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[adventuresinschoolstalking]

college essay/personal statement feedback

hey world, it’s been forever. 

I thought it would be a good time to make a new post about me, what I do, and what I can offer to prospective students as they apply to their dream schools. 

If you look back through my blog, you’ll see an extensive archive of information and reflection on what it’s like to apply for college. I was the kid who started college prep at age three (I’m not joking and I don’t recommend it but it happened lol). I’ve helped dozens of people identify, apply, and be admitted to schools that really fit them, their needs, and interests. 

But now I’ve finished undergrad and have better insight on campus life. I’ve volunteered for the last two years as an officer for a national organization that’s allowed me to visit with students from all walks of life while coaching them and fostering their professional development. I’ve helped multiple people get into grad school while working with a mentor who’s helping me work through the process of finding PhD programs that best fit me. 

I have 5 years of professional social media experience as well as a background in Journalism, Public Relations, and Editing. I’m a certified copy editor who’s worked on numerous published books as well as ghost written a book or two. 

Academia is a world that I’ve been keeping up with as its still relevant to me and my interests and I know what a strong personal statement looks like. It’s not impossible to achieve and it’s definitely more intimidating than it looks. It was my mission five or six years ago to help prospective students on their journeys and I’d like to announce that I’m back in business for questions, consulting, and essay reviews. 

If you have an essay you’d like me to look at you can email it to pau.does.art@gmail.com with college admissions essay or something similar in the subject line. Tell me what you want me to look at (SPAG, structure, tone, voice, ideas, how well does it fit the question/topic you were given, general impressions). Anything you want, honestly. My blog is also open for questions about different schools and programs and general spit balling if you’re unsure what schools you should be applying to. 

I won’t be charging outrageous fees to students who need an extra pair of eyes or support that they’re not getting from their schools. However I will request that you consider buying me a coffee.Every little bit helps. 

And please, consider reblogging this so your mutuals and followers can know I offer these services as well! Thanks <3 

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

Are you a woman of color who needs money for college or grad school?

Here are 100 scholarships to choose from:

Unless otherwise stated, all minority scholarships are applicable to women from underserved ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asians.

Arts Scholarships

Girls* Who Illustrate Awesomeness Scholarship 

Apply here.

Blanche E. Coleman Foundation Scholarship 

For more information contact the foundation using this information.

National Society of Arts and Letters Scholarships

Apply here.

Bev Sellers Scholarship

Learn more here.

BMI Foundation: John Lennon Scholarship 

Apply here.

Worldstudio Foundation AIGA Scholarship

Apply here.

Women in Film Foundation Scholarship Learn more here.

Education Scholarships

Nancy Larson Foundation College Scholarship Apply here.

Minority Doctoral Loan For Service Apply here.

National Academy of Education Spencer Dissertation Fellows Apply here.

STEM Scholarships

Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Apply here.

Software Testing Scholarship Apply here.

ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship Apply here.

Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Apply here.

AWG Minority Scholarship Apply here.

National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program Apply here.

Stan Beck Fellowship Apply here.

APS Minority Scholarship Apply here.

AICPA Minority Accounting Students Scholarships Apply here.

Mae & Mary Scholarship Learn more here.

The Generation Google Scholarship Apply here.

Microsoft Minority Scholarship Learn more.

Charles Shelton Veterinary Medicine/Technology Scholarship Apply here.

Brown and Caldwell Minority Scholarship Apply here.

Surety & Fidelity Industry Intern and Scholarship Program Apply here.

¡Adelante! Fund Scholarships Apply here.

Elliott C. Roberts Scholarship Apply here.

P.L.A.Y. Scholarship Apply here.

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Scholarships Apply here.

Gates Millennium Scholars Program Apply here.

National Medical Fellowship Scholarships Program Apply here.

SanDisk Scholars Fund Apply here.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Apply here.

General Merit Scholarships

Udall Undergraduate Scholarships Apply here.

Fulbright Scholars Program Learn more here.

Courage to Grow Scholarship Apply here.

