If you’re about to enter college or just did, I’m sure you’ve heard all the usual advice: don’t buy your books in the bookstore! Get a meal plan or bring your own food so you save money! Rate your professors before picking classes! Actually go to class! Take advantage of office hours! And while that is all well and good, that advice gets old fast, and you’re still left wondering how to survive your college years without self-destructing.
That’s where this Reddit thread comes in. The great thing about Reddit is that the users will talk about literally anything, so you know their advice is good – they’ll tell you the stuff that no one else will. Here are 15 college life tips you need to know now:
Find A Private Toilet
forumdestroyer156: Find a toilet nobody knows about on campus. One thats clean, or has two-ply toilet paper. Find that magical toilet and tell nobody of its existence. GREAT TIP. It's hard to do number two in a room full of people. Source: ShutterStockGo To Events For Free Food
sickest_000: As a broke college guy living on minimum wage and not much to do for entertainment i suggest you go to some college events. You get plenty of free food and free t-shirts. You also get to socialize and meet new people there. Also my college has a system of giving out raffle tickets and prizes in most of the events. I won 2 tickets NJ Devils game and sold it online and got $150 once. Few of my friends have won I-pads and Kindle.etc Trust me, you will want all the free food you can get. Source: ShutterStockBuy A Sturdy Garbage Can
derpoftheirish: Don't buy those mesh garbage cans they sell in every campus bookstore. You won't put a bag in it. You or someone else will vomit in it. It will get EVERYWHERE. This is probably true. Source: ShutterStockGet Used To No Privacy
deadendpath: Don't expect to have any privacy. Who cares if your roommate sees your balls? He will eventually ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°. Just don't worry about small things like that in college. It will get to you. Try to take up a lot of space and be comfortable. Do your thing. Live the way you would live in your own home. If someone has a problem, they probably won't even address it. They will complain to their parents all the time and go home on weekends if they aren't comfortable with you. A lot of your friends will probably drop out at some point and go back home. Don't let this affect you. I still think you should be respectful, but yeah, get used to the fact that your privacy will be gone. It's a short amount of time, so don't stress too much. Source: ShutterStockKnow It's Okay To Drop A Class
Hellblood: Don't be afraid to drop a class. You might feel ashamed or frustrated at the prospect of dropping a class, but it's better than failing it and screwing up your GPA without a good reason. Sometimes a class just doesn't work out or you might have a douchebag teacher. So be sure to know the final drop dates! So true. Don't think of dropping as failure, think of it as preventing failure! Sometimes a class just isn't right, and since you have to pay for it, you might as well make sure it's worth it. Source: ShutterStockBuy Laundry Detergent Pods
elbowdoodle: powdered laundry detergent in pod form = less chance for a sticky spilled mess. Be onetime to pick up your clothes from the washer/dryer. ( Or they may be on the floor) Be careful with your laundry! And yeah, these little guys will make things a lot easier.Don't Go Home Right Away
fdsaf3: Once in a while, stay in on Friday/Saturday night and do laundry (assuming your dorm/campus has a laundry room, that is). Laundry rooms tend not to be used as much on weekend nights, so it might be better than fighting for machines during busier times. if you live close enough to go home on weekends, don't - at least not for the first few months. Weekends on campus are where your friendships with others will solidify fastest, be it by going to parties together, going to meals together, or hanging out and playing video games (or whatever). Resist the urge to go home. Your parents will still be there when you go home for Thanksgiving/Christmas. You don't have to drink to have a good time. Same goes for weed. All of these tips are great. Socialize, but also keep time for yourself. And don't go home too quickly, because once you do, you'll get more homesick faster. Source: ShutterStockKnow One Good, Quick, Go-To Recipe
LegendaryGinger: Egg in ramen. First off I use the Oriental Maruchan Ramen as my main staple, but of course I love to try everything. First I cook the noodle in the post softening them up, then I add soy sauce, mirin(if I have any), lemon/lime juice, Siracha, garlic powder, cinnamon, and the flavor packet. That makes up the most of the broth. Next, I like to add vegetables, any kind really, just whatever I have in my fridge that works. I make sure to add the egg last, because it cook really fast.At this point I'm looking through my fridge for anything that might add a little extra flavor; old Asian food leftovers, especially beef makes it taste better. It works best to add it to a separate bowl first, whisk, then add it in to the pot slowly, but that makes another bowl dirty. This is an example that you can try, but pick what you like. Make it something simple that you can keep leftovers of. Source: ShutterStockDon't Bring A Laptop To Class
