The Campus Companion » Freshman

The Why And How Of Your Hangover

Christina Phillips — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:55:17 +0000

The headache, exhaustion, thirst, nausea, and aches. The vomiting and oversleeping and sunglass wearing post-alcohol drinking that makes you want to curl up in your bed in your dark room with a glass of water and a bottle of Advil and not move for at least a day. Hangovers are nasty, sometimes bearable, other times pure torture. But why does your body react this way after a night of drinking? And how can you treat the symptoms or prevent them?

Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance: Alcohol makes you shrivel up like a raisin

Alcohol (ethanol) spreads to almost every part of the body after being absorbed, including glands. One gland, the pituitary gland, secretes a hormone (which acts as a signal to other parts of the body to carry out certain processes) known as anti-diuretic hormone (ADH). ADH tells the kidney to reabsorb water into the body that you would ordinarily pee out. It is active when you need more water, to prevent you from becoming dehydrated. Alcohol blocks the release of ADH by the pituitary gland, so instead of reabsorbing water, your body gets rid of it instead.

This explains why when you drink you feel like you constantly have to go to the bathroom. The body is essentially flushing out its fluids, instead of using them when you need them, leading you to become dehydrated.

Prevent it:

Most experts recommend consuming no more than one drink per hour. Because we are college students, and therefore that seems pretty unreasonable, another way to slow dehydration is to drink water or another hydrating drink (like Gatorade) between each drink. Double fist with a water bottle if you have to, it may look silly, but you’ll be the one laughing the next day when you can go out in the sun and your friends can’t.

Gastrointestinal Problems: Alcohol destroys your liver and makes you puke

Alcohol is partially absorbed through the stomach and intestines after you drink it, and the chemical properties of ethanol cause irritation of the stomach and intestinal lining, leading to inflammation. This slows the emptying of the stomach, and makes your digestive tract work harder, producing more stomach acids and pancreatic and intestinal acids.

Liver damage is one of the most well known side effects of drinking. This is because alcohol is broken down by the liver, and when the body senses alcohol being present, it focuses all of the liver’s energy on metabolizing it. This means the liver doesn’t break down other molecules it normally would, including fats. Over time, this makes the liver worse at breaking down those fats, leading to fatty deposits on the liver.

All of these reactions can lead to the nausea, vomiting, and upset stomach that result from drinking.

Prevent it:

Doubtless you’ve heard the phrase “Beer before liquor, never been sicker.” While mixing different types of alcohol, such as beer, liquor, and wine, will not make you sick (they all have ethanol) the other components of these drinks can increase speed of intoxication, which can affect how your stomach feels. Carbonated drinks, like beers and sparkling wines, irritate the lining of the stomach more than noncarbonated drinks, which can make the symptoms the alcohol is causing worse.

Eating before, and with, alcohol can help prevent nausea. Fatty foods especially slow the absorption of alcohol, but any food in the stomach before or with alcohol causes the digestive system to split its energy to process both, thus slowing the rate of alcohol absorption. While this means you might not get drunk as quickly, it also means you will not irritate your body as much, and might feel better as the night goes on and the next day.

Disruption of Sleep: Alcohol doesn’t help you get a good night’s sleep

While alcohol makes falling into bed and passing out easy, it doesn’t mean your night of sleep is a good one. When you sleep, you go through stages of dreaming (known as rapid-eye-movement or REM) and deep sleeping (slow-wave). Alcohol puts the body in longer stages of slow-wave sleep, and shorter REM stages. REM sleep is necessary for memory-retrieval, among other things, so depriving the body of this stage can inhibit restfulness (and memory of the previous night).

Alcohol also causes relaxation of the throat muscles, which can lead to impaired breathing while sleeping, causing snoring and sleep apnea. This is when the body is deprived of enough oxygen while sleeping, waking you up (often without you realizing it). These disruptions prevent the normal progression of the sleep cycles discussed above.

Prevent it:

Going to bed while drunk obviously means the large amount of alcohol in your system will disrupt your sleep more. If you can, stop drinking at least an hour before you go to bed (it takes your body about an hour to fully process one alcoholic drink), that way, you do not continue getting more drunk even while you’re asleep. The less alcohol you have in your system when you fall asleep, the better sleep you’ll get. Besides, while you are not drinking alcohol, you could use that time to drink water and prevent the headache of the next morning.

