LIVE TO TELL- COLLEGE REALITY CHECK

2:18 PM Posted by MS.NOVA

Its back to school season! So many of my readers are freshmen heading to college! Congrats! What an accomplishment! Annnd now its time for a harsh reality check.

You, sweet, young you, are walking into a seriously confusing phase in your life. This phase -late teens, early twenties- is so loco, that it prompted me to write a blog and in short, dedicate my entire being to warn the sweet young you's about the many lessons I and others have learned before you. Lessons they don't teach in college. From me to you, this is what I know for sure.

Watch your drinking. You WILL pack on the pounds quickly thanks to sugary sweets and late night shwarma's and you can get a rep pretty quick for being, er, that drunk girl. You're more then that, we both know it, so act like it.

Balance your fun. You'll be working hard at your education (the one that cost $$$) so let loose! Find other ways then the bar crawl to meet people. Join a sports team, student or social committee. A chance to beef up the resume, stay competitive and get the most out of your 4 years. It would be nice to actually remember college...

Choose your friends wisely. This is super important for roommate selections. Read my TOXIC ROOMMATE post for my version of that nightmare. Seriously think about what you want out of this college experience and seek out people who are like minded. This might mean distancing yourself from others, and its not mean - its maturing. The people you spend the most time with mirror your own life. Look at them. What do they tell YOU about YOU?

Be safe. Be smart. the drinking, the friends, where and how you live, all fall under this category. This is the harsh part. 1 in 5 female college students will be raped by the time they graduate. And rape isn't just the creep who attacks you from the bushes, its the guy who won't take no for an answer, even though you've been out with him a few times. Or getting so drunk that you can't say no and he takes that for a yes. honey. please. be smart. Go with your gut and if it feels wrong, leave. Get friends who will trust and support you should you make that decision and should the worst case happen, encourage you through healing. The assault itself is one night, the nightmare begins the moment it's over.

College is about new freedoms, but we all know that freedom isn't free. I watched a chilling special last night on this seriously alarming statistic (1 in 5 girls assaulted at school, many don't report it.) and I felt compelled to share. It's that important.

Enjoy this exciting time and please be safe and smart about what you do with it.

For more college survival tips check the ADVICE section!