Five things I wish I knew before I went to college.
‘All you need to do is get into a good college’. My motto ever since high school. That’s all I needed to do - get into a good college. But what happens after? What happens after you get into a good college? A simple question I failed to ask myself before being thrusted into a galaxy called university. Sure I watched a plethora of youtube videos outlining the move-in process and the first week of uni, but boy did I forget to take into account that these were edited cuts and not the actual 150-assignments-per-day kinda college!
No one told me that every single student in uni was twice as competitive or thrice as smart or four times better than me in every way possible! No one sure as hell told me I’d have to juggle through parties, deadlines, and assignments (all in 24 hours) or how there’d be all kinds of people, some of whom you’d want to punch in the face but can’t because it’s illegal or how every single day would be a crossover episode of Wipeout and American Ninja Warrior with a guest feature of Shark Tank.
Think of this as a heart-to-heart, from second year to freshman - What (really) comes after - a brief compilation of my mishaps, ridiculous expectations, and a bunch of tricks that got me through my first year of college.
Pack smart
No way! Surely this caffeine-high, essay-crazed woman thinks that this is the big advice for freshmen?
Pack smart. Sounds basic but trust me you’ll thank me later. Do I buy new clothes? Do I take my whole wardrobe? What about my shoes? As someone who had to wear a uniform for 18 years of her life, picking outfits for college was one of my biggest enemies. I wanted to look like a million dollars but also not get dress-coded!
The first thing you do after getting your move-in dates is go straight to the website and find your university’s dress code. Some allow for dresses, some don’t, some encourage you to wear whatever you want and some disapprove of your donut print PJs. Every university website will have a set of dress codes you’ll have to follow.
Now that you’ve identified your clothing for classes it’s time to think, well, out-of-campus. The weather. Whatever state, city, country you’re going to study in, packing according to the climate will save you from either freezing to death or melting into a puddle by the end of first year. Speaking from personal experience, you don’t want your only clothing choices to be a full-sleeve turtleneck and a pair of sweats when it’s a hundred degrees outside.
And lastly, you’re in college, the apex of your youth! Apart from your classes, tests, and projects, there’s no way you’re going to skip that freshers’ party or your batch party, or even a night out with friends. So don’t forget your party wear, jewellery, a cute dress or whatever it is that makes you feel ready to ‘party’.
2. Get your hands on that academic syllabus and calendar
It doesn’t hurt to be a little pre-prepared! Going through my course syllabus really helped me plan my academic cycle and stand out from the rest of my classmates. I always do a little research of my own to make sure I’m not completely clueless about what I’m going to study. Most professors send out the course syllabus a good week before they start lessons but in case they don’t make sure to e-mail them or the office and have your syllabus with you. From clear instructions regarding assignments and projects to resource material, your syllabus has it all. Let it be your Bible for your time in college.
Okay, you have the syllabus with you but why do you need the academic calendar? An academic calendar contains important dates you have to keep note of for each year. Your course commencement dates, semester breaks, and even your exam dates. Your academic calendar is an outline of your year in college. Knowing these dates beforehand will come of great help when planning holidays, study sessions, and booking your tickets! And particularly in terms of mandatory internship dates, academic calendars are a subtle way of telling you to secure your internships months prior to the required date rather than searching for one at the last minute!
3. Know your student benefits
With the label of ‘university student’ comes a great deal of services you can avail- Healthcare, travel, shopping… being a student has its perks everywhere. Most hospitals and healthcare centres have specific plans and discounts for students. My university has a hospital under it making it extremely easy for me to have access to quality healthcare. All you have to do is submit your student ID and you’ll be provided with a health card with which you can avail free consultations and priority bookings. While not all colleges have this benefit, they do have recommended clinics and healthcare centres for their students. You can always e-mail your office administration to find out more.
In terms of travel, be it flights, trains or buses, they all have student discounts and offers such as extra luggage allowance or free meals available. And don’t even get me started on shopping. There’s so much the world has to offer when you have a ‘.edu’ e-mail. From free memberships to huge discounts, a student ID is like a cheat code. Websites like Grammarly and Coursera and many more offer free memberships for students! Between us, take advantage of that student ID till you graduate!
4. Keep track of your finances
Drumroll please, The most dreaded part of college- Finances! How I started with a bank balance of 20k but went down to just 20 rupees within two weeks remains one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. While it may not seem as much keeping track of your finances is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of being an adult. You can start by simply writing down how much you spend and on what you spend. This will allow you to track areas where you’re spending excessively and areas you can save money on. Tracking your finances will also make you aware of how much money you require for each month. In a way, this simple activity will give you a sense of responsibility and significantly reduce your financial stress.
5. Set Boundaries
As simple as it sounds, setting boundaries was perhaps one of the greatest tips I got from my parents. You’re surrounded by people your age, meaning the maturity level in the group is just as good as yours. Your friends might want to party all night or pull an all-nighter, sneak out, go on a trip, etc, etc. And naturally, you would want to be with your friends. But remember it’s always okay to say NO! If you’re uncomfortable with an idea or activity be sure to let your peers know. Setting boundaries and letting your friends know what you can and cannot do are simple ways of telling them ‘I love you but there’s a line you can’t cross.
Often I have been criticised or made fun of for not wanting to stay up late or party three days in a row. But the more I made my boundaries known the easier it was for my friends to understand me and plan accordingly. Everyone knows I go to bed at 11, everyone knows I have to let my parents know before going out and everyone knows I don’t like food on my bed. Letting my friends know these tiny little details about me really helped me have a great time in college. I was allowed to stay within my limits and have fun at the same time.
I really hope you keep these five little things in mind when you finally go to college. Although I’d love to ramble and give you a much more detailed explanation on how I kept none of this in mind while going to college, I’m afraid my embarrassment needs to come to a halt. Follow these 5 simple little tips and have an easy and fun first-year. And I’ll be back with more tips when I’m done with my second year!
Editors Note: Amna Akram
I enjoyed reading this piece, the points flow through effortlessly in a conversational tone. Being in university myself I know a lot of these tips speak to me as it's easy to forget the perks that come with being a student when imminent deadlines are lurking around the corner.
At the same time Chyra reminds me, I am most certainly guilty of not managing my finances properly whether that be spending too much money on takeaways or spending most of my money on ASOS. These friendly yet insightful tips may feel like you've heard them before, but Chyra hits the right spots and I can't wait to see if things have changed for the author when she writes a follow-up!
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