In The Know: College Advice for Freshmen

For my Brownstone readers entering their first year of college this post is for you :) Most colleges are in session (or will start soon) and as you'll soon find out the tricks you were able to get away with in high school will NOT fly in college! It (college) is a completely different game than high school. You'll be forced to grow in a way that you've never been challenged to before. College is where you say good bye to your kid self and begin to know your adult self. I thought I would give you some advice about college that I wish I had known to help you get adjusted to your new schools. I've also called on a couple of my friends to offer some advice as well.

• Roommates - Most of the time you're randomly matched with a complete stranger to room with for the entire school year. Sometimes it's a match made in heaven. Other times you may get the roommate from hell. Check out wha these two grads had to say about getting along with roommates.

"Choose your roommate(s) wisely! Be in tune with how you live, your level of cleanliness and some of the habits that define your day so that you know how to choose your roommate(s). They say,"never live with your friends." I wouldn't say never, but i would say that you shouldn't always expect your roommate(s) to remain your bestest friend. It's important to continue to build relationships, befriend and network with your other peers." - Kyle Holland (UC Berkeley)

"So you will now be away from your parents, living independently including building new relationships. One of those relationships will be with your new roommate. A lot of schools have you complete a small survey before you arrive at school to match you with someone like you (example, are you messy or a neat freak?). I have seen the roommate relationship become a bonding experience for some leading to lifelong friendships. It is an opportunity for you to become friends with someone that you do not know. Remember, this is the person you will be living with similar to your parents and siblings. Therefore, my advise is to openly communicate with your roommate to avoid any conflict. A roommate contract developed by both of you is an option. Be sure to to set ground rules with each other on how you want to live together to create a good living space. For example, sit down and have a friendly talk about her on the phone or having friends over, keeping you up all hours of the night when you have a Biology exam in the morning (sleep and visitors are too touch areas that can cause issues). It is not easy (at least it was not for me) to confront issues head on with roommates. You may not want to cause conflict with the person you have to share living quarters with over the next year. This is understandable; however, it can get worse if you do not communicate with each other. Maybe even get your Resident Assistant (RA) involved if it gets that bad. From there, you may be well on your way to a good living situation and a lifelong connection with this person." - Monica Reed (Howard University)

• Time Management - College is all about time management! In college, you won't have your parents telling you when to go to class or when to start studying. It's important to organize and prioritize your schedule so that you won't fall behind in school. Don't take on more than you can handle! If you need help with your time management skills, don't be afraid to sit down with a counselor to map our your semester.
• Managing Money - For the past 18 years of your life, you've probably never had to deal with money because your parents always handled. Now you'll have to open up a bank account (if you don't have one) and learn how to manage your own money. You'll have expenses like books, cell phone bills and food that you'll have to keep in mind. You'll also want to spend your money on luxury items such as clothes and going out. It's important to create a budget and stick to it. I know how easy it is to get carried away with money. Take care of the things you need first and if there is any money left over, you can spend it on the things you want. Believe me you'll learn the difference between want and need. Check out one grad's advice on budgeting for food:

"Buy the cheapest meal plan because you can always add money to it if needed, but if you buy the more expensive plans and you still have money left it usually does not "roll-over" into the following year, so you are either stuck or have to buy lots of water and juices like I did..." - Keona Rodgers (Loyola Marymount University)

• Making Friends - Being the new kid on the block can be hard. I remember being nervous about fitting in and making friends. Check out one students's advice about getting involved on campus:

"When first entering school, the one thing I'd suggest is to smile, be kind, and join tons of organizations. This is beneficial to you in so many ways. It's a resume booster, helps you meet people, makes you a well-rounded person (which other orgs and employers want), and will make you happier in the end. My freshman year was not fun until I started joining organizations and meeting people through them. Walking into interviews is a lot easier because there is more to talk about than just my academics. Start now so you won't have to rush in your later years!" - Rebecca Matey (USC)

"Being a freshman at college can be an exciting, yet nerve-wracking experience. It can also be quite easy to just stick with your roommate or floormates only when going to the dining hall or events on campus. In addition to that, I highly recommend attending events not only with them, but by yourself if no one is around. Go to as many as possible and when there, talk to as many people as you can. I wish I was more involved in my freshman year. However, during my second year, I found the center for African American programs and they had informal and formal events where we had great conversations about life, love, philosophy, music, books, whatever. Some of the best times I had was just meeting friends of friends or people at events and keeping in touch with them throughout college. Additionally, although I love Black people, I had some great times with diverse groups as well. People from other backgrounds will always be great to network with and befriend to give varying viewpoints. Good luck and remember to be open-minded. These will be some of the greatest years of your life if you are willing to put yourself out there and have fun." - Randi Wimberly (University of Maryland)

• Working - Many freshmen wonder if they should work during their first semester of school. For some it's not an option and for others it is. The main fear is that working will interfere with one's school work. I along with many of my friends worked during my first year of college. I was able to find a part-time position as a tutor at a local elementary school. I chose to work because I wanted extra money in my pockets to do the extra things that I wanted to do. If you choose to get a job, I recommend finding one that is flexible with your class schedule. I wouldn't work over 20 hours a week, so that you have time for your school work.

That's just a little advice that I thought would be helpful. Like I said college is one of the most defining periods in your life. So be smart and remember to make the most of it. If there are questions that I didn't cover feel free to e-mail me at brownstonemag@gmail.com and I'll be happy to help you. Good luck!

-- Tymika Morrison
Brownstone Team