BUICK Achievers Scholarships Apply here.

Coca-Cola Scholars Apply here.

Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship Apply here.

Burger King Scholars Apply here.

Roothbert Fund Scholarship Apply here.

Liberty Mutual  Scholarships Apply here.

State Farm Good Neighbor Scholarship Apply here.

LPGA Foundation Scholarship Apply here.

NCAA Minority and Women’s Enhancement Graduate Scholarship Apply here.

Discover Student Loans Scholarship Apply here.

Scholarship America Dream Award Apply here.

AXA Achievement Community Award Apply here.

Catharine Lealtad Scholarships More info here.

Marine Corps Scholarships Apply here.

La Unidad Latina Foundation Scholarships Apply here.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarships Learn more here.

GE – Reagan Foundation Scholarship Learn more here.

Fundación Kinesis Scholarships Learn more here.

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Apply here.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Apply here.

Ronald McDonald House Charities African American Future Achievers Apply here.

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans Apply here.

Omega Phi Beta – Reach for the Gold Scholarships Apply here.

Questbridge Scholarship Learn more here.

Ron Brown Scholar Program Apply here.

United Negro College Fund Learn more here.

DAR American Indian Scholarship Learn more here.

Frances Crawford Marvin American Indian Scholarship Learn more here.

Business Scholarships

American Bus Association Diversity Scholarship Apply here.

FormSwift Scholarship Apply here.

17oxen Digital Marketing  Scholarship Apply here.

Les Dames d’Escoffier International Scholarship Apply here.

AICPA Minority Accounting Students Scholarships Apply here.

Morgan Stanley Richard B. Fisher Scholarship Program Apply here.

National Society of Hispanic MBAs Scholarship Program Apply here.

Herman J. Neal Scholarship Apply here.

HACU Scholarships Apply here.

National Black MBA Association Scholarships Apply here.

Surety & Fidelity Industry Intern and Scholarship Program Apply here.

The Hyatt Hotels Fund for Minority Lodging Management Students Apply here.

Minorities in Hospitality Scholars Program Learn more here.

RICOH Scholarship Program Learn more here.

Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Learn more here.

Social Science Scholarships

ASA Minority Fellowship Program Apply here.

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program Apply here.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Amount: $30,000 | Application Deadline: February Apply here.

American Library Association Spectrum Scholarship Apply here.

Fellowship on Women and Public Policy Amount: $31,000 | Application Deadline: September Apply here.

Jennings Randolph Peace Scholarship Dissertation Program Amount: $20,000 | Application Deadline: November Apply here.

Judith McManus Price Scholarship Apply here.

Thomas R. Pickering Undergraduate & Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Amount: Up to $37,500 | Application Deadline: December Apply here.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Award Learn more here.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholarship Learn more here.

Law Scholarships

American Bar Association Jeanne P. Gray Diversity Scholarship Learn more here.

Backfire & Backfire, P.C. Law School Diversity Scholarship Apply here.

NALP Diversity Scholarships Amount: Up to $30,000| Application Deadline: Varies here.

Sidney B. Williams Scholarship Apply here.

Communications Scholarships

The Jacqueline Woodson Fellowship for a Young People’s Writer of African or Caribbean Descent Learn more here.

Proofreading.com Scholarship Apply here.

The LAGRANT Foundation Scholarships Apply here.

Leonard M. Perryman Communications Scholarship for Racial Ethnic Minority Students Apply here.

National Press Club Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Apply here.

Chips Quinn Scholars Program Apply here.

Allison E. Fisher Scholarship Apply here.

Emma Bowen Foundation Fellowship Learn more here.

source

The list with more art scholarships – here: http://www.scholarshipsforwomen.net/art/

I’m so happy more opportunities are coming up! Scholarships are in effect a gift of free cash. Free cash is very popular in every society and nation. So the applicant and recipient of scholarship money has worked very hard and has much to offer our society and is a deserved winner. It is still a free cash gift… GET IT! 

