Alison Cowan - How to Survive Your Freshman Year: By Hundreds of Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors Who Did

Hidden gem.

INGRAM LIBRARY SERVICE

Ten Good Books for Grads.

DETROIT FREE PRESS

How to Survive Your Freshman Year provides student viewpoints and expert advice on virtually every topic pertaining to first-year students from moving in to finding meals....After reading this book, students will be aware of the realities of college life and be better prepared to shape their own unique college experience.

JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ORIENTATION AND TRANSITION

A guide full of fantastic advice from hundreds of young scholars whove been there a quick and fun read.

BOSTON HERALD

Winner - Best Book on Adjusting to College Life.

READERS CHOICE AWARDS

The perfect send-off present for the student who is college-bound. The book manages to be hilarious and helpful. As an added bonus, its refreshingly free of sanctimony.

THE POST AND COURIER, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Explains college to the clueless.

COLLEGE-BOUND TEEN

The advice dispensed is handy, useful, and practical. This book will make great light reading for an incoming freshman.

VOYA

A great tool for young people beginning an important and often daunting new challenge, with short and funny, real-world tips.

WASHINGTON PARENT

Visit www.howisurvived.com to learn more.

Copyright 2019 by Hundreds of Heads Books, LLC, New York, NY

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Cover design by Katelyn Rivera

Book design by Elizabeth Johnsboen

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: Every effort has been made to accurately present the views expressed by the interviewees quoted herein. The publisher and editors regret any unintentional inaccuracies or omissions, and do not assume responsibility for the opinions of the respondents. Neither the publisher nor the authors of any of the stories herein shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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HUNDREDS OF HEADS BOOKS, LLC

ISBN: 978-1-933512-99-0

Printed in Canada.

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Get Set: Leaving Home
Special section: Arranging Accommodations

Getting Along: Making Friends & Talking to Strangers
Special section: Free Speech on Campus

Coping: Keeping Your Head & Options Open
Special section: Should You Transfer?

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THE EDITORS
AND HUNDREDS OF HEADS BOOKS

F irst off, congratulations on the exciting days ahead and on being one of nearly 2 million lucky souls to be starting college this year in the United States. Youve worked hard to get this far, and you have every reason to feel proud.

We know youre anxious. Youre not wrong to think that college is harder today than it was when your parents and teachers may have attended. Certainly, it is more nerve-wracking than the zany days when Lisa Rothstein, the books illustrator, and I each settled in to our first dorm rooms. (Lisa with her art posters, me with my electric typewriter.) The art of the job hunt has changed. Stress is lurking everywhere, and the glare of social media only magnifies the pressure to be perfect, one reason why we created an all-new chapter in this edition all about Coping.

But heres a secret the elders in your life may not appreciate. The Straight-A Life is highly overrated. Success depends on so much more than compiling that perfect GPA, as new research keeps finding. Failure has never been more fashionable or helpful to your career. Robert F. Scotts perpetual daydreaming may have made him look lackluster as a student, though that same restless curiosity about what lay beyond his classroom walls also led him to Antarctica. Steve Jobs, George W. Bushs, and J.K. Rowlings spotty grades in college never held them back, either.

So, remind yourself to breathe, and give yourself permission to have some fun. College may or may not be the best four years of your life, but for sure it shouldnt be the dullest, either. Sample new foods. Make some unlikely friends. Try out for an extracurricular group you think is way out of your league. You may surprise yourself (and the doubters back home who said you never could.) I tried out for an a cappella group, which quickly showed me the door. (To this day, I cant even believe the group did not burst out laughing upon hearing my first off-pitch note.) But I also auditioned for a dance troupe that I was sure I had no chance of making, only to be stunned when I got in. That ended up being one of the more thrilling experiences of my college years.

By all means, take basic statistics because its good for you, and maybe a course in computer coding. But mostly take the courses that interest you. Yes, even philosophy majors can land big jobs out in the real world. Just ask Robert Rubin, the former Treasury Secretary who credits the time he spent studying philosophy at college for much of his success. Or Megan Rooney, the classics major who went on to write speeches for the White House. Challenge yourself, when you can, but if a subject proves too much, take it pass-fail. Worry less about having all the answers, more about asking the best questions.

Oh, one more thing. Try not to leave college without getting to know some professors. To their credit, most American colleges encourage this kind of up-close exchange. Take advantage of all those office hours. (Wish I had.) Your teachers could end up being your greatest mentors and champions.