Going off to college forces a lot of change. No longer are you under your parent’s roof, rules, or values. Responsibility of going to class, work, and sleeping all fall upon YOU. Here are some practical tips for the newly responsible men.

• Remember to bathe… daily. Hygiene goes a long way when you are in college. You can only wear the only pair of pajama pants you own to class so many times in a row.
• Stay away from fire!  Losing your eyebrows, arm hair, and 2^nd and 3^rd degree burns will not impress your friends or their friends.
• Be confident in yourself. When surveyed, 10 out of 10 girls like a guy who is confident in himself.
• Call your parents, occasionally. Most parents like to hear from their children, occasionally. Their support throughout your first 18 years does not stop when you move out, despite their converting your room into a media-room the day you moved out.
• Study! Commit some time to studying daily. By not waiting until the hour before the test to study, you will find that the tests are not as bad as your friends thought they were.
• Don’t drink and drive! (I’m assuming that you are of legal drinking age). The cost for a cab or a sober friend to drive you home is worth every penny or complaint from your DD. Don’t forget to return the favor to your DD.
• Get to know your professor.  One of the biggest complaints students have is that their professor does not know their name.  You can be the exception to the rule if you take advantage of your professors office hours and stay awake in his/her class.
• Join organization(s). By becoming involved in organizations (ie. Greek Life, Student Government, Religious Organizations, Service Groups) you can meet people whom have common interests with you.
• Don’t eat pizza EVERY meal. This should be common sense, but students are always in a hurry, so pizza is always available. This can also help you avoid the freshman 15. Remember mom’s advice “eat you vegetables”
• Make friends, then meet their friends. College is a time to meet a lot of people from various backgrounds, cultures, religions, and interests.  By meeting people from other backgrounds you can further your quest for cultural competency. This is also a chance to learn about new foods!
• Don’t declare a major your first semester. The average college student changes their major 4 times. By not declaring your major until your sophomore year, you can experience classes in several fields of study. After all, how many Lawyers majors need a minor in Marine Biology?
• Live on campus for at least one year. Most colleges do not require students to live on-campus. If you do not have a friend group established at the college you are going to, you might find out that your “pot-luck” roommate is actually pretty cool. Plus, the Resident Assistants know all of the resources at the college, so they can point you to organizations, services, and proper George Forman Grill cooking classes.

Check out Part 2 of this series!

Adam Glendye, LPC
aglendye @ growcounseling.com