College of Charleston….we’re not a very big school. By no means are we living in a fishbowl or in isolation, but the fact of the matter is that if you’re walking slowly, it will only take about 15 minutes for you to walk from one edge of campus to the other. I personally love seeing anywhere from 20 to 40 people I know when walking down the street to class, but it can get a little bit too much to handle at times. For the most part, we all know the same people, go to the same parties, and are involved in the same organizations. There’s tons of overlap at our school, and chances are you have some sort of connection with any given person you meet here. The problem with this? Your reputation, and the way you carry yourself, matters. Like, really matters. It’s important to me that my friends and I all stay classy and respectable, so I have a few tips for you on how to maintain a great reputation on our lovely campus!
- 1. Live as though someone is always watching. Because typically, someone always is. With viral Facebook pages like CofC Confessions, and the gross Twitter CofC Makeouts, any little thing you do can be viewed and shared with the world. We all have to burn some steam and let loose sometimes, but don’t do anything publicly that you wouldn’t mind a parent or future boss finding out about.
- 2. Monitor your personal social networking sites. Twitter and Facebook are constantly evolving, and these days it seems like everyone is on these websites, even family members, employers, professors, etc. Due to this fact, we especially have to take care to only post things that are universally inoffensive and appropriate for all eyes. The picture of you doing a keg stand last weekend? Adorable, but definitely not something to tweet or mupload. You might think that no one’s minding any attention, but I’ve heard of plenty of people missing out on opportunities or being deferred from positions/organizations due to things they’ve posted online, sometimes even due to things posted ages ago.
- 3. Treat everyone with kindness. The fact of the matter is, if you’re rude to one sorority sister, or one member of any other organization, they’re probably going to share their experience with other members of their organization. Your reputation will precede you before you even have a chance to defend yourself. Even when you’re having a bad day, try to be courteous and respectful to everyone you come into contact with, in any situation. If you do, you will be known as the super friendly, outgoing girl, instead of some nasty stereotype.
- 4. Make an effort to branch out! You’ll never be known for anything at all if you don’t mingle and hang out with people from all different walks of life. When I’m going out to lunch with a friend from class or one of my sorority sisters, I always let my other friends know that they’re absolutely welcome to join. I love introducing my friends to new people, and I love meeting new people through my friends. There’s no reason to keep your friend groups strictly isolated from each other. The more the merrier! When you have big groups to go out with, your chances for having fun and staying entertained increases by about 100%. You’ll be known as someone who can get along with and make friends with anyone and everyone, and that’s a great thing to be known for!
- 5. Finally, choose your friends carefully. Even though I previously emphasized the importance of meeting as many people possible, people judge others based on who they’re close to. If you go out every weekend and wreak havoc at random parties with crazy wild girls, you’re going to be thought of as a crazy wild girl, even if you’re not directly partaking in the craziness. If you want to be judged by your actions, and your actions only, then try to avoid hanging out with people who are known for causing drama and commotion. Who even has time for that?!