Top Ten Pieces of Advice from an App State Senior

Let's face it: going to college is an amazing, overwhelming, albeit scary experience, especially if you are just venturing out on your own and away from the parental units. Adjusting to college can be even more challenging, yet the benefits you reap from attending a university are astronomical.

As a senior at App State, I've learned a few nifty tips and tricks over the course of my collegiate experiences, and so I have taken the time to explain them all, in the hopes that at least one brand-new college kid will benefit from them and excel.

#10: Life your life to the fullest

I’d like to welcome you to adulthood. You’re off in college on your own (most likely) for the first time. That means you are responsible for you. That also means get your responsibilities out of the way, so you can go enjoy life. If “enjoying life” means jumping off a forty foot waterfall, go for it! If it means staying out to late on a Friday night, do it! Just make sure that these years are the ones you tell your grandkids some day, because college is about exploration and adventure. Make them your best years ever.

#9: Do NOT download/use Yik Yak

Yik Yik is, simply put, anonymous Twitter. And while that might sound pretty awesome, it really isn’t. Sure, nobody knows who you are, but you don’t know who anyone else is, either, and some of the most toxic individuals on campus live and breed on Yik Yak.

#8: Get involved in a student organization

Involvement in worthwhile organizations on campus will look great on you resume, and it will also give you something to do besides study and hang out with friends. There are hundreds of student organizations that focus on a plethora of subjects. Go out and find a student organization that makes you feel alive!

#7: Spend your meal plan money wisely

It may seem like intangible funds, but once it runs out, you have to replenish it, and that can be a tedious task. Best advice is to plan your meals and snacks to a budget that ensures your funds will span the entirety of the semester.

#6: Don’t search for your passion; let it find you

Obsessing over what your future needs to be like, or how you need to achieve success in life is going to do nothing but stress you out. Take my advice: let your passion find you. It’ll slap you in the face and you’ll see it as soon as it presents itself to you. Make sure it’s really your passion and not just a phase; your passion is the one thing that you can see yourself doing in twenty years and still enjoy doing it.

#5: Sit in the front of the classroom

Be sure to find a seat towards the front of the classroom, for two reasons. First, to ensure you pay more attention to what the professor is saying. Second, to ensure that the professor remembers your face when you speak up and participate in classroom discussion.

#4: Don’t drink and drive

At Appalachian State, we have something called Boone Student Beeper, located on Facebook. It’s easy to use, and costs you less than $5, there and back, wherever and back. It’s the simplest way to avoid DUI charges, because let’s be honest: ASU police and Boone PD love giving out those tickets. So, be smart: don’t drink and drive. It could save your life, as well as others.

#3: Be a “Teacher’s Pet”

Screw what everyone else thinks. Being a teacher’s pet earns you a little extra from the professor when the grind gets going over the course of the semester. If they can recognize you from your ample participation in class, and by name, and you have been putting forth a valiant effort in the course, then the professor will be more willing to give you a little extra push in the right direction. Teachers love students who love to learn, and make active steps towards that goal.

#2: Pick your friends wisely

Your friends are going to be the ones you turn to for support and for socialization. Make sure they are like-minded individuals and are willing to put in as much effort as you do. A few of these are also going to be the ones that remain your closest friends throughout your college years, and with some effort on both ends, well into adulthood. I've met some of my closest friends here in Boone.

#1: Learn the skill of time management

Planning your time wisely will save you an immense amount of anxiety and panic attacks from procrastination. It can even save you from having to repeat a course due to a lack of time management skills. Trust me, you don't want to be pulling 3 or 4 all-nighters a week just to keep up with homework and studying.

In short, going to college is fun, fantastic, and sometimes frustrating. But, if you learn the proper life hacks and shortcuts, it can be the most magical time of your life. All you have to do is grab it by the horns and be in control.

With that being said, welcome to Appalachian, GO 'NEERS!