Five Things Nobody Told Me about College

As I type this, I am in my university dorm room. A year ago, when I was waiting to hear the results of my college applications, I often went to websites for some type of insider look on what college would be like. However, there’s only so much that prep books, websites, and older friends can teach. Here are the top 5 things nobody told me about college:

　(1)　

Nobody entering a university knows exactly what they want to study. If they tell you otherwise, they’re lying and will probably change what they want to pursue within the first quarter of attendance. During my first quarter at University of California, Riverside (UCR), I thought that I wanted to study Political Science with its focus on International Affairs, so that’s what I applied for. However, once I worked with statewide and local government, I realized that a better fit for me would be Public Policy, and now I am in the process of changing my area.

　(2)　

In college, there are so many good chances for you to meet your expectations. However, there is a very important difference between wanting to do something and applying for something. In order for you to take full advantage of the conferences, research, internships(实习),and fellowships that your university offers, apply! Step into your academic advisor’s office, introduce yourself, and begin making the valuable connections that are necessary to help during the rest of your college career. Great things happen when you step out of your comfort zone, and you would be surprised on how many chances exist if you just ask.

　(3)　

College is where you meet your bridesmaids, groomsmen, neighbors, and potential bosses. The relationships you develop now will probably be linked to the ones you value later, so be wise about the people who you invest yourself in. You are only one person, and you do not have time to waste on people who would rather cause drama or mess up with your purpose. Surround yourself with uplifting individuals who challenge you to be better while loving you for who you are, and be patient to the people who are the complete opposite of that description.

　(4)　

As a first-year, I was afraid to make any noise towards campus issues that I noticed. It was not until I became involved in student government that I gained the confidence to handle projects that I created with the help of ASUCR Office of the President. During my first quarter, I spoke directly to the Chancellor(校长),asking him for support towards my initiatives(提议),met with the Vice Chancellors, and cooperated with my teaching assistants to begin my undergraduate research project. Nothing good will happen when you are silent.

　(5)　

At my high school, there were about only four active clubs and organizations that students could be a part of. Imagine my surprise when I stepped foot onto UCR’s campus, where over 400 organizations exist, ranging from political organizations to karate club. You are not paying all of your tuition(学费)to merely go to class, study, pass tests and graduate. Make something worthy out of your experience. Create stories that you will want to tell your grandchildren one day. It all begins here, by signing up to join an organization.

Ways to Save Time

We all wish we had just a bit more time. Just think what you could do with an extra hour or two each day: you could finally stick to an exercise routine, or spring-clean the house, or write your novel, or learn the guitar and so on.

　  (1)  　But I can help you find more hours in your day for the things that really matter.

1  Get Out of Bed Earlier

If you normally get up at 7:30 a. m. , try getting up at 7:00 a. m. That half-hour might not sound like much, but it could be time that you use to exercise, to read that book you've been meaning to finish. 　  (2)  

2  Do the Important Tasks First

Once you get to work, get the important ones done first (not the easy ones, or even the urgent ones). You can afford to spend at least an hour working on big, important tasks rather than on all those little urgent ones.

　  (3)  　The urgent tasks will still get done, and you won’t miss the important ones.

3 Reduce Interruptions

If colleagues have a habit of hanging around your desk to chat, or if the phone is constantly ringing, you might find that it takes you half the day to finish a simple task like writing a letter. Constant interruptions don’t just eat up time; they also break your concentration.

When you've got a big task to focus on, let your calls go to voicemail. 　  (4)  　Wearing headphones makes it less likely that people will try to strike up a conversation.

4  　  (5)  

A few minutes chatting, browsing the web, and so on, can easily turn into hours of wasted time over the course of a day.

When you’re working, work. If your concentration is slipping, take a proper break: go and get a glass of water, or stretch your legs a bit. And if you’re facing a difficult task, try breaking it into small steps or stages so that it’s easier to deal with.

Food manufacturers and retailers(零售商) are letting shoppers down. This is the view of the CWS, which has just brought out a new report.

According to the report, shoppers believe food labels because they think there are strict regulations in place.　(1)　So the food industry can get away with all sorts of tricky strategies to make products look bigger and sound better than they are.

The report has identified the different ways in which shoppers are misled. 　(2)　 Descriptions on packaging are sometimes inaccurate in an attempt to oversell the product. One example given in the report is the phrase "haddock fillets"(黑线鳕鱼片), used for a product that is in fact cut from big blocks of fish rather than individual slices.

　    　(3)　These include "traditional", "wholesome", or "superior". The claim that a brand is "90% fat-free" hides the fact that it contains 10% fat, which is above recommended levels. Phrases like "free from preservatives(防腐剂)" make a virtue out of a normal attribute of food.

    Labels have a wide variety of text sizes on them. You sometimes need a magnifying glass(放大镜) to read the small print. 　(4)　

Another deliberate type of misinformation lies in the image. Many pictures on packets use small plates to make the product look bigger.　(5)　

Want to live in a perfectly clean environment and make it shine brightly?   (1)  Then you will not need to purchase expensive cleaning products.

Clean the toilet with Coke. It’s amazing how powerful Coke might be as a toilet cleaner.   (2)   You’ll save your health by not consuming chemicals that Coke contains and save money by not purchasing professional cleaners. Pour some cola over the stains and leave it all for a few hours. Then let water wash the toilet!

