College has the potential of being the best four years of your life...if you do it right. College acceptances are extremely exciting to receive, but then the reality sets in. In just a few weeks, you will need to decide where you want to spend the next few years of your life. You may be moving away from home for the first time, and choosing your new home away from home may be one of the hardest decisions you will have to make. Here are 12 pieces of advice for those of you who are making your final college decisions:
1. Going to college with your best friend isn’t always the best idea.
You and your best friend might do everything together. You may think you are extremely similar, but that doesn’t mean that you should make the same choice when it comes to college. Sometimes it’s better to go off on your own adventure.
2. If you do end up in school with your best friend, don’t room together.
College is a time for finding yourself. You need to find your own friends, join your own groups, and discover exactly what you’re looking for out of the college experience. Everyone is looking to meet new people in college; no one wants to approach the people who already seem to have all the friends they need.
3. Don’t ever base your college decision on your significant other.
You may think you are going to marry your high school boyfriend/girlfriend, and maybe you will. But, they shouldn’t stop you from going to your dream school and you shouldn’t stop them from going to theirs. If things are truly meant to be, it will all work out in the end.
4. Go see the school before you commit to it.
You may go see a school that you loved online, and absolutely hate it in person. You also may go see a school you thought you would hate, and all of a sudden find that you can picture the next four years there. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes you can just sense when a place feels like home.
5. Sometimes the school that gives you the most money isn’t the best choice for you.
If you dislike a school, but they give you a great scholarship, maybe it isn’t the best decision for you. If you can’t picture yourself comfortably living there and having fun there, there’s no point in suffering for four years.
6. But, it is no fun paying $50,000+ a year for an education.
Taking out thousands of dollars in loans each semester is a terrible thing, and it will catch up to you when you graduate. So, if you’re paying an insane amount of money for an education, or your parents are struggling to pay for it, maybe you should consider your other options.
7. Don’t worry about deciding on a major now.
You have four years ahead of you to worry about what major you are going to declare. Odds are that after you declare that major, you will change it one or two more times. So, leave that stress for college.
8. If you are unsure what you want to do, go somewhere that has many options that interest you.
There’s nothing worse than finally choosing your major and finding out your university or college does not offer what you need. Go somewhere that offers everything you want or think you may want in order to avoid being disappointed in the future.
9. Don’t willingly choose a triple room.
I can speak from experience, a triple is always hard. Although you may have some good times, living in a box with three people is a sure way to add stress to your life. Unless you are forced into a triple, don’t even think about it.
10. Understand that people you meet via the Facebook group will be super different in person.
Everyone tries to seem cool when posting in the Facebook group. You may talk to someone for months through Facebook, or texting, but they will always be different from your expectations when you finally meet them in person. Keep and open mind and don’t be afraid to make friends via social media before school.
11. Don’t go too far from home if you have never stayed far from home before.
If you have trouble being away from your mom for a few days, or you cant leave your dog for an hour, going far from home may be hard for you. You may think you want to go to school across the country, but odds are that once you get there you will be extremely homesick.
12. Your roommates don’t have to be your best friends.
You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate or roommates. Although sometimes people find their best friends within their roommate, it’s not something that you should expect. Sometimes it’s just nice having a good friend to talk to at night before bed, you don’t have to force them to be your best friend or do everything together. It’s a good thing to make friends who do not live in your room.
Good luck!
