"THE TRUTH" ABOUT COLLEGE

Class Work

1. KNOW YOUR PRIORITIES AND SET YOUR GOALS HIGH


2. MAKE OBTAINING A COLLEGE DEGREE YOUR NEW BUSINESS. DEVELOP A PLAN AND STICK TO IT


3. GET TO KNOW YOUR PROFESSORS AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT COLLEGE SUBJECTS CAN BE DIFFICULT, SO MOST PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO HELP.


4. DON'T PROCRASTINATE! IN COLLEGE PEOPLE HAVE A TENDACY TO PUT THINGS OFF TO THE VERY END BUT DO NOT START THAT HABIT, IT'S HARD TO BREAK!


5. STUDY! COLLEGE IS NOT LIKE HIGH SCHOOL, YOU CAN'T GET BY IF YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS ON TOP OF THINGS. YOU HAVE TO STUDY EACH SUBJECT YOU ARE TAKING FOR THE SEMESTER AT LEAST 10-20 MINUTES PER DAY AND DO YOUR WORK.


6. DONT GO TO SLEEP IN CLASS!


7. LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME! THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON AROUND CAMPUS. THE KEY IS MANAGING YOUR TIME SO THAT YOU CAN STUDY AND BE INVOLVED IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.


8. BE RESPONIBLE FOR YOU. THERE WON'T BE ANY PARENTS AROUND TO MAKE YOU STUDY OR GO TO CLASS SO YOU HAVE TO BE LEARN TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF


9. KNOW YOUR LIMITS. MAINTIANG A GOOD GPA IS IMPORTANT SO DON'T TAKE ON MORE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE. YOU DON'T WANT TO GET BURNT OUT.


10. CHOOSE YOUR SCHEDULE WISELY. IF YOU'RE NOT A MORNING PERSON, DO NOT SIGN UP FOR AN 8:00 AM CLASS. PICK A SCHEDULE WITH A COURSE LOAD AND TIMES THAT YOU CAN HANDLE

Socializing

1. BE FRIENDLY! SMILE! MAKE SURE YOU BODY LANGUAGE IS INVITING.


2. BE OPEN TO MAKING NEW FRIENDS. YOU AND YOUR HIGH SCHOOL PALS MAY HAVE VOWED TO BE BFFs BUT YOU'RE OFF IN A NEW PLACE BY YOURSELF AND HAVING A FEW FRIENDS CAN MAKE THE TRANSITION EASIER. SO, BEING FRIENDLY WILL HELP YOU MAKE FRIENDS


3. BE YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES! BEING REAL IS SO MUCH EASIER THAN BEING "FAKE". BESIDES, REAL PEOPLE TEND TO ATTRACT REAL PEOPLE.


4. LOSE THE WORD "I"! PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU ALL THE TIME. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE. IT'S HARD TO GET TO KNOW THEM IF YOU'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF


5. LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ONLY WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND BECAUSE OF YOUR:
   • CAR
   • MONEY
   • LOOKS
   • FRIENDS


6. PARTICIPATE IN RESIDENCE HALL ACTIVITIES, CAMPUS SOCIAL EVENTS AND JUST HANG OUT ON THE YARD (campus). THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE FACES THAT YOU WILL BE SEEING FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS.


7. AVOID THE DRAMA. LIKE HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE IS FULL OF HATERS AND GOSSIPERS. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT MESS; JUST DO YOU.


8. DON'T FALL INTO A CLIQUE. IT'S COOL TO HAVE YOUR MAIN GROUP OF FOLKS BUT BE OPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE. COLLEGE IS ABOUT MEETING ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE AND CREATING RELATIONSHIPS THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.


9. JOIN A STUDY GROUP. THIS IS AN AWSOME WAY TO MEET PEOPLE AND GET SOME HELP WITH YOUR CLASS WORK. IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION.


10. GET INVOLVED. JOIN A CLUB, SPORTS TEAM, ORGANIZATION, RUN FOR A STUDENT GOVERNMENT OFFICE. GET A JOB ON CAMPUS. YOU'LL MAKE MONEY WHILE MAKING FRIENDS. ANOTHER WIN-WIN SITUATION.

PHYSICAL FITTNESS

1. DON'T MAKE SLEEPING YOUR NEW HOBBY! FIND ACTIVITES AND FRIENDS TO FILL YOUR TIME IN BETWEEN CLASS AND STUDYING
2. FIND TIME TO WORK OUT A MINIMUM OF TWICE A WEEK. THE FRESHMAN 15 (pounds), SOPHOMORE 10 (pounds), JUNIOR 5 (pounds) AND SENIOR STRESS IS REAL!
3. EAT HEALTHY! TAKE VITAMINS! HARD TO EAT HEALTHY WHEN YOU'RE NOT GETTING HOME COOKED MEALS BUT DO NOT GO ON A FAST FOOD DIET! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CAMPUS DINNING HALL.
4. STAY ACTIVE! IF YOU'RE NOT BIG ON EXERCISING JOIN ORGANIZATIONS AND VOLUNTEER. THIS WILL KEEP YOU ON THE GO AND HELP MAKE YOU BECOME A WELL ROUNDED PERSON.
5. DRINK WATER! KEEP YOUR SODA AND ENERGY DRINK INTAKE AT A MINIMUM.
6. READ GOOD BOOKS; BOOKS THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE SELF HELP SECTION OF THE LIBRARY!
7. STOCK YOUR DORM ROOM WITH HEALTHY SNACKS. TRY TO KEEP ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF COOKIES, CHIPS, AND CANDY AROUND. TRUST-THOSE SMALL SNAKS ADD UP TO BIG POUNDS.
8. DON'T GO LOOKING FOR LOVE THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL!
9. JOIN AN INTRAMURAL SPORTS TEAM. THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO AVOID THAT FRESHMAN 15!
10. CREATE YOUR OWN WALKING GROUP. IF YOU DON'T LIKE GOING TO THE GYM OR PLAYING SPORTS, GET A FEW FRIENDS TOGETHER AND COMMIT TO WALKIN AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK.

