If there is one rule that we should really all follow in college it would be to try to get through college without any major regrets. I mean sure we are all going to have that day where we regret wearing that pair of shoes that gave us blisters, or eating that pita pit that made us sick, or even watching that television show instead of studying for a big test, but when it comes to the end of the year its the big things that I plan not to regret. I don’t want to regret not going on that trip with friends, or not staying for those extra few hours at THON, and I especially do not want to regret how I spent my days in college. I mean sure everyone says that to enjoy school you work hard and play hard, but for many people playing hard is different. Some like to go crazy on the weekends and they do not care if they remember tomorrow, some like to just lounge around and take in the crazy week they have had, and then some want to find a middle ground where they can relax and still go out with friends. Everyone is different, and not to keep hearkening on that annoying speech every parent gives on finding yourself, but its true. College really is a time to find yourself, and not necessarily finding things like just your fashion or what major you want to pursue. College is a time to find who you really are, who you want your friends to be, how you like to spend your free time, essentially in college limitations are in themselves limited, in college you have the chance to become a night owl without your parents telling you to go to sleep, the chance to be a vegetarian with all of these food options at your finger tips, or even the option to find out how you love to spend your free time, whether its playing video games or going out every night. College is to learn about your future profession sure, but its also to find yourself and what you want your future to be like.

Past just social discoveries, its a time to find out what you are interested in terms of education or activities. This means go out and join all of those clubs, sign up for student government even if you are a math major, go take a pottery class if you are a science major, and just go out and find something outside of your major that you want to do. Be well rounded and explore places outside of your normal comfort zone. Take a leap of faith, go and find new boundaries. And don’t be afraid to explore without a friend, don’t pass up an opportunity to join a club or go to a concert just because no one else will go with you, be adventurous, make new friends, go and get out their and find your own way instead of hiding behind people that you already know, you would be surprised how friendly people on campus really are.

And lastly, just because you think that you won’t like it, then you should still try something, that is within reason. Last semester I tried gym classes, eating healthier, and playing video games. I really liked the gym classes and even still go to some of them, I continue to attempt to eat healthier because it really does make me feel better, and I continue to play some of the video games because it turns out that I did really like them. So far this semester I have tried cycling classes, being a vegetarian, and pottery classes. I learned that I like meat way to much to be a vegetarian, that cycling classes hurt my butt way to much with that little seat, but that I really do like pottery and that it is a great way to release some tension. 

Overall, just use college to go out a try something new, to learn how to be alone at times, and how to be in a group during others, and above all just learn what suits you, try what you want, and decide what you like.

When it comes to the weather, I don’t joke around, I am very serious when I say that I do not like the cold and that I worship the days that we have relatively nice weather. Now lets face it I clearly do not make good decisions when it comes to certain things, such as hating the cold and then picking a college that looks like this outside for a majority of our school year:

and this:

and feels like this:

and makes us look like this on a daily basis:

But for the past few days the weather has changed, I mean we go to Penn State so…

it was bound to happen eventual, and while I am sure at some point its going to get cold again (my weather app says next Tuesday), at least we have some warmth now, at least its not negative and it is getting into the 50’s!!! That is right this Friday and Saturday it is supposed to be 50! And so the advice that I offer to you today is to GET OUT OF YOUR DORM AND GO OUTSIDE WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!

Seriously when its past 30 outside I refuse to wear a jacket (I am not saying that this is a good idea, I’m just saying that it is what I do), I take the long way to classes so I can enjoy the weather, I run all of my errands so I can be outside, and I never consider taking the bus because I refuse to skip out on what counts as a warm day in Penn State. And I have so much respect for those that see the temperature rise past 30 degrees and look like this…

… and truly take in that warmish weather (but don’t mistake yourself for invincible and try to pull this off every day, 40 and above is the only time I should see shorts AND flip flops) But when the warm weather rolls in, get outside, who cares if there is a little wind, forget about the rain (at least its not snowing!), just get outside and move around, because who knows what the weather is going to bring us next. I am a hermit in the winter, I do not leave my building for longer than I have to, and so these few days of warm and bearable weather are a God send to me, I have enjoyed these days as well as the nice ones that we had over spring break and I will continue to enjoy this nice weather that we are getting. So just get outside and enjoy the weather, today is the first day of Spring, why not celebrate it and go running, play some frisbee, or at least take a walk. Seriously I did not enjoy the warm weather days enough back in the fall, I was to busy getting settled in and thinking I would be able to get away with a sweat shirt all year, so now I am going to enjoy these days to the fullest, besides it is a great excuse procrastinate for all of my tests.

So for this post I will be talking about tow different types of hours that you need to learn, Office Hours and Computer Lab/ Library Hours.

I know, I know every guide, mentor, and parent tells you the same thing, learn office hours. But its true YOU NEED TO LEARN OFFICE HOURS! When you are stuck on a problem or a prompt on a paper and emailing your teacher is not good enough then don’t be afraid to venture to their office and ask them personally for help. Trust me its a lot better then just walking around dazed and confused until the end of the semester and taking a hit to your grad rather than asking for the help you need. Don’t be stubborn and let your grade and education suffer. And of all the office hours that I have been to, teachers are more than happy to help, if anything they are glad that you took the initiative to go and see them in the first place. And I am not saying that office hours are just for those struggling, or that they are the key to your survival for four years, or that office hours are some magical charm that will make your grade better, I am just saying they are extremely helpful, and not just for the purpose of better understanding the material, but to help you become better acquainted with your professor. Lets put it this way how many of you actually know how many students each of your teachers have? Yeah they have so many every year that they may not either, so if you just attend class then your just going to be another face, if you are lucky maybe another name in the history of kids that they teach. But office hours are a smaller and better setting for them to get to know you, and for you to get to know them.  And I am not saying go to every office hour and then you and your professor will be best buds and on a first name basis or anything, I am saying go to office hours and just let the professor know that you care enough about there class to spend your out of class time getting better acquainted with the class.

As for the library/ computer lab hours, these have literally saved my concentration at times. So people always tell me go study at the hub, get out of your room and study, it will help you. But do you know what happens when I study at the Hub? I don’t know either because when I go to the Hub I never study, I can’t! To many people, to much noise, don’t even try. Go to a computer lab, its less distracting then your own laptop that automatically opens Pinterest and YouTube when you get on it, go to the stacks in the library that enforce quiet and are so creepy that you just want to finish your work and get out of there, and go to the silent study lounges around campus, because with that eerie silence and evil stares when I sneeze, I work twice as fast so that I don’t have to be their anymore.

So learn the hours so that you know when and where to make a good impression on your professor through better work, and by showing them that you care.