How to Spell College

Get some sleep. Your health is the most important thing. Sacrifice some sleep. Your grades matter.

Cram. It works. Don’t cram. It doesn’t work.

Sit in the front of the class—ask questions, get known, discuss. Sit in the back of the class—you’re the most comfortable there and you can listen and read.

Meet anyone, everyone, anytime, every time. Network—the more the merrier. If you’re happy with the small group of friends you have, stick with them—they’re the ones who matter.

Pick the best and toughest and/or most well-known professors. They’re the most inspirational and you’ll learn the most and probably get a better recommendation. Pick the easiest professors. Are you really stupid enough to ruin your GPA by choosing good but tough professors?

Talk to your roommate about dorm issues you’re having. They’re gonna get worse. Ignore the issues. Is the conversation really worth it?

Keep in touch with your hometown friends—they know you best and they’re an important part of you. Cultivate college friendships—you’ve changed and you’re in a new place.

Party, go out, explore the town, stay in to laugh with friends. This life is about people and about having fun—right here, right now. Study, focus, lock yourself in the library. This life is about work and planning for the future.

Start a club, get an internship, get involved. When you graduate, job interviewers will ask you what you’ve done, not be picky between your 3.0 or 3.5. Be on track with good grades, good relations with professors, and good research experience. When you graduate, grad schools you apply to want to see solid academics.

I guess the only advice in college is:

Listen to yourself. What’s your mission? What’s your purpose? What’s best for yourself? What makes you happiest? Only you know what’s best and only you are in control of your life. Stay true to yourself—but when something whispers in your ear that you might be wrong, don’t be afraid of listening to it. Change a bit, experiment, balance.

- by Nathan Chow
Boston University Class of 2009

When they go to class the first week…
Upperclassmen wear normal clothes.
Freshmen dress up.

When they don’t know where a building is…
Upperclassmen wander around confidently.
Freshmen pull out their handy-dandy maps.

When it’s time to buy textbooks…
Upperclassmen save money by buying them online. (This is how.)
Freshmen sell their souls to the campus bookstore.

When it’s time to study…
Upperclassmen skim the readings.
Freshmen try to read every word assigned.

When it’s time to walk to the communal shower…
Upperclassmen seem to carry nothing.
Freshmen carry full shower totes.

When they look through their closets…
Upperclassmen have college clothes related to clubs they’re part of or events they’ve attended.
Freshmen have generic college sweatshirts, “senior” shirts from high school, and the always-visible college lanyard.

When it’s time for nightlife…
Upperclassmen are fine with hanging out at a friend’s place.
Freshmen feel the need to explore the city or get into a party.

When it’s time for the parties…
Upperclassmen have all the connections already, as well as access to bars and clubs.
Freshmen are eternally searching for trashy frat houses that will admit anyone.

When it’s time to get from point A to point B…
Upperclassmen travel alone or with one or two friends.
Freshmen travel in packs of 10. Maybe 20. Sometimes 30 if they’re real kinky.

When it comes to dating…
Upperclassmen look for stable relationships, often from people already in their social network.
Freshmen look for hooking up and “whatever they can get.”

When it comes to socializing…
Upperclassmen meet new people through their long-time friends.
Freshmen are not afraid of meeting new people in the elevator.

When they meet someone new…
Upperclassmen ask “You look familiar. You were in one of my classes last semester, right?”
Freshmen ask “Hey!! Aren’t we friends on Facebook?!?”

When they say good-bye to strangers…
Upperclassmen say “See ya around.”
Freshmen say “What’s your last name? I’ll find ya on Facebook!”

When they see someone they know…
Upperclassmen ask “How was your summer?”
Freshmen ask “What was your name again?”

When it’s time to talk to their parents…
Upperclassmen call home at the end of every week.
Freshmen receive calls from home at the end of every day.

When it’s time to talk about post-graduation plans…
Upperclassmen become clueless and scared—and secretly wish they could do the whole college thing all over again.
Freshmen think that graduation is a long time away.

Cherish your short time in college!

- by Nathan Chow
Boston University Class of 2009