I’ve been writing for The Utah Chronicle since my first semester at the U, so I’ve been through my share of “Openings” editions of the paper. And while I feel like the whole advice spiel has been well-mined, I’ve slowly been tacking more life experience onto my college career board and I decided to muster up a few things to throw your way, Freshies. So, here’s a personal compilation of things I wish I’d figured out before starting college, and my best hacks (so far) for making your experience at the U unforgettable.
Take advantage of Salt Lake City and Utah in general. Even though I grew up here, I’m definitely still working on experiencing everything Utah has to offer. There are so many trails to explore, mountains to summit, lakes to dive into, slopes to ski (or tumble) down and so many other world-class activities to enjoy year-round. At the U you’re in the hub of it all, immersed in a school that recognizes its statewide adventure resources and utilizes them in ways that are easily accessible to students.
Make friends with everyone. You’re only in college once, and starting out at a new school with older, more mature kids means brand new beginnings for everyone. Say goodbye to a campus dominated by cliques and outcasts, because a college campus is the perfect place to meet all kinds of new people and jive with them through varying interests. Keep an open mind, find some common ground and learn all you can from everyone you can. With a university as diverse as ours, there are unique and valuable stories, experiences and opinions strolling around campus all the time. Don’t let them all pass you by.
Give yourself options and don’t close any doors you don’t have to. Very few kids walk into college knowing exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives. And while personal exploration and young adult thrills are important in finding your way through your early 20s, they’re only half of what make your college experience. Don’t forget about your homework, the late nights studying for finals, meeting with clubs and advisers, etc. Starting college with your future wide open is exciting, but be careful not to let the freedom overwhelm you and ultimately jeopardize your options later on. Good programs and jobs are only becoming more competitive, and that failed class you thought wouldn’t matter because it “wasn’t required for my major anyway,” might be the reason you don’t get considered for that master’s program later on. It all matters.
In conjunction with the previous paragraph, “mess up,” but do it, in a sense, deliberately. In other words, don’t be afraid to experience all you can, but be sure to stay in control. College is the perfect time to explore yourself and learn like crazy — and what better way to learn than through experience? Odds are you’re not yet tied down to a lifetime career, family, mortgage and all those other adult concerns I cringe to think about. Use this time to take some risks and experience things that will lead to great stories later on. These are the years when it’s okay to do things your parents would roll their eyes at: pull all-nighters in the Uintahs to stargaze, go to as many concerts and festivals as you can with the weirdest people you can find, go to every football game with Ute war paint on your face, skinny dip, buy a cheap motorcycle and ride it through desert towns you didn’t know existed.
There’s so much out there to see and do, and you’ve got plenty of time at the U to experience as much of it as possible.