You can be told how to do things in college, but no one really teaches you how to do certain things in college. You are taught to live on your own and take care of yourself, but no one really teaches you how to do things like finding an internship or figuring out your purpose in life. Luckily, in my now four years of college, I was on the same boat and was able to find solutions to these complex problems. If you are like me and are stuck on a certain chapter of college, keep reading for some helpful tricks and tips!
How to find an internship
When I was told I had to find an internship before I graduate college, I almost flipped out. I didn’t even know what an internship was, nor how to even acquire one. Luckily, CNU has so many resources that can help you narrow down and find the perfect internship for you! The first thing I did was visit the Center for Career Planning (CCP) on the third floor of CNU Hall. There, I met Andy Park, who really helped me narrow down what I enjoy and what I should look for in an internship. From there, I just researched on popular platforms like LinkedIn and Handshake. I also asked my professors about potential internships that they’ve heard about through the school. In the grand scheme of things, it’s just important to do your research and to apply to as many internships as you possibly can. That way, you can secure one before you graduate. Remember, the Center for Career Planning is always there to help you!
How to seek help academically
No one likes to admit that they need help, especially when you are in college trying to make it on your own. However, academics are 10 times harder than in high school, meaning at some point in your college career, you are going to need help on a certain subject. The first step to this is accepting that you need help academically. Once you’ve accepted that, you can start figuring out how to get the help you need. Some options are to visit your professor’s office hours to go over content you don’t understand, or visiting the Tutoring Center in the Center for Student Success (CSS) on the first floor of CNU Hall. These are both great resources because they help connect you with someone who can help you better comprehend material in a one-on-one setting. Remember that it’s okay not to understand something and it’s okay to ask for help once in a while.
How to save money when shopping
Saving money in college is important, especially if you live off-campus, have a shortened meal plan, or use your car often and need gas. There are a lot of expenses we fail to take into account when we get to college, and that’s why it’s important to shop wisely. I recently figured out lots of ways to save money. When grocery shopping, I found that stores such as Aldi, Lidl and Food Lion are a lot cheaper than stores such as Target and Harris Teeter. Therefore, if I am going to get groceries, I tend to lean more towards the cheaper stores. Most of my clothes that I purchase are usually from thrift stores such as Goodwill and Village Thrift, which helps save money. Lastly, I recently implemented a rule where I use what I have first before I go buy more, which I do for beauty products such as makeup, skincare and body care items. Implementing these tips into your daily life can help you save money while you are in college.
How to figure out what I enjoy
College is one of those experiences where you attempt to figure out who you are and what you enjoy. This can be done simply by joining new organizations or picking up new hobbies. When I started at CNU, I joined a few organizations that really helped me find my passions such as The Captain’s Log, where I continued my passion for writing, and Her Campus, where I found my passion for content creation. College is amazing for this because it gives you four years to become the type of person you want to become and gives you the ability to learn what you like and dislike. My biggest tip for this is to join organizations within your first year of college, that way you can learn all the things you enjoy doing early on.
How to make new friends
No one has ever written a guidebook on how to make friends in college, and it’s also not quite that simple either. When you first get to college, you don’t really know anyone because people come from all over the place, and it’s rare to know someone who went to your high school that you were close with. This can make searching for new friends difficult, because you practically have to start from scratch. Luckily, making new friends in college doesn’t have to be super hard. The best way to find friends in college is to look for common interests. A lot of my friends I met through my organizations or my classes, which are things I picked to be in. Usually, you end up finding someone with similar interests as you, or even someone you just click with very well. All it takes is the courage to talk to someone new, and you’ll have a close friend before you know it!
How to start browsing for jobs
Contrary to popular belief, this is still something I am learning how to do, even as a senior in college. Applying to jobs is an absolute nightmare. So many applications, interviews and rejections later, you end up feeling very burnt out and done. Technically, there is no ‘right’ way to start browsing for jobs, but even just browsing online is a great start. Just make sure you are applying to things you’ll actually want to do and putting in your best effort in the application. From there, it’s a toss up. The best thing to do is to just never give up and keep trying. Don’t let rejection discourage you.
How to stick to a routine
Routines are just important in college, but are also important once you fully live on your own. However, it can be difficult to stick to a solid routine in college when our schedules are all over the place, yet that doesn’t make it impossible. In order to create a solid routine, I recommend using tools such as Google Calendar and the Reminders app, as they both help you remember daily tasks that you need to accomplish. I also like to use these apps to implement my meal and self care times so that I am also taking care of myself as well. Once you have a solid-weekly routine, you will feel much more accomplished and less frazzled, and when the time comes to change your routine, making those changes will be a lot easier.
How to conflict resolve
I tell people this all the time, but college is one of the places where you will learn to resolve conflict the most. When you live on your own, you realize how much stuff can go wrong in an instant, and it’s important to pick up conflict resolution in order to solve problems on your own. Last year, when I lived in the apartments, our dryer handle broke while my clothes were still in the dryer. What was my solution you ask? I wedged a fork into the dryer and was able to pry it open. For the next week, this was our solution until maintenance was able to fix our dryer. This is why adopting a conflict-resolution mindset is essential when you are in college. The easiest way to do this is to access the problem at hand, and brainstorm potential solutions that could be helpful. It’s also important to keep an open mind and understand that things will go wrong, and you just have to make the best of it.
These are just a few of the things that people might not teach you once you start college. Even if you are in your second, third or fourth year of college, it’s okay to not know how to do something still. We are all actively learning how to become full adults and how to maintain a sense of independence, which is something that can be tricky to learn. That’s why I hope that this article was helpful for some of the things you could potentially struggle with while in college. Just remember that you are never alone and that you are allowed to ask for help.