Remove water stains with orange peels. You’ve just eaten an orange.   (3)  Do not throw away those orange peels. You can use the skins to clean stainless steel. Your appliances will shine again after you rub(擦) them with the skins. The peels can easily make those stubborn stains disappear in a second.

Use banana peels to polish leather furniture. Experts claim that banana peels are great for polishing leather sofas and armchairs. Banana skins are rich in oils and have the right texture to do the task.  (4)  Afterwards, remove the leftover with a cloth. This trick is simple and cheap. Use it if you want your leather furniture to look brand new again.

  (5)  Why would you want to buy one when you can make your own product that is cheap and non-toxic(无毒的)? Just pour 2 liters of slightly warm water into a deep bowl. Then add 50ml white vinegar and half a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Shake the bowl and then fill up a plastic spray with the mixture. Use it to clean windows and mirrors. Make your glass surfaces clean and shiny.

After entering high school，you must wonder how to study well．Here are some good skills for you．

Go to class．

If you want to do well at school，going to class is the first step in studying well．If you miss（错过）classes，you will miss what the teacher thinks is important； as a result，you'll miss what is the most likely to end up on the test．  (1)  

Take good notes．

Try not to write down everything．  (2)   Write down unfamiliar terms．After class，review（复习）your notes as soon as possible．You can fill in details that you missed and review the material while it is still fresh on your mind．

  (3)  

If you are struggling in class，talk to your teacher．He or she may be able to give you more help or tutor（指导） you before or after class．Most teachers have little sympathy（同情） for students who just become worried about failing during the last few weeks of the grading period．

Take part in class discussions．

In order to learn more in class，it is helpful to take part in class discussions．Asking questions and having eye contact（交流）with your teachers and classmates can increase your participation（参与） and your focus during the class discussion．  (4)  This helps you make your point clear in class．

Form study groups．

  (5)  Make sure that everyone is familiar with the material because you do not want to spend time re﹣teaching material to people who do not understand it．Be careful! Sometimes group sessions can become chatting sessions．

The environmental crisis is no longer a topic only for scientists. The power to protect our earth is in our own hands.  (1)   Below are five ways to make your school a more earth-friendly campus.

Reduce unnecessary waste.

Be on the lookout for waste around the campus such as running or dipping water and lights being let on when no one is around. Both students and teachers can use refillable (可再填充的) pens and pencils.

  (2)   The back or bottom of paper that has blank space can be reused as note paper. These simple measures of cutting down waste will not only save energy, but help clean up the campus.

Use reusable bottles.

  (3)   Instead, use a thermos (热水瓶) or stainless steel bottle to reduce waste and protect against the chemicals released from plastics.

Waste-free lunches. If you study at a boarding school, bring a lunch to school and use reusable food containers with the goal of not having to throw away anything in the dustbins after lunch.

  (4)   

Using rechargeable batteries reduces the amount of batteries that end up in dustbins. If you can’t use rechargeable batteries, then throw them onto the recycle section of dustbins. Batteries must be recycled because they let out harmful chemicals that help go to our water supplies and farmlands.

Plant trees.

Plant trees on your school grounds and protect the existing trees on your campus. That will help improve the environment.

  (5)   Get out and do something to make your school greener. When others see what you do, they may be inspired to do the same themselves. In this way, we can make a greener earth.

Training for a marathon requires careful preparation and steady, gradual increases in the length of the runs.   (1)  , buy the best-fitting, best-built running shoes you can find. No one can say which brand will work best for you or feel best on your feet, so you have to rely on your experience and on the feel of each pair as you shop. When you have found shoes that seem right, walk in them for a few days to double-check the fit.   (2)  . As always, you should stretch（伸展）at least ten minutes before each run to prevent injuries.
　　During the first week, do not think about distance, but run five minutes longer each day.   (3)  , it is wise to take a day off to rest. But during the next week, set a goal of at least a mile and a half per run.   (4)  . After two weeks, start timing yourself.      

  (5)  . Depending on the kind of race you plan to enter, you can set up a timetable for the remaining weeks before the race.

   There's no such thing as "Italian food".

   Most Italians pay for things on a day-to-day basis with cash from their morning coffee to dinner. Those of you who have grown used to paying for milk and bread at the grocery store with a card find it very difficult to travel.

   The waiter isn't being rude when he leaves you alone to eat.

   An empty restaurant doesn't mean the place is bad.

In the business of day-to-day life, we often forget to stop and be grateful for the present moment.   (1)  It has many mental and physical benefits. If you want to work on being more grateful, try shifting your focus throughout the day. Work on practicing mindfulness, which can help you appreciate the present moment. You should also find a balance, allowing yourself to feel gratefu

    (2)  Mindfulness is also about paying attention to your breath. Breathing is a vital bodily function that we often do not notice throughout the day. Start making a conscious effort to focus on your own breathing.

Breathing is a natural process that follows a certain rhythm. Therefore, when our minds wander and stressful thoughts occur, focusing on the breath can help us stay calm.   (3)  .

Find a comfortable place to sit.   (4)   Think of three or four phrases that sum up your core desires. For example, you might come up with something like, “May I be happy in my pursuits. May I have good health. may I be calm and patient throughout the day.”

Say this prayer for yourself.   (5)   Direct it towards someone you are thankful for in your life. For example, “May my mother be happy in her pursuits. May my mother have good health, etc.”