Unpopular Opinion: A fresh start is (probably) not a big change

Everyone tells you that college is a great time for a fresh start. You’re in a new place, with new people, and the world is your oyster.

For many, this means that they are going to grab life and run with it. They know what they’re interested in, they join clubs similar to the ones they did in high school. They meet friends and go off on their merry way.

But for some, college is time to make a change. That pesky reputation from your small town doesn’t matter in a school of 8000 strangers. You got all new clothes. You’re going to join the clubs that websites like college prowler told you had the hottest people.

This, of course, lends itself to the stereotype of the formerly dorky high school kid who’s going to wear a fedora for the first month of school and think it makes them edgy. Yeah not so much.

While things definitely get better in college, you can’t really change your stripes.

Trust me, this is a lesson that’s often learned the hard way. You might seek out some kind of status, but you’re going to gravitate to the people who are like you. And you’re going to be happier with people who you like.

If you’re an introvert that’s part of who you are. Should you go out and meet people? Absolutely. But if after a few weeks of going out to frat parties three nights a week you’re exhausted, find some friends who like to hang out and have a more relaxing time. You should still push yourself to go out time to time (it is part of college), but you need to do what makes you happy.

The thing is, the parts of you are still going to be the same, but a fresh start can have you using your personality in a new way. The house is built, but you can always redecorate, so to speak.

I was a nerd in high school. I was always a nerd; I’ll always be a nerd. But at college that’s not everything about me. I’m known for being funny and sarcastic and enthusiastic. I’m also known for being a huge nerd at times, but, you know, sometimes you need to wear your Ninja Turtle Onsie on St. Patrick’s Day because they’re green and you comfortably fit into children’s clothes at 20, but I digress.

I’m a lot more comfortable in my skin at school. Because things get better with a fresh start.

I got to shed the terrible reputation I had in high school. I was opinionated and bossy, I was angry all the time. I was kind of mean because I was bullied so harshly when I was younger that I put up big walls.

So the pieces of me are still the same (20% nerdy obsession, 30% humor, 30% caring about my friends and passions, 20% caffeine), but without the background the more positive parts of my personality have come out. I’ve learned to use humor and my love of people for good. My personality didn’t change, but I did.

You’re going to change in college. That’s a fact. You’re going to grow and learn and become independent. But you’re still going to be you.

Even if you’re basically the same, things are different in high school. To be quite frank, nobody cares about reputation in college. There’s no popularity or cool table. You have your friends and your clubs, and that’s that. So you can let your freak flag fly and go after your passions.

A new start is a great thing. It will boil your personality down and build it back up. And you can build it back up into something great, something that’s well suited to the context. To a person you’re happier being.

But the parts of you are still going to be basically the same. So rock them, cultivate them, and make them awesome.

Appreciate the fresh start, but don’t expect miracles.

Graduation is for your parents

Graduation kind of sucks. It’s kind of boring. But you have to do it.
Really, you have to.

So even though I’m a member of NHS, technically I was never inducted. Why? I just didn’t show up for the ceremony. I had better things to do that night.
I won three “senior awards” in high school. The ceremony was 3 hours of my life in an unairconditioned auditorium that I will never ever get back.
Graduation? A long and tiring process where all 555 members of my senior class were announced and given a diploma. I got to sit on the stage because I was in the select singing group that sang the national anthem. Which meant I was announced nice and early, but we sat through everything.
But it wasn’t about me. Because, really, graduation is for your parents.

Kids, you got prom. You got to dress up and hang out with your friends and dance the night away (watching out buttoned up valedictorian jump-dancing with his girlfriend is still, to date, one of the best things I’ve ever seen).  You get days to sign your yearbooks and say goodbye.
But graduation? You take pictures in your (very unattractive) robes, with all 10000 of your tassels and medals. You’re heading off to the best college in the world in the fall. This is a time for your parents to see you grow. To commemorate the amazing job they did raising you.
So even though you look like a huge dork, smile. Take a picture with grandma. Shake the principal’s hand on stage. Let your parents scream and clap when your name is announced.
Let your parents have their night to be proud of you and your accomplishments.
Remember, this is all for them. Let them have their moment in the sun.
And be glad that you have a lot of much more attractive pictures from prom.
For reference:

This was for me

This was for my parents

On taking a break

The year is wrapping up for nearly everyone. It was hard, there were long sleepless nights and stress and freak-outs. But you’ve finished. For some, you’re about to graduate and start the next step of the journey. Others are happy to have completed the year and are one step closer to graduation (the horror).