These presentations shows you how to write a winner scholarship:

application:http://www.thefreeschool.education/scholarships.html

#BlackGirls #EducatedBlack 

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

Science Cheerleader is an association of around 300 current and former professional football and basketball cheerleaders that work or study in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

Source

Follow Ultrafacts for more facts

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

For any of you students going back to school:

www.bigwords.com is amazing. I used to recommend it to my students when I was an admissions counselor, but this is the first time I’ve used it myself. You plug in the books you need for your classes and it finds the cheapest possible combination from various textbooks sales/rental sites. To give you an example, my 4 books for this semester would have cost me ~$500 at my university bookstore. I paid $65 to rent them. No shipping charge from any of the websites. This also compares to the $93 it would have cost to rent them all from chegg.com. 

I have a week until classes start so hopefully this is timely enough to save someone some cash! (I know when I was in undergrad I didn’t buy my books until after classes started to make sure I needed them). Good luck this semester! 

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

By the way, I’m always up for answering questions. This blog is mainly an archive now but I’m still very active on tumblr! Feel free to shoot me as broad or specific of questions as you have and I’ll be happy to help!

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

guys!!! During scholarship application season and I found this cute website to make resumes. It’s also very useful to make infographics to study from! Above are some of their free templates :-)

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

Study masterlist

Studying for English:

AP english tips

How to do well in English class

7 tips for surviving an English class

How to score more than 90% in the English board

How to do well in English literature class

Get your essay analyzed

Analytical essay template

Augmentative essay template

Compare and contrast essay template

Expository essay template

Persuasive essay template

Reflective essay template

Research paper essay template

How to write a speech

10 keys to writing a speech

10 tips on writing a kick-ass speech

7 things to do when you have to present a short speech

How to give a great speech

10 ways to improve your creative writing

How to write a short story

5 steps to write a short story

5 secret tips to writing a short story

Crash course in literature

Studying foreign languages:

Duolingo

How diplomates learn foreign languages

12 rules for learning foreign languages

10 tips and tricks to learn foreign languages

22 for learning a foreign language

Tips for foreign langauge studies

Ten foreign language study tips

The best way to learn a foreign language

Learning a foreign language: five most common mistakes

Studying maths:

Get the answer to any maths problem

7 tips for solving maths problems

A guide for studying maths

Success in mathematics

Maths study tips

How to study for a maths test

Studying for a maths test

10 strategies to improve your math grades

Studying computer studies:

Codeacademy

5 things to remember when studying IT

3 ways to study computer studies

How to study for your computer studies exam

5 tips for computer science freshman

6 easy ways to learn coding and computer coding for free

Get a college level computer science education with these free courses

Studying science:

5 study techniques to master biology

Study tips for biology classes

How to get an A in biology

Crash course in biology

Crash course in astronomy

Crash course psychology

Crash course in ecology

Crash course in chemistry

Crash course in anatomy and physiology

Studying art:

Proko - drawing tutorials

Drawing with Jazza - drawing and animation tutorials

Markcrilley - drawing tutorials

Made to sew - sewing

DigitalRev TV - photography

Art journalling

General study tips:

9 best scientific study tips

How to use mind mapping

How to have a productive study time

How to study in college

9 apps to help shut off the internet and let you get back to work

Studying with mental illness:

How to deal with mental illness in college

How to study with a mental illness

Studying with mental illness in college

How to brainwash yourself to study while depressed

Managing depression while studying forum

6 tips to get motivated while depressed

How to deal with stress and anxiety

How to calm anxiety

Breathing technique to decrease anxiety

19 tips to break brain fog

10 tips for navigating through brain fog

10 websites to help you relax

6 ways to fight distractions

10 study tips for students with ADD/ADHD

ADHD students: 8 study tips

Study playlist:

Best music to help study

Study playlists on 8tracks

2 hour long piano music for studying

Study playlist masterlist

Study playlist

Note taking: 

How to take notes

How to take notes from a textbook

How to take notes in class

College note taking tips

Cornell note taking method

How to take lecture notes

How to take notes faster

Effective note taking for exams

Organization:

20 habits of organized people

How to stay organized in high school

45 tips for staying organized in college

Getting organized for the whole school year

10 ways to get organized this year

Monster study planners

5 planner tips

Beginner guide to bullet journaling

Easy DIY planner

Make your own planner

Exams:

How to prepare for exams

Don’t freak out over finals

Ultimate finals guide

Test anxiety tips

How to study for an exam

Last minute advice:

To help calm down anxiety or brain fog, try writing down all the things you need to do then organize them from mote important to least important or by due date.

