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50 Things You Should Know in/before College

College can be the most fun time in your life. Enjoy it, live it up and do things to better your life down the road. Here are 50 things you should learn or know before you start college.

1. There is no substitute for hard work. A lazy work ethic won't get you far.
2. This is the best time to make mistakes. It's okay to make them. This is your chance to learn from all those bad experiences.
3. Being obsessed over a huge network won't help you if you don't develop the relationships.
4. Experience is usually worth more than your degree, don't graduate without having a couple jobs on your resume.
5. Make time to read things other than your textbook. 
6. Pick a degree you love, not the one that will make the most money.
7. Right now is the prime time to get in the best shape of your life. Make use of the free gym on campus and make it a habit.
8. You can never take too many pictures. You'll be happy to have them later.
9. Don't expect to find true love, it's usually lust. But don't rule out the possibility either.
10. If you have to choose being doing your homework or going to class, always go to class. The tests are worth more than any assignment.
    
    
11. Sit near the front of your classes. It will keep you more focused, you'll be less likely to go on Facebook or twitter, and your professor will recognize you. All of these lead to higher grades.
12. If the campus is offering anything free (food, goodies, information) take it. They want to help you and, hey, it's free.
13. College is one of few places where you can be crazy smart and act like a total idiot while drunk and no one will judge you. Enjoy it now.
14. If you don't want to drink, don't. Sometimes it can be more entertaining to watch everyone else be drunk. There's nothing wrong with saying no.
15. College is like all the movies. You can make it however you want it. Want to party every night? Go ahead. Want to sit in your dorm studying everyday? Go ahead. 
16. Remember that you are paying hundreds of dollars for your classes, don't waste your time or money by failing them. Go to class.
17. Your dorm is about 50% smaller than you think it will be. Plan accordingly.
18. Coupons will become gold. Get better at finding and using them, it can save you thousands over your college years.
19. Learn how to cook everything in a microwave. It's probably the only thing in your dorm, and the only thing you'll have time for.
20. Listening to classical music while doing your homework will help you focus and get it done. It's not science... but it probably is.
    
21. Don't make study groups with your friends, it will turn into just hanging out with friends. Bad idea.
22. There are always people on campus trying to sign you up for credit cards, stay away from them.
23. Don't believe everything you hear politically and religious-wise on campus. Be open to new ideas but do research for yourself too.
24. Go to as many sporting events as you can. They are 500 times more fun when you are an actual student.
25. Don't burn any bridges, a lot can happen in 4 years.
26. Celebrate birthdays with pranks, cupcakes and confetti
27. Prank your friends. Weekly. It's fun, keeps away stress and helps creativity, but mostly just fun.
28. Be yourself. You'll find people exactly like you and they won't judge you for all your weirdness.
29. Smile. You are in the prime of your life and there is no reason not to be happy.
    
    
    
    
30. Except on finals week. It's totally acceptable to sleep in strange places, wear odd clothes and look like you are hungover from 3 days of drinking during finals week. Everyone else will be doing it too.
31. Anyone who looks perfect everyday is obviously a robot. Don't feel like you need to impress everyone.
32. At the same time, looking nice and perfect every once in awhile can help your mood, don't wear sweats every day of the year.
33. Do some weird stuff. Public pranks, taking pictures with strangers or wearing a banana suit to class, just do it. People will laugh and it will make your day that much better.
    
34. Put your alarm far from your bed. Just having to stand up to turn it off will help you stop hitting that snooze.
35. Talk to new people. Ask them their major, year and where they are originally from. Everyone has a story to tell.
36. It's completely okay to have no idea what you want to do with your life. But try to figure it out by Junior year, it'll save you time later on.
37. Buy a planner and use it. You WILL NOT remember all your assignments. 
38. Act like a basic college kid. Use instagram, hashtags, take selfies, wear uggs and tweet daily. Do it now before it gets weird.
39. Use protection, STD's are real and the last thing you want is a baby with the hookup from Friday's party.
    
