Making the most of college life

PASSING the course you have signed up for is one thing. However, there are other life lessons you can learn while at college. Here’s how to make the most of them.

Making new friends

You spent all those years in school with the same crowd and now you have the time and opportunity to expand your social circle.

If you’re shy, you may be tempted to stick to the same people from your old school, home neighbourhood or even just the one person you sit next to on your first day of lectures.

Don’t. This is the time to reach out and meet people from all over the country – and possibly other countries. Join clubs and rotate where you sit in class so that you can meet other students. If you do meet lots of people, you’ll be improving important soft skills.

By the end of college you’ll be able to communicate better and will have crosscultural skills too – something that your first employer will love.

Money management

How far you progress with this depends on whether you live at home during college years or whether you take your own flat and do your own cooking.

It may be sensible during the first year to live in accommodation, where food is provided, so that you can focus on your studies. But if you can, move to your own place after so that you can learn to shop, cook and pay the bills.

Living with others

If you study close to home, this won’t be easy, but try to room for at least one semester with other students. Living with others teaches you tolerance, negotiation, patience and communication.

If you’re unlucky and have dreadful housemates, you’ll also learn important conflict survival and resolution skills. It may not sound good, but learning this at college rather than in your first job when it is part of your record is really worth it.