The thing is, you’ve got a few months ahead of you to rest and replenish your energy for the next year.

While I’ve outlined what you should do during your senior, junior, and underclassmen summers, there is one thing that is vital to everyone’s success: Take a break.

I know. We’re all perfectionist workaholics who are attending 10 skilled programs, doing independent research, and building houses in Africa for a week. But there are limits to what the mind can take, and we need to appreciate them.

Being a teenager has a lot of benefits, and one of them is that, to some extent, you’re expected to seize the day.

So take a day off from work to travel to another state to see a concert. Try a new restaurant every week with your friends. Go to that weird touristy thing in your town and have an awesome time.

Applications are important, but they’re not everything.

You have plenty of time to come up with interesting, thoughtful, interview/essay appropriate stories. But you also need a few crazy ones to share with your friends when you get to school.

That’s not to say you have to do things that make you uncomfortable. But there’s a difference between doing something dangerous and taking a risk. Take a few risks.

Trust me, when I got to school I didn’t tell my new college friends about how much my home friends and I loved to play apples to apples on Saturday nights (we’ve grown up now, we play cards against humanity). I talked about how we sometimes used to dress up in fancy clothes to watch movies. Or that when we went to Disney on a school trip we sang Happy Birthday to everyone with an “It’s my birthday” pin and got rewarded with free candy. Or when my school was doing it’s infamous “road rally” my friends and I went out for ice cream, and then drove around our town blasting show tunes.

Take some time this summer to make some memories with people. Take a break. Have some fun. Treat every summer like it might be your last opportunity to be a kid.

You’ve got time to find things for your applications, but real summer breaks are few and far between.

Some Graduation Gift Ideas:

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When you’re about to head off to college suddenly everyone wants to buy you a nice, practical gift. The thing is, it’s rough to come up with a list of everything you need, especially before you have a roommate. Because you don’t know the situation of who you’re living with, you don’t want to buy your fridge, TV, microwave, or bedding yet.

So here is a list of some great things to ask for:

Super Cheap: Posters, removable wall stickers, and other decorations 

            Simple decorations can go a long way when it comes to decorating your room. I still have a clock and a white board that my friends bought me on my 18^th birthday. Decorations can be exactly catered to your taste, will transfer room to room, and come at a variety of prices.

Moderately Priced: School Swag

            When you’re in college it’s totally acceptable to roll out of bed in a t-shirt and sweatshirt, pull on jeans, and head to class. Just make sure you’re showing off your school spirit while doing this. While people will tell you again and again not to buy T-shirts before you head to school (because you’ll get a million free ones), I think it’s a good idea to get one or two in designs you really like. I have cut up almost all of my free school shirts into tanktops for the gym because most of them are pretty ugly and unflattering. But I do have 3 really pretty; flattering t-shirts I got for graduation. A good sweatshirt (with embroidered letters) is another good, but slightly more expensive, investment.

Unknown Price: Amazon Gift Cards

            Textbooks are the biggest scam you’ll come across in college. Don’t be fooled by the bookstore prices, you can almost always find them used  (and way cheaper) on Amazon. Amazon gift cards can be used to pay for textbooks in the new school year (an excellent investment). This is also a good thing to ask for from people who haven’t given you a price range for gifts.

Expensive: Netflix

            If you don’t already have Netflix, and you have a pretty generous gift coming your way, get a Netflix streaming account (DVDs are a waste of money). Hulu Plus is another option, but seriously, Netflix is essential in college. They can gift you a subscription, and it will be a good time-waster when you get to school. Even if you don’t have a TV, seriously, there will be days you need to watch all of 30 Rock or Scrubs in one sitting.
This was my “big” present senior year (from all of my aunts and uncles) and it was such a good investment that my entire family mooched onto my account and its now a “family” account (that I no longer have to fund!).

