1. Ten things I wish someone had
told me my first year of college.
From: Seniors and Alumn

2. 1. You are your best advocate
 Allegheny has great resources for their
students. You want to study abroad? We’ve
got your back. You need funding to live in
the city your summer internship is located?
Look no further than Career Education. You
need to get into Law/Graduate/Medical
School? We have the resources.
 But they won’t come to you. If you are
struggling with internships, jobs, study
abroad, funding, etc. you have to seek THEM
out to get the best help possible.

3. 2. If something is making you unhappy, get
rid of it.
 Nothing that makes you miserable is worth
your time. To be quite frank, you came to
college for the education and the places the
experience can take you in the future. Don’t
let someone or something be a distraction
that jeopardizes that for you. Parties are fun
and friends are great, but your best friend
can also be your greatest enemy.
 Most importantly, its not your job to make
someone happy. Your happiness is just as
important.

4. 3. Be frugal.
 Whether its Munch Money, Brooks Swipes, or
actual Real Life Money, it seems like you can
never save enough. Let’s be honest, it seems
campus jobs never pay quite enough and
meal plans will start to feel like the disappear
as soon as you pay for them.
 Save your money for the stuff that matters
and as far as meal plans, save the best for
last. You might find yourself much happier
this way.

5. 4. You only grow when you’re
uncomfortable.
 College, they say, is where you will truly learn
who you are and who you want to be. But
growth does not come when one does not
challenge themselves. How will you ever
know who you are, ever discover who you
could be, if you do not challenge yourself?
Try taking a class in a subject you’ve never
tried before (CR/NC is a gift) or going to a
group meeting for something you wouldn’t
usually.

6. 5. You may change and that’s okay.
 After graduating High School I figured I had
a pretty good grasp of who I was and what I
wanted to do. But sometimes things change,
you change. And that’s okay. Your identity is
fluid, just like your wants and desires. The
plans you had for your life at 17 might be
completely different from where you find
yourself in 2 or 3 or 4 years… And that’s
okay.

7. 6. Some things take time.
 So, you decided to overload on credits. 7
classes and meditation club, but it turned out
that Astro Physics took a little more out of you
than expected and you don’t think you’ll be
able to finish all the course material. Or
perhaps, because of some problems in your
personal/family/etc life you were unable to
finish everything for your class.
 You’re in luck because at Allegheny you can
take an incomplete and complete the work
over the next semester. Talk to your professor
and negotiate an incomplete to have more
time to complete the material.

8. 7. Extracurriculars don’t get you hired in the same
way, experience and networking will.
 I know I’ve been a little repetitive in my
emphasis to find professional opportunities,
but it’s important to start professional
development early. Employers and Higher
Education Institutions will look closely at your
experience in your chosen field. It’s not that
you need to know what you want to do with
your life right now, but you need to show
you have explored your interests and that
you have worked with others in a
professional manner. Start networking now,
so those connections can help you later.

9. 8. Make time for those who matter.
 It might seem like you have all the time in
the world now to spend time with friends
and classmates, but college goes by fast.
Take time to cherish the moments you have
with those you really care about and to meet
new people in the community.
 Keep in contact with friends you had before
college and family. Time will go on and
opinions might differ, but they will always
have a listening ear ready to hear about your
day and to help you on this journey.

10. 9. Mistakes happen.
 Things don’t always go like planned. In fact
things can go horribly, horribly wrong. But its
not always the mistake that matters, so much
as the response you have to it. You might
have to retake a class, you might offend a
professor, you might make a bad decision on
a weekend. The mistake is important, but
even more important is how you respond.
Don’t get bogged down in what you did
wrong. Apologize. Pick your self up. Do
better.

11. 10. You’ll get out what you put in.
 Everything comes at a price, or so they say. The
price might be time, or effort, or patience, but
remember for the most part, you’ll get out
what you put in. College is the same way. There
are days that are hard, that are exhausting in a
way you never thought they could be. When
you’re feeling down and tired, remember
results take effort and nothing comes easy. One
day you will be able to look back favorably on
your effort and say, “I did that” or “I helped
make that happen”. That is one of the most
worthwhile feelings you will ever experience.