    
    
    
    
40. The freshman 15 is totally real, especially if you drink your calories. Try to eat healthy and drink lots of water.
41. Not everyone needs to know your business. Keeping your life story quiet can make you more mysterious. 
42. Use shower shoes. No matter how often they clean the bathrooms, it's nasty. Trust me.
43. Don't walk around alone, especially for girls at night. Bad things do happen, but rarely when you stay with a couple of other friends. 
44. Learn self-defense. Being able to get away could save your life or you from a horrible experience. One RA in our building gave everyone pepper spray to keep on their key ring. Better safe than sorry.
45. Trust your gut. It's usually right. 
46. Back up your files. It can save you a ton of work later on. I use dropbox.
47. Unless you have a brand new, never washed red shirt, you can wash whites and colors together. Everyone else will probably be doing it too.
48. Register for classes as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than not being able to take the class you need because it filled up.
49. Explore your campus and the city it's in. When you need to find an office you won't have to ask where it is.
50. Create a blog, personal website or keep a journal. Keep track of your resume, experiences and wild nights. You'll be happy you did later down the road.

Feel free to comment with more ideas and tips below!

The difference between online and campus classes

Last year I took all in-class courses, this year I have one in-class and three online courses and I was very surprised by the differences. I wanted to compare the two types of classes side by side for anyone who is thinking about an online course.

Pros to an in-class courses:

1. You get to meet people in your class
2. It's easier to form study groups
3. You can take notes as the teacher talks about it
4. The notes are in addition to the book and go over the main topics of the class
5. You can get to know your teacher better
6. It's easier to ask questions when you are confused

Cons to an in-class course:

1. It's easy to blow off reading since you feel like you learned it in class
2. If you don't take good notes on the lecture you could miss important topics
3. If you don't live on campus it can be a long commute to class
4. There are specific times you have to be in class
5. There is often pop-quizzes, attendance grades or clicker points

Pros to an online class:

1. You have the freedom to work on the class whenever works for you
2. No attendance is taken, meaning it's okay to miss a day
3. All the assignments are announced earlier than in a regular class, giving you time to plan and no more pop-quizzes
4. You can teach yourself at your pace
5. Taking tests online means you can use your notes, Google or a friend to help you pass
6. Online classes can be done almost anywhere at any time

Cons to an online class:

1. You need to be very organized since you won't get reminders about when things are due
2. There is a lot more reading necessary to pass because you won't be attending lectures
3. There will be more essays or paper assignments to do since there are no in-class grades or assignments
4. It's hard to make study groups since you haven't actually met the others in your class
5. If something goes wrong with your computer you could miss assignments or tests

I personally love my online classes, I'm glad that I am taking one in-class course just to meet people but the online classes allow me to work during the day and do classes at night, I can use my super OCD-ness to organize myself and stay ahead of assignments, and I enjoy teaching myself how to do the work. Online classes are not for everyone but if you are considering taking online courses I suggest going half-and-half until you decide what works best for you. Hopefully the list helped you decide what the best choice will be for you, I'm sure I'll be writing more about online classes in the future.

9 Tips to remember someone's name

1. When you ask for their name, actually listen. It's simple enough but sometimes we are so occupied with our thoughts that we don't actually hear the person. Focus and remember. 
2. Repeat their name. When they say "Hi, I'm Sally." Reply with "Hi, Sally, I'm Bob."
   Repeating it will help it stick. At the end of the conversation say it again, "It was nice chatting Sally".
3. Sound out their name in your head. The crazier the better, it'll help you remember. Ex. Sal-Lee, Saaaaaal-leeeeeeeeeee, sal-ee
4. Write it down, it may help to see their name in writing and the process of actually writing it out will help you remember.
5. Be confident in yourself. By thinking that you are bad at remembering names you actually believe it. Be confident that you can remember!
6. Study the person's face while thinking of their name. Sally has blonde hair, sally has green eyes, etc.
7. If you need extra help with this, ask for their name twice. Just hearing them say it twice will help it stick. EX. "Hi, I'm Sally." "Sorry, what was that?" "Sally" "Oh sorry Sally, I'm Bob"
8. Remember their name by using tricks. Ex. Sally is Sweet, or Bob is Built
9. If all else fails ask them for their name again. Most people are very understanding and won't be offended by you asking. Just be polite and confident.

