Making the most of your college years

PASSING the course you’ve 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’ve spent all those years at school with the same crowd, and now you’ve time to expand your social circle.

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

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 you 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 you’ll have cross-cultural 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 the first year to live in accommodation where food is provided so you can concentrate on your studies. But if you can, move to your own place after so you learn to shop, cook and pay the bills.

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

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