Welcome to the next big step in your life. It might seem like a big one, but once you get moved and settled in, it is more of a half step. It may seem that just yesterday you walked the stage into today where you have no idea what to expect. Maybe you’re the kind of student who thinks college is just like what media portrays it as… Well sorry to burst that bubble, but sororities and all are nothing relatable to the humorous movies starring Zac Efron, "Neighbors" and "Neighbors 2." College is where you get to experience adulthood, and if you’re out in the dorms or in an apartment, adulting really hits you. Have no fear though, because this article might just be your saving grace to not only helping with opening the mind, but with the vast reality of it all. I will be covering topics from dorm decor, to what I expected and really experienced. I’ll even share the reality of why having a job is an important survival key. So hang on tight and keep reading.
1. Dorm Decor
There are two types of people out there. There are the simple people, and then there are the more creative people. Okay, just kidding, but really college is where you get to freely express yourself not only as a person, but with style. This being said, your dorm room will always be your number one spot to be yourself. With this comes the idea of decorating. Decorating can go one of two ways; cheap, or expensive… There is no in-between these days so it seems. For example, at a local retail store, an eye catching picture frame for a 4x6 picture had the price tag of $10. Don’t get me wrong, that sounds like a good price; for an 8x10 photo! So what to do about this? Well as a sophomore now I would suggest, actually scratch that- I would recommend heading over to pinterest.com where you can create a free account and search in DIY (do it yourself) projects that match your lifestyle. These ideas are not only usable for upcycling a cereal box, but they are inexpensive and they make the best decor possible. The other piece of advice I have with decor, is that keeping it to a limit and keeping it simple helps with the idea of space limitations.
That’s right, space limitations. A dorm room for a single person at Wright State University measures 9’ by 14’ which in reality is small. One decor idea I have noticed on both tumblr.com and pinterest.com is the idea of picture walls. With the help of 4x4 prints and tape, you can change that bland looking wall into a wall of fun memories and a wall that fits your style. This also helps save that ten dollars from that frame mentioned earlier in this article. To conclude the decor advice, pinterest.com is a fantastic place to help find your inner DIY self, and save money for other expenses.
2. Myth VS. Truth…
As I mentioned in the introduction, college is nothing like the media portrays it as. College is one of those things where like high school, are expected to be Project X parties and skipping classes. College is even portrayed to be where everything is sorority or frat. based. When it comes down to it, those are just media based myths. Yes in college there are parties, and there are frats and sororities but they are not what take over the lives of most students. There will truly be homesickness too, so don’t be shy to have to call your momma every night or even hang a pic of you and your momma on your wall of photos. Homesickness in college; especially when far away from home is normal, and it is nothing to be embarrassed about. The other thing is that college is the time you actually are out on your own, so you can easily find the you that you are supposed to feel comfortable as. So don’t fear, you’ll do great!
Going into college, I expected to attend parties and meet a lot of guys; that I won’t lie about. That was a huge one for me. But with time I adjusted and came to the reality that college was just an oversized high school only with living on campus. So honestly it could be different for other schools, but for Wright State, don’t think everybody is a party scene person. At this point it’s more of studying- which is honestly more important. The other thing, the school expects a lot! The GPA standards are at first a shock, but it’s reasonable and necessary stuff so make sure you familiarize with those policies before you become familiar with probation in your second semester.
3. A Job in College is Not Just a Job…
Go ahead and email my mother on this one because she too can tell you exactly; word for word what I am about to share with you. A job in college is actually a life saver. I survived freshman year of college by threads. I had multiple grocery trips where I was in debt at the end by nearly $200 and that was a bi-weekly trip! Of course it also helps to be a budgeter. However, a job will also help with those days where you have no idea what to do with yourself after classes are done. A job also helps with saving for an apartment of your own. Seriously, those apartments are nowhere near free, and that money does not grow on trees (unless I’m blind and have yet to see this tree of magical greens). So a job is really a life saver when on your own and you want (more of need) cash for fun, because, despite what Sia has to say, nothing is for cheap thrills anymore.
To summarize all this, college isn’t anything someone especially y’all newbies need to fear. Yes it’s a big step, but hopefully I have put a little bit of ease into your lives as y’all finish packing and move in these next few weeks. Best of luck to y’all, and have fun. Make college your experience and don’t fear to change your majors or minors to suit you best and make you happy. Have a fantastic year!
