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Worried
about the culture shock of college? Don't be!
Instead, get your "how-to-deal" strategies
in order.
College Life: A Whole
New World
By Feona Sharhran Huff
December 2000
The CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- Life as
a high school student was a breeze. The classwork
was easy. You lived at home. Your friends were
minutes away. Everything was at your fingertips
-- the mall, the clubs, even the 24-hour diner.
But, you'll soon be a college student... get ready
for a whole new world!
You'll have more classes
and harder subjects. Your friends will be at different
universities. You'll be hours from mom and dad.
Social spots may not be within walking distance.
I know what you're thinking:
"Things won't be that way for me!" Not
so fast, says Janis Brody, Ph.D, author of Bring
Home the Laundry: Effective Parenting for College
and Beyond (Taylor Publishing Company, 2000).
No matter how much life changes (or stays the
same) at college, how you deal depends on your
ability to make adjustments.
Instead of taking the
easy route and moving back home to attend community
college when campus life gets chaotic, enlist
these five strategies, courtesy of Brody, to make
a smooth transition into your new college world:
1. Find A Study Buddy.
It's been three weeks and already, bio class
is kicking your butt. Not only have you flunked
three quizzes, but you're actually starting to
get used to seeing the letter "D" on
your homework assignments. Don't go through the
torture alone, warns Brody. She insists that you
ask a classmate with a better understanding of
the course to become your study partner. Not only
will this help improve your study strategies to
ace tests and get better grades, she advises,
but you will also gain a friend and confidant.
2. Rent a Movie That
Takes Place in Your Hometown. It doesn't matter
how tough you are, you will get homesick
from time to time. But, you may feel a whole lot
better if you're able to connect with something
from your hometown. Brody suggests that you stop
by your nearest Blockbuster and rent a flick that
takes place in your neck of the woods. If you're
a New Yorker, for instance, you may want to check
out Shaft, starring Samuel L. Jackson.
The action-packed, good-always-wins-over-evil
theme will give you a deeper appreciation for
the place you call home and remind you that if
you can't physically be in The Big Apple, you
can visualize it with the help of a film. (Optional:
Popcorn, candy, a thermos full of soda, some dormmates,
and lots and lots of laughs!)
3. Take a Social Risk.
Just because you may feel like a loner doesn't
mean you have to act like one. Especially not
if you decide to take a chance to make friends,
says Brody. It may seem scary to go up to a total
stranger and introduce yourself, but as Brody
says, "Go for it!" Someone has to make
the first move, she says -- why not you?! "It
may be hard to believe, but the other students
are probably just as nervous as you are,"
she explains. You'll be surprised at how receptive
the girl down the hall is to hanging out in the
student center or grabbing a bite in the caf'.
4. Get Involved in Extra
Curricular Activities. Another way to beat
those 'lonely blues' is to join campus clubs and
organizations, offers Brody. There are tons of
them; it just takes a trip to the Student Activities
office to find out what your school has to offer.
If you like acting and discover that "X"
University has a drama club, then you've made
your match. Not only will you get involved in
an activity that brings you joy, but you'll be
surrounded by others who share in your sentiments.
5. Take a Break From
Campus. Yes, campus life can take its toll
at times. You may need to free yourself of the
stress and strain of the school scene. If so,
get away for a while, says Brody. Even if that
means hopping a bus and going to a not-so-nearby
mall to window shop, you'll be able to clear your
head and come back to school worry-free. Even
better, if you have new friends who live off campus,
ask if you can crash at their house for the weekend.
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