The requiem of my college career is fast approaching. As graduation gets closer, I’ve started looking back on the past four years. It is funny how college gives you the wisdom to recognize your mistakes only after you have already made them.
Consider this a warning from someone who has learned a few lessons the hard way. Plenty of students have walked this path before you, and almost all of them wish they had done something differently.
To start, grades are not everything. In high school, test scores and GPA were almost the entire ballgame; good grades can open doors, but they rarely open all of them. They will get you a nice extra stole and some pats on the back from your parents. But a strong GPA alone usually is not enough to land a job.
I remember stressing over one exam like it was going to determine my entire future. I spent days convincing myself that one bad grade would ruin my chances of getting a good job. Looking back, I cannot even remember what class it was. What I do remember are the internships I applied for, the people I met and the experiences that taught me far more than that test ever did.
Be thoroughly involved in a club, or even a sorority or fraternity. Having marketable skills, experience and being a smooth talker will get you far. But sometimes, knowing a guy who knows a guy is just as valuable as another line on your résumé.
Study hard. Just because grades are not everything does not mean you can just kick back and watch TV all day. Furthering your knowledge on something that you’re passionate about is worth more than a grade or a job. If all else fails, at least you can badger people about it when they ask if you have a job, what you are going to do with your life or if you are gonna pick up the check.
College is a trial run
Take chances. I am not saying college is the last time you will be able to do stupid, sometimes regrettable things, but it is the last time you will ever be looked upon as beneath the maturity of an adult.
College is one of the few times in life when making small mistakes is expected. Take advantage of that freedom to try new things, even if they do not go perfectly.
Some of my favorite college memories came from saying yes to things I almost skipped. Whether it was going to an event where I didn’t know anyone or trying something completely outside my comfort zone, those experiences turned out to be far more memorable than another night in my dorm.
Many students spend so much time worrying about doing everything perfectly that they miss out on experiences they are genuinely interested in.
Double-check everything. Verify important information yourself. Advisors can make mistakes, roommates forget responsibilities and professors occasionally surprise you. Do not assume an old study guide is still accurate, do not assume Houston traffic will cooperate and definitely do not assume you know your alcohol tolerance. You get the point: plan.
College teaches you not to assume someone else has everything handled. Whether it was confirming an advising appointment, checking that a class fulfilled a degree requirement or reading the syllabus one more time, taking five extra minutes often saves hours of frustration later.
College will not hold your hand
Depending on who you ask, UH is either completely safe or unbearably dangerous. The reality falls somewhere in the middle.
Crime does happen, but for the most part, UH is a relatively quiet campus. Still, it is located in the middle of a major city, not a suburb or rural town, so taking basic safety precautions is always a good idea.
Carry pepper spray if it makes you feel more comfortable, avoid walking alone late at night when possible and use campus safety resources. Most students go through college without experiencing serious crime, but it is always worth being prepared.
College has a funny way of teaching lessons you did not know you needed. Some come from classes, but most come from missed opportunities, awkward conversations, bad decisions and unexpected successes.
You will not do everything right and that is okay. Four years from now, you will probably look back and realize the moments you worried about the most were not the ones that defined your college experience.
If there is one piece of advice worth taking, it is this: do not spend so much time trying to have the perfect college experience that you forget to actually live it.
Opinion@thedailycougar.com
