what the NY Times should've said......

An article that ran in the Op-Ed section of the New York Times yesterday featured people giving advice to all incoming freshman. It was a general "what i wish i knew" or "i wish i took advantage of this" type story that i found to be very interesting and in some ways helpful but mostly i found it to be a very obvious portrayal of the do's and don'ts of college. So now i am going to copy the New York Times and give my two cents on what i wish i knew when i first entered college.

Going to school in a non-traditional setting, a big city with no "real" campus or level designated classes, i wish i knew that it is not so scary to reach out to other people. Walking in on my first day we went around the room doing typical introductions. "I'm Anna, I'm from Los Angeles, i plan to major in Journalism and Literary Studies, and i am taking this class because i am interested in why certain types of music are generalized in a category of "romantic music" and what the classifications are to be in said category." From every ones introductions i thought they everyone would become a group of friends and engage in conversations before the professor arrived each time before class.... but i was wrong. As i learned later in the year almost everyone feels the way I did. Scared, nervous, a little bit uncomfortable, these are all normal reactions to meeting new people and branching out. So my advice would be try your hardest to interact with others around you. It's okay to be scared but try to put your nerves aside and make extra effort, because chances are most of the others feel the same way! Another thing i would take advantage of is to explore where you live. Go see music, go to art openings, go to museums, to movies. Spend the entire day (if the weather permits) walking around neighborhoods you don't live in, going into stores and cafes and just exploring. Sign up for lectures and book signings at school. But my most important piece of advice, for anyone going to school if you are in a big city or on a tiny campus, don't be afraid to go places by yourself. Get to know yourself outside of your friends, your family, and your comfort zone. Push yourself to do things because you will regret it if you don't. I guess ultimately, have fun and enjoy yourself, don't set limitations or boundaries for yourself and the opportunities you are going to encounter and always always be as positive as you can even if situations get tough!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/opinion/26gradstudents.html?_r=1&emc=eta1