Don’t Rush into Your College Major

Picking your major for college is pretty, well, major. It’s one of those decisions that can have a huge influence in your life. I mean, you’re going to be in a classroom for 12 hours a week for four years learning about a subject that you’re then supposed to turn into a career. If you are at home fretting about what direction you should take with your college career my advice to you is: don’t sweat it.  

You’ll figure out what you want to do in due time. It’s not something you can rush. Just play to your strengths and what you’re passionate about.  It took me three years of college and two major changes to figure out what I really wanted to do.  A friend of mine went from wanting to be a doctor, to urban planning, to eventually working in music. Figuring out what you want to do in life really is something that hits you one day after you try out a bit of everything.

Picking a major, while a big decision, is a bit overrated. 80% of people who graduate from college are not in the field they a degree in. Okay, I made that last stat up, but there are a lot of people who fit that description.  Don’t believe me? Stop a random stranger and ask. Guaranteed you’ll meet a talent agent who got their B.A. in Art History. If you jumped the gun when the college advisor asked you what degree you wanted to pursue, don’t worry.  If you’re close enough to graduation, finish up your degree, but get involved in the things that you want to make a career out of.

It’s a decision not to be taken lightly.  So relax, take a deep breath, and don’t sweat it.  

SPRING BREAK DO’S AND DON’TS As soon as the weather starts getting nice, it’s over.  Spring Break is coming!!Every college student deserves to have some fun. But after a long winter of academics and the athletic season coming to an end, there is definitely a tendency to go wild.  And despite all of the MTV-esque spring break fanfare, there are so many productive things you can do beyond drinking margaritas and tracking sand back home via your most prized duffle bag.  Spring break is actually a great time to work on your future.  And you can have fun while doing this. You can take part in a service trip, a volunteer project, or even research opportunities for part-time employment to help set yourself up for summer.Regardless of which direction you go in, take a look-see at New Futuro’s Spring Break Do’s and Don’ts:Do’sTake A Good Book With You. If you’re headed to a beachside paradise, you’re probably thinking there will be plenty to do, and there will, but downtime can be relaxing and entertaining with a good book.  While the temptation to take your Ipad or Kindle Fire might be great, we suggest ordering something for the trip off Amazon.com. They’re prices are pretty good, ya know?Figure Out Your Budget And Keep It.  No matter where you end up going or how you spend the week, if you spend more money than you have, the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you’re surviving on airplane peanuts while closing guarding your last $0.47 isn’t a fun spot to be in. Credit cards ARE NOT free money! Live within your means!Try New Things, Meet New People. If you were insistent on avoiding human interaction, you could have stayed in your cave!  Regardless of what you want to do specifically, the best way to spend your spring break is to plug in to a new social group, try learning a new skill, or giving back to your community through service.Don’tsEveryone’s Got A SmartPhone, Don’t Give Them An Embarrassing Reason To Use It.Welcome to 2012 everyone! That fancy gadget in your pocket, yea, nearly everybody’s got one, and the last thing you want to be is the “Check out this guy!” shot.  While a beachside resort, or amidst a group of lifelong friendsDrinking TOO MUCH Definitely Isn’t Cool. If you’re over 21, you’re going to want to have a beer on vacation. A beer or two is no big deal, but you don’t want to do anything that  might get you hurt, will embarrass yourself, or embarrass your family. Have fun…in moderation!Does Your Abuelita Really Want To Know The Details? Whether or not your Abuelita is on Facebook or not, there are plenty of people that are. Take our word for it: definitely do not post to Facebook or Twitter from your phone while out enjoying the nightlife.  As noteworthy as your 2am idea might be, it’s probably not something you want to broadcast, much less offer up to potential employers.
HOW TO SURVIVE FRESHMANITIS Calling all high school freshman! Do you go home and do your homework? Do you study for tests and quizzes? Do you pay attention in all your classes? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, then you probably have what I call Freshmanitis. Freshmanitis happens to some high school freshman who feel like they do not study or do their homework. If you have Freshmanitis, here are some ways to help you get out of it: 1. Create a daily schedule and plan some for time to focus on your homework. 2. When doing your homework, do not rush through it. Understanding your homework will help you do well when test time comes around. 3. Practice study skills that works best for you. Whether its note cards, graphic organizing, rewriting your notes, or whatever - just try something! 4. Study in a quiet place where you feel comfortable studying. You will be able to focus and study better than being in a loud place. The library is always the best place. Silence is golden.  Right now, I am a senior in high school and am applying to colleges and universities. When I was a Freshman in high school, I did not do well in some of my classes and did not take studying seriously. I rushed through all my homework and did not care about grades. I did not take high school seriously until my sophomore year, that’s when I began studying and focusing on my homework. Studying and earning good grades is important because if you do well on your tests, than you will be have a high GPA. When you are applying to colleges and universities and have a strong GPA, you will have more opportunities to get into the college you want to go to. I realized that if I had done well in all my classes my Freshman year, I would have had better chances of having a stronger GPA. My advice to you: start studying and earn good grades! It will pay off in the future when it comes time to apply for colleges and universities. Do not make the same mistake I did and begin taking your GPA seriously too late.