What to do in college?
The General Principles
The diversity of options of things to do in college often puts one in #FOMO. What a college student fails to realize is that the 4 years pass in the blink of an eye but have the most significant impact on career. So I have put forward my idea of how you can make the most out of your college time.
Academics are important.
As much as you may try to impose the notion that marks are not important on your own mindset and that of others around you, they actually are. You should try to score an average of 70% in your exams, anything lesser than that means you have to spend more time studying, anything more than that, you can probably cut down on study time a bit and use that time exploring or learning different skills.
Learn one sport and be fit forever.
College is a good time to learn a sport. Kids often stop playing by the time they reach standard 8 or 9 to prepare for class 10 boards. Then you come across your entrance exams and that inactivity often extends through the college years. When you finally get a job and start spending the entire day on a chair in front of a screen, fitness becomes the real issue. So start learning a sport during college and practicing that throughout your life will become a great way to maintain fitness and good health.
Choose your friends wisely.
Your friends can make or break your future. Decide what you want to do in college - coding or chai sutta? No, I am not saying that smoking is wrong, but it's better to do it when you are a grown-up and financially independent. Then it's your own decision and your own money to spend. Just don't start such things from the college itself as it turns into an unhealthy habit.
Don't waste time.
Game of Thrones, Friends, and whatnot. When I was in college, there were people who boasted of having watched all the movies and TV series that you could have ever heard of. It sounds cool but it does not help your career at all. Don't close yourself entirely, watch things that you like, but don't spend the entire semester or sem breaks doing just that.
Join the right groups.
Peer pressure is a good thing when you are trying to achieve something in life. Join a club of like-minded people, it can be a coding or any technical club, even a hackathon group. I have talked about this point in a lot more detail in the issue - One advice for all programmers.
Learn about financial independence.
As a college student, you are almost a grown-up. You need to realize that your dad works very hard to earn money and pay your college fees. So you don't really need that iPhone or that superbike right now. Wait for it. Get a good job and then buy everything that you want. And I say this from my personal experience.
Get over your heartbreak.
You are just 19 years old. You haven't found your "life partner" yet. The person who broke up with you wasn't the one. Don't be a Devdas or its female version. When you get married or have another partner, you won't even remember them. Stop sulking, rather put that energy into something productive. Join a club and start learning.
Take it or leave it.
I know some of you may find a few of the things that I shared uncomfortable. You may even be unwilling to follow the advice. But years down the line, trust me, it will all make sense to you. You can go ask any person with experience, your professors, your mentors, or even your parents. If they also agree, you know what to do. If they tell you otherwise, let's have a chat.
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