Alcohol is a huge part of college life for many of us. It can lead to fun nights, but also terrible mornings. By drinking water, eating food, and slowing down, you can help alleviate your hangover symptoms the next day.

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Obnoxious Things College Kids Do At Restaurants

Sara Tahir — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 11:47:11 +0000

We’ve all been there…going to your college town restaurant with 15 of your closest friends to celebrate a roommate’s birthday. The pomp and circumstance of the evening fills you with a kind of jubilation…but sometimes that jubilation translates into annoyance for your fellow restaurant-goers.

Here is a list of some of the more obnoxious things college kids do at restaurants. This list is meant to both cultivate an awareness of your behavior and also to help you refine your annoying techniques to the point of mastery.

1. Drunken Dialogue

“Oh my God, you guys, I’m sooooooooooooooo drunk right now” is probably one of the dumbest things you can say when you’re drunk. One, no one believes you. Two, no one cares. This conversation piece drives your neighbors nuts when you’re sitting at a restaurant, not to mention your tendency to speak twice as loud and continue to rudely pester the waitstaff for more booze. Yes, BYOB is a cool concept, but not when you let everyone around you know how “fucking awesome it is!!!!!” every 5 seconds…loudly.

2. The Picky Vegetarian

I had a friend in college who used to harass the shit out of waiters at every restaurant we went to. Did you put on a new pair of gloves when you were making my food? Was this food prepared on the same cutting board as the chicken? Are you *sure* there’s no egg in this? Can you please bring a new plate—there was one piece of sushi sitting on this? Are you sure this is organic soy milk?

I was fully confident that the waiters would piss in our food all of the time. Yes, it’s understandable in whatever hippy dippy liberal arts college you’re at that everyone is super socially conscious and it’s fair trade everything, but give people in the real world some slack. Waiters and waitresses have a hard life, and generally try to do the best they can. At the very least when you ask these obnoxious questions (even though a green V is clearly indicated next to the item you ordered), do it politely without the accustory tone.

3. Tipping is not a City in China

There’s nothing worse than a group of 20-something-year-olds trying to figure out the check at the end of the night. Inevitably, someone doesn’t have anything but $20s, a few forgot their wallets, and there’s never any consensus on how much each person owes. To add to the absurdity, college kids don’t understand how to take 15% of anything. They either under-tip or over-tip, but what makes your fellow restaurant patrons’ blood boil is the exhausting debate that ensues that leaves no one satisfied.

4. Bad Table Manners

Obviously this depends on the restaurant you’re at and what you order, but the general rule of thumb is that if you have to wait to be seated, you shouldn’t be using your bare hands to eat. Wait for everyone to get their dish before you start chowing down. Napkins are not just for decoration. Also, when you get up to leave, there shouldn’t be all of this food residue and debris left behind. Also, chew with your mouths closed!

5. Not Having a Reservation for a Party > 4

Oh c’mon…..

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The Campus Companion Advice Corner

Kimberley — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:08:56 +0000

Real advice, straight from campus.

Got a question? We’ve got an answer.

Tired of hearing about what your college experience might be like? Have some burning questions that you’re embarrassed to ask about? Look no further! The Advice Corner allows you to submit your questions anonymously to college students who have gone through anything and everything you could possibly think of. From college applications to black out nights to acing exams and graduation- we’ve done it. Submit your anonymous questions by clicking here.

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The Perks of Staying on Campus this Summer

Kimberley — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:43:23 +0000

It’s the go-to question everyone asks at the end of the semester: What are you doing this summer? Seemingly everyone is bragging about their departure from campus, whether they have a super competitive internship, an extremely rewarding camp counseling job, or daily dates with Netflix. So, is staying on campus this summer really that bad? Consider this:

Research Opportunities

What do professors do in the summer? Research! Most professors are avidly searching for research assistants to do jobs related to their own endeavors. While the job might not be paid, you will have the ability to put all the theoretical knowledge you learned in class to work. Even though this job seems to apply only to science concentrators, don’t be fooled! History majors can do historical research like going through old documents and recording notes! English majors might edit writing for the summer. Ask your professors what they’re up to this summer and you might find yourself working on a cure for cancer.

