Art by Christopher Chen
I’m running out of time before graduation, so I’m just going to cut to the chase. I’m fitting as many bits of advice about navigating through four years at Pepperdine into this column as I can. I’m not going to dress this stuff up or talk pretty, because you don’t have the time, and I don’t want to waste any words. And yet, somehow, I feel as if this already is too much exposition. So enough:
1. Don’t look at your My Tie date as an opportunity at love but a resource for networking. She isn’t the one, but she could be the one that leads you to the one.
2. Attend class — this seems like an idea everyone can get behind.
3. Do you always have extra money on your Caf card at the end of the year? Figure out how much exactly, and then order the lesser meal plan. Use the difference to invest in money market mutual funds — your older self will thank you.
4. Make sure all of your political/personal views are progressive and in opposition of the old guard, because when things change in the years to come you can look back and be like, “Nailed it!”
5. Spend every minute here worrying about the day after you graduate. You don’t want to put on your cap and gown and then realize you forgot to find a job. Have one in place well in advance. Side note: don’t start your own vague company and appoint yourself CEO while at Pepperdine. No one is buying your profile on LinkedIn that preaches “PRESIDENT AND CEO of The Business Partners Worldwide.”
6. Chill out with Chipotle. Eat more Kale. Don’t be on a treadmill for longer than 20 minutes at the gym. Want to run longer than that? Go outside. Be a normal person. Don’t listen to music in the gym without headphones, because that’s obvious, right?
7. Be a good roommate; it’s better for all involved parties. Want to know how to be a good roommate? Think about all the things that piss you off about people you live with, and then … don’t do that.
8. Make sure you stress out about things that matter. Stress out about falling out of touch with a good friend. Don’t stress out about not getting a good seat at PIT.
9. Go to the beach a lot! Or don’t. I don’t care about this one, but it seems necessary to include.
10. Try to remember you’re about to be an adult. So even though it’s fun to treat Pepperdine like the world’s best junior high youth group sometimes, know there’s a time and a place. Do adult things, like investing in money market mutual funds. Stop Instagramming the sunset. Just Google “sunset.” We’ve all seen the sun set. That’s how time works.
11. Anytime someone asks you to do something social, do it. You might hate it in the moment, but you’ll look back in a year and be happy you went outside. There will always be Netflix. Also, chill with the video games. We’re about to be adults, as I mentioned above. In five years you’ll be happier about the time you spent working toward a career than the Super Bowls you won in Madden.
12. Ask someone out on a date. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Take advantage of all the opportunities Pepperdine has provided to you. Find another hill to die on … use this quote every time you get upset about something. Live. Love. Sleep. Eat. Don’t be a jerk. Root for our sports teams (but only if they’ve earned your adoration).
13. And, even though it sounds cliche, cherish every moment you have here because time flies by. How come we keep needing to have people tell us this? For something that’s so hackneyed and overplayed, it’s amazing how often I personally need to be reminded.
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Follow Ben Holcomb on Twitter: @BenjaminHolcomb
