My college career is coming to an end, which makes me both nostalgic and excited. Nostalgic because I’ll never be an undergraduate again and excited because I am finally finished. My college career has been anything but traditional. I started off pre-med at the University of Pittsburgh, studied abroad in Dublin, transferred to Hopkins, majored in Writing Seminars and minored in Women, Gender, and Sexuality. I worked at The News-Letter, played cello in the chamber orchestra, TA’ed and went to a grand total of one frat party. I’m not going to graduate school but instead will be moving to New Zealand to work and celebrate not being in college anymore.
So, since I’m graduating in less than a month, I think I’m finally qualified to give advice. I’m not sure I’m quite old enough to say, “Back in my day,” but I’m definitely in a position to give advice about college.
My college story is not everyone’s college story. These snippets of advice (in no particular order) are not meant to dictate how you should go about your remaining time at Hopkins. However, hopefully they’ll give you a nudge in a direction you haven’t quite gone in yet.
Get off campus. I know you’ve heard this from everyone at Hopkins — I know I have — but that’s because it’s true. Even if it’s just to walk to The Charmery in Hampden for ice cream. This past school year I’ve forced myself to leave the Hopkins bubble at least once a week, and it has made a world of difference with my ability to cope with basically living in the library.
Grades are important, but not as important as your sanity. Grades may seem important since you’ve been obsessing about them since middle school, but they’re really not. They don’t actually measure much about you, except whether you’re good at taking multiple-choice exams, writing epic papers and talking in class. When you’re applying to grad school, grades are only a fraction of the application. Surviving all four years at Hopkins is equally, if not more, important.
Take a class outside of your comfort zone. I’m a Writing Seminars major, which, at this school, seems to mean that I’m only supposed to take writing classes and some humanities classes. I didn’t agree with this philosophy, so I took classes in psychology and science. Knowing more than just writing has helped me considerably with my writing and overall knowledge. Don’t limit yourself by what you’re good at. If you’re a science major, make sure you know how to write. If you’re majoring in the humanities, take a science or engineering class.
Take a finance class. I’ve spent this past semester reading way too many financial books trying to figure out how to be an adult when I graduate. It may suck as a class (if you’re like me and not into math), but learning how to handle money is something that will benefit you for the rest of your life.
Have fun. By this I do not mean go out and drink until you can’t remember anything. I mean make sure your college experience is a good one. College should be a time for learning and growing, making really good friends and discovering what you want to do with your life. If you find yourself hating Hopkins and everyone at school, perhaps Hopkins is not the right school for you.
Ask for help. This is essential. It is impossible to finish college without help. Whether you need a friend to get you soup for your cold, a professor to explain math or a counselor to help you cope with depression, make sure you ask for the help. No one is going to judge you, and people are very willing to be of assistance.
Go to office hours. I’m not a shy person, so I have gone to office hours when I need help. However, I’ve discovered that going to office hours even when I didn’t need help was very beneficial. Professors aren’t just there to discuss class. They’re happy to help with life-related questions or to just talk about life. Plus, if having a conversation with a professional in their field isn’t a strong enough incentive, knowing a professor will help you when you need a letter of recommendation for graduate school.
Study abroad. I studied at Trinity College in Dublin. And, of course, traveled all of over Europe because I could. Study abroad, even if you think you can’t. Being in a different country, even if the people speak English, is an enlightening experience. Plus, it’s a way to take a break from Hopkins and learn about cultures outside of America. Trust me, it’ll be great.
Take a break if you need it. Whether this means skipping a class because you need to sleep or deciding to take a semester off, do it. If you’re a mental and physical disaster for four years of college, you’re not going to do very well. It’s important to take care of yourself so that you can do well in classes, make good friends and overall make good life decisions.
There is not right way to college. I certainly did not have the “college experience.” I did not drink, do drugs or go to parties. I ended up going to three different universities in four years. I switched from pre-med to Writing Seminars. And yet, I still managed to have a good time and enjoy myself. You are an individual. You do not need to conform to what movies tell you are the right way to be college students. Be different and choose to do what makes you happy.
Sarah Stockman is a senior Writing Seminars major from Los Angeles.
