10-tried-and-true-tips-for-college-life

It goes without saying that college years are the best time in our life. Still, some decisions and actions can result in the opposite. Students always whine about their campus life, stressful coursework, worries about their general performance, and even their canteen food. Thus, we have prepared 10 handy tips for college life you should consider if you do your degree in the USA or anywhere else around the globe.

1. Choose your college prudently:

Choosing your college is a life-and-death matter. While picking your future college, you should bear in mind lots of significant points: career advancement, placement history, campus life, and fees. Surely, for some top-notch educational institutions in the USA, having high SAT scores is a must. Likewise, having competitive scores in the ”sandstone colleges” in Australia is a top admission requirement. Expectedly, most of these educational institutions charge fairly a lot for education. An average college degree in the USA will cost you roughly 40,000 dollars. The fee can be significantly lower if you opt for public or community educational institutions. Do not neglect your college choice. Choose a college which is reasonably priced and does not fall behind in academic rankings.

2. Dig up information about the campus life:

Now your concern is to find your perfect campus, as you will spend 3-4 years of your life there. Keep in mind these points:

  • The majority of the USA campuses are melting-pots with lots of incoming foreign students.
  • As a rule, the US campuses are residential. Thus, be ready to live on your own if you intend to attend a college.
  • Most of the educational institutions are located either in big cities or near these cities. For instance, the universities of Columbia, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, etc. are situated within the city limits. If you have been raised in a small town, getting accustomed to the city life can be an issue for you.
  • Above all, living on your own can be fairly challenging.

3. Selecting the right subject area:

If you possess brilliant writing skills, do not choose chemistry as your major. Likewise, if you have a head for figures, attending lectures on the American War of Independence is a sheer waste of time. Simply put, try to choose a major you are interested in. The US educational institutions have a splendid selection of courses you can register for. Avail yourself of that. You can major in Art history with a minor in, let's say, English and German. The best advice we can give to you is to opt for a subject that you are vividly interested in rather than taking a subject only because of its market value.

4. Plan your food expenditures:

It may appear at least strange to discuss food in the article on a college life. However, half of the student's total expenditures go on food. In the case of food, you can save some money without sacrificing its quality. Keep in mind the following points:

  • Most of the US universities provide meal plans. Just think over which of them is the best option for you.
  • If you share your room with some other students, you will be expected to prepare your own meals.
  • Try to go without junk food. In addition to being unhealthy, it costs a pretty penny.

5. Befriend prudently:

A man is known by the company he keeps. The old English proverb is current even nowadays. Because of growing news of violent campus crimes occurring steadily, the significance of befriending the right people has become even more critical. It is true that no one can guide you on how to choose friends, a couple of tips can still be of particular use:

  • Be open-minded when choosing friends. The odds are high that your campus will be peopled with students of various colors and social backgrounds. Having a wide and diverse circle of friends can help you to enlarge your worldview.
  • Adopt an amiable attitude towards your group mates. You never know who can help you during the exams.
  • As campuses will be co-educational, you should be prepared for frequent communication with the students of the opposite sex. As soon as you do away with your awkwardness, you will be able to build strong and fulfilling relationships.
  • There would be some notorious elements. You will have no problem in identifying them. Just try to keep away from them.

6. Keep away from troubles:

As soon as you dive into your campus life, you will come to know the first taste of freedom. Still, there are some rules that you must stick to even studying in one of the most liberal countries:

  • The minimum age for drinking is 21 in the US. Being caught up drinking without the required age limit will guarantee you a conviction by the court of law.
  • In spite of the fact that you can legally drive starting from 18, rash driving and drunken driving are federal offenses and can deprive you of the privilege forever.
  • Avoid fraternity parties, as the great number of people there do drugs and practice underage drinking.

7. Take some time out:

Apart from your routine college activities, you should also have a pastime, but no way should you spend your free time being glued to your cell phone or laptop, as it is an absolute waste of time and will do no good to your personal self-development. Take up an engaging hobby that implies creativity. Here are possible options:

  • If you are passionate about pictures and images, why don't you take up photography? All you need to have is a DSLR camera. You can also register for the college photography club and come to know like-minded people.
  • If you are not really into aesthetics and you feel like venturing on something more adventurous, then you can join the football team or the mountaineering society.
  • If you are interested in developing your intellectual capacities, the best choice for you is to become a member of debating or elocution clubs of the college.

8. Keep in touch with your family:

Living on campus does not mean detaching yourself from your family. Besides, your nearest and dearest are a shoulder to cry on in times of troubles. Try to ring up your parents as much as possible and visit them at every opportunity not just on holidays. Do not forget to give them small gifts or cards whenever possible.

9. Be mindful of your health:

Taking medication can at times cost an arm and a leg and you just cannot afford to be ill in the middle of the term. As a rule, college campuses in the USA have their own health centers but you need to register before being entitled to get treatment. Also, you need to have health insurance in the case of serious diseases. Remember that your happy college life can be guaranteed only if you keep your health in check.

10. Contact student services if necessary:

These college life tips can really help you to settle your campus life. Still, they cannot inoculate you against problems you may come across from time to time. If you have no idea of who to turn to in such situations, contact the student cell. These cells are supported by senior students who are knowledgeable about all the nuances and peculiarities of the student's life and will surely give you a handy piece of advice. They can help you with:

  • Finding accommodation for you
  • Picking a meal plan
  • Giving legal advice
  • Career counseling
  • Academic advice

These services are free of charge and can help you enormously during your college life.

We do hope that these cool college life hacks will come in handy and make your hectic college life a bit easier. Finally, remember that your college years are a gateway to your future successful life. Thus, avail yourself of it as much as possible: make friends with the right people, take deliberate decisions, and do not forget to devote some time to the things that make you genuinely happy.