While preparing for college as a high school senior, everyone is looking to give you advice. Whether it is parents, teachers, college students, or even one of those cheesy information sessions about how to stay safe. While I was getting ready to go away to college, all the advice was the same: study first, then sleep. Social lives were for those who had time leftover afterwards.
Whilst getting a lecture from my Father one night, a little thing he told me has always stuck in my mind. His words: “8, 8, and 8,” and that was all he said. I sat around for a while and just pondered as to what crazy story from his “Frat days” this could refer to. Maybe it’s a drink, the amount of seconds to chug a beer, or how many ounces are in a shot? Could it be a rule to beer pong? Maybe it's flip cup? I had no idea. I slept on it, and in the morning I asked him what he meant by it. He said it’s the only way to survive.
His "8, 8, and 8" method has three parts; schoolwork, sleep, and free time. It doesn’t have to be eight consecutive hours in a row, it just helps you manage time so each category has a balance to it. During the first few weeks of school, I ignored this schedule. I went out a lot, slept through an 8:00 AM class, and didn’t really pay attention. The third week of school, I sat down, took a look at myself, and knew I had to make some changes. I remembered what my Dad had said and gave it a try. I have never made a better choice in my life. The "8, 8, and 8" method is the way to go.
Let’s start with schoolwork, because that’s why we’re coming to college anyways, right? To learn? Yeah, I thought so. I know eight hours of schoolwork might seem overwhelming, but before you give up on the method completely, I should tell you that attending class factors into these eight hours! That’s right, it’s not eight hours of studying! This eight is combined of going to class, homework, and studying. It gets even better because some days you could have five hours of classes, which means only three more hours to go!
Although getting up for an 8:00 AM class may seem brutal, don’t skip. A lot of professors take attendance or even give extra credit for just coming to class on those dreary Monday mornings. I know it's very hard to get motivated to actually go to class when some professors put notes and assignments online anyways, but you need to just suck it up and go. You’ll appreciate going in the long run when you need to take a Friday morning off after spending a little more than eight hours in the “free time” on a Thursday night.
This isn’t high school anymore, so you’re going to need to actually study for tests. Many classes may not have enough time to cover all of the material during class or give you enough practice. Do yourself a favor and make sure you do the homework. Read the pages they assign and take notes. You can't get by on a series of sick days and notes from mom. You have to take responsibility for yourself and your work.
Now, as I said before, having time management is the key to success in college. With the eight hours you have for “free time,” there are so many opportunities to occupy this time slot with. A huge part of a great college experience is getting involved! Join a team or club, it’s a great way to meet new people, build connections, and stay out of trouble. Like many other college students, maybe you want to party. That is okay sometimes, but make sure to party responsibly.
Like I said, getting involved is the perfect way to meet people, but you don’t want to meet people the wrong way. Let's stray away from the freshman stereotypes that do the walk of shame within the first week of school. Becoming "that girl" or "that guy" can easily lead to a bad reputation, something you'll want to avoid so early in your college career. The best way to do that is to just stay single! Make friends, but don’t exclusively look for a relationship. College is the best time in your life and you do not want to ruin it by being tied down or making a friend group awkward after a hookup. Do everyone a favor and just be the chill girl instead of being the annoying girl that everyone talks about around campus. And guys, you are not Jon Tucker, so don’t try to be.
Freshman year can be anything you make of it. You can meet your best friends for life, or you can be the kid posting in the Facebook group for your class asking if anyone wants to hangout. It’s up to you. Just remember your eights: schoolwork, sleep, and free time.
