9 Things You Should Do Your First Year of College

Since I spent many of my waking hours at college this year, now have many college friends, and by
the end of the summer will have taken 12 college courses I figure I am at least semi-qualified to tell you about college. So here are 9 things you should do in college (preferably starting your freshman year)...

1. Get on the professor's good side before you need something
Your professors will have lots of students. If you can stand out in a good way that is very important because when you need something they will be a lot more interested in talking to you and trying to help you. You don't want to need a favor and your professor see you as 'the kid that walks in late every day'. Be respectful and kind. They work hard and deserve the respect. Many are very willing to help you pass the class or help you get that internship but if you never respect them you will have a tough time.

2. Take the opportunity to talk to people you don't know
There are several hundred to several thousand people on campus. You will not know everyone by week three. I guarantee you that. Even after year three chances are there will still be people in your own class that you don't know. Still, take the time to talk to people you don't know.You could become best friends. Okay, while not extremely likely that will happen with everyone you sit down and talk to you may be surprised to hear the things you have in common. At the very least you will probably have an interesting conversation so take the time to talk to the person you are sitting by at lunch or in class.

3. Go to events
Yes, you are not paying thousands of dollars to go to events. True. But if you are going to be paying thousands of dollars and only get a few years there, make the most of it. Go to football games with friends - even if you hate football. You may not remember the game but you may remember the time you were jumping around cheering for the team and your friend made you fall on the guy in front of you. Go to the band concerts and cheer on your friends. You may not remember the pieces they played but chances are that friend will remember you were there for her. Go to events - if you are lucky you may end up with a new friend or at least some free food. Both are pretty good.

4. Live on campus

If you can, live on campus. There is something special about living 100 feet from your friends or (if you are lucky) living with your friends. Some crazy adventures happen and if you don't live on campus you will miss a lot of them. I know because I have missed out on some crazy adventures with my friends by living at home. But that's okay because this year at home has made me realize how much I want to live there and next year I will appreciate those times all the more.

5. Join something
When I ask fellow college students what they recommend freshman do I always hear the phrase 'join something'. Join band. Join choir. Join track. Join swing dancing club. Join something. Joining something gives you the chance to get to know people outside people in your major and your hall mates. When I joined a group I honestly feel like I joined a family. So get connected right away by joining a group and be part of something incredible.

6. Buy your books online or from other students
Whatever you do, don't buy all your books for the campus bookstore. That is a rookie mistake. Check out all the best textbook sites and see what other prices you can get. Also, another great place to look is down the hall. A lot of students are looking to sell their books back and 90% won't ask nearly as much for them as the campus bookstore. And even if they want to keep their books many will actually just let you borrow them for the semester.

7. Meet with advisers and have a plan
If you know what major you want to pursue and if you have any other plans (like internships you want to do or adding on a minor) then it is a very good idea to meet with your advisers. They know what classes you should be taking and in what order.

8. Talk with juniors and seniors in your major
They know what professors to take and which ones you want to avoid like the plague. They also will know which classes you will need to study for the most and which ones are okay to slack on a bit. Like previously mentioned, you also may be able to borrow or buy some textbooks from them too! (Side note: another great tool to find out which professors are good is ratemyprofessors.com - true, some students have the poorest reasons for rating professors as bad or good but overall it can give you a fair idea of what a professor is like)

9. Enjoy the journey
Above all though, do not let these moments go by you. Don't spend your whole four years wasting time and be preoccupied with other things. Go out on late night adventures with your roommates. Meet new people. Take interesting classes. Enjoy your college experience while you can. You will never forget it.

5 Reasons Doing PSEO Was One of the Best Decisions I've Ever Made

1. Escape from high school

Having to ask to go to the bathroom, being forced to get up at 6:30 a.m., only having one choice for lunch, getting in trouble with your parents if you skip class, and riding the bus with thirteen year olds. That's high school, not college. In college you can usually get up and leave class no questions asked, you can sleep in until 30 minutes before the earliest class you scheduled for yourself, there is a multitude of lunch options, you could never go to class and your parents would never be called, and seeing people under the age of 18 at school is very rare. There are so many freedoms available in college that it makes high school look like prison. (Read my post about reasons college is better than high school.) And if your 4 year sentence could be lifted 2 years early then why not take it?

2. Exposure to college atmosphere

Not only do you get to escape the boredom of high school, but you get the rare opportunity to see what college is like before you are thrown into it with no idea what you are doing. PSEO provides a more gentle transition. You get to see what college professors are like, get your textbooks, experience daytime college life, roam a college campus, do college level work, and meet college students. But at the same time you don't have to worry about paying for it all, you don't have roommate troubles (unless you live on campus), you can take a reduced load without risking not graduating on time, you can keep your ties to your high school friends, and you have your parents to help you along the way. Then when the time comes for you to actually go off the college you may very well be a pro (especially if you end up going to the college you took PSEO classes at).

3. Money, money, money

Sticker price, tuition at my school (University of Northwestern - St. Paul) is $28,390. Look, I don't have that kind of money in my change jar or even in my savings account (17 years of birthday money, 1 year of PCA work, and 2 years of tutoring people in math don't get you that much). Multiply that by the 5 years it'll take me to get my bachelor's in pastoral ministry and my master's of  divinity degree and you'll get... a heart attack. That's not even including room and board, meal plans, parking permits, dorm furnishings, or textbooks. College is expensive. This isn't news. Getting in anywhere from a semester to a year of free college can save you tons of money. Also, if it convinces you to do PSEO you can make yourself your parent's new favorite child (I know I am #1 now. That's a joke - anyone who knows me knows I am an only child.). Put it into perspective... even $30,000 saved in tuition is huge. With that money you could buy a brand new Dodge Challenger or 42 Samsung 1080p HD LED 50" Smart TVs or over 6 thousand venti White Chocolate Mochas from Starbucks or 25,000 tacos from Taco Bell or sponsor 3 children (from the time they are born to the time they become adults) through Compassion and give them nearly $100 every Christmas. I'm telling you PSEO can save you SO much money.

4. Chance to start working towards your future

If you are anything like you me you hate the idea of wasting your valuable time learning calculus. I am an impatient person and I'll bet you are too. Personally, I want to go out into the world and start a church. I want to lead people to Christ and I want to do it now. I need to educated and prepared but that doesn't have to wait until I am almost 19. I am doing it all now so I will have a master's degree and be ready to start proclaiming the name of Jesus for a living when I am 21. Whatever your dream is, you can start working towards it up to 2 years sooner by doing PSEO.

5. Ability to test the waters of a certain college

If there is a certain college you want to go to, doing PSEO there will give you a good idea if it is truly the place for you. Before you move in and start paying tuition for something you may not like, PSEO gives you the opportunity to try a college out with only a semester commitment. If it isn't for you, then move on to another college.



Note to those who have been scared of PSEO because of their schools...
A majority of schools see you as money. You are worth several thousand dollars of funding. If you choose to do PSEO, they get very little money for you. This is why so many teachers and administrators try to scare students away from PSEO. They want their money. Sure, some students do best in high school but if you have the support of your parents, you are informed, and you are willing to work then don't let anyone try and stop you from saving yourself that cash, testing out those waters, fleeing high school, entering college life, and working towards your dreams!