“I never expected my future employer to look up my tweets.” Sierra Burgos commented at the annual college panel on Friday, December 16th. The panel consisted of  juniors and seniors from college, and they answered many questions about homesickness, taking care of yourself, and social media usage.

Before the panel, I asked Mrs. Steiner, college and career center supervisor, why she hosts the panel each year. Mrs. Steiner explained why the college students are so beneficial, “They (high school students) will listen to college kids,” They have a greater impact on the students,and students feel they can relate more to them. She also explained why she picks older college students, “I ask the older kids, the juniors and seniors, who have been in college for a while and know what mistakes they’ve made.” The college panel is not just for high school upperclassmen; a variety of students attend. “Even plenty of freshmen and sophomores go because they can learn what they can do to prepare for college, such as taking special classes for certain majors.”

The college panel discussed dealing with homesickness freshman year, and what to expect. Margaret Schlofner, a senior at DePaul University, mentioned, “1st semester freshman year you get homesick, but it gets easier as you become more independent.” Some people find that coming home can be boring, or that there is not much to do. Madyson Riddell studied biochemistry and microbiology at Marquette University, and she commented, “I only come home if there’s something for me to come home to. Eventually you don’t have time to come home.”

A lot of college students get involved with sports, which can be a great way to socialize and exercise. Cameron Nixon, a senior studying meteorology at Valparaiso University, liked sports for many reasons, “Sports classes are great ways to relax. They’re an easy A, a great way to be fit, and there are many options, such as tennis or rock climbing.” Exercising is an important habit for students, and it is not very hard to do. Cameron suggested, “Setting aside time to exercise, maybe with friends, is a great way to relax on the weekends.”

Along with exercising, it is vital for students to learn how to take care of themselves, and not abuse their freedom. Sierra Burgos, a junior at Drake University, said, “You have the freedom to eat mozzarella sticks at 3 A.M., but you shouldn’t use that.” It can be easy to lose track of your health while you are still adjusting to college life. Sierra added, “Eat nutritious meals that will sustain you throughout the day.”

Just as you should stay conscious of your health, Sierra pointed out the importance of being conscious of social media. One simple bad tweet, or undesirable social media post, could knock you out of the running for a job. She advised, “Be careful what you post on social media; you could get kicked out of sororities, denied jobs, and it will stay with you longer than you think.”  

As well as attending the college panel, I was able to interview other college students who could not make it to the panel. Devin Morrisroe is a PR alumni and a freshman majoring in secondary history education at St. Norbert College. He felt PR could have done more to help him prepare for college. “In some ways I wish I was more prepared. In high school I had notes and study guides that were fill in the blank sheets, but in college you need to have complete focus, you can’t just mindlessly write down keywords. You have to write your own notes.”

Claire Mahon is a freshman majoring in chemistry at St. Norbert College and a PR graduate. She was not present at the college panel; howevers she still had some notable advice. She said, “Try to take a wide variety of classes in high school so you know what you’re interested in because in college you won’t have the opportunities to take free classes.” As for dorm life, she mentioned, “Bring hardcore stuff to kill spiders.” If you aren’t comfortable with a ladybug infestation or spiders in your bed, it might be a good idea to bring some sort of spider repellent.

It is easy to get lost and make many mistakes in college, but surviving college can be made easier by keeping these tips in mind.