5 Things That I Will Tell My Kids About College | San Diego Wedding & Portrait Photographer

I don’t have any kids yet, but if I did, I would give them five pieces of advice about college. I like to think that I will be a reasonable, understanding, supportive, and maybe even a cool mom that they can confide in without getting their butt whooped.  Here’s some wisdom for my (very distant) future kids:

1.) A little pot won’t kill you, but other stuff will, like drinking and driving. There will be many foolish moments in your college career—that’s understandable. But one that you may never be able to live down is to get behind the wheel when you’re drunk, or buzzed, or tipsy, or whatever the new term will be for being under the influence of any drug, including alcohol. Don’t drive after having enough (notice how I said “enough” and not “too much” to drink.) In essence, it’s not just about drinking too much. Simply, never overdo anything, and always be safe.

2.) Study abroad. I promise you that it will be one of the most culturally enriching experiences in your life. When I was a junior in college I participated in the study abroad program and lived in Spain for about 5 months. I worked all through out summer with two jobs to save enough money for my trip. I lived in San Diego at the time—only about 5 minutes from the beach. You can imagine how badly I wanted to study abroad by giving up my summer break. While studying in Spain, I grew even more independent, and caught the wanderlust bug. I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Portugal, France, Italy, Amsterdam, and all throughout Spain. It was a dream. Of course I slept in some questionable hostels and didn’t eat like a queen, but the sights, cultural experience, and the sheer adventure of it all was well worth it.

Here’s a throwback snapshot of me on graduation day at UCSD.

3.) Try to get your degree in something that you will actually use as a working adult—and if you know what you love to learn about, go for it. I went to school at UCSD and earned my degree in Political Science. While in high school, I thought that I wanted to become a lawyer. After a couple of internships while attending college, I learned that a law career wasn’t for me. I didn’t change majors, but I eventually found my way to what I love to do—running my own business and being a photographer! Don’t stall your dreams by going down the course that you know is not for you.

4.) Hang on to your best friends. A strong social network is so important in college, and even more important after college. I wish that I held on tighter to my closest friends. I wish that I made the extra effort to stay in touch, even after graduating and moving in the direction of our dreams. As an adult, it becomes harder to meet people. Making friends is not as effortless as it was in college.

5.) Be financially smart. If you charge money on your credit card, pay it off completely each month—every. single.time. As much as college is about earning a degree that can get you ahead in the real world, it’s also about practicing how to become a responsible adult. Being a responsible adult means being able to budget, and save and spend money wisely. Without this life skill, that shiny, new degree won’t do you any good.

Love,

(your future Mama)