College is different for everyone. Unlike high school, you have more of a say in what occurs. You, not a superintendent, decide what classes you will take and when you will take them. College is an experience you make, while high school is an experience made for you.

College, in other words, is what you make of it. You can be the type of person who parties throughout college, leaving it in a drunken stupor as you are shown the door halfway through. Or, you can be the type who just stays in your room all of the time. You only leave for classes, and maybe to go out and eat. Finally, you can be the type who finds the balance between the two.

I assure you, the balance exists. There is a middle ground between having a social life and not doing anything at all, while completing school on time and being able to look back on your college years without regret. How, you may ask?

As I sit here, eating my grilled cheese sandwich, I am struggling to think of the words to describe it. I suppose the best thing to do here is to give you some of the advice that has been given to me.

First, college does not have cliques like high school. There is no popular group, nor is there a group of geeks. There are just people. And really, you can fit in anywhere that you’re comfortable. The rejection that exists in high school just doesn’t seem to find a place in college. People are just people. No need to be someone you’re not, or never were meant to be.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, college is the time for new beginnings. Do whatever it takes for you to have your new beginning. But don’t lose sight of who you truly are. College has a funny way of bringing out the phony side of people and exposing it a like scarlet letter on your NIU sweatshirt. No need to change who or what you are. The sooner you begin to appreciate who you are, the sooner you can really enjoy your college years.

Second, unless you really want to have memories of your residence hall walls, get out and do something! There are many advantages of getting involved. First and foremost is getting to know people. And there are many organizations and clubs to that you can be involved in. For example, the Campus Activities Board has 17 different committees, ranging from concerts to corporate relations for students to become part of. (Sorry about my shameless plug, but I am the president of the organization.) CAB is where I first became involved, and it has been my home ever since. It also has been the springboard for many other opportunities.

Another advantage to becoming involved is it gives a pleasant distraction. When you’re bogged down with projects and papers, sometimes going out to a meeting or an event helps clear the brain. When you come back, you’ll be more energized and ready to work.

There are many other advantages to being involved, but a final advantage is that it teaches you about yourself. You learn a lot about yourself when you are faced with a challenge. You learn about how much a cause can mean to you once you become part of it. You also develop a better sense of communication (which is more like a workplace than in high school), organization, time management and critical thinking. You learn how to separate friendship from partnership, and maybe even how to be objective and ethical.

The third piece of advice I can give is to try something new. Your electives are a good opportunity to learn something new. For example, I took a geology class. I actually learned a lot, and most of it has stuck with me. Sure, my friends make fun of me when I can identify rocks just by their look and luster. But I don’t care, because it was something different I tried. I promise you, if you try something new, you’ll get something from it. Give new things a try, and you will have no regrets.

The last piece of advice I can give you is the best advice my parents ever have given me. Two years ago, as we were getting ready to say our goodbyes, my mom and dad looked at me and told me, “Hey, you’ve made it this far and we’re proud of you. But why not go all the way? And, if you ever get scared, call us. We promise we won’t change the phone number on you.”

While I can’t promise you your parents won’t change your phone number on you (just kidding), I can promise you that they will always be there. And whether or not you’d like to admit it, there will be some scary times in college — whether it’s caused by the hanging onto a D by the tips of your finger nails, or the anxiety of simply being in a new place without anyone else to turn to. They will always be there — no matter how much they may embarrass you during move-in.

So, in closing, I would just like to welcome you to NIU, and I hope you have your home here, just as I have. See you in the fall!

E-mail Jennifer Suerth at [email protected]