College Advice...

In May our office is taken over by all these bodies that no one really knows, who are really quiet and typically just blend into the woodwork. By the end of June these interns start to come out of their shells a little bit, talking with people at the copier, and getting to know people outside of their own department. By July they are starting to come out of their shell and really start to become part of the office. Then in August/September they vanish. Some come back the next year but most of them are never heard of again as they head back to school. Sometimes there is a roving intern that spends a week with each department to get a “real feel” of the company and what we do. Other times the intern is the son/daughter or niece/nephew of one of the mangers.

This year we got our own intern she was really sweet and really nice and did a good job with everything we gave her. She left last week to get ready to head to college for the first time and it got me thinking about what I wish someone had told me when I was headed to college. Granted I wouldn’t have listened cause I was 18 and knew everything but maybe someone will get something out of this list….

If you live on campus or in an apartment you’ll likely be in a place that does not have it’s own washer and drier. You will need quarters and LOTS of them. Hoard them like they are GOLD and beat anyone who tries to take them.

A DVD collection is the best bartering tool in the world. However be warned you need to label your DVDs or you will forever lose your copy of the Labyrinth, or worse your copy of Howard the Duck!

If you live in a dorm, talk to the hall director about being a hall monitor. You basically sit at the front desk, meet all the people in the dorm, and get paid to do your homework. What more could you ask for?!

No matter where you live you will not be living there alone. You will have a roommate or neighbors and you’ll need to get along with those people. They can make your life a living hell otherwise. So kill them with kindness or if it comes to it just kill them but make sure your best friend is ready for your alibi. One must always plan ahead.

DO take the time to do an internship. That experience is invaluable when you are on the job hunt after or near graduation. You can only hear “you have no experience so I can’t hire you” so many times before you go spastic on the interviewer, which will really make you feel better but not help at all in getting the job.

DO take the time to visit your guidance counselor. Don’t wait until the week that everyone else is going (AKA when its time to sign up for next semester’s classes) go between peak periods and really talk to her/him. She/He may be all that’s standing in front of you when it’s your senior year and there’s one spot left in that last class you need for graduation.

Don’t sign up for an 8 am class if you are a night owl. If you like to stay out and goof off at night sign up for late classes. Miss too many of those 8am classes and you are in trouble.

Don’t get in trouble. Definitely don’t fall into a hole that it takes you the next three years of your life to crawl out of. That kind of pressure sucks all the fun out of college. When you are too worried about failing a class than the actual participation in the class you are really selling yourself short. TRUST me on that.

So those are a few of my suggestions on how your time in college can be more enjoyable, who knows I may add to this as things pop up into my head, it’s hard to put 4 years of lessons learned into one post after all. The most important thing I did while in school was walk through the bathroom knock on the door and meet my suitemates. One of whom I’m proud to still call my friend, my best friend, the person that no matter how long we are apart we fall right back into our friendship like we’ve never been apart.