The University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Date: Dec 19 2006
Major: Philosophy (This Major's Salary over time)
Being out of a college now, I want to pass along some advice to those who are wondering where to go to school and what you will be getting out of the school.

1. Everyone drinks

Welcome to college. Drinking is a big activity in college and you can feel like you don't belong if you don't participate. However, there are people who don't drink or drink very little in college and you can find them if you dig deep. If you don't like a college because everyone drinks, then you just aren't making any efforts to find the right group of people. At a school like Nebraska, with over 20,000 students, you should be able to find your niche.

2. Everyone does Greek

Again, welcome to college. A sorority or fraternity is a great activity for many students. You get involved, you make friends, you have things to do on the weekends and you have a network of people after you graduate. Again, if you don't want to do Greek, you will have to put in a little more effort to meet people. There are students who don't do Greek though and you can find them and have a lot of fun in the process.

3. The professors don't seem to care about me

Not trying to repeat myself, but this is college. Professors lecture and facilitate discussion. They go in expecting people to understand what they are teaching and to not have any questions about it. Most professors policy is if you say nothing, you understand. Most figure if you have a D and you're not saying anything that you are happy with a D. This is why talking to your professors is always very helpful. Most are more than willing to help you if you make the effort to ask them questions or seek their help. I have had classes where I was a borderline B or C and thanks to talking to the professors, my grade got bumped up. Most professors want you to succeed, they just want to know that is what you want as well.

4. People hassle me about my major

In todays world, a degree is more about the experience than it is about what you majored in. Most people go into college majoring in business because that's what they think will help them. However, you should major in something you enjoy. If philosophy interests you, major in it. If English or Spanish, major in it. College is about the whole experience of being on your own, meeting new people and thinking for yourself. Also it is never too early to start thinking of future plans. The year or two after college are some of the hardest times you'll go through. After two years in the working world, I went back to graduate school. You will see a lot of friends taking their college educations to work at call centers or restaurants. However, there will be a few who take it to graduate school, med school, law school or a significant corporation. Take opportunities as they come like internships, fellowships, scholarships and more. You will be able to get the most out of your education this way.

And above all… You get what you put in. Put yourself out there, meet people, get involved, and study hard. You will love college.