Don’t be afraid to be funny when writing down your notes. If something funny will help remember a certain fact then do it.

If you fail something don’t panic. You are not the first and certainly not the last.

Find out which way you learn the best and try to learn through that.

My teacher once explained that she wrote all her notes down and placed them every where she would see them, even in the shower.

If you are worried about certain issues then don’t be afraid to talk to your teacher.

Make sure to take breaks, a clouded mind does no good when you need it most.

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

not to be a preachy freak but community college is an awesome, underutilized resource. if people could get their heads out of their asses and stop stigmatizing cc, everyone could save so much money.

for some people like myself, it is a 2nd chance. in high school i was seriously considering dropping out but i graduated w a 2.5-2.7 gpa that no uni was gonna take. now im in 1 of the top 10 design programs in tha country. some people did fine in hs but can’t afford a 4 yr right away and cc almost halves that cost. Or maybe u just want ur associates degree.. or maybe u just need to stay close to home to take care of ur fam…or u’re an older student and cc gives u the chance to work while taking night classes. there are so many reasons ppl go to cc and there’s nothing wrong with any of them…stop shitting on cc and cc students

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

college advice that’s “bad advice”

i see the same things over and over and it’s not bad of course but it’s also really unrealistic for different types of students who’s first priority in life might not even be college, so:

don’t do all your readings. getting assigned 50+ pages in 6 different classes and pulling all nighters to read it isn’t going to make you a “smarter” student if you’re falling asleep during lecture and are never going to be tested on the material.

don’t buy your books before the class starts. i cannot stress this enough. some professors straight up tell you they don’t use it at all, others tell you they put it on reserve in the library so you can go scan it, or you might be able to split the cost with a friend in the class. 

steer clear of the university bookstore. check amazon, check chegg, check bookbyte, check everywhere. this website compares prices of multiple stores. 

rent, do not buy. look i know you may think you’re going to need it in the future, b/c u got ur NCLEX, MCATS, LSATS, GREs, etc and you need to revise, but the reality is that you’re going to buy a practice review book for another $100 that will focus on the info u need for later entrance/exit exams so there’s no need to spend $500 of one textbook that will be out of date by next year

better yet find your text books on utorrent, reddit, mega share, for free. one of my professors actually sent us a link to one lol. even if you need printed versions, printing and binding can still save you $100s. look i kno some of yall have a moral compass, but i work in my university’s library and let me tell you we sure as hell don’t care if you print 600 pages for a textbook. 

check libraries for your textbooks. scanning books in a university is legal friends. tedious but legal. 

kiss up to your professors. look fam some of these professors have taught over 10,000 students and if you’re looking for a recommendation an A just isn’t going to cut it. sit in the front row, go to office hours, even if u’re not writing notes make it seem like u are, just act interested even if you aren’t. 

sometimes not studying, not reading, not doing x so you can do y is the best thing to do. story time: last semester I had 2 finals back to back. the week before I studied solely for biochemistry (the week earlier i had papers and projects due). I got a C- on my anatomy & physio exam b/c i studied one hour for it, but I ended with an A b/c my prv grades were good. biochemistry was tough, but I pulled an A on the final. It worked out perfectly for me so whether ur on the cusp of a letter or failing, prioritize, you know yourself best so plan accordingly. 

sometimes mental health days won’t help. sleeping in early 2 days before a paper is due so u can stress abt it the next day when you have 2 hours to write and edit is not gonna help. mental health is important but be able to distinguish long term mental health vs short term mental health.