Colleges around the country (and the world) are making discoveries as we speak! Be a part of something huge!

Summer Credits

Failed Orgo 1 this semester? Missing some credits? Want to get ahead? Take a summer class at your college! You’ll be living in a space that you’re already familiar with and getting ahead of the curve (or repairing some mistakes from your past semesters). I’m personally seeking a college class this summer so that I don’t lose my Arabic skills over two month summer break. If you take enough summer classes, you might even rack up enough credits to graduate a semester or two early! You’re essentially paying money now that you won’t have to in the future- an investment of sorts.

Take your studies wherever you want! You might even graduate early.

Explore the college neighborhood

Staying on campus might sound like a continuation of stress from your last semester. Think again! Most colleges do not allow you to take as many classes during the summer, which frees up time to explore all of the wonderful restaurants, neighborhoods, or natural habitats around your school. Who knows what you might find when you have more time to devote to adventures and exploration in your own college town.

Your college town might offer a lot more than you know! Explore.

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Freshman Thoughts on College Dating

Kimberley — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 13:57:38 +0000

Note: This post is from the perspective of a heterosexual freshman girl

Remember that old high school adage, “Dating gets better in college?” It’s ~~thoughtful advice from adults~~ complete and utter BS that the guys we graduate with from high school magically turn into prince charmings during the summer before freshman year. Instead, the girls who are not so keen on hook-up culture are thrown into the sexual cesspool that is freshman year. So this one’s for all the girls out there who went through freshman year looking for a relationship, but are ending the year single and dejected. Here’s some consolation for the awkward encounters and regrettable weekend antics that we’ve all been through. Here’s why freshman guys suck, and why you shouldn’t take it so personally.

Wanted this freshman year? Well, me too.

Choice. Lots of Choice.

Being a freshman means you can’t possibly meet every other freshman (unless your school is ridiculously small). Every weekend brings a new adventure and new (facebook) friends. Being in an exclusive relationship freshman year often means cutting off the ability to meet lots of new people- whether that’s because you’re spending lots of time with your new flame or you’re just not dance-floor-making-out anymore. Whatever the case, lots of guys shy away from relationships early on in college because they still want to spread their wings and evaluate all of the people around them- as should you! If a potential entanglement goes wrong, you still have hundreds of other guys to meet and talk about what you’re majoring in with. The possibilities are endless! Just because it doesn’t work out doesn’t mean you’re out of the game.

It’s Not High School Anymore

Too many parents met in college. It’s actually a sickly amount. The thing about college dating is that once you hit like 22 (or so I’ve been told) it gets really super serious. Okay it’s not really that you’re going to be married or anything– but guys definitely feel the pressure that high school dating is different than college dating. There’s more pressure to coordinate schedules, make time between studying, and spend lots of time together. It’s a balancing act that also involves feelings- which can go badly. Keeping things casual usually avoids this…which often means avoiding the “boyfriend/girlfriend” label all together.

Apparently things get serious after college…

We’re All Finding Ourselves

Remember the shy little freshman you used to be? The one that committed those Seven Deadly Sins and was figuring out How to Study. Chances are you’re not that person anymore…hopefully. College really is about experimenting and going on the personal journey of finding yourself. So, can you really blame the guy who took you out on a few dates for not wanting to be in an exclusive relationship only a few months into freshman year? Probably not. As much as he may have broken your heart, you’ve got some growing to do too. We’ve got to date the wrong ones before we can find the right one, ladies! If it doesn’t work, it wasn’t meant to be. Chin up and move right along until you find someone who makes you feel happy and comfortable. He’s got to love you for you- not what you think he’s looking for.

Deep Breaths…It’ll Be Alright

Word around campus is that around junior year, guys start to want girlfriends or something? Yeah there we go, another adage. Truth is, as much as I can go on and on categorizing all freshman guys, they really truly aren’t all the same. Somewhere out there your soul mate’s thinking about how he wants to meet you! (Okay, no not really, that’s super creepy). Think about the sheer amount of people you’ve met in just the past year. Double or triple that and you’ve got the amount of people you’ll continue to meet for the rest of your life! Prince charming’s got to be in there. So in the mean time, meet as many people as you can, learn as much as your brain can hold, and enjoy college! Soon enough, it’ll be all over.

