10 Things Every College Student Needs To Know

College is a huge part of the average American’s life.

As a society, we put it on a pedestal. It’s all but expected that you start your career, meet your best friends, meet your wife, and learn everything you need to know all during those four sacred years.

Well, like anyone who’s been through college, I feel like I have wisdom that can be shared. And I believe my advice is particularly valuable and relevant because I went through college just four years ago, and more importantly, because while my college experience was definitely good, I’ve experienced the four most fulfilling years of my life since graduating. And that’s what you want: for college to be a stepping stone to crushing life afterwards.

College can make you or it can break you. It’s the first time you’re living on your own and it takes place at a crucial time in your development. So it’s important that you do it right. While you’ll make plenty of your own mistakes, and learn plenty of lessons because of them, it’s important to at least to try to learn from the mistakes of those who came before you.

1. Your school is small and insignificant

Almost every college student “buys in” to their school. Their life revolves around the campus “happenings.” And this makes it far too easy to confuse your campus with the rest of the world.

It’s natural for it to seem like the social hierarchy of your school is absolute and making a name for yourself at your school, getting the best grades, or dating the hottest girl is the most important thing you can do. But you must remember: even the biggest colleges are tiny relative to the world you’ll live in afterwards. So don’t take it so fucking seriously.

2. No other student is “better” than you

This phenomenon occurs because of the above fact. When you think that your college is so damn important, you start to put other students on a pedestal. The football player can seem like a god and the hot girls can seem untouchable.

You must remember that everyone has their insecurities—no matter how “cool” or “important” they may seem. Rather than assuming a particular social position, remember that you’re all just a bunch of college kids trying to have fun, get laid, and feel important. Again, don’t take the social hierarchy so fucking seriously.

3. You don’t need to know your career yet

I stressed out about my college major like everyone else does. Don’t sweat it. The vast majority of people don’t end up working in the field they studied.

Your motivation, social skills, and appearance will determine how far you can climb a corporate ladder at the end of the day, not your bachelors. Sure, some jobs require an MBA or similar graduate degree, but outside of those select few, just focus on learning and trying new things. This is what will pay off in the long run.

4. Take classes that will actually help you in the future

This is in line with the above point. While you’ll never use the skills and info you learn in most classes, there are a select few that should be required. Find the time in your schedule to take the following classes because they’ll pay off big-time in the long run: personal finance, basic accounting, public speaking, writing, and web design.

5. Getting rejected is good for you

When it comes to women, don’t be afraid to burn your bridges. There are far too many girls I wanted to bone that I never even approached and expressed my intent. And guess what, I never got what I wanted. Getting rejected will build your confidence and get you laid. Take the initiative and ask any girl you have your eye on to hang out—it will put you leagues ahead of the average guy who just relies on getting drunk in frat house basements to meet women.

6. Networking is essential

Make friends with everyone. The jocks, nerds, hot girls, hipsters, and everyone in between. Whether it’s in class, in the cafeteria, or at the gym—talk to everyone. This is how you get ahead in life. It’s what gets you the job, the promotion, and the girl. Don’t get stuck with a couple of friends that you spend all your time with. You don’t have to be best buddies with everyone, but being able to talk to have a quick conversation with most people is important. When you graduate this is of the even more important, so get started early.

7. Work hard, play hard

This is cliché as fuck, but it’s true. If you (or your parents) are paying the massive bill to go to college, then make sure you get a good GPA. This will help you with getting your first job, so don’t shoot yourself in the foot. But also don’t forget to party hard because the bar scene gets quite different after college. Not worse, but different—so enjoy the crazy house parties while you can.

8. Fuck the haters

There are inevitably going to be guys who are dicks and girls who are bitches. Don’t worry about it. Don’t get caught up in some stupid beef. Just move on and meet more people.

9. Lift weights and eat well

So many people let themselves go while at college. They drink a lot, eat a lot, and put on the infamous “freshman 15.” Do yourself a favor and get on a proper lifting routine. Also, if you’re going to go out and get hammered, avoid the pizza and Chinese afterwards. If you can maintain your body during college, you’ll put yourself in a great place to do so afterwards too.

10. College is just the beginning

This is the main takeaway. College can be a place where you learn a lot of social skills and some useful other skills too. It can be a place where you set the foundation for a lot of growth in the years to come. But college is not the game. It’s just the “pre-game.” Treat it as such and you’ll fare far better, both during and afterwards, than the average chump.

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