This is a continuing series. Check out our first post!
Going off to college forces a lot of change. No longer are you under your parent’s roof, rules, or values. Responsibility of going to class, work, and sleeping all fall upon YOU. Here are some practical tips for the newly responsible young men.
- Make friends, then meet their friends. College is a time to meet a lot of people from various backgrounds, cultures, religions, and interests. By meeting people from other backgrounds you can further your quest for cultural competency. This is also a chance to learn about new foods!
- Don’t declare a major your first semester. The average college student changes their major 4 times. By not declaring your major until your sophomore year, you can experience classes in several fields of study. After all, how many Lawyers majors need a minor in Marine Biology?
- Live on campus for at least one year. Most colleges do not require students to live on-campus. If you do not have a friend group established at the college you are going to, you might find out that your “pot-luck” roommate is actually pretty cool. Plus, the Resident Assistants know all of the resources at the college, so they can point you to organizations, services, and proper George Forman Grill cooking classes.
- Student Life are there for YOU. By attending events put on by your college’s Student Life department, not only will you walk away with FREE college t-shirts, Frisbees, and buttons, you will meet other students who also enjoy seeing movies, reading books, studying occasionally, and know the guys in the band at the coffee shop down the road.
Adam Glendye, LPC
aglendye @ growcounseling.com
