Dear College Newbie,
In a few short months, you will be leaving the confines of high school, and starting a new chapter in your life: college.
Now, I understand that you don’t really want to listen to anything I have to say because I am an adult, and older, and how could I possibly understand what it’s like to be 18 because didn’t I start college like a million years ago?
*Sniff*
It wasn’t that long ago, you little $&!^!!!!…
Anyways, like I was saying, some things are a bit different but some things are exactly the same.
Money: it’s the same. It hasn’t changed. It’s still the denomination being used right?
Look, I speak from experience. Sororities and Fraternities are awesome and yes, you get “insta-friends” and there are parties and events, and parties, and…
I’m sorry, where was I?
Oh yeah, sororities and fraternities… Yes, they are the cat’s meow, and yes I had a blast when I was in one, but they cost a lot of money. Quite a bit of coin, yo… And I don’t think that number hits home until it’s too late and you’re already in it. It’s not just dues you have to pay; there are events to shell out for, shirts, items, it’s mind-boggling really what you have to pay for.
So before you think being friends with Miffy and Buffy is sooooo worth it, think with your head and not your friendship bracelet, k?
Also, the people standing in front of the campus bookstore are not your friends. No, I am not talking about Miffy and Buffy! Pay attention!
I am talking about the people with the sinister smiles offering you a credit card. “It’ll take just 5 minutes to sign up! You have 5 minutes, right?”
No, you don’t. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
This credit card will be the bane of your existence. If you need a credit card to buy the latest clothes at the mall so you will look totally cute in class, just step away from the table. If you need a credit card to “feel more adult”, you are doing this wrong.
Signing up for a credit card should be a thought out experience. Not one made in haste between your “Intro to Medieval Classics” class and your “A Brief History of Rock Formations” class.
Seriously, those are the courses you’re taking???
I hope this info help you, college newbie. Just because when I was in college we still burned CD’s, doesn’t mean I don’t know what I am talking about.
Love, Mackenzie
I literally LOL’ed at “It wasn’t that long ago, you little $&!^!!!!…”
I think there might be laws now that prevent credit card companies from being on colleges/universities (if not that, then it’s harder for people under 21 to have a credit card, something like that). Definitely a good thing for new college folks!
Ha, ha, thanks! I hope there are laws to prevent credit card companies from stalking colleges/universities. They really are the worst!
haha burning CDs! I hope the new generation can learn from the previous one when it comes to dos and don’ts of college… but sometimes the only way to understand the wisdom is to make the mistake yourself.
You always hope subsequent generations will learn from the previous ones, but…only time will tell.
Burning CD’s!!
Good post =) Staying out of debt in college is hard, but it can be done!
Thanks Greg
Staying out of debt is hard, you’re right. I just wish they didn’t make it so easy for college students to get into debt in the first place, you know?
Funny post! You had CDs we had punch cards.
I was fortunate that college didn’t cost a lot in my day and I lived at home so no debt incurred at all. We didn’t have Sororities but I did unfortunately waste a lot of my time playing cards at the college Pub. The last week of school an application for credit cards was passed around and I remember it like it was yesterday. The application was very basic but on it was a list of about 15 different financial institutions, retailers and gas stations and all you had to do was fill out the application once and then check off all of the cards that you wanted. It was crazy. I checked off 8 of them and got them all, but back then I didn’t even need them or use them for that matter.
Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!
Isn’t it amazing how easy it is to get credit when you’re a college student
This one made me laugh. I never came across people hawking credit cards at my college, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t doing it. I already had a credit card before I entered, so I guess I didn’t need one. I am going to check out classes for rock formations now.
Ha, glad you liked it!
You’re lucky; at my school, I think they were just parked out there in front of our campus bookstore. They were right near the entrance, you couldn’t miss ‘em
LOL, good luck with the rock formations class!
Several of my friends signed up for credit cads for the free red sox t-shirts. Umm nightmare. One friend is still paying off hid debt on said credit card (expensive t-shirt huh?!).