you don’t need to pay attention in all your lectures. i had some lectures that were just so irrelevant and did not help me at all, but I still went (re: kissing up to professors). that being said I’ve also typed up papers for other classes and caught up on work in lectures where i knew I wasn’t benefitting from. killed two birds with one stone. 

take morning classes. actually i’m not recommending day or night classes, i’m just saying don’t let some random person on the internet tell you when you’re going to be most productive (which lots of ppl seem to dislike am classes). I work most efficiently between 4am-8am, crash around 10am-1pm, and then plan that my day’s done by 5pm. Know thyself. don’t rely on some random person’s personal preferences to schedule your classes. this is applicable to longer vs shorter class blocks as well. 

just b/c you take notes doesn’t mean you’ll be a good student. i study my writing so I prefer note taking, but again prioritizing. I had 50+ slides on some lectures that were replicas of the exam. I tried copying them all down and making the fancy but that only led to a cramped hand, so I just printed out the lectures. Other classes I had to write word for word what the teacher wrote or said, in others I took my own notes at home. Realize that every class will be different and using one method of studying might end up being a waste of time and counter productive.

applying to every scholarship isn’t the best way to get one. be smart about where you’re applying. if you don’t fit the criteria for one don’t spend an hour writing an application essay for it. there are tons out there and do apply for tons, but ones you fit the criteria for. here’s a master post that may help.

planning isn’t always helpful. if you’re spending more time planning than studying or doing the stuff you plan to do it’s probably wasting your time.

it’s okay to pull all-nighters. yes studying throughout the semester is a grade idea, but sometimes you know you need the extra revision and those couple of hours in reality do make a big difference for lots of people (be realistic, just b/c you’re well rested doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get a great grade) 

in other words learn to prioritize. 

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

Update

Hey all, school's rapidly upon us. I want to thank everyone who's continued to follow me over the years for your support💕. I'm always open to answering questions about the application process and choosing schools in general! I'm also available for reviewing applications for both grad and undergrad - pauburgoa@gmail.com

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

heyyy! *MASSIVELY ENERGETIC WAVING FROM FAN* i just finished my common app essay and before i allow myself to get excited and par-tay, i was wondering if you could read it and offer brilliant (or cruel, whatever floats your boat) feedback? even if not, THANK YOU and I LOVE YOUR BLOG OMG and HOPE YOU REMEMBER YOU ARE AWESOME LOVE YOU BYE cx

Yes I would love to help you out! Send it to burgoa2@illinois.edu and I should get back to you in a week.

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

I have no idea on what to write for my college essay. Common app is destroying my life

trust me babe I've been on that boat a million times. 

Unfortunately tbh the essay that everyone said they loved was the one where I had to drive home the token minority graphic and I only sent that to one school (I ended up going there even though their film program sucks but that's ok! Mainly because I've got some good internships under my belt, semi-changing career paths to be more art-oriented and I met my love but that's besides the point) 

First you should breathe. 

Then remember the above where I realized slowly that everything will work out eventually even if by "working out" means that you stop having a school career and start having a life. And when I say that it has nothing to do with how great the school is or the program or how good of a fit you are.

At some point, maybe it's sometime while you're in college or after you graduate-- hell maybe it was in high school or maybe you drop out and realize it after-- but someday you might still be studying and growing and learning but you stop giving a crap about the pressures of school itself.

Course I might be crazy but the point of this tangent is that at one point two years ago I got pointers on editing  a different essay and I finally understand what he meant. 

I was told that one of my essays was good but to tie back my ending point on how college would enrich my experiences. 

Point of the story (cynically): College administrators in highly competitive schools still want to hear that we're grateful even when we're getting the short end of the stick

Point (uncynically): don't do that

Tell a story, tell your story 

Don't kiss up because they don't owe you anything. You are a treasure and while they may be giving up minutes in a couple months to read through thousands of "yous", you will have spent months writing how you're unlike "them" 

You're the entire package, completely unique and I bet whether you love to decoupage, put together impromptu cabaret shows, or do podcasts on thurday nights about how great the 80s must have been.

