Get involved

Students should take the wonderful opportunities for becoming involved, whether it be in sports, clubs, organizations, or volunteering. It's just a great way to meet other students, especially for first-years. Involvement is an excellent way to build up great, necessary skills for adulthood- skills such as leadership, teamwork,organization, and many, many others. I think that besides the people you meet in your halls or corridors, group activities are way you will meet some of your closest college friends. In so doing, it is easy to get along with many different types of people who are connected by the bonds of similar interests.

Venture off campus

St. Olaf has so many study abroad programs to choose from. Students who have not yet taken advantage of them should do so as soon as possible. I have never heard of a student regretting that he or she went abroad because wherever you go in this world, the changes and differences enountered in travel can be such an eye-opening experience. We can learn so much in places that are so very different than the United States, just as we can learn things here at home.

Even though we were in the Caribbean, which is basically and generically known for its tourist facade, we learned and gained much. It was so awesome to meet the people, and study different viewpoints on topics such as race relations, politics, how America has an influence on Caribbean culture, and so on. Such things are so relevant in the world today, and are pertinent to our own understanding of our place in it. Study abroad will not only give you a world perspective, but it will give you another perspective on the U.S. as well. Plus, it is also a good way to beat those Minnesota winter blues, especially if you go somewhere warm. I really loved being on the trip and getting to know all the other people there. As students with different majors sometimes find it hard to interact in an academic setting, I found the Interim trip I took to the Eastern Caribbean a welcome exposure to people of m own age group with diverse backgrounds and exciting futures.

Make the most of time

I also think people should procrastinate as little as possible because sleep is so precious for our immunity, especially in the winter when we're trying to avoid getting sick.

Remember to enjoy your life

Of course, leave some time for fun. Good times should be a high priority throughout college. I have regretfully learned this lesson:. if your nose is always in the books, you are missing out on so much that you wish you could stay a fifth year. Some students could never fathom the thought, but for students who take school work too seriously, this might be the case. Sure, I have great grades, and that, in itself, can take a person far. Still, in the whole scheme of life, are more people going to remember how much fun they had in college, or how well they did in their classes?

I guess it's how you prioritize your life, but if you have fun, there are no regrets.