Other things to ask for:
A new wallet or ID holder (NOT A LANYARD).

Rain Boots (seriously, you’ll need them)

Kindle (I know real books are better, but you don’t have a ton of storage in college!)

A laptop (seriously essential in college)

Noise canceling headphones (I have earbuds for running, but a good pair of headphones is very necessary).

Electives: Strike a Balance

When signing up for classes we’re constantly pressured to take more classes and harder classes. But these tips are all about the core-4 (English, Social Studies, Math, Science).

So how on earth are we supposed to pick our electives?

Today I’m going to break down the basic types of electives, and how to spin them in the application process.

Type 1: The academic elective

            This is when you sign up for an extra core-4 class as an elective. I would say that AP Statistics (while taking Calc) is the most common type of this. But this could also be an extra science, English, math, or social studies. Really, this is any non core-4 AP (Computer Science, Art History, Psych, etc.).

These classes are great to talk about when asked about the rigor of your schedule. You added in extra classes. This demonstrates passion in a subject and a need to challenge yourself.

But: This type can be stressful (as it’s an extra academic class) and may not be as enjoyable as other options. If you’re choosing to do these that’s great, but make sure that you have some things you enjoy and won’t be too stressed in as well.

Type 2: The artsy elective

            This is a class in any creative or performing art. Included are studio art, music, dance, theater, etc.

These types of classes show that you have a passion in an art, and a talent. If you’re really good at one of these you could even send in an arts supplement LINK. Taking time off from your studies to pursue these classes demonstrates your commitment to the arts, which is a big plus.

But: At many schools there is no way to increase the rigor of this class (ex: there’s only one level of theatre or orchestra), which won’t hurt, but also is slightly less impressive. Make sure, if you’re talking about these classes, that you mention how you challenged yourself year after year by adding rigor to the same projects.

Type 3: The technical elective

            This is a class geared towards teaching you a skill. This could be computer science, auto shop, engineering or robotics of any kind, or any kind of building/architecture class.

These types of classes are excellent because they are teaching you a real skill. Even better, these can often translate into a college major, and demonstrate skills in the field. Make sure you have a portfolio of the individual projects you’ve done, and any interesting things you’ve finished.

But: These classes can be challenging, so be careful that you’re doing your best in them. Additionally, sometimes the higher levels of these classes can be hard to explain, so if the class is something interesting/impressive make sure that a good description is given.

Type 4: The skills elective

            This is any type of elective where you’re learning a real life skill. This could be anything from a home-ec class that’s teaching you how to cook and sew to a class on debate and conflict resolution. These can also be vocational-based classes. Anything that involves volunteering would also fall under this umbrella.

These types may not often carry the prestige that a more challenging elective provides, but they’re classics. People who take these types of classes are probably well adjusted, and are ready to take on the world.

But: As I said, these classes often carry the stigma of being “easy.” And while there’s nothing wrong with an easy elective (we all need that extra A or two), make sure you’re balancing these with more difficult classes.

Type 5: The business elective

            This is when you’re learning anything about economics, finance, marketing, real estate, and accounting. Anything that’s taught in the business school at college.

These types are excellent because you’re learning real life skills and you’re demonstrating an interest in the subject. If you’re thinking of being a business major, check these out to get a bit of background in the subject.

But: These types of classes might be difficult, especially if you have no background. You might also take versions of these same classes in college, which could be frustrating for a variety of reasons.

So when you sign up for electives make sure to have a nice well-rounded balance of rigor and interests. Experiment and try new things, you never know what that extra class you took on a whim will end up teaching you or where it will take you.

First Semester Classes: Some advice

When you enter college you are given a lot of choices. The clubs you’ll join. The dorms you’ll live in. The meal plan you’ll waste money on.

But there is one major choice that many don’t think about until too late: Class choices.

When you’re in high school you generally get to choose the rigor of your classes, but not the topic.

College changes this. Instead of a mandatory “History” class you can take “American History Through Jazz” or “Middle Eastern Cuisine and Religious Influence” or “History of Sports.”

