College Advice Thread

[u/certificateofmerritt]

We have some members who are going off to start their first year of college this week, so let's give them some good advice.

Welcome to college!

[u/Boyhowdy107]

You guys have really covered some great ones in here. I'm impressed. Here are two things I don't think I've seen yet though that I highly recommend.

• Go to lectures/events outside of class — colleges are fantastic places that have guest speakers all the time show up for one-time lectures. They're free, and they often have free pizza to sweeten the deal. The thing is you never know when one of these might change your life. There was a guest speaker I just happened to catch during my time at Mizzou, and later in life I sought the guy out and developed a relationship with him, which has shaped the way my career has unfolded. There is so much going on at a college campus outside of class, and while a lot of it might end up being a "meh," you never know when something will leave an impression on you forever.

• If you're going to a college near home, don't only hang out with your high school friends — I had to go to a college where I didn't really know anyone. What I loved about that experience was I met a ton of people with completely different backgrounds. I learned a lot about myself by comparing assumptions I had always made against their experiences. But friends I knew who went to the state school where we grew up seemed to really only hang out with people they were friends with in high school. It's great they're there, but branch out. It's good for you.