8 Tips For Apartment Hunting

1. Do your research before. Make sure the apartment you want to check out has the right number of rooms, bathrooms, parking, pets allowed or not allowed. No use seeing a place unless it's what you need.
2. Be practical. If the apartment you want is 20 miles from work/school and you don't own a car, you probably need to look somewhere else. Don't assume you'll figure it out later. Make a plan and stick to it.
3. Decide on a price and hold yourself to that price. You can always ask the renter to lower the price for you. It's better to ask, you don't want to be paying more than you can afford. Make sure you get a formal price in writing to avoid changes.
4. Save money before the move. When you start looking for a place to live keep in mind that not only do you usually have to pay the first month's rent but there will also be a deposit. Make sure you save three times the amount of rent before you start looking. It'll save your wallet later on.
5. Start looking for furniture and necessities beforehand to help you decide what you can afford. You may think you can pay $900 a month in rent but later realize you don't own a bed, couch, dishes, or bathroom supplies. After all the expenses you pay only be able to afford $650. Keep the price of everything in mind at all times.
6. Always go see the apartment before deciding. Your new place may look great in the pictures, but in real life that carpet is falling apart, the ceiling fan is broken and the toilet hardly flushes. Always look around before you sign anything!
7. Ask a friend or family member for their opinion. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of moving into a new place and it may blind your judgement of what is a quality home. It's always good to have a second pair of eye with you when you're searching.
8. Don't settle. There are hundreds of thousands of places out there, don't settle for one you hate. Keep looking and you will find what you are looking for. There is nothing wrong with sticking to your gut.

School Started and I don't feel like it.

It's really weird that since school started I don't feel like it really has. I think this is mostly to do with the fact that I'm not living on or really near campus. It's different than I was expecting and I still haven't really decided if I like the online classes or i I wish I had more classes on campus.

I did run into an old friend though and we had a good conversation, hopefully this semester is really a turning point, in my grades and getting a feel for sports, and the possibility of graduating early.

Some books I recommend

I love reading and i really enjoy distopia books, some of these are for younger kids, some are adult books, but if you're looking for something to read, these are some of my favorites.

Books I’ve Read:

• Harry Potter Series
• Tunnels Series
• Ender’s Game
• Hunger Games Series
• Feed
• Pretties Series
• Gone Series
• The Host
• Devil in the White City
• The Stand
• Langoliers
• I’d tell you I love you but then I’d have to kill you Series
• To kill a mocking bird
• In Cold Blood
• The things they carried
• A Raisin in the sun
• Anthem
• Their Eyes Were Watching God
• Unwind
• Life as we knew it
• City of ember
• The giver
• Bar Code Tattoo
• The Face on the milk carton
• Hoot
• Lord of the Flies
• Brave New World
• Animal Farm
• The Catcher in the Rye
• Death of a Salesman
• Things Fall Apart
• The Book Thief
• A wrinkle in time
• The Hobbit
• The house on mango street
• Freckle Juice
• If I stay
• Midnighters
• Holes
• The outsiders
• Eragon
• Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe
• Number the Stars
• Anne Frank: Diary of a young girl
• Bridge to Tarbethia
• Ink Heart
• Series of Unfortunate Events
• Lord of the Rings Series
• Because of Winn-Dixie
• Flipped
• Through the Looking Glass
• Alice in Wonderland
• Where the Sidewalk Ends
• Boy in the Striped Pajamas
• The Kite Runner
• The Alchemyst
• Monster
• Everlost Series
• The Help
• The Shining
• Water For Elephants
• The Grimm Fairy Tales
• Chinese Cinderella
• Wicked
• Generation Dead
• Paul Revere’s Ride
• Pocahontas

New path, more changes

I'll just be honest with all you internet folks. I messed up. I managed to never drink or party, i went to every class, did my homework and still got less than a 2.0 GPA for two semesters. That means I'm no longer enrolled at CU Boulder. As sad as I am, I'm more angry. I'm mad that I let myself get to this point. I had an amazing opportunity and I wasted it. I wasted a year, around $35,000 and I have nothing to show for it.