While you have a laundry list of major and school requirements, you’re largely left to your own devices to choose. So when you’re planning to register the first time, here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Watch the Rigor

            When you’re looking in a course catalog you might see that there are general classes, and then more specific, more interesting classes. While the specific topics catch your fancy, be very careful. Oftentimes those classes are going to be higher level. I would highly recommend that you stick to 100 and 200 level classes your first semester. 300 classes will often require background information you don’t have (even if you took the 100 level AP equivalent) and a writing strength I can promise you don’t yet have. Stick to intro classes for your first semester, then work your way up. 

2. Timing is everything

            In high school you just listed your classes and a magical machine made it work. This is not the case in college. Make sure you know when the classes meet, because overlaps are impossible to work out. Also pay close attention to the timing. 8am classes are brutal in college. You might be able to avoid Friday classes if you’re very careful. Also watch your “passing periods” if you’re taking classes immediately after one another. I can get from the two furthest points on campus in 10 minutes I’d have between classes, but there are other schools where that could take an hour.

3. Start Slow

            Most schools will require you to take 12 credits a semester to be full time, which is about 4 classes. You can usually take up to 18 (6 classes). While you, in your high school overachiever mindset might try to go for 18. Don’t. Start out slow because the transition between high school and college classes is a rough one that requires a lot of self-control. Don’t take on more than you can chew. Don’t take intro bio and intro chem for premeds at the same time. Be smart, check things out.

4. Back-Ups Back-Ups Back-Ups

            You’ve made it. Your perfect schedule of all afternoon classes that you’re interested in. But wait… they all filled up while you were logging onto the system.
Make sure you have at least 3 back ups for each of your classes. It could be a similar class, or the same class at a less ideal time. Just be prepared not to get your first choices. College registration is a cruel mistress.

5. Check out the professors

            When you’re choosing classes you might look at the description and go “that sounds awesome! Perfect” and end up in a terrible class. Why? The professor might stink. Or be hard and unfair. Check out what other students say about the professor (ratemyprofessors is a life saver) before you sign on.

CollegeApp Chick’s Graduation Fashion Tips

Seniors, you’re so close to the end of the year you can almost taste it. Be ready to go out with a bang. Actually though, there’s going to be 10,000 pictures taken of you at graduation so make sure you go out in style.

Tassel Trouble

            Your awesome graduation cap comes with a fun cat toy… I mean tassel. But when you get ready to throw your cap take off the tassel. You may never get that cap back in the pile of thrown caps. Make sure you get a fun souvenir. If you have hanging tassels or medals make sure that you won’t get tangled in them.

Shoes make the Man

            Nobody can see your perfectly coordinated outfit under your robe, so when it comes time to graduate your shoes are your whole outfit. So make sure you’re wearing nice ones! Other things to keep in mind with shoes:

1.     You’re probably going to have to walk up stairs in them, so make sure they’re study.

2.     If you’re wearing pants with them, do not wear white socks. Wear dress socks.

3.     Fun shoes are great, but if you’re outdoors don’t wear ones that will get ruined.

Paparazzi

            Graduation will be a hot experience. You will sweat. If it’s outdoors you’ll get sunburn. Take your pictures before you head in while your hair is still nice and your clothes aren’t wrinkled from all of the standing and sitting you’ve had to do.

Higher the hair, closer to heaven

            While I truly think people should do whatever they want with their hair, graduation caps are a rough look to pull off. Your graduation hair should be tame enough that the cap won’t fall off (bobby pins are great for this) but not so flat that it looks awkward.

Take it off!

            Graduation robes are ugly. Make sure you have a few pictures with your robe unzipped so your outfit underneath will show.

Colors of the Wind
            On the note of how ugly graduation robes are make sure that your outfit matches with the robe color. If you’re wearing navy robes don’t wear black pants. If you’re wearing white (like the girls at my school wear) don’t wear neon underneath so it shows through. It looks bad. Remember that there are bright lights (or sunlight) on you when you accept your diploma, and your robe might become see-through. Make sure you’re wearing something nice that matches.

In general, look your best as you strut across that stage. You did it!