College Life, Week 1

One week ago today, I moved onto the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. In light of this recent change in my life, I'm going to start posting five observations about life on a college campus every week. That being said, here's my top five things I've noticed about college life in my first week here:

  1. Dining halls/block parties/etc. are not for introverts...or ambiverts. I'm not a strict introvert, but I really don't like large group events all that much. Large crowds of people I don't know intimidate me. There's a lot of those on a college campus, especially in the first couple weeks of school, so be prepared to be pushed out of your comfort zone if you're at all like me. That being said...
  2. Get to know your floor and force yourself to hang out with them. This is a big way to help fix the issue of #1. I've found a lot of cool guys on my dorm floor who like to have fun. It also gives you someone to eat lunch or dinner with. Trust me on this when I say this is the best way to meet good friends. 
  3. Eat as much healthy and natural food as possible. Dining hall food here is average at best. Most of it is not healthy. Eat a salad every meal if possible, only get one helping, and skip the dessert line if you don't want the dreaded "freshman 15." Also, eat fresh fruit. Here at Olivet, that's the best option for me. I always take one piece of fruit from the cafeteria when I leave. I've got four or five apples in my fridge for the weekend right now. Speaking of the dining hall...
  4. Man/girl/pony up and just sit with someone. This goes back to #1. I've met a few people who I never would have encountered if I hadn't just sat down and started talking with them. Some of them I might never see again, while others I quite enjoyed spending time with. Pick a smaller group and just get to know them. It doesn't matter if they're in your dorm, your class, or if you've never seen them before in your life. Just sit down, introduce yourself, and eat.  
  5. Don't be the guy playing guitar on the quad. And no, I haven't done this. Everyone hates these guys. Just don't do it. Play in your room. Go to a practice room. But for the love of all that is good, don't go on the quad with a guitar. It's just a bad idea. 
That's it for this week. Be sure to subscribe to stay updated on my college experience, along with the best in music and movies.

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