1. Call your mom: Seriously, guys, call her. Or text her, or skype her, or write her a letter if that's what you're into. You have the time, and it will mean a lot. Call your dad, too, while you're at it.
2. Don't spend it all in one place: try to save some money, because $10 pizzas and $20 bottles of alcohol and $50 sweatshirts from the bookstore add up, and they add up fast. Try to be concious of what you're spending and how much you have left. It isn't fun to budget, but it's more fun than realizing you have $30 left in your bank account and you have 4 weeks left of groceires to buy before the end of the semester. Oh, and rent. Shoot.
3. Don't skip class: to be honest, I skipped a lot of class in high school; and it only got easier to continue the trend once I got to college. No one is going to wake you up in the morning, drive you to school, and make sure you're where you're supposed to be. Most classes give points for attendence, and even if they don't, there's no way for you to make up the discussions and lectures you miss. Even if you have the notes, they don't substitute what you learn when you're actually present and engaged. Skipping class is tempting, and there are a million excuses that all seem valid at the time: I'm hungover, it's raining, there's a new episode of The Real Housewives on Hulu that I haven't watched yet...but trust me, you'll feel better once you go. And most of the time it's what, 50 minutes? You can get back in bed after, I promise.
4. Get involved...: Clubs, intramural sports, volunteer opportunites...there are a thousand ways ot get involved at IU. It's a great way to meet new people with shared interests, and it looks good on your resume for the future. Once you find the clubs, teams, etc. that interest you the most, give them a decent amount of your time and be an active participant. If that means becoming a club officer or team captain; that's great. It'll give you good experience and be a place you can really feel that you belong.
5. ...But remember why you came to school: "Remember you're at IU to get an education". This is my dad's go-to comment whenever I tell him I'm involved in anything besides going to class or studying at the library. As annoying as it is when he says it, I have to admit he has a point. There are so many fun, exciting, and beneficial things that IU has to offer, but you're gunna regret the 7 clubs you're in when you're trying to explain a 1.7 GPA to a future employer. Have time for the extracurriculars, but put school first. You aren't spending 4 years and thousands of dollars to be the president of the ultimate frisbee club.
6. Call your mom. Just do it, she loves you.
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