Syd’s Declassified College Survival Guide

So, I’m officially a college senior and that means that I feel as though I am now qualified t0 give you all college advice. Consider this post a guide, not an end all be all, but a helpful to help you navigate what was probably the most difficult transition of my life. Not academically but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

1. Find some REALLY, REALLY good friends

You would think this first piece of advice is obvious, but it’s honestly not for some people. You may be like me, and not be the best at making new friends and meeting new people but I promise you’re going to need a strong support system. There’s people that I’ve met during my time at Howard that have touched me and are some of the greatest and kindest people I’ve ever met that I’m not close with anymore (so they aren’t pictured) that I can say are some of the most honest and true people I’ve been in contact with and helped me through a hard time during my time at Howard.

My friend Sasha and I at a tailgate freshman year

My friend Melodie and I freshman year

Freshman year with my friend Chelsi

2. Take lots and lots of pictures and videos

I know, another obvious one, but when you’re at your summer internship and miss them or at Christmas with your family you’re going to want to show them your favorite people on campus.

3. Be yourself

This is another one that seems obvious, but it was hard for me, not because I like being fake but because like I’ve mentioned before, people don’t necessarily like me that much, or at least that’s always been my thought process. But once I learned to be cool with being awkward, goofy, and corny that people actually enjoyed it, so embrace yourself even the parts of you that some people may not have liked in the past.

4. Explore and try new things

College is also a time to branch out, it could be as big as planning a trip to somewhere you’ve never been or as small as trying a new food you’d never have expected to like. Just make sure to introduce yourself to new opportunities, you’ll never know if you don’t try.

5. Find a passion, or continue an old one

Once you get to school it can get easy to get so caught up in everything else that you forget to take care of yourself. But, the kind of stress that college life puts on someone means self care actually becomes more important. My outlet was dance, always had been, so when the opportunity arose to join my dorm’s dance team I decided to go for it and it was one of the best decisions of my freshman year. If you don’t know what that passion is then try something new and discovery, that’s part of the reason I even ended up blogging.

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6. Make a study schedule

I’m not focusing on grades so much in this post because if you want to know about how to be a scholar there is a post for that right here. BUT a study schedule and organization half of the battle to amazing grades I promise!

7. Stay in contact with friends and family

Remember how I mentioned a support system? Make sure to stay in contact with the one you’ve had forever.

8. Don’t force anything

This goes back to being yourself. Don’t force yourself to be friends with certain kinds of people, to participate in certain things because you think that’s what you should be doing, and please don’t force a major on yourself because of that’s what you came in with, or the possible money, your parents, or any other reason if you’re miserable. You can honestly and truly turn anything you love into a viable career in 2018.

9. Remember what you came for

Please, I beg of you. College is fun it’s true, but failing classes and wasting money and time is not. Remember you came for a degree and that’s what your priority is.

10. Live these next four years to the fullest

Enjoy yourself, make memories, laugh until you cry, dance with your best friends in your room, you’ll never get this kind of experience back make the most of it.

If you’re in college, or a college grad leave your best advice in the comments!