Making the best of college
Making the best of college: majors, study abroad, internships, jobs, roommates, study tips, thesis writing, and more. For high school graduates and university students.
Jenna was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome during her sophomore year in high school. She struggled with energy, concentration, and being perceived as 'lazy' instead of sick. She shares her experience finishing high school and going on to school at Rutgers, and the study and health strategies she developed to eventually own her student experience and take control of her health.
Read MoreIt is easy to take things for granted—to forget to question why we make the plans we do, or why we interact with the world in certain ways. Sometimes we are so busy chasing a goal (graduation, a job, a plan, etc.) that we forget to pause for a moment and ask ourselves very real and foundational questions. For example:
Go to college, get good grades, get a good job. That’s the advice told to university students everywhere. The part that comes along as a given, but is often taken for granted is: make long-lasting friendships with people who you would want to know and talk with for the rest of your life.
I got an education in electrical engineering and applied mathematics. I have had internships at multiple companies, and I have studied abroad. All of these components and more are why I know that I had a good college experience.
However, I don't think really I knew what my experience at North Carolina A&T State University truly meant to me until the summer of 2013...
Read MoreChoosing a college is an incredibly exciting and (often) stressful process. For high-flying high school students, private schools and liberal arts colleges often seem like the logical choice. However, an Honors College at a large public university can offer incredible opportunities and benefits for academics, social life, and broader opportunities.
I was a student at the University of Oregon's Honors College. Here's why that was a great fit for me (and why an Honors College could be a great fit for you, too).
Read MoreMost of us have felt that sinking discomfort from time to time: I’m not in the right place. This isn’t the right fit. What am I doing here?
For many college students, this is a cyclical question that comes and goes with the expected flow of the academic years and progress toward fulfilling a major. This can be particularly significant during sophomore year, when you’ve finished the “honeymoon” phase of your four years and you understand enough about your college life to really start to question it. Like the infamous “Freshman 15,” the “Sophomore Slump” is well known for a reason: it is a common occurrence and can have a major impact. For most, it is a phase to get through. For some, it leads to transferring to another school or to dropping out of college entirely.
I want to share a couple of my own stories about feeling like I had to move on, and what I decided to do about it.
Read MoreAt every stage in the college journey, there is a plethora of shifting logistical and practical questions. Early college questions (How do I register for classes? How do I use the gym? How do I use the online homework website?) give way to mid-college questions (How do I prepare to go abroad? How do I decide if this is the right major for me? How do I move off-campus and deal with all the accompanying real-life logistics?) and finally to the questions that plague soon-to-be graduates (How do I turn in my thesis? How do I get transcripts? How am I going to make it in the real world…)
Read MoreI always love it when I get the opportunity to feature writing from people whose student experiences are very different from mine. Danny Conway is a student from Columbus, OH who is currently studying chemistry at the University of Melbourne. Although he characterizes himself as an "average" American, I would argue that the decision to pursue a full undergraduate education abroad is anything but "average." I hope you enjoy!
Read MoreThe start of a school year is a critical time to discuss sexual violence prevention and appropriate response. The starting point is to remind ourselves that Sexual Violence can be prevented. It is made possible by inequities and unhealthy power dynamics in our culture. Those who perpetrate it are responsible for their actions, but we are all responsible to creating a world without sexual violence.
Read MoreOne of the hardest things about living with someone new is realizing that everyone is truly different. It’s like going abroad in some ways—things you’ve always taken for granted about how “everyone is” turns out to not be as universal as you thought…and this can easily drive you absolutely crazy when confined to a tiny shared bedroom.
Read MoreCollege is all about figuring out who you are and what you want to do. That’s a big deal, and while classes are an important part of the college experience, I would argue that taking advantage of the opportunities to get involved on campus is equally important. To back up this argument, I’ve created a list to help back up why student activities and branching out of your comfort zone are both a valuable part of the college experience...
Read MoreOne of the weird things about leaving home to go to college is that there’s an awful lot you have to learn and acclimatize to all at once. Not only do you have to adapt to a new style of teaching and learning, but you also are thrown into being in charge of maintaining your own life. I grew up doing chores, but my folks did a lot of looking after me. So I arrived at college knowing how to vacuum and wash dishes, but not how to do a myriad of other “grown up” things. I had to learn on the fly… and with varying degrees of success.
Read MoreWhat is it like to attend a big sports college when you don't like sports? Or when you actively dislike all things sports-related? Sports culture was something I was worried about before I started college. I have never been a fan of team sports, and am 100% disinterested in being a spectator for any and all sporting events...
Read MoreI learned many lessons playing for a club team in college. The first and most important of these was the great amount of energy and commitment it takes to sublimate personal desires into a shared community goal. I wanted to be the best. But instead of learning that I could achieve this if I just worked hard enough, I learned my limitations.
Read MoreThe transition from high school to college is certainly different now than it was 20-30 years ago and thus represents an evolutionary process. While the high school experience has probably not changed much in the last 100 years, the college experience is now different in new and fundamental ways, and most incoming freshmen are unprepared to deal with this new way of life and new mode of educational performance. By far the biggest of the transitions is the realization that now you, the college freshmen, are suddenly personally responsible for your own successes and failures.
Read MoreIf you’re dorming or living off-campus away from your parents, there will be plenty to consider before you even step foot in the classroom. Where will you live? Will you need roommates? And finally, what will you bring?
Read MoreAdvice for college and university students. Roommates, majors, study abroad, travel, essay writing, study tips, admissions, professors, internships, and mentoring. Make college an amazing experience.
Professional photography and storytelling services for nonprofits