PARTYING

1. REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE TAUGHT AT HOME. THIS APPLIES TO YOUR DRESS AND ACTIONS
2. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE "PARTY TRAP" THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF SCHOOL!
3. DON'T DRINK IF YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH. IF YOU'RE A COLLEGE FRESHMAN, YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE DEFINITELY NOT WORTH THE HANGOVER.
4. DON'T DRINK WITH PEOPLE YOU DO NOT KNOW!
5. STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS! AND IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW SMOKING WEED IS NOT O.K.! SMOKING PERIOD IS NOT COOL!
6. DON'T PUT PARTYING BEFORE YOUR SCHOOL WORK. IF YOU HAVE CLASS FRIDAY MORNING, PARTYING ALL NIGHT THURSDAY MAY NOT BE A GOOD IDEA. THERE WILL BE MORE PARTIES.
7. ATTEND PARTIES IN GROUPS. THAT OLD SAYING IS TRUE – THERE'S SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

DATING

1. DON'T GIVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER TO ANY JUNIORS AND SENIORS UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST MONTH OF SHCOOL! CHECK THEM OUT FIRST.
2. DO NOT GET EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED TO PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE JUST MET! TAKE TIME TO GET TO KNOW THEM.
3. DON'T BE SO QUICK TO GET INTO A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE SO BE OPEN TO DATING.
4. DON'T SLEEP AROUND. THIS APPLIES TO GUYS AND GIRLS. YOUR COLLEGE CAMPUS MAY SEEM HUGE BUT WHEN IT COMES TO GOSSIP, AS SMALL AS THE WALLS OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL.
5. REFRAIN FROM SEXUAL ACTIVITY. IT COMPLICATES THINGS AND KEEPS YOU FROM REALLY GETTING TO KNOW A PERSON. IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE SEXUALLY ACTIVE, BE SAFE.
6. DON'T TRY TO HANG ON TO YOUR HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE ATTENDING A DIFFERENT SCHOOL IN A DIFFERENT CITY. TRYING TO MAINTAIN A LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP CAN GET IN THE WAY OF YOU TRULY ENJOYING YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE.
7. DON'T MAKE COLLEGE ABOUT FINDING YOUR FUTURE SPOUSE. YOU'RE THERE TO GET A BETTER EDUCATION, SECURE YOUR FUTURE, AND DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE

FINANCES

1. LEARN TO BUDGET. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A BROKE COLLEGE STUDENT. IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY MANAGEMENT.
2. IF YOU LIVE ON CAMPUS, YOU HAVE VERY FEW BILLS, IF ANY AT ALL, SO TAKE THIS TIME TO SAVE YOUR MONEY
3. UNDERSTAND CREDIT CARDS. CREDIT CARDS ARE A GOOD WAY TO BUILD CREDIT AND GREAT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY (BOOKS, FOOD, NOT SHOE SALES). JUST REMEMBER THAT CREDIT CARDS ARE NOT FREE MONEY.
4. USE YOUR FINANCIAL AID REFUND WISLEY. THE BEST THING TO DO IS INVEST IT IN A CD OR MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT. LET YOUR MONEY MAKE YOU MONEY.
5. GET A JOB, IF YOU CAN HANDLE IT. MOST CAMPUS JOBS AND WORK STUDYS ALLOW YOU TO STUDY ON THE JOB AND ARE VERY UNDERSTANDING WHEN IT COMES TO COURSE WORK.
6. PAY YOUR TITHES. CONTINE TO SEND YOUR TITHES BACK TO YOUR CHURCH OR FIND A CHURCH IN YOUR NEW COMMUNITY. GOD WILL MULTIPLY THE 10% THAT YOU TITHE.
7. MAKE WISE PURCHASES. THOSE $5 AND $10 COVER CHARGES FOR PARTIES ADD UP AS DO THE NEW OUTFITS AND EATING OUT.
8. OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH A BANKING INSTITUTION THAT OFFERS FREE STUDENT CHECKING
9. TAKE A FINANCE CLASS. EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A BUSINESS MAJOR, THE INFORMATION WILL BE USEFUL.
10. LEARN ABOUT CREDIT. YOUR CREDIT SCORE IS IMPORTANT AND THE CHOICES YOU MAKE ABOUT CREDIT CARDS AND PAYING BILLS ON TIME WILL STAY WITH YOU EVEN AFTER COLLEGE.

OTHER USEFUL ADVICE

1. BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU WEAR TO CLASS. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE FREE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL DRESS CODE DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD LET IT ALL HANG OUT.
2. IT MAY GET ROUGH BUT DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS! EACH SEMESTER IS ONE DAY CLOSER TO YOUR GRADUATION!
3. PUT THE GAME DOWN AND DO YOUR WORK!
4. IF YOU NEED HELP IN A SUBJECT, DO NOT BE TOO PROUD TO SEEK HELP!
5. YOU ARE A GROWING PROFESSIONAL, CONDUCT YOURSELF AS SUCH.
6. PUT GOD FIRST, FIND A PLACE OF WORSHIP IN YOUR AREA AND ATTEND REGULARLY! FINALLY, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT PRAYER CHANGES THINGS.
7. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE COMPETING AGAINST STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE DECLARED THE SAME MAJOR AS YOU. THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO BE IN THAT POSITION THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF, SO DO THE BEST YOU CAN TO BE COMPETITIVE ON PAPER AS AN ALL AROUND STUDENT. 

GOOD LUCK!