If only we could all find a love like Cory and Topanga’s.

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An Intern’s Guide to Finding Summer Housing

Kimberley — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:06:53 +0000

So you’ve got your dream summer internship. Now’s the time to put your plans into motion and figure out the most pressing question of all: Where are you going to live? If you’re on the crunch to find cheap housing fast, here are some viable, economical options:

This could be you with your new apartment! Except, well, you’re not Carrie Bradshaw.

Local Colleges/Universities

Pros: Dorm housing, Potential meal plan, Lower costs than during the semester

Cons: Living on a college campus (again), Potentially expensive, Random roommates

Every major (and even minor) city in the U.S. has at least one college. Since most schools don’t have as many students during the summer as they do during the fall and winter semester, dorms are available in the summer to people in summer semester or people just wanting a room for internship purposes. At the end of the day, schools are looking to fill up as many dorms as they can (because they make serious money). On the flipside, living in a dorm has similar amenities to what you’re already used to: from the old communal bathroom to the perk of having a laundry room only a few floors away. Use your location to your advantage and explore what potential universities or colleges can offer you housing.

Staying in New York City? Try Columbia University housing!

Subletting

Pros: No dorm rules, No meal plan, “Living on your own”

Cons: Signing a lease, Greater responsibility, Expensive without roommates, Bills

The adult option: subletting an apartment. If you’re ready to sign a lease and take on the responsibility of your own apartment, then go for it! Apartments allow for more privacy, less rules, and more independence. If you go in to a lease with friends, chances are the costs of living on your own will be less than that of a dorm. While subletting involves greater responsibility in terms of taking care of an actual house, paying rent, budgeting for bills, and being generally independent, it’s a great learning experience for the real world. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to sign a lease and be responsible. Why not give it a shot now?

Welcome to the adult world! Starring you!

City-specific

Pros: Staying in the city you’re working in, Close to work

Cons: Most expensive option, Same as subletting

Put in a quick Google search for internship housing for any specific city, and chances are you’ll find intern-only housing. While I can’t guarantee that these options are the most economical, the point is that these options are available if you’re looking for housing far from home, in cities without family or viable university options. If you’re looking to cut costs, look for people at your school that are going to be in the same city! Roommates cut costs at the expense of losing some living space…not a bad trade off. Here’s some ideas provided courtesy of my own google searching.

Interning on the hill? You could live on the hill too! (or pretty close)

Near to home? Stay home!

Pros: No costs other than commuting, Home cooked food, Showering without flip-flops, Comfort

Cons: Commuting costs, Living with parents

Planning on commuting to your internship and staying at home? Props to you for using your location to your advantage. Landing an internship near to home means enjoying the comforts of your mom’s cooking without racking up thousands of dollars in rent and dorm fees, particularly if you’re at an unpaid internship. On the other hand, commuting can be expensive when considering gas, trains, and any other transportation needed to arrive to your internship on time every day.

What’s that? Oh right it’s your house!

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Visiting Friends at College: An Etiquette Guide

Kimberley — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:38:52 +0000

So you’re heading off to visit a friend at another college. Time to party it up with a whole new crowd! But wait, do you know where you’re sleeping yet? Are you bringing a towel? Is there a communal bathroom? If you haven’t realized it yet, leaving your campus for another one can be stressful between what to pack and where to go. Keep these tips in mind, and you’re sure to be a great friend and an even better guest.

Your weekend could be this!

Understand your sleeping arrangements: Be one with the floor

Visiting your best girl friend? Maybe you’ll share a bed….a twin XL bed made for the bodies of house elves. Make sure you have some idea of where you’re sleeping so you’re not calling the bare linoleum floor your abode for a few nights. Need a blanket? Bring a blanket. If you’re the type of person who can’t sleep unless your body is on a 40000-thread count sheet, then be ready to be uncomfortable. College kids everywhere are just as broke as you and don’t necessarily have extra beds just lying around (or maybe they do!). Point is, ask where you’re sleeping and plan ahead.