But I say this a lot in different ways and maybe it's not just about that one quirk that you think will set you apart from thousands of other faceless statistics.

So ask yourself this (if it's not too morbid and if it helps jog your brain)

If you were to die tomorrow name one thing you would want in your obituary

Ponder it, expand it, condense into an elevator pitch

It doesn't have to be a legacy, it doesn't have to be the passing on of familial ties. It's about what you think is so important that you want to exclusively and inclusively identify yourself with, why it matters to you and why should it matter to everyone else. 

If it sounds cheesy or fatalistic, it probably is so maybe live up to our generational stereotypes and be blunt, ruthless and mildly cynical 

One more thing: people talk about developing your writing voice in college personal statements and that's extremely important. 

Not saying I don't like buzzfeed nerdiness every once in a while but if I have to read another Thought Catalog, TSM, Buzzfeed, Wordpress or random knock-off brand site with a catchy title but sounds exactly the fucking same I will choke someone and college admissions officers probably know exactly what I'm talking about.

You're not getting graded on your formality and you're not Ellen Page (although if you have a sense of humor, play with it). Don't sound like a robot, don't sound like a jerk, and certainly don't sound like you're Jack Donaghy. 

I could definitely get more specific but that's my updated perspective as of now. 

Sorry if I sounded cranky and/or bitchy and I hope that if you're looking for something more optimistic that you'll look at some of my earlier posts because I wasn't wrong then and even though I've got bite now, my message is pretty similar. 

Message me if you want more specific direction 

Best Wishes,

Polly

[adventuresinschoolstalking]

Recap Part 1: Things I learned in Uni

Meanwhile I'm avoiding catching up for an Anthropology final here are some tid-bits that will hopefully enlighten you all as to what to expect in the coming year. And if you're already in higher education a) thanks for sticking around b) hopefully you can sympathize with this:

1) Never buy books before syllabus week. 

Sometimes even give it a few days. I don't care if you think you'll read ahead. Don't even worry about the bookstore running out (they won't and if they do your professor will be informed and give extra time on the first assignments accordingly if that happens). There will be books that are assigned to your class through the school bookstore that will never be used or rarely so. Your professor or TA will tell you this or you'll hear some upperclassmen or others that they never used there books in said class. It gets easier to shop for books once you start learning about the lesser known (and cheaper) bookstores around campus and online source (like amazon and others) but for the love of everything that is good this is the one thing that you should always apply a healthy dose of procrastination to. 

2) You're first friends will be your dorm mates. 

Roommates, floor mates, that hot kid who lives on the 3rd floor that you sometimes strategically wait for their dinner time to run into. Being stuck together during orientation when the campus is virtually empty will bind people together. In general it's super easy to make fast friends in college, but even more so the first month of freshmen year. If you're shy or slow to warm, don't worry about it they'll still be around. Whenever you feel like you're not getting much out of social life, try expanding. ((Maybe you sign up for everything you're interested on quad day so that if you ever feel like trying something new boom you know when the next swing class is.)) 

As the year progresses and you find you niche it you might still be tight with the people you met at the beginning. Or you might move on. Either of which are perfectly fine. Random placement into housing isn't what makes lasting friendships. It's the connections that touch you and make you grip on tight. If you still want to be friends but you feel like you're drifting away, find out where they're the next term and see if you can't drop by for a visit. 