Wow, a very expensive t-shirt indeed! Sadly, I can relate
I once actually signed up for a credit card to get a bobblehead. What was I thinking? I also went all the way through rush, got picked by gamma whamma whatever and left about an hour into it when the hair bow and monogrammed shorts came out for purchase. I gave back my new pledge t-shirt, said no thanks, and walked out. I think it was one of my best college decisions.
Ha, ha, ha “gamma whamma whatever”
LOL! I totally understand. I think if someday my daughter wants to be in a sorority, I am going to have to sit her down and explain how freakin’ expensive it is. It really is no joke!
If it makes you feel better about getting a free bobblehead, I got a free slinky… *face palm*
Great post, I remember burning cds at 1x speed and it taking about an hour. I thought I was the coolest dude ever.
I actually didn’t get a CC until I started full time work, it was a good move on my part as it turns out.
Ah, burning CD’s…brings back the memeories, doesn’t it?
LOL! I love it! I don’t regret being in a sorority, but yeah signing up for classes because they just sound interesting but don’t mean much is not a good idea. And of course the credit cards. They are..or at least used to be vultures.
Ha, thanks Tonya
I think we’ve all signed up for classes that don’t seem to make any sense!
Great post Mackenzie! So, you’re saying I should NOT take that credit card because I am getting a “free” t-shirt?!
Sadly, that t-shirt ended up costing my $20K
Thanks John!
You got a free t-shirt, I got a free slinky. If I could shake my 19 year old self, I would
I signed up for a credit card while I was at The Citadel…..at the time it was a men’s military college (now co-ed). How the hell was I going to pay THAT bill if I was in military college and couldn’t have a job?
Of course they accepted me….and it wrecked my credit right out of college. Face palm.
It’s funny how everyone has a credit card/college story! Did you get a free t-shirt at least?
No, but I got some awesome calls from American Express!
Well, there’s that…
LOL! Great post, Mackenzie. Sororities are definitely expensive but I wouldn’t trade my experiences for all the money I would’ve saved – mainly because it might have cost me my husband. I was the president; he was the president … you know how the story goes.
Ugh, I hope they no longer allow credit card companies to set-up tables on campus, but you know they’re still filling students’ inboxes and mailboxes. And burning CDs…sadly came after college for me!
I had fun in my sorority too, and had some great experiences! But the cost factor is really an eye opener. I can only imagine how much dues will be by the time my daughter goes to college!
You missed out on the whole burning CD’s thing
[...] Dear College Newbie…on The Random Path [...]
SO glad that sororities and fraternities aren’t the insanity in Canada like they are in the states. I often think about how different my life would be if I didn’t sign up for that first credit card….
Sororities and fraternities are TOTAL insanity here, you’re right! I’m not sure why, but they are.
I’m with you, life would’ve been a lot different had I not signed up for that first credit card. I wish I had a time machine…
omg my one regret is going the sorority route. i’m not even close friends with any of them =( i guess that’s probably my fault, because i learned to shape up and set goals for myself and ended up dropping out during my senior year — but the money spent was not worth it. there are definitely more ways to have fun (and safer ways haha) that do not cost an arm and a leg, and lots of time wasted on making ridiculous pillows, tshirts, etc etc.
Loved this post =)
Although I enjoyed my time in a sorority, if I had to do it over again, I would not join. All that time and money, just doesn’t make sense. You are constantly forking out for this, that, and the other! And you’re right; everybody falls out of contact with one another. Life happens, people move, change phone numbers… people go on with their lives.
And the money spent, oh my gosh, the money…what I could have done with all that money…
Haha… I got sucked into the college credit card too
I never got behind on my payments, but man… I racked up a crap ton of debt on that card.
Ugh, I think credit cards got the best of all of us!
Loved this post Mackenzie! I never really participated in the university clubs because I was a bit busy trying to work my way through school. However I still managed to be near broke after every paycheque because of reckless spending. Can you write a post to the soon to be former me’s also
Thanks!
Isn’t it amazing how much money we all wasted? We could be living in 5000 square foot mansions by now
Totally Vibin’ on this piece, yo! Great stuff