Know where you’re sleeping. This could be you.

Bring Your Shower Flip-Flops–DO NOT FORGET

Don’t even ask ahead. Just do it. Dorm showers everywhere are GROSS. You can get diseases in any shower used by twenty people. Bring your shower supplies to the greatest extent that you can, but definitely do not neglect the shower shoes. No further explanation.

These will actually keep you from becoming diseased.

Don’t get lost

If you’re planning on going hard and taking advantage of a *totally awesome and new* party culture, then definitely charge your phone and acquire some understanding of how to get back to your host if needed. I’m going to out on a limb here, but chances are if you’re intoxicated/tipsy/drunk, your sense of direction probably will decline. Don’t lose track of your friend through the night. Buddy system all the way! Maybe leave a trail of breadcrumbs…

Stick to your buddy and you’ll make it home alright.

Do not hookup with your host’s roommate

NO. NO. NO. You may hit it off really with them, and it may be tempting. Still, don’t be that girl or guy that tries to get some immediately after hitting the new campus. Your friend might hate you forever, and if you visit again, it will inevitably be awkward. Make some friends! Have a dance floor make out! Just don’t cross the line with people that are a big part of your host friend’s life. Reeking havoc over the course of a day or weekend definitely does not make you a good guest.

Be respectful, man

Your parents raised you to be a good person. Don’t be a bad guest, i.e. pee in your friend’s closet, use their toothbrush, disappear for the entire time your there, etc. You’re taking up their time, meal credits, and (already nonexistent) dorm space. Be kind, and you just might be invited back for a second visit.

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The TA Guidebook: How to Not Suck

Sara Tahir — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:58:10 +0000

At this point in the semester, in a post-midterms world, you’re probably wondering what the hell happened to severely impair your comprehension of whatever course you’re taking. Yeah, it’s true that you probably could have spent more time studying, but then again most people don’t feel as though they studied as much as they should have. It also would have helped not to be totally sleep deprived for the last 3 classes before the midterm and to have actually read some of the materials, instead of skimming.

But really, you can only blame yourself so much for the shit-show that was your midterm experience. On some level, your TA was probably to blame for misinforming you, emotionally and mentally draining you, and generally just wasting your time with bullshit one hour discussion sections. Unfortunately, there probably is no way for you as an undergrad to modify your current TA’s questionable methods of erudition. But, you can hope that your awful TA will read this post and start getting his/her act together (or at least you can anonymously send this to them)…and at the very least, if you’re in the process of applying to be a TA for next semester, you’ll at least have a cue.

1. Take it Somewhat Seriously

For the most part, working as a TA is a pretty sweet deal because all you have to do on your end is grade and lead a discussion section once a week, and in exchange you get paid, a resume-booster, and the opportunity to develop a relationship with a professor who could hook you up for the rest of your academic career. Honestly, if English undergrads were allowed to TA intro level classes at my college, I would have jumped at the opportunity in a heartbeat.

But, as much as it is awesome for you getting this gig, you have to remember that when you take on this job, you are responsible for ensuring the academic well-being of 12-20 simultaneously skeptical and highly impressionable college undergrads. It can’t be all about you, which is hard to do when you’re at college. So, make sure you arrive to the section you’re leading on time, you dismiss everyone on time, and that you’re actually prepared to lead the discussion. Don’t annoy your class by failing to understand and articulate the professor’s expectations and make sure you actually pass back assignments within a reasonable timeframe. You’re not a tenured professor yet, who can do whatever the hell they want and pass back midterms at 2 weeks after the end of the semester. Know your place in the academic food chain.

2. Nobody cares about your research

It stings, I know, especially if you’re a grad student TAing a class and the professor briefly mentions a topic you’ve been pouring over for months in a crowded corner in the grad student offices. But, if you’re TAing a survey course, odds are that your undergrads won’t be quite as interested in your obscure academic interests in early articulations of Marxist thought in Byzantium. So keep discussion of the professor’s lectures in connection with your own research to a bare minimum, and at most, whip out an allusion to your research in one-line every couple of weeks. Assume any interest from undergrads regarding your research is feigned, because quite honestly, it most likely is an attempt to enter your good graces for a grade bump.

