~ACADEMICS~

“When your high school teachers told you to listen to them because they were ‘preparing you for college,’ you probably should have paid attention. College is so completely different from high school. It’s very shocking at first. It takes a semester or two to get used to it. Some schools are better at letting you adjust, but at McGill they don’t really care how good of a student you were in high school. You have to prove yourself. The papers are tougher and there are no ‘homework points’ or projects to cushion your grade like there were in high school. Usually your grade is based on a midterm, a final exam and a paper or two. So if you mess up on one or two, your grade will suffer. It is important to ask your professor or TA for help if you need it. Utilize their office hours and study sessions. It also helps to study with other people from your class. The library may be intimidating at first, but it is a much better place to study than a dorm room. Overall, it’s important to realize that you are not in high school anymore. Be prepared to falter at first, but also remember that you will get used to it and once that happens, college is pretty awesome!”

— Jenny Schulz {McGill University}

~DORMS~

“Few people in my hallway were exempt from the foul noises my roommate and her boyfriend, whom she started dating the second day of orientation, made together as a manifestation of their togetherness. At first, my biggest goal was to become good friends and as a result, have a merry semester. Unfortunately, my interests were not reciprocated. As an art major, she spent all of her time working and ‘hanging out’ in my dorm room which was anything but spacious. A few times I’d wake up to her and her man rustling in the sheets and it was so late that all I could do was feel fury, sleepiness and disgust. Mid-semester, I asked her to stop having sleepovers everyday and to please limit their games for the weekends (prudence please!). She did it for a week. Then it was the same deal. I spent very little time in the room, working until late to avoid their scandalous explorations of each other.

The truth is that since I didn’t stand up for myself she barely respected me. I found my stuff – like my silverware all bent up with dried food on it – on her side of the room. Her dirty clothes and underwear [were] on the floor all the time and it would be embarrassing to bring anyone home because these would be the first to greet my guests. If I could go back, the first order of business wouldn’t be ‘friendliness.’ Rules should be set from the beginning. There is a big difference between having a guest and a third roommate; it isn’t fair to have a third roommate . . . they don’t pay rent! There should be compromising, but not at the expense of your space, privacy, or comfort.”

— Adriana Aspiazu {Carnegie Mellon University}

~SOCIAL LIFE~

“The first few weeks of college classes can be a little intimidating, but don’t try to compensate for any fearfulness by devoting all your time to schoolwork at the expense of getting out, meeting new people and just having fun. College is a learning experience, but not just an academic one. Participate in the activities you enjoyed at WJ, but also make sure to try out some of the stuff you didn’t get a chance to do in high school. You’ll make new friends, find new hobbies and feel a lot more comfortable in your new surroundings, all of which will ease the transition to college. In my case, I pledged a fraternity and became an EMT, both of which are things I never thought I would do this time last year (joining Hamilton’s Varsity Streaking team, however, is something that will forever be off my radar). College is supposed to be the best four years of your life, and you can make it that way if you make an effort to get involved in your school’s campus life.”

— James Kruger {Hamilton College}

~FOOD/HEALTH~

“My college advice would be to avoid getting sick at all costs. When you live in dorms with 1,000+ people, with 70 people on a floor, sicknesses causes hysteria worse than the swine flu. Last fall, we had breakouts of something called a ‘norovirus’ and it was not pretty. Taking basic precautions, like hand-sanitizing like crazy and not sharing drinks at parties, will keep you from claiming the bathroom as your new home. Also, listen to your mom and take vitamins daily. I swear by Flintstones gummy vitamins.”

— Alison Scharman {University of Wisconsin}

“When eating at college, variety is key.  Sure, you could probably have about as much bacon as you want every morning, and the fast food readily available on campus is mighty enticing.  But after a certain amount of pork and cheesy gordita crunch, even the worst eaters imaginable will start heading for the salad bar, and it won’t even be by choice.  Once you get sick of greasy food, there’s no turning back.  For me, even the smell of KFC merits a trip to the bathroom. So, my advice to you is to find a dining hall with a good salad bar and some do-it-yourself sections where you can make a sandwich or wrap the way you like it.  The veggies will fill you up without grossing you out and anything you prepare yourself is better than the mystery-meat cooked in questionable conditions by a funny-looking chef with hygiene issues.”

— Danny Fersh {Syracuse University}