- You live in Portland. You are bound to see something uncomfortably strange one time or another. Last month I saw a woman drop a greasy piece of cheese from her pizza on a wet sidewalk… And eat it?
- Have faith in the classes you signed up for this term. Sometimes your major requirements will surprise you, so don’t be too miserable about it! Public speaking was probably the most fun I’ve had so far in a college class setting.
- Find your weapons for fighting off stress early in the game. Nutella is not the answer, and neither is watching “The Bachelor”. It’s easy to eat/sleep/distract our ways away from stress, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to go away anytime soon.
- Be consoling. In college you’re going to see a lot of other friends and students go through numerable hardships. For example, nothing like the stress of financial planning to add on top of that midterm! It’s very easy to get swept up in the routine you already have, but try and be there for your friends; they’ll be sure to do the same for you.
- Don’t be scared to sit down and talk with a professional. Financial stress, mental stress, academic stress… Someone somewhere has always got you covered.
- “Your good friends moved 2 blocks away from campus? Better make some new friends.” I found this random quote to be quite funny but honest. When life starts moving faster than you are used to, it isn’t uncommon to notice that the friends you knew from the year before have found different paths. It isn’t a bad thing either, it’s just change.
- Ratemyprofessor.com is extremely reliable. I have seen nothing but sunny skies in terms of choosing the right teacher with this website.
Does anyone else have any wise advice they’d like to add on to the list? Sophomore experience is not necessary! I’d love to hear what you have to say.