3) It's like drinking frenzy 

I was talking to a guy from the University of Indiana a few weeks back in Belgium (very long story that I'll save for the next post) and he basically validated for me a phenomena that I see all around my campus. Freshmen get hammered like there's no tomorrow. Sure upperclassmen do it too, but mainly on special occasions. With first-years there's often a progression of epiphany/intro to college drinking, going hard and maybe simmering down (or continuing until drinking gets old). Now even if you partook in high school, college life has little to no buying or consuming limits as long as it isn't illegal (or otherwise caught). Which is a problem for some and not for some others. The key is if you're scared of drinking, don't be. You're not going to get wasted after two drinks in a row (you might get tipsy based on your tolerance levels). Just because you don't feel it doesn't mean you're not actually drunk and it's perfectly fine to ask for sips of friends drinks if you just want to know what a particular drink is like. If you're looking for casual social drinking, stick to beer and don't get too attached to mixed drinks. If you don't like the taste of straight up alcohol you might want to examine why you're having it in the first place (or lest find your preferred drink and stick to it). 

4) Everyone's an asshole

That is to say that everyone has flaws. Everyone is for themselves and not against you personally. They will disappoint you. They may even bruise your ego. They will be objective and critical or loyal and stubborn. If they don't do what you want that does not make them bad people. You're going to meet so many people that you might enjoy their company but despise dealing with them professionally or vice versa. Conversely, if they're handing out hate speech you have every right to call them out. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself and what's right. It's not hard once you get in the habit of asserting and stating what you know and how you feel. 

5) You'll learn by thanksgiving(maybe not until the first summer) who from home you want to keep in your life. 

People make up their minds pretty fast. If you find yourself missing someone, give them a call. There's a difference between them not having time to talk and not having time for you so keep that in mind if you ever get blown off. Getting out of touch with someone can be remedied very quickly if they're the right person to be in your life. I unfortunately know and have seen way too many stories of people holding onto high school friends that result in them being abused, freeloaded or worse left in another state/country to fend for themselves as a result of keeping these ties. Sometimes distance is all it takes to discover who in your life is toxic. Let them go and move on with your life sooner. If it sounds like a bad relationship to third parties and feels like a burden it's probably time to move on. 

6) You're so much more like your parents than you realize 

It might be that you learned copping mechanisms from them or you have the same temperament as one or that they stopped going into "parent mode" to handle you so now it's like you're dealing with totally new people. It's actually a really good way to do some self evaluation and see if there's anything you'd want to change in your life or be mindful of. It's also a great motivator if you really revere your parents. If they made it through uni or some other big life challenge/goal then you can make it through as well. 

7) Relationships are what you make of them

Both with friendships and significant others. However you want to handle them be willing to face the consequences as well as the rewards. It's cool being in a relationship in college because the dynamic is less stressful and more meaningful than high school. Not to say that there weren't some gems during adolescence but the majority of us can agree that breaks up are different here because people are less willing to commit in the first place to someone they're not into. Going back to the point on parents, you're also going to find that there are striking similarities between your family in general and the world of your significant other. Set clear boundaries where need be and never be afraid to say exactly what's bothering you and why. If they're worth it, they'll understand. 

8) Don't knock it until you try it 

Unless what you're trying is like a plot line out of Breaking Bad.Then you should probably stop and walk away as quickly as possible. 

But seriously you never know what you're capable of and if it interests you even a little bit, try it. This is a time of making mistakes and readjusting accordingly. If it all fails, then at least you have a good story to tell at an interview one day.

9) You can change your major three times and still graduate on schedule. 

You can also change schools if you have to

You might be taking some summer courses. Be ready and plan smart. Never apologize for chasing your dreams, especially if they change. 

10) The seniors graduating have no idea what they're doing with their lives either. 

Case and point I know one who's a journalism major applying for a one year portfolio program and/or internships because she realized a few months ago that she should've been in advertising all along. Plenty of people go to grad school in fields that weren't their original. Your first job will hopefully be in a field that you like and/or are good at. It's ok to complain as much as you want about your first job. Your first job is just the spring board for your second and whatever comes after that until you get what you truly want. There's always a path, there's always a contingency plan. And if all else fails: don't worry there are plenty of seniors going home for the summer to take a break and start job hunting fresh in September. 

Take all the time you need. Get a late shift at a retail store and go job hunting in the morning. You won't have to drain your savings or live off your parents if you don't want to/can't. You'll always have a job that way even if you're waiting for your next big break. 

[adventuresinschoolstalking]