We’re all officially midway through the semester… thanks for reminding us, midterms. For those of you who have just completed half of your first Fall Semester of college, I thought I’d share some wisdom my mom and a friend’s mom have passed on to me. First semester is a trial and error period, but wise words like these should help ease the transition. Not a freshman at DePauw? Read on for some free advice anyway!
1. Always wear clean underwear and please throw out the ones with holes! Whether or not someone sees it, have pride in knowing even your basics will uphold.
2. Once you find a pair of shoes that are comfortable and you love, buy them in every color.
3. FLOSS! Treat your teeth and mouth really, really well. A great smile goes a long way.
4. Don’t agonize over things you can’t control. You can control your actions but you cannot control how others feel, what they think or what they do.
5. Don’t fret about things in the past. It’s over and you can’t do anything about it. A bad grade, not studying enough study, or a dumb comment you made while out one night. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Staying angry and rehashing about someone or an event is like feeding us rat poison over and over again. Move on, even if we need a therapist to do that.
6. Do not underestimate the importance of a few really classic, lovely accessories. A simple bangle, a very plain but beautiful leather purse, strand of 8 mm pearls & smallish diamond studs – real or not. Feeling confident & not out of place is huge.
7. Don’t be overly critical of yourself or others. No one is perfect.
8. There is “Mr./Ms. right” & a “Mr./Ms. right-now”…figure out the difference early on.
9. Learn to support yourself and be content living on your own. Only then will you be ready to build a successful life with another human being, without fear or insecurity.
10. When we are talking we aren’t listening. Talk less. Listen a lot.
11. The golden rule: Treat others as you would want to be treated, but even if they are not treating you with respect, kill em’ with kindness.
I know life can be crazy sometimes, but there’s no better time than the end of Fall Break to remember to thank your family/loved ones for everything they’ve done for you. That’s the least you can do after over a decade of free advice.