Just finished first year! Advice for 2014ers

JBVirtuoso
Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:36:00 +0000

As a fellow member of the class of 2013, I agree with all of this.

Just to add some things:

Just get a Chicago Card Plus for the CTA. It’s really annoying to have to keep worrying about how much you have on the card, so just get the fancy card that’s linked to your bank account or credit card. You can check the balance online, and it automatically refills. I’ve been in way too many situations where I’ve been in a group and someone has to put money on their card as the train leaves the station, meaning you wait 10 minutes for the next one. The Chicago Card Plus is free the first time you apply, as long as you put $20 on it to start.

If you really want to live the good life, get a phone with internet. I don’t have this, and I really really really wish I did. It just makes checking your email and using the CTA so much easier.

Definitely start searching for jobs in August, especially if you’re not work-study. Apply absolutely everywhere.

Be nice to people you meet. All of them. Even if you don’t like so and so, just be nice anyway. It makes your life so much better when you can have a conversation with anyone who happens to be around. And the unhappiest people here are the ones who are really abrasive off-putting toward others.

Finally, don’t lose things. Losing your ID, keys, wallet, phone, etc. just isn’t something you’ll want to deal with. Figure out a way to keep track of all your important belongings. This means not carrying your ID and phone in your hand. Or sticking things in random piles in your room. A little organizational skill goes a long way in college.