My parents were furious, obviously. So I have to make a new plan and make-up for what I did. Next year I'll be going to a community college and living at home. So now I get to find someone to sub-lease the apartment in Boulder that I already paid for, and pray that I can find someone. Three classes I took I will not transfer because I got low grades, and my hope of graduating in three years is slowly going away.

I have to start over, new people, new school, new classes, and I have a lot of catching up to do. I'll have to get a different job close to home and I won't be able to have the freedom I did in Boulder. This is all around a crap situation. However, I'm trying to see the positive side. Being at home and going to a cheaper college will save me a ton of money down the road. I'll be able to buy a car to go to school and money won't be an issue because tuition is so much cheaper. On top of this, the college I'll be going to has a Cross country team that I plan to try out for. I miss running and competing so much, and I think this might be good for me. I'll be home so there will be less distraction and I can help my parents with picking up my sisters, cleaning and making dinner.

I'm sharing this story for you all because I want any college freshman to know that you could have been a great student in high school, and you might not be into the party scene, but none of it matters if you don't stay grounded and remember all the work you need to do in order to pass.

I hope that I can find a way to make this work, and somehow show my parents how truly sorry I am for wasting their time and money. I need to grow up, and take responsibility and that should've happened before this summer.

Finals Week- Fact vs. Myth

It's finals week, my first of many. In high school finals week was really the only week I actually did work. I remember hearing about finals week in college... sadly most of the horror stories are true, however not all of them. So here's a nice little list of the myths of finals week, and the facts. Enjoy (:

P.S. This post is meant to be funny, don't take it too seriously, but feel free to add onto the list in the comment section

WHAT YOU'VE HEARD: 

• You'll have to pull all nighters


• If you fail your final, you'll fail your class


• 24/7 quiet hours


• No one parties


• The library is packed


• People sleep in weird places, like in their cars, in the library, at starbucks, etc


• You'll forget to eat due to studying


• You have to study 24-7


• You wake up feeling hungover because you studied so hard


• Everyone looks like zombies


• Most finals are not curved


• There will be questions on the final about things you don't even remember learning


• You have to make up for slacking the first half of the semester by getting a good grade on your final


• It seems like everyone is on Adderall


• Starbucks and other coffee shops will have extended hours


• You'll spend more money on food and coffee than the rest of semester combined


• You will find the most creative ways to procrastinate then you ever had in your entire life


• Makeup is no longer existent for the female population


• Almost everyone walks around in sweats or pajamas


• You'll probably pretend to be productive and calculate how badly you can do on the test to pass the class


• Panic.


• You will get weird cramps from looking down at your notes, typing on your computer, or laying in strange positions to read your books


• The final will be nothing like the midterm


• Most of you will accept the fact that you will fail, and will then fall into a comfortable feeling of complete defeat


• Netflix.


• This week will probably be the first time you open your $500 textbook

MYTHS:

• Sadly, these are all true. You basically will hate your life- you might as well know the truth so it won't be as much of a shock when it happens.

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS EVERYONE!

How to Handle Stress And Take Care of Yourself!

As promised this is my list of what I do to relax and eliminate stress. When you're feeling overwhelmed or just exhausted, try some of these tips. If you have anything you'd like to add please comment... I may add things as time goes on as well.

1. Sleep
   getting plenty of sleep (8-10 hours) is critical to stay healthy and refreshed


2. Drink Tea, not caffeinedrinking less caffeine will help you get a better night sleep and it can help with overall health


3. Take time in the morning to stretch and just breathe
   dedicating 5 minutes to stretching and breathing deeply will help you feel more awake, and try to think positive thoughts while you do this!