3. Don’t be a hard-o

It would always amuse me my freshman year whenever I’d get higher marks on papers that my tenured professors would grade over the ones that the grad school TAs would grade. I totally get not wanting to have your professor think you’re a wimp, but there’s no reason to treat every paper you read from an undergrad as a masters’ dissertation, particularly if you’re TAing an intro level class. What TAs sometimes forget when they’re working with freshmen and sophomores is that they’re dealing with a bunch of newbies who are touching the material for the first time. Obviously, you shouldn’t be handing out A’s left, right, and center, but you also shouldn’t be “peer reviewing” your students’ papers because they are not your peers.

Also, make sure that if there are multiple TAs for the same class that you’re all on the same page. If the other TAs are mellower than you, you may find your class size shrinking week by week.

4. Call people out

C’mon, you know who’s done the reading and who’s just pulling things out of their ass. When I was a sophomore, there was this junior in my City Novels class who clearly had never read any of the books, or if he had, he was a total idiot and didn’t know what he was talking about. It used to drive my entire row in the lecture hall where we had section up a wall. Our TA was way too nice and polite and would patiently wait for him to finish his long ramblings that were total BS. What she really should have been doing was calling this mofo out every class so that someone with an actual contribution to make could speak. You know precisely who these BS artists are. Don’t cushion the blow with them. Shut them down so you don’t waste everyone’s time and so your class doesn’t hate you for facilitating this kid of BS.

5. Explain, don’t regurgitate

If I wanted to rehear the lecture from Thursday, I could just go online and find a university-sanctioned recording and replay it in the comfort of my own home. Your role as a TA should be to clarify and explain, not regurgitate the obscure language the professor used in the lecture hall. It’s bad enough that most of these discussion sections happen Friday morning, at which point everyone is either hungover or already in weekend mode. Dumb it down for us all in discussion section and then give us examples to deepen our understanding. That’s all we really ask of you.

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5 Mentors Who Can Change Your Life

Kimberley — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 01:02:46 +0000

Let’s be real: College is confusing. By the end of it, we’re somehow supposed to figure out what we want to do in the world and major in something conducive to future jobs. If you haven’t had your “I don’t know what to do with my life” break down yet, brace yourself. The truth is we can’t do this on our own. No matter how independent we think we are, we all still live on meal plans in dorm rooms and (hopefully) go to class everyday with a sprinkling of some extracurricular activities here and there. College makes us feel independent because there aren’t any adults around telling us what to do. But that doesn’t mean we have to weather the storm alone. Besides the academic advisors provided to you from your school, there are a bunch of informal mentors all around you who can offer you advice as you figure out your career, life, and maybe just what you’re doing next semester. Truth is, anyone can be a resource to you if you let them be a part of your life. Here are some people to consider:

1. Past High School Teachers

If you haven’t sent any of your high school teachers an email since you’ve started college, have no fear! It’s never too late to reconnect with teachers, especially if you had a close relationship during your high school years. Your teachers knew you before your college transformation, and can offer insight into how you’ve changed and why that change occurred. They write killer recommendation letters (hey, remember how we needed those for college applications?). My high school history teacher is a huge influence on my life because he taught the classes that influenced me to pursue a history degree. We exchange emails quite often and he has great connections to potential jobs and other alumni from my high school. Utilize your old connections, and they may turn out to be the best people in your life.

Never underestimate past high school teachers.

2. Professors

Alright, I’m not going to repeat the old “go to office hours!” plea. We all know what it takes to gain a close relationship with your professors. My advice is to only pursue mentors that actually affect your life. If your history professor puts you to sleep, but your astronomy professor is the coolest person you’ve ever met, then go for your astronomy professor! Even if the person does not have anything to do with your major or career path, they may just be interesting people with great advice.

Professors really can change your life.

3. Alumni

One of my mentors is an admissions officer at my school, and graduated a few years ago. Part of the reason why I love her (there are many!) is that she took every class known to man here. She had her good days and bad days on the same campus I roam and lived in the same dorm as I did. She provides me with great life advice, academic advice, and fashion advice. Alumni love talking about their college years, so go ahead and approach one! I’ll bet they went through all of the breakdowns you’re going through and then some.

