ARCHIVE:: MAY 2002 :: ON CAMPUS

Before You Go...
A Few Tips to Take With You to College

By Harlan Cohen
Special to The Wall Street Journal

We've just reached our cruising altitude of 32,000 feet. My tray table is down and I have a big smile on my face. My college speaking season has wrapped up. This year, I've visited over 30 college campuses, traveled tens of thousands of miles, and interviewed hundreds of college students. From New York to Seattle and back again to Chicago, it has been an incredible adventure.

On Campus Harlan Cohen

Writing this column has added a whole new dimension to my college visits. I've learned more about college than I ever imagined. The one overwhelming message I've taken away is that college students want to help you. They love to share information, especially with high-school students. This morning I got a follow-up e-mail from a student at University of New Hampshire. She just got back from her alternative spring-break experience and wanted to tell me about it. It happens all the time.

And it happens outside this column, too.

Just the other day I was doing some writing at a Caribou Coffee. Two women walked in and sat next to me (the place was packed). They started talking. I started listening. One was a senior in high school and the other was a freshman at Yale back home for spring break. The senior had so many questions, genuine questions that only a trusting friend asks of a friend. The returning freshman was so excited to share her experiences, she couldn't stop talking. (Or maybe it was the caffeine.)

Clearly, she isn't the only high-school student with questions. And her friend isn't the only college student with answers. I figured this final column of the school year offered the perfect opportunity to serve up a few tips to take with you to college. I only wish someone had been so honest with me

-- Jeremy Jones, Western Illinois University,
Macomb, Ill.

I appreciate the idea behind the tip, but it's way too intense for me. Locking yourself up is a bit harsh. A better tip would be, "Try as hard as you can, but don't beat yourself up if you don't get a 4.0." (Unless of course, it's a 10-point scale. That would be 40%.)

I got a 3.0 my first semester. That's the best I could do at the time. The general rule is that if you go to class, you'll pass. If you fail to go to class-you won't pass. And if you go to class and study, you'll pass with good grades. Professors and teaching assistants want you to succeed. They even have regular office hours to help you catch up on material one-to-one. It's like having a private tutor.

-- Seven members of the baseball team,
Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus,
Brookville, N.Y.

Great tip. It's all encompassing, and I like being called "dude." There are 168 hours in the week. You control them. It will take a semester or two to find your balance. But DO NOT drive yourself crazy this summer thinking about it. You won't know how to manage your time until you start living it. And there are people on campus who can help you find your way.

-- Two women at Curry College, Milton, Mass.

OK, this tip referred specifically to their kleptomaniac roommate, but it gives you a hint of how important the roommate relationship is. The general rule: Roommates who want to get along will find a way to get along. But not all roommates will want to get along. If you end up with someone who doesn't want to get along, first try to get along-then move out. But a roommate doesn't have to become your best friend. A friendship is just an added bonus

-- Jody Muir, Western Illinois University

It's too easy to just go to classes, work and party. Be sure to check out sports, student organizations and other outside activities. Not all clubs are equal. Give more than one a chance. It's a great way to make friends, explore you passion and even travel. Some organizations include "trips" to meetings and seminars across the country.
As for alcohol, not everyone drinks in college. A lot of freshmen drink because they think everyone drinks, but it's not true. You can be sober in college and still love it

-- Harlan Cohen (that's me)

The truth is that it can take two or three semesters to find your comfortable place on campus. Avoid creating unrealistic expectations. Be prepared for a few surprises. And expect college to be lonely at times. It happens to everyone. College is a transition. Transitions take time-for everyone. But you're not alone. Somewhere on your campus, someone is feeling the same thing you are. Even more comforting is knowing that there are people all around who want to help.

Wherever you're headed this fall, relax and have an amazing journey. And feel free to write me along the way!

Send your comments to harlan@helpmeharlan.com