4. Take breaks every hour
   if you're busting out some homework or exercising or whatever, make sure you take 5 minute breaks every hour to help your brain stay alert and your body relaxed


5. Break self-care list into days
   nails on Mondays, deep condition hair on Tuesdays, pedicure on Wednesdays, etc... by breaking your se;f-care habits into days they become less time-consuming and more of a treat at the end of a long day


6. Make a plan
   plan out and write down your to-do list and check things off as they get done, make a daily, weekly and long term to-do list


7. Write your blessings
   before bed, daily write down things you're thankful for, happy about, scared for, nervous about, etc. This helps you realize what's important in your life and it can calm you to write it down.


8. Spend breakfast as "you time"
   ...or lunch or dinner. Use this time to blog, write or just reflect on you


9. Exercise
   staying active helps you with stress, staying healthy and keeping your mind clear


10. Breathe.
    deep breathing daily will help you to calm down and focus


11. Create Routine
    it's much easier to clean or workout when you work them into your daily routine. Make a schedule for when you do what and build in time to relax, exercise, clean and work


12. Don't hold it in
    sometimes all you need is a good cry, let it out- you'll feel better after


13. Take vitamins, drink water
    keeping your body healthy will help eliminate stress and help you stay awake and moving


14. Resist the urge
    you don't need to always be doing something. Resist the need to always be productive and just sit and do nothing sometimes


15. Get the worse out of the way
    do those things you hate and dread first, then after you'll feel more calm, and successful


16. Organizeclean your work space and tidy up, it'll help you focus on what you need to get done when you're not looking at the mess around you every few minutes.

Little Things to Handle Stress

I feel stressed a lot lately. with midterms, trying to figure out school and living situations next year, only seeing my boyfriend a weekend per month. There's a lot to stress about but I've been working on trying to limit my stress levels and help me stay calmer and healthier. One huge change I've made (and it took me about 2 months to do) was to cut caffeine from my diet. I still drink a Starbucks every now-and-then but I treat it like a desert and this has done wonders! I've been sleeping better, breaking out less and I feel healthier and more refreshed. Another thing I've started is to workout and do some yoga in my OWN room. I feel like when I go to the gym I spend a lot of time waiting to use a machine or getting water because it's so darn hot in there. Every morning and evening I do simple ab and body weight workouts and then I spend 20 minutes just stretching, and drinking my tea.

I've been working hard to drink more water and more tea, it's so good for your body and it's something I often loose track of so I've started to write it down more to help me remember. By doing some of these little things I've found that I'm less stressed. I try to control everything but by only focusing on things I can control it's made me feel much better. I'll make a post soon with a full list of how to reduce stress. So if you want more then check back later (:

Confessions and Distractions

Our school recently started a confessions page on facebook, you may know what i'm talking about. If not, it's basically a place where you can anonymously submit confessions and then they are posted in this group. Most of them talk about partying and stupid things people did when they were drunk or high and it made me realize just how pathetic some people are. I'm sorry if this post is going to be offensive, I don't mean to personally call anyone out. However I do think that drinking until you're black-out drunk, can't even walk straight and smoking are completely unnecessary, dangerous and idiotic things to do.

I realize, this is college and people drink and smoke, but I don't understand it. Smoking- You have to understand I have both alcoholics and chain smokers in my family. I HATE HATE HATE when people smoke. It's a disgusting habit, and I think smoking weed is even worse. First off, it smells like the zoo- if you inhale something that smells that nasty, there's going to be some kind of consequence. People use smoking as a way to take their mind off things but that is so unhealthy to turn to a substance when you get stressed or sad. That's how addictions start.

After reading a lot of these confessions I honestly feel nothing but pity for these people who steal, have sex with random people, drink, and smoke every single weekend. I go hangout with friends on weekends, I see movies, play games, exercise, visit family and spend time with my boyfriend of two years. That college lifestyle is not me, and I feel sorry for people who think that it is fun because of what society has deemed acceptable.

Just because you're in college doesn't mean you don't have to be careful. When I'm done with college I'll have a degree, worked 6+ jobs and plenty of connections and experience, my friends who party every night will have a degree (maybe if they keep their grades up) but that's it. A degree doesn't guarantee you a job, and anyone who thinks otherwise is ignorant.

Alright, that's my rant/thoughts. I do want to know what other people think about the confession pages and what is appropriate in college.