Hook ‘em McConaughey

4. Family Members

Parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents- anyone! With the background of already loving you, family members have the potential to provide you with both advice and lots of hugs. My family is filled with entrepreneurs and are really great with business advice. If your family is filled with doctors, lawyers, teachers, biologists- whatever the case, and you find yourself interested in the same topics, ask them about their college and career experience. Even if your aspirations don’t match up exactly, sometimes the best life advice comes out of conversations about even the most mundane topics. If you’re going home for Spring Break, utilize all of your resources around the dinner table.

Family Dinner: Make those connections!

5. Upperclassmen Friends

You know who knows the best dining hall on campus and which frats suck? That’s right. Your upperclassmen friends. They can tell you which classes changed their life, which professors actually help in office hours and even give you homework tips! They lived your life before you did, and are often really happy to guide you in the right direction. Make it a point to get to know as many upperclassmen as you can! You never know what opportunities might come your way and what amazing friendships might grow. Go beyond the all-freshman friend group!

Follow the Leader

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The Spring Break Conundrum

Kimberley — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:47:58 +0000

Even though winter seems like a never-ending, snowpocalyptic abyss right now, Spring Break is right around the corner! Is your Spring Break planned out? Okay…me neither. But luckily, college students like us have OPTIONS. From visiting family at home and catching up on Netflix to jetting off Cancun, there’s so much out there for all you hopeless wanderers, partiers, or couch potatoes.

Are you ready for this?

1. The (stereotypical) Beach Trip

Remember all those random MTV specials of college kids in Cancun? Now’s your time to shine! Head down to where it’s sunny, beachy, and boozy and you’ve got your stereotypical Spring Break. While many of these Spring Break attractions can be sketchy, there’s no doubt that partying for a straight week has its perks (and it’s fair share of interesting stories). Be warned, your Miami getaway could cost a lot when considering the budget of the average college student. With thousands of other schools on Spring Break at the same time, chances are prices are already going up for ~~hotels~~ motels and flights. So grab your closest friends, a swim suit, some sunscreen and try not to be filmed by MTV…that really could come back to haunt you.

2. Road trip

Got friends? Got a car? Got some money for gas? That’s it! Your set for a road trip to any destination of your choosing (within reason). The alumni who interviewed me during the admissions process for my school told me about a junior year road trip from Rhode Island to Alaska that was planned in one night..and eventually came to define his entire college experience. He had me sold on that one. So, make sure your travel buddies are the type of people that you won’t want to strangle after a few hours in the car and head out! The beauty of road tripping is that you never know what you might come across. There’s got to be a museum of yarn somewhere that will pique your interests. Think about it: this is one of the only times in your life that you can get up and go, with no strings attached and no serious responsibilities.

Ready to take a Road Trip? Map it out.

3. Charity

Every school has the alternative spring break option: dedicating your week to charitable work. Whether you’re in Haiti or only a few blocks from your school, giving back to communities can be a great learning experience that could potentially change your life and the lives of people around you. Whether you’re building houses, teaching classes, or offering support, alternative spring breaks offer up a world of opportunity to make small scale changes that impact the lives of others. Remember how you told your college interviewer how much you wanted to change the world? Here you go…

Turn your Spring Break into your chance to change the world.

4. Go Home

Even though there are so many options for spring break, there is absolutely no shame in going home for your week off. Going home means home cooked food, showering without flipflops, enjoying family time, and simply recovering from the stresses of college life. Kick back, relax, and catch up on all of your TV shows or stop by your old high school for a visit. Catch up with some old friends and relive your high school glory days.

Go home and snuggle with your puppy.

5. Make up your own adventure. Right now.

None of these options catching your fancy? Alright here’s a challenge: figure out what you want to do, where you want to go, and just DO IT. I will bet that if you ask your friends if they’re interested in accompanying you on a self-financed backpacking journey through Europe, there’s at least one person who would totally be on board. I hate to bring back YOLO, but YOLO! Go out there and see the world before we all have to sell our souls to corporate America. Do it, I dare you.

Go on an adventure!

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