College and life are just as much about education as they are one huge, messy social experiment. As of late I have been working with a lot of Seniors getting ready to embark on their next chapter and almost always find myself sharing things that I wish I had known back then. Oh, the trouble I could have saved myself. Just for fun, I decided to create a list of a few things that I wish I had known 10 years ago. Which ones can you guys relate to?
1. Know how to walk in heels.
Practice in the privacy of your home WELL before you ever have to actually wear them. You will feel so much more confident and you lessen the chance of any embarrassing moments. It's crazy how many guys don't actually fall in love with you fall into their arms. Or off of curbs when they walk you home. Wait, what?
2. How to gracefully end a relationship.
Start learning early how to treat others in a relationship, even in the midst of ending it. I will never forget when I was in high school, my mom overheard me on the phone saying a few "choice words" to someone that I knew liked me very much but I wasn't interested in. The look of disappointment on my mom's face said it all. I immediately called the guy back and apologized for the nasty things that I said while still being very clear that it wasn't going to happen. Start showing respect and you will start earning it.
3. It's not that serious.
The argument you had with your best friend? It's not that serious. Someone talked about you behind your back? It's not that serious. Boyfriend broke up with you? It's not that serious. Everything seems a huge deal in the moment, but you will be surprised by how little you care about these things a year later. Don't waste your time worrying about every little thing. Learn from it, move on because.....say it with me.... It's not that serious.
4. Register to vote.
Just do it. If you don't know where to start in the voting process, start with issues that you care about and affect you personally. Student loans anyone? You may not be interested in politics, but politics is interested in you. Educating yourself on issues will empower you to make more thoughtful decisions, and you will wow the room when you can join in intelligent conversation. Fancy.
5. Never send naked pics.
Self explanatory, though you would be surprised by how many young women still make this mistake. You might be "together" now, but it's going to you and you alone standing there naked on the internet if it gets out.
6. Have your own checking and savings account
There will be feast, and there will be famine. One week you will be eating steak and baked potatoes while enjoying red wine; next week it's Easy Mac and canned Spaghetti-Os and a struggle pint of Boone's Farm. Learn as much as you can about your money and it will be time well spent. Just a tip: save at least 10% of every paycheck in a "me" fund and you will not regret it.
7. Call your mom.
Anytime your parents don't hear from you, they assume that you are dead. This is a fact. Call and check in at least once a week. That way, if you are dead, you can let someone know.
9. Be on time
Showing up late is just plain disrespectful and sends a silent message that you don't really care. Whether it's a job interview, a friend's birthday dinner, or that 8 a.m. class that YOU signed up for, show up on time. You will be surprised at how much easier it is to get an extension on that ten-page essay that you put off until the last minute when you have made a good impression on your professors.
10. Know how to change a tire.
A damsel in distress will remain in distress if you don't learn how to change your own dang tire. Sure, someone may do it for you, but do you want to depend on that? Not only will you be able to save you own ass, guys also find it extremely sexy when a woman can take care of herself. Think less Marilyn Monroe and more Thelma and Louise. Those are some ladies that knew their way around a tire iron.
11. Study abroad.
Whenever you get the chance to travel, take it. You have not lived until you've eaten frijoles in a Mexican jail. Seriously, don't go to jail but DO take every opportunity to see new places. One day, you will be an elegantly, worldly creature or at the very least know the difference between a country and a continent.
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