In a few weeks, colleges will be welcoming their new first years: Class of 2020. For most students, it should be their first time leaving home and living alone on campus.
They might never share a room with a roommate before, neither did they master perfect time-managing skill in high school in which classes are relatively easy. College, for these immature kids, is refreshing and challenging. Here are five valuable advice that is helpful for college survival.
1. Don’t panic.
You may go to a college far away from home without knowing anyone on campus. Don’t be nervous! Take it as a new start to meet people who have different background than you. Colleges always brag about their diversity, and they’re truly is. Be open-minded and learn from your peers from other cultures. If you happen to live with an international student, maybe you can speak fluent Chinese or Japanese after four years. Isn’t it exciting?
2. Transferring is normal.
If you really feel uncomfortable or exclusive on campus, transferring is an option. It won’t take all of your time; you simply write few essays, and send your transcript to your target schools. Additionally, don’t feel bad about leaving your old friends. College is a place for self-improvement. If you’re not satisfied with where you’re, you deserve a more suitable place.
3. Selecting a major is not horrible.
Although you may have conflict with your parents on major choosing, don’t mess up the relationship between you and them. Communication is always the best solution. Try to persuade them by presenting your ability, not fighting. What’s more, stick to something you’re passionate about doesn't mean being stubborn. Life is full of possibilities, and don’t constrict yourself on a particular subject in such an early age. Take college as an adventure for exploration.
4. A liberal arts education is also necessary.
Many students take college as a professional training place, and that’s why engineering schools and business schools are super hard to get in. Meanwhile, liberal art education, which seems useless in our practical world, should not be ignored. Even though subjects like literature, history, philosophy, art or sociology won’t teach you how to code a program or how to construct a robot, they’ll lead you to be a well-prepared writer and public speaker. In nowadays society, being a well-rounded person who knows how to interact with people are more fond as employees. Instead of learning principles that are fixed, the creation of ideas is what you can absorb from a liberal art education.
5. Be financially explicit
Well, I’m not asking you to be an accountant. But it’s better to record your major costs on either a notebook or an app. For example, every time I went on a vacation or booked plane tickets, I would reserve the conformation email from my airline companies. In this case, I was clarified how much money I’ve been spent each semester, and how much money was still left in my account. I promise it’s 100% helpful if you don’t want yourself to be broke.
