Blog #1: Advice

As my first semester as a college student comes to a close, I pause to reflect upon the lessons that I have learned, the challenges that I have overcome, and the improvements that I need to practice to ensure a more productive learning experience.

Though I have yet to walk around Passion Puddle with that special someone, or find that one career that I'll love waking up to every morning, I do consider myself a deeper and more fulfilled person.

The lessons of my introspection and development lie below:

1. Don't generalize. Don't generalize people, don't generalize classes, and don't generalize circumstances. Few things are exactly the same, and if you make the mistake of believing that they are the same....you'll miss out.

2. Read syllabi carefully. You don't want to be like that freshman who assumed that the first assignment was something that was actually due in...November.

3. Take advantage of everything around you. There are so many fliers, emails, and word of mouth announcements that advertise exciting opportunities. You're here for four years, and these opportunities will shape your college experience in a different way than your classes will.

4. Everyone has a talent: whether the talent involves musical inclination, athletic ability, interpersonal skills, linguistic aptitude, or any other talent in the wide realm of possible competences. Develop the talents. The talents are what make you unique in the world; developing them will give you a stronger sense of self.

5. One of the greatest strengths of a college, specifically of this wonderful university, is the diversity offered. We come together, from different races, religions, economic backgrounds, courses of study, to represent the multi-faceted face of Rutgers University. Branch out and acquaint yourself with different faces. An alternative viewpoint can be refreshing.

6. Figure out what's important to you. Your major, your activities, and your planned profession should provide you with fulfillment, so make sure that you analyze and consider them carefully.

7. Don't go to the dining hall when you're starving. It's really easy to overeat, and then the freshman 15 becomes a reality. (Also, to avoid the freshman 15, walk instead of taking the bus when you can.)

8. SLEEP AT NIGHT. Trust me. It's way easier to function when you have received an adequate amount of sleep. Sleeping enough will make your workload and your general demeanor much less taxing.

9. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help when you need it. There are so many services at campus available for you in case you cannot manage certain situations. Tutoring, health, and mental wellness centers exist on campus for you to use. You're in a larger and more demanding atmosphere, and it would be stranger if you didn't need help than if you did!

10. Be proactive. It's way too easy to immerse yourself in the quicksand of bad habits, and when I say quicksand...I mean quicksand: Don't get sucked in because it will be extremely challenging to extricate yourself from then.

11. Learn how to compromise. Do not form rigid and binding standards for people, schedules, or activities. If you do, you'll be miserable because it's very unlikely that you will get your way 100% of the time. Be open to change. Even if you don't have to consistently modify your needs, you'll have a significantly smaller amount of stress if you're not excessively particular.

12. Spend some time every day doing something that you enjoy. It's easy to get burned out with all of the academic, extracurricular, and personal activities in which college students must engage. Make sure that you pass time relaxing at least a little bit.

13. (Lucky thirteen!) This is what I feel most fervently: Those who are not passionate about anything simply do not know enough about the world. There are so many causes to champion and issues to resolve. Did you know that human slavery still exists, even in the United States? Did you know that some people, even in New Jersey, are too poor to afford toothbrushes? Follow the news and make an active effort to get involved in your community and the world at large. There is so much that one person can do, and service acts come in a wide variety. Be aware, find something that you want to support, and actively involve yourself in what makes you passionate.

Happy holidays.