15 Things To Avoid In College

This isn’t all about the elusive “Freshman 15” that no one can quite figure out if it’s real or not, don’t worry. There are a lot of things to avoid in college (obviously) and here are some of them. Who doesn’t love when people tell them not to do, right? If nothing else, don’t take this post and do the whole “Since you told me not to, I’m going to!” thing. Like I’ve said before, I’m not your mom so there’s no need for some angsty teenage rebellion here.

1. Really early classes if you know you’re not a morning person

Going to college won’t automatically make you chipper and full of sunshine in the morning if you’re not a morning person at all. Sure, you can “become a morning person” according to tons of Pinterest tutorials but you could also fall on the other end of the spectrum and end up skipping class and sleeping through your alarm every day.

2. Copious amounts of junk food just because you can

The Freshman 15 is a hugely talked about thing and honestly, I’m still not sure if it’s true. A lot of people do gain a bit of weight in college but many people don’t. It’s all about whether or not you can maintain self-control. No one is around to stop you from eating the endless pizza and fries in the dining hall, but remember to avoid eating a lot just because you’re in a social setting.

3. Leaving your door unlocked all of the time

College doesn’t give you immunity from having your belongings stolen. I’ve also heard some creepy stories of people just walking into other peoples’ rooms while they’re sleeping, so, there’s that. Be smart and keep your key on you instead of trusting that no one will open your door.

4. Losing your ID and key

SO many people lose this. These two items and your phone are your lifelines and most important items in college. Keep them on you at all times and whenever you leave any place, make sure you’ve got these three items. Losing them can be expensive and hard to get back (if you even get them back). I like to attach my ID to my key using a lanyard and ID holder. You can also get a phone case that allows you to keep your ID attached to your phone. This is great for keeping both but if you lose one you automatically lose the other, which sort of sucks.

5. Hitting snooze on your alarm

Wake up. You’re annoying your roommate and you’re hurting yourself. The snooze button shouldn’t exist anymore and if you feel tempted, move your phone further away from you.

6. Feeling obligated to go out every night

A lot of people go out very often and go hard. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to go out and party, but don’t feel like you have to do so every night and every weekend. Sometimes a night in or some time to just relax is just as fun and definitely less expensive. There are plenty of things to do besides partying in college and there’s nothing wrong with doing them.

7. Ordering takeout every day

You don’t need to become the next Chef Gordon Ramsay but ordering food every single day is going to destroy your wallet and possibly your stomach. Learn how to cook a few things or buy some quick meals that you can microwave or make without heat like microwavable Mac n Cheese, PB & J and even the college classic–ramen.

8. Joining clubs just to join them

If you don’t care and aren’t passionate or at least somewhat interested in club, you don’t have to stay in it. You’re allowed to quit clubs. Speaking as someone who’s on the board of a club on campus, don’t bother with a club if you plan on attending one meeting per semester and not doing anything else. Clubs are meant to help you socialize, find friends and do things…this isn’t high school where clubs were mostly for resumes and college applications.

If you’re looking for away to join the right clubs and root out the unnecessary ones, check out my Guide to Joning Clubs in College.

9. Spending all of your money

Download an app to help you keep track or even use a piece of paper and a pen. For me, keeping track of my money on this app called “Dollarbird” has helped me spend so much less. Seriously, when you see how you spend your money and how often you spend it, it’s an eye-opener. I also feel like I’m being judged by my app whenever I log a purchase, so there’s that. Like, I didn’t realize I spent $55 on makeup one month until I got that app and since then I’ve been much better about my spending habits.

Bonus: Read “The Ultimate Guide to Being Money Smart in College”

10. Studying with friends

I’ve mentioned in my study tips  that studying with friends can often lead to no studying at all. While studying with friends is much more fun, if you’re the type of person who genuinely won’t get any work done while socializing, avoid this trap! Personally, if I’m with friends I’ll keep talking and socializing instead of paying attention to my work. If you’re someone who knows they won’t actually study, study alone and then study with friends if you want to be in on the social time and still do well.

11. Plagiarizing/copying work

It’s not worth it. It’s really not worth it–the punishment is much worse than the potential gain. Do your freaking assignments and if you feel like you can’t complete them or do them well, approach your professor at office hours and ask for some advice or an extension.

12. Cutting ties with professors

If you really like a professor or found them to be helpful or have connections in your industry, there’s no reason you shouldn’t stay in touch. It’s not high school where teachers are far away and seemingly unapproachable–it’s not abnormal to stop by office hours just to chat or to keep in touch with a professor. If you have a professor that’s taken a liking to you, definitely keep in touch. It’s really nice to have someone in your industry of choice that can help you get your foot in the door or even just give you feedback and advice.

13. Burning food

Duh, right? Your dorm/house will smell disgusting, the alarms will go off, everyone in your building will be really angry and the fire department will probably show up. If you’re cooking something, especially popcorn, don’t leave the room and if you must, have someone else keep an eye on it. Nothing is more annoying than having to wake up at 3 A.M. because some drunk chick in your dorm decided to make macaroni and cheese but forgot to add the water to it.

14. Drowning yourself in FOMO

You’re never missing out on as much as you think you are. People always put highlights on their Snapchat stories and Instagrams–you’re not going to see the parts where they were all sitting boredly on their phones before posing for pictures. You’re also not going to see the boring parts. If you cling to FOMO too much you’re going to end up getting yourself down and missing out on other things. This article on the Lala about FOMO is great, BTW.

15. Taking classes because they’re an “easy A”

Take classes that interest you or will help you learn things you might need for your future career. Don’t choose classes solely on how easy you think they’re going to be because you’re spending money to learn something, not to breeze through college. Plus, getting straight A’s in college can be done without taking ridiculously easy courses for the whole semester.

What are some of your must avoid things in college?