College
is not an exact science. There are all different ways to do it. As someone who
is still in the college life but has already done a lot of it, I feel I am the
perfect person to write this guide. This is not the be all end all list of
things to know about college. This is a general guide but I have a feeling a
lot of will apply wherever you are or wherever you might go. I’m trying to use
phrases someone might search when they’re trying to prepare for college so they
can find this. Maybe someone would search “college freshman guide help” or
“things I need to know for college” or something to that affect.
1.
Buy yourself a stapler and staples. Don’t be that guy who shows up to class
with their paper typed and asks the prof for a stapler. It’s not their job to
bring it. When you turn in your stapled paper, feel free to look down your nose
at those who are scrambling. Just kidding. I liked the completeness of knowing
the only step left was to turn it in, not an ‘ok my paper is done but I hope
someone has a stapler I can use’ feeling when I finished my work.
1a.
A teacher is called a prof and it’s pronounced like ‘cough’ not ‘proof.' It’s
appropriate to say “Prof Erickson” or “Professor Erickson” until they say
otherwise. I have had profs request to be called by their first name and it was
always weird to call him Dave. Don’t call out “Teacher” or “hey prof” because
that’s weird and not respectful. Let someone else do it and watch your prof’s
reaction.
2.
Get a printer. This is not as necessary as a stapler. When I bought my computer
for college I got a free printer. Of course, ink and paper isn’t free. This is
the same principle as the stapler— when you’re done writing your paper, there’s
a sense of completeness to have it printed, stapled, in your backpack and ready
to go. If you have a paper due in a general education class (gen ed), you can
bet that the library printing queue will be jammed with people trying to print
and then run to class. Avoid the craziness. Get your own printer. It won’t be a
one-time thing. You will have stuff to print and you will be ready to print it
when the library is not open. I had a wireless printer but with the school’s Internet
system and my room’s router, the signals always got crossed. I had to get a
cord that connected my printer to my computer and I don’t know how much it
costs but it gave me an “I know I can rely on this” feeling. You can figure out
how to split the cost of it if your roomie wants to use it too, like each buy
the ink one time or she buys the next pack of paper.
(See
how 1 and 2 are both about alleviating some kind of minor life anxiety? There’s
going to be a lot of stress in college. Removing small stressors will make the
big stuff not seem so tough because you won’t have had to deal with a zillion
other things already)
3.
Find many places that are your home. My friend Maggie spent time in Zambia and
she explained that for a while, she only felt at home in her tent. Eventually
that was too small of a space for her to be herself, so she also made the
campfire ring a comfortable ‘home’ and her seat in the Jeep, etc. At college,
you’re going to have to find new places to be home. Hopefully, your room is a
safe, comfortable place. Bring home-y things like warm lighting lamps and
pretty pictures of things you like and soft pillows and comfy blankets. Maybe a
rug, even if there is carpeting. Bring some stuff from home. BUT you can’t just
be comfortable in your room or you’ll never leave (been there done that). Find
a table at the coffee shop where you can be you. I don’t mean take off your
shoes and brush your hair there (yuck, seriously don’t) but you have to be
comfortable somewhere else besides your room or even smaller, your bed. Find a
table in the library. Find a study spot upstairs in the building where you have
classes. You’d be surprised all the places there are tables and benches just
waiting to be used by you. They are meant for you. As a student, they are
provided for you to use. Clean up after yourself if you eat there (which in
most cases, you totally can) and don’t sit by an outlet if you don’t need it
because aren’t you kind of bummed when someone is sitting by an outlet and not
using it? Ugh.
More tips next week :) Sorry to end this one on a sour note of "ugh" but that's life sometimes.
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