The following is advice for incoming students from a June 13, 2013 College of Charleston Facebook post.
Practical Advice
Buy rain boots. And watch out for those bricks! – Leila Benoit
Buy or borrow a dolly to help you move in and out of the dorms. It’s easier to stack plastic bins and move them inside with one. – Rhonda Whiting
Live on campus, at least freshman year! You will miss the sense of community at the College without it. Even if you don’t become best friends with your roommate, there are plenty of other people in your building to meet. And, you will have some great stories to tell. – Jacklyn Eby
Live in a dorm your freshman year. Live downtown but off campus your sophomore year. Spend either your junior or senior year living out at the beach. Spend a semester abroad. My four (and a half) years at CofC were some of the best years of my life so far! – Amanda Davis
Advice #1: on rainy days walk to the inside of the sidewalk to avoid getting splashed with water by the passing cars. Advice #2: at some point you will trip (and possibly fall) on the brick sidewalks…don’t get upset everyone does it, just pick yourself up laugh and move on – Charlene Leigh
Follow the instructions on microwavable food (popcorn, mac n cheese, etc.) fire alarms in the dorms are very sensitive. – Alan Sea
Call your parents just to say hi. Not just when you need something! – Debbie Parker-Bednar
Take lots of pictures. These are the best years of your life. – Pamela Pinckney
HAVE FUN! Don’t overload yourself your freshman year! – Brianna Cook
Experience Charleston
See the city, all the time, every single day. Don’t just walk by the beautiful buildings, people, and scenery in a rush to class or a party, really see things because its only 4 years and you’ll spend so much of your twenties/thirties/rest of your life WISHING you were back in Charleston. – Lauren Flood
Go to the basketball games and sit in the student section and cheer loudly. Enjoy the food of the city and embrace Charleston’s history and hospitality. – Brent Armstrong
Don’t go home every weekend. See the college, see the city, do as much as you possibly can in Charleston. – Jeff Gredlein
Academic Advice
Look at listings for the types of jobs you want NOW, so you can get a better idea of how to craft your college career. – Christine Bingham
Remember when you’re taking those frustrating general education requirements that you’re learning so much more than textbook knowledge. You’re gaining critical thinking, time management, communication, team membership, and so many other life skills. Find what makes you passionate and make everything you do about that thing, no matter how abstract or unique it is. Ask questions. Stand up for yourself. Be yourself as you find yourself, and learn to accept change and help. It’s the real beauty of a liberal arts education. – Laken Shirey
Try to establish great relationships with your professors – they are the door to future internships, job opportunities, research opportunities, and letters of recommendation! – Angel Mathis
Take a Greek or Roman civilization course…the Classics professors are awesome! – Shaina Anderson
Make sure you utilize the services that CofC has to offer — like your Academic Advisor and the Center for Student Learning. – Melissa Jacobs
TAKE a SAILING class!!! – Anne Caraway
Take a study abroad trip. Also check the scholarships for the trips. – Rhonda Whiting
Explore, appreciate and fall in love with Addlestone Library; it completely outclasses the libraries of similarly sized schools, and even those of some larger universities. – Stokely Klasovsky
Get to know your professors. They can be some of your biggest advocates when times get tough and some can become life-long mentors and friends. Branch out from your major and try new things. You never know what you’ll discover about yourself if you do. And don’t sweat tripping on the sidewalk. Everyone does the Charleston shuffle every once in a while. – Katherine Gumps
Remember to enjoy the journey instead of being so focused on the destination of graduation. Even algebra can be enjoyable, if for no other reason than the comradeship of your classmates. I also echo the advice of getting to know your professors. That is one of the advantages of CofC, that your professors take the time to talk to you outside of class and can become your best assets. I learned almost as much from many of my professors outside of the classroom as inside the classroom — maybe more in a few cases. – Linda Knight
If you think anything seems interesting, pursue it. Otherwise you’ll never know your full potential. Don’t be scared to change your major. New passions are born everyday and you should follow what you love to do. – Brenna McNamara
Advice for Your Future
Figure out what you want to do early and follow your heart! Life is short and having the right degree makes a big difference! – Hank Forester
Take different classes to see what you really want to do in life. Don’t assume what you wanted to be in high school is something you will actually enjoy! Get out there, volunteer, and gain experience! And most importantly, enjoy your time because it flies by! – Kerri Bergeron
A friend wisely advised my daughter, “Most likely the top five mistakes of your life will be made in college. Knowing that, have fun, but don’t be stupid.” : ) – Jamie Preveaux
Join a couple local organizations, like the Charleston Museum, the Library Society, or the Preservation Society. Student memberships are very cheap, and those organizations provide regular networking opportunities with locals – not to mention monthly meetings with free food and beverages. You’ll become a part of the Charleston community, and get fed at the same time! The networking is also a big benefit when you join an organization related to the field you want to study. – Roy Brandon
Try New Things
Truly take this time to explore and branch out of your comfort zone. Take classes you don’t know anything about (sailing, history, social psych…anything!), join new clubs and organizations. Don’t take this time for granted- get the most out of this amazing experience. And don’t cross the Cistern before graduation! – Danielle Burke
Make the best of every moment at C of C! The school will arm you with every tool necessary to get you out and be competitive in the real world. – Cori McClarran
We all have fears. Embrace them. Use your fears to motivate you, not as excuses not to act. – David Treadwell