nosayso: Go to class, take notes with pen and paper, not a laptop. Laptops will distract you, pay attention and it'll pay off later. When you're in class, actually be in class. I assure you you'll absorb the material better if you pay thorough attention during the lecture, so less time spent studying later. This is so true. If you bring a laptop, you'll get distracted so quickly. Plus, studies show that writing helps you remember more. Resist the urge to go on social media and stay old school with your notes. Source: ShutterStockDon't Force A Friendship With Your Roomie
imcbride: You don't have to be friends with your roommate, but communicate. Make your dorm room clean and comfortable and a place you actually want to spend time in. That was probably the best thing I did for my self during my freshman year. I think one of the reasons people have such bad roommate experiences is because they expect too much. Your roomie doesn't have to be your BFF. As long as you two know how to treat each other with respect, you should be okay. If a bigger friendship blossoms, that's great, but don't force anything. You can always get a new roomie later in the year! Source: ShutterStockGive Yourself Time Before Pledging
qunix: I'm probably going to get some hate for this comment, but I think it's valid. If you want to join a frat/sorority, wait until your sophomore year. I knew way too may people who joined a frat freshman year and didn't know how to balance between school and partying. All they did was party, and they flunked out of school, did not return the next year. I really feel this is important, take freshman year to figure out how to get the school part right. I'm not saying don't go out and party and have fun, but being in a frat really seems to concentrate more on the partying part. Of course, not all are like this, but more are. At least that is how it was at my school. Agreed. I've seen the same thing. Just wait until sophomore year so you're more in the swing of things.Become Friends With Your RA
MrSmock: Make friends with the RA's. They're just students too and they're more likely to let stuff slide if they know you. You could also sleep with them. Can confirm this is very helpful. However, they need to protect themselves too and if you screw up too much, they will have to turn you in. Can confirm this sucks. That last part is a joke, but seriously, make friends with your RA. Even if you don't like him/her, at least be nice and friendly. Source: ShutterStockGet A Lot Of Sleep
furionking: Sleep. You won't function nearly as well if you're dead tired all the time. Instead of playing video games for another two hours, just go to bed. I know it sounds lame, but sleep is really important. You'll do better in your classes if you can actually function and feel rested. Source: ShutterStocKMake Friends With One Person In Each Class
PantslessDan: Try to make friends with someone in each class. Classwork is a lot less stressful if you have people you can discuss things with, or get notes if you miss a day, or who can give you a heads up about changes in assignments, etc. This is great advice, especially if you're a commuter student. If you have a friend in class, you can get in touch with them for info, or you guys can study together. Plus, it's an easy to make friends! Source: ShutterStockTalk To Older Students With Your major
FoodCake: Ask people what their major is. Find people who are in the same department as you and ask about the teachers in your program. Everyone wants to share their classroom hacks with you. They want to tell you all about how Professor So and So talks a big game but the tests are always easy or how in College Class XYZ they had to get a study group because the exams were so hard. They want to tell you want to study hard and what you can kind of ignore. In a couple of years, you'll do the same for an incoming freshman. It will put you at ease, knowing what to expect and you may develop a mentor relationship with an upperclassman. Also, you can get their books from them for cheap because the new edition is out and even though it's not different the bookstore won't give them any money for them. They would rather give them to you or sell them for cheap to unload them. Also, remember what other people's majors are and ask them for advice about fun or interesting electives to take. Some of the best classes I took were recommended from other students, not my advisor. Source: ShutterStockWhich of these tips did you think was the most helpful? Which do you disagree with? What did we forget? Tell me in the comments!
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15 mistakes you’ll make in college that you’ll regret later
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