention of torturing you, they merely want to push students to their greatest potential. Realize this and accept the drastically varying teaching styles you will be exposed to. Maintain an open mind and push yourself to your greatest capabilities! Placing pressure on yourself inspires growth, however, don’t allow the one class you accidentally slept through and missed be detrimental to your sanity.

6.      Your College Family

During the first few months, you will make friends, acquaintances, and form a new family you never thought was possible. Recall the familiar saying, “Meet new friends, but keep the old…” Yes, this absolutely holds great truth during this transition as well. You will unknowingly distance yourself from the friends you connected with prior to college. There is no need to beat yourself up about this. Life in general comes with the most insane changes that no single soul can completely prepare for; so cherish this. College may even introduce you to someone in the beginning that you thought you would forever be close to, and you will soon become more distant with them as well. With that being said, I’ll refer you to my earlier proposed tip: just let it be during this goofy time of life. On the opposing side, however, do not let go of those you find who possess the purest intentions. These people will stick around for a lifetime, so make sure you keep in contact during the school breaks!

7.      Lady Needs

Now we may take a step back from the heavy life advice. Your personal care items are your life! If you have sisters or a mother that you share your personal care items with now, there will be no more of this when you move to college. Therefore, do not forget your essentials so you can stay fresh, clean and maintain somewhat manageable hair. A hairdryer, hair brush, flat iron, curling iron, etc. are all examples of some of these necessities. Going without these will leave you feeling a little empty inside if you have attachments to hair products and tools like I do. College may also be a very sad time if you are used to sharing closets and products with your sisters or mom, because with relocating, this comes to a halt instantaneously. With that being said, be social and start making friends fast. Your college girls soon become your sisters and everyone reaps the benefits of having friends who love sharing with one another! The more clothing variety on a Friday night, the better, trust me.

8.      College Kid Poordum

Let’s discuss the hard truth. You may have this nice little job that pays for your clothes and makeup right now. Yet in a very short period of time you will be poor. Inevitably poor, at that. You have probably laughed to yourself before at someone that claimed to be “college-kid poor.” No, seriously, this is the truth for the next four years of your life. Tip 1000001 for today, this poor lifestyle will become your lifestyle throughout your entire college career, so the sooner you accept this, the better. One job or even two jobs still does not cure the levels of poverty you will be living in during this experience, so accept it and cherish it. It really may be the growing experience you need in your life, so do not let the financial stress utterly dictate how you choose to enjoy these years. In addition to your future financial stress, you will probably be a freshman with no vehicle and no way to get around. Look into the bussing routes in your city! Do not let the fact that you won’t be able to drive around dictate your ability get out and experience your new world. To be frank, your income will probably not suffice for car insurance, gas, registration stickers, and oil changes anyways, so this is actually a financially strategic method for saving your funds as a Freshman. On that note, turn these challenges into ways to view the world in a “glass half full” manner. These challenges are what is going to form you into a strong-willed, capable and hardworking individual, so embrace these tough times for the character they may build within. Keep in mind that you can do anything you put your mind to. A positive mentality has endless possibilities when paired with hard work. Enjoy your year and do not forget the essentials!

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