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College Success: Get involved, have no regrets

I've always hated uncertainty.

As an incoming freshmen three years ago, the only thing I was sure of was that I wasn't sure of anything. I wasn't sure what the upcoming four years of my life would be like, what kind of person I'd be when I was done, whether I'd even graduate from college.

My parents were supportive. As always, they just wanted me to be happy. And while they did give a ton of advice, the advice didn't stop at my front door. At every party, social gathering and "run in" at the mall, everyone I knew had good "college advice". And, oddly, everyone seemed to know at least one person who went to Bloomsburg and thought it was a good school. But I digress.

Even though I hate taking the role of a parental figure, I feel that it's my duty to give everyone yet more advice for their first time in college. And, for those of you who have been in college for a while, this may prove useful to you as well.

Make goals for yourself

The week before I went away to school for the first time, I sat in my room and thought about what I wanted the whole college experience to be for me. Above anything, I didn't want to have any regrets and excuses when/if I graduated. I wanted to say that I gave college my best shot and if I failed a test or a class--fine. If I didn't do as well as I maybe should have--fine.

I just wanted to make sure that I didn't look back in 15 or 20 years and realize, "wow, I really could have done well if I had applied myself." That really was my biggest fear as I always hear people telling me that.

So from that fear, I decided that I was going to go all out. I was going to be busy, be involved, try to make a difference--and a few friends in the process.

Get involved early

The best thing that I ever did at Bloomsburg was get involved in activities right away. I got involved in WBUQ, our campus radio station, and The Voice. Even after the first week of school, it's easy to tell who's already become resigned to going to class and coming back to the dorm--never again to venture out.

When I got involved right away, I met a ton of people--some I liked, others I would have like to have thrown off the roof of Elwell. The point is that I had the opportunity to find out who I liked and didn't in a college environment.

Relationships are very different in college than in any other setting, and I quickly found this out. By getting an idea of what type of personality I liked and didn't like, I was able to get a step up on others who were still trying to feel their way through their freshmen year.

Besides the ability to meet new people, activities give you the chance to get some real-world experience that you may not get in the classroom. If you've got theory discussion in the classroom, supplement that with practical experience "in the field." Lucky for you, Bloomsburg has a very active campus and you can find a club or activity for whatever you're interested in.

Throughout college, I found that my grades were better and I was happier when I was busy. When you're busy, it forces you to either organize yourself or fail in the process. Either one isn't a bad thing, necessarily.

Besides, college is very much like a smorgasbord. You need to try different things to find out if you like them of not. If you don't like an activity, that's OK--try another. Many people change majors because they find an activity they really like. The real trick is finding something that makes you happy.

Freedom is a very dangerous thing

One of the best, and sometimes worst, parts of college is the absolute freedom that is bestowed upon college students. We don't have to be anywhere at any time and the reality of it is that we can do anything we want. The real trick is though to use that freedom wisely.

OK, OK. I can see readers starting to trail off here. I know, I know--I'm getting too preachy. But allow me to explain. Freedom definitely means something very different for me than it does for many other people.

For me, freedom means that you can stay up all night talking with a good friend about the Seinfeld Soup Nazi. Freedom for me means that if you want to, you can take a three-hour road trip and come back at 3 a.m. to type a paper that's due the next morning.

Freedom to some people means a lack of moderation and more importantly, a lack of sense.

If you do go out and drink, don't go out to get trashed. Be adult about it--have a beer and have a good time. Come home enjoying rather than regretting the night. That's not to say that I condone underage drinking, because I don't. But I'm not naïve enough to believe that college students are going to wait until they're 21 to drink. I know it doesn't happen, so the only advice I can give is--do it responsibly.

These are just a few tips that I learned through trial and error when I've been at Bloomsburg. To this date, I haven't regretted a single moment that I've spent in college. I've done what I've wanted to do and I know I won't look back in 20 years and wonder why I squandered the best years of my life away. And I'm certain about that.