Here's a link to my school's page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/CU-Boulder-Confessions/521808937840613

Ditching is just not a good idea...

In college the one thing that's easiest to do and can help your grade the most is going to class. I'll admit I've missed a few classes, maybe sleeping in or being sick or whatever. But I do not understand not going just because you don't want to. You're on the campus anyway! You live on campus! Just go to class. You can go to class and sleep between periods or go to bed early but sleeping through class on purpose is just silly.

At my school based on the tuition, each class (daily) costs about $40. By sleeping through a 50 minute class your wasting $40. That's insane. There is no reason to miss a class just because.

Whether your in school now or you are getting ready to go to college, just remember that it the most important thing you can do for your GPA, GO TO CLASS.

People you'll meet in college

When you move to college one of the most amazing parts are the people, you meet hundreds of people in a matter of a few days, then you spend the next few weeks sifting through picking who your close friends are and who you want to steer clear from. This is my very opinionated and sarcastic list of the types of people you'll meet in college. (Please don't take it too seriously it's a joke and just for fun, none of these personalities are based on specific people).

(In progress)

1. "Stuck in HS": This guy either loved high school and was king of the school, or he hated it and wants everyone to think he was king of the school. He'll constantly talk about his high school sport teams and tell you all about his "glory days". You'll be nice at first, then after a few weeks you'll decide to find some other folks to hangout with.


2. "Stupid Major": This guy thinks that their major is the best there is, and that no matter what, every job will just be dying to hire them. But you know that their major is probably going to just put them in debt with a job they would've gotten in middle school. They're nice and fun but after hearing them nag about your major and them bragging about their future, you won't be able to handle it anymore.


3. "Spoiled Brat": Their parents are paying for EVERYTHING, they get sent new clothes every few weeks, fly out to visit family once a month and are constantly complaining about how little they have. They've never worked a day in their life and expect everyone to cater to their needs (*Warning* This may also be known as "The Single Child"). It's all fine until you have to be paired up with them for group projects and they try to give you all the work. These guys aren't going to make it in the real world without their mom and dad.


4. "Bitchy McBitch": She might be your friend's girlfriend, a roommate or just some girl, but for no reason what-so-ever, she hates you. She gives you dirty looks, she'll throw in some rude comments here and there, and everyone else (especially boys) seem to adore her. Why? No one knows. You can't even talk bad about her because everyone loves her but you. She's a backstabbing bitch and there's nothing you can do about it.


5. "Semi-Normal": They're funny, laid back, get their work done, and overall are normal people. The only problem is, because they're average, you can never really get super close with them. They usually group together but you're not exactly sure who they really hangout with.


6. "Frat Guys/ Sorority Girls": They're not as bad as you think, some of them are nice, sweet people.... during the day. But come on folks, when you have 200+ women in one house, there are bound to be bitches, whores, and crazy people. And guys- they just want to drink and hookup. You can be friends, or even be one of these guys, just don't let the classic stereotypes come back to get you, stay true to yourself. (These are the guys you want to party with, if that's your scene).

Help me add to the list! Leave some suggestions in the comments!

How to write an Analysis Paper

The thing with papers, you don’t have to be honest. Make up something that happened to you and compare it to the book. As long as you go into details about the difference between stories and real-life, you’re teacher will never know, or care that you made it up. 

Be sure to quote the story a lot, it should flow. Use an intro to the quote explaining what it is about, quote, then explain why the quote is meaningful and relate it back to an out side story (a movie, an article, another book, anything!)

Finding a way to show what you have learned is the main idea. While you read, annotate your book. I know, it sucks monkey balls, but it’s worth it. You can go back to your notes and instantly remember what was going on and what you thought of it. Use your annotations to describe how you felt about different passages in the book. Reiterate with quotes and more “real-world” examples.

Analysis Papers are, in my opinion, the easiest to write. As long as you actually read, you are simply putting down on paper what you learned about the characters and how you use their stories to impact your life- which you can pretty much bull shit anyway!

So good luck on your homework, and feel free to message me with any questions, comments, or help you may need (in any subject)