Last week, I began my list of seven important lessons for incoming UF freshmen. I mentioned the importance of living in the dorms, learning how to cook on a budget and studying with a purpose. If you missed last week's column, check out the Opinions page at alligator.org. This week, I continue with the fourth tip.
4) Get a feel for a major before you go all-out
I have always been a proponent of studying what interests you because I believe that a subject you can enjoy will produce more readily achieved study goals and impressive term papers. That being said, majoring in a whimsical and far-fetched topic because it interests you isn't always the best choice for people looking to pay off their mortgages in less than an eon. In short, don't be a doctor just because it's a reliable high-income choice, and don't major in Eastern Yugoslavian Trade Patterns from 1901 to 1903 because there's only one job in the world where that major is applicable and it's already occupied by the professor who taught you. Instead, spend your first year taking a wide variety of elective classes in different majors and get a feel for that balance of interesting and applicable before going all-out and committing to one. May God have mercy on you if you should choose to change majors and have to wait for a walk-in appointment at the College of Liberal Arts advising office.
5) Don't expect to marry your first college romance, and don't move in with that person.
This lesson may not come until after your first or second year, but it speaks for itself. Relationships are great, but they must be between two people who can respect the other's need for personal time, and this is especially true in college. If your significant other ever gets the brilliant idea that you two should get an apartment together after you've been dating for four months, turn the other way and run.
Moving in with someone before you are ready is a surefire recipe for disaster, and it always leads to that awkward situation after breaking up. Having to live in the same 400-square-foot apartment for the next five months until your lease ends can be even more painful.
6) Join a political organization
Despite what your overly enthusiastic and involved roommate may tell you, Student Government is not "the real world." There is nothing more dangerous than the apathetic citizen, and I fought for years on campus as the College Republicans chairman to educate students about the American political environment. Join the College Republicans or College Democrats and understand the issues both organizations pursue.
7) Join a fraternity/sorority
Last but not least, consider joining the Greek world. Reform and heavy university regulation of Greek life have prevented the Animal House stereotype from persisting into modern reality.
Instead, a Greek organization is a great way to build a network of peers and alumni that can be indescribably beneficial to you later in life. But first, for many, you will have to overcome the Hollywood stereotypes of the Greek world. I was of a similarly anti-Greek mindset until I encountered Delta Upsilon, where I found a house of guys who worked together to promote success and live by honorable principles.
Bryan Griffin is a first-year law student.
