Hi Everyone!
So if you didn't know by the title of the post today I am going to be talking about college and going through a few common questions and myths about college. Only being a sophomore I am no expert on college but I can share with you my experience and what I have learned and done so far in my college experience.
Let's Get Started!
DORM LIFE
SHARING A ROOM:
My Freshmen year sharing a room was not something I was excited about especially since I had no idea who this other person was. My old roommate and I never talked or hung out. Which in some ways was not all that bad. She also was really never in the room and as bad as this sounds when she was there I wondered when she would leave. I like to have my own space. That is why this year the apartment I am in is something I love, I still live with other people but have my own space to do what I want because I have my own room. I am glad though my roommate and I didn't hate each other. If you do have problems with a roommate then go to your RA or CA and talk to them about it or talk directly to your roommate about it. No not everyone will be best friends with there roommate actually it is highly unlikely that you will if it is a random roommate. I went in expecting that I would at least have one person to maybe hang out with but that was not the case.
KEEPING YOUR DOOR OPEN?
Everyone says keep your door open right away that is how you meet new people on your floor. I found that to be false I didn't meet anyone that way. Not to mention I hated having my door open. Everyone on my floor it seemed like already seemed to know everyone anyway. Yes for some people keeping your door open will allow you to meet some people and for some it wont.
CLEANING & ORGANIZATION:
Usually I am not the cleanest person or clean all that often. I found that in such a tiny space I have to clean and I regularly dusted and swept. I hated though that my roommate did not feel the same probably because she was never there but she didn't clean up anything. She left spilled coffee on our floor for weeks until I cleaned it up.
COOKING & FOOD:
Since I didn't know anyone I hated going to the dining center so getting block meals was a waste of money because I didn't use any. I would rather make food on my own and buy it to have which is why I'm glad I have a kitchen now.
DECORATING:
Decorating is what makes the room feel like you and home. Bring many pictures from home and hang them up! Bring lights to make your room fun as well. It makes it so much more comfortable and not seem just like your standard dorm room.
PETS:
I wish that I could have a cute kitty with me in my apartment but sadly I cant so instead I bought a fish. I like just having it even though it is completely different then having a dog or a cat it is still something that can add extra to your dorm room.
MAJORS & MINORS
MAJORS:
I have had two majors in college Nursing and Apparel Merchandising. Now I know they do not relate to each other in any way. I went into college thinking that I knew I really wanted to be a nurse. One thing that always got me caught up though is when people would ask what made me choose that major. Well sometimes its hard to answer because the simple answer is it is what I want to do. That answer does not really sit with people though because they want something more specific. With nursing I couldn't give people a specific answer I just thought this is what I want to do. With apparel merchandising though I am able to go into specifics. I love retail, fashion, marketing, and everything that goes along with the major. Being able to say why you want to pursue a major I believe is important. You have a better knowing that it is something you really want to do.
It is okay to go into college undecided. I wish that I had. Trust me you probably wont be behind and will get your generals out of the way sooner rather then later. I wish that I would have and then I would not have wasted time taking classes that I wouldn't have had to. The worst being Chemistry.
Don't freak out if you start questioning your decision. It made me very anxious when I started looking up other majors and questioning if I really wanted to be a nurse. In the end though I switched majors and it was by far for the better because now I love my major. Talk out loud to someone. It helps to get all of the thoughts that are running around in your head out and try and make sense of them. My mom was very supportive in it saying its good you are doing it now and to change if you really want to. Talking out loud to my friends helped me to see that questioning it was a good thing. With comments like "Yeah I couldn't see you as that", "Apparel Merchandising seems more like you" really helped me to confirm my decisions. I have no regrets about changing but if you do then look again and find something that you will enjoy and want to study for the next four plus years.
CLASSES:
Go to class. That is the best advice I can give you about college classes. Yes many people don't go but in the end you are in college to learn. Trust me you probably wont learn as much as you could if you aren't in class. Make sure you stay up to date on your homework. Do not fall behind because it gets very discouraging. I know that last April my mindset was done with school but I still had to make sure that I was giving my all to homework and classes.
When deciding classes for the next semester talk to your advisor. They can help you. They can help to make sure you are getting all of your generals done and choosing generals that will best help you in your major and are not just a waste of a class. Do not take silly classes just because they are easy. Try to use the extra credits and take classes towards a minor or a class that can in someway pertain to your major.
Know yourself. If you don't like getting up early don't take morning classes take afternoon and night classes. If you do your best work in the morning take morning classes. It is all up to you when you take generals because, at least for me, there were so many sections of the same class to choose from at different times.
Online vs. classroom. Personally I would rather be in the classroom. I learn better there. That though differs from person to person so again its knowing what works best for yourself. In personal experience online classes I tend to leave everything until the day its do and am less motivated in keeping up in the book and material. I also don't like having to completely teach myself and figure things out for myself.
Don't stress to much. Yes you should want to get a good grade but don't go crazy over getting the perfect grade. Grades matter yes, but, calm down and do your best and try. Remember that you need to have fun and socialize in between all of your studying, you are in college after all. Going out is not a bad thing to do on the weekend. It is a good break and probably much needed. It is also a great way to meet people and hang out with friends.
GREEK LIFE
There are so many sororities to choose from. Of course this differs from university to university. It is easy to see in rush week which one you may fit into or that Greek life just isn't for you. During Rush week you meet with the girls and learn all about the sorority and what they do and what they stand for. It is a overwhelming week but it is worth it to find where you fit. I know that I was completely out of my comfort zone talking to so many girls that I didn't know and wondering what they thought of me. The important thing is to be yourself and to be confident and social.
What to wear. I know for me there was only one night that we really had to dress up but other then that just look decent and well put together. It did not have to be anything super fancy though. Wear what you are comfortable and confident in because confidence is key. BE YOURSELF. That is the most important thing in my book.
There are so many stereotypes and thoughts about what being in a sorority is like. I can say that none of them for me were very true. Being apart of a sorority is not just parties and going out at all. Actually it is not any of that. It is so hard to put into words. It is something that always has your back and who you can lean on. You have a group of people that you can always go to and where you may make some of your lifelong best friends. It is about giving back to the community. Each sorority has a philanthropy that they raise money for. It is getting involved and meeting new people, making connections. I have met so many people that if I hadn't joined I wouldn't have.
Next fall if you are an incoming freshmen or just looking to meet more people then I suggest trying out Greek Life. Going to rush in no way means that you have to join but I always encourage everyone to give it a shot.
Thank you so much for taking a look and reading!
This was kind of a weird post and I'm not sure what I think about it but let me know what you thought.
New Posts every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday.
Please leave me and questions you have about college or any of the subjects I talked about because I would love to see them and answer!
~Rachel
