Dear Little Brother,

I keep seeing posts like 101 things I want my daughter to know or that father who writes positive and inspirational letters to his daughter about growing up and womanhood and self-image.  Since I am not a parent (nor ever will be), I can’t really do that, but I’ve got a brother who is three years younger than I (he’s technically not little if we’re talking about height).  Still in high school, he’s currently touring colleges, perfecting his resume, going to soccer camps, and acing exams.  I don’t have loads of life experience on him, but I want him to know I’m looking out for him and I will try to ensure his happiness.  And since I don’t see him often (once a week maybe via FaceTime), this is the best I can do.  So, this letter is for everyone to read and I hope it does some good:

Dear Little Brother,

Deciding on a college is probably the biggest decision you’ll be making for a while.  A college will become your second home, and in fact, you’ll spend more time there than at home, so you want to choose somewhere that feels comfortable.  Go with you gut: if you walk on the campus and you cannot picture yourself walking through the courtyard, studying in the library, or practicing penalty shots on the soccer field; then listen to that feeling.  There’s a lot to consider in choosing a college, such as, campus life, dorm life, location, weather, trimesters, semesters, etc.  And I know it seems overwhelming.  I also know when you tour a college, it seems like every guide answers all your questions because as a high schooler you don’t know the questions to ask because you can’t predict what college will bring.  So, I compiled a list of some off the wall questions that YOU may want to ask.  So don’t be shy, speak up, or mom will.

1.  What are the dining halls like?  How many dining halls are there?  What are there hours?  How close are they to the dorm(s)?  What kind of food do they serve?  What kind of meal plan can you get?

Since I know how much you eat, this may be crucial.  I know you could live off pizza and hamburgers, but if the dining hall that serves that closes at 5pm, and you’re stuck with the vegetarian bar until midnight, then maybe that’s not the college for you.  Don’t decide based on food because your education is important, but you’re going to eat everyday, so it is a big deal.

 

2.  Can you access the soccer field or gym whenever you want to?

With practice, I know you’ll be on the field a lot, but in the off season, if you want to juggle, do you have that opportunity?  Or if it’s late at night and you can’t fall asleep and you need to blow off some steam, can you go to the field?  And is the field walking distance from your dorm or will you be bussed there everyday for practice?

 

3.  What clubs are there at the college and how easy is it to start one or get involved?

I know you may not have much time with school and soccer, but on the off chance that it’s a Friday night and you’re free, is there a video game marathon going on, does the college partake in Humans Vs. Zombies one semester, can you start a Black Ops club, etc?  It’s nice to know you have options in your down time, and especially options that you’re interested in.  If a college boasts of its art club or poetry nights or circus squad, maybe it’s not for you.

 

4.  What are the class sizes?

How many of your classes involve large lecture classes, like 100 or so people?  It’s easy to get lost in that large of a crowd and not learn anything.  Ask about major classes and the typical classes that all freshman need to take.  You want smaller class sizes, especially as an athlete so you can get individualized attention.

 

5.  How important is academia compared to athletics?

Some campus tours include their state of the art gym, explain how fans can get to football games, and recount the fun activities during freshman orientation.  That’s great and all, but how are coaches ensuring that their athletes do well in classes?  Where can you study, how easy is it to get a tutor, are you taught good time management, etc?  I know you want to play professional soccer, and I hope you get to to do that and I’ll get to cheer you on during the World Cup, but your degree is equally important.

 

Best of luck finding a college, and remember, I’m always here for you.

 

Love,

 

Your Big Sister

 

Words of Wisdom

Look both ways before crossing the street, don’t talk to strangers, and don’t eat the yellow snow are just a few things parents have taught us.  A parent’s job is to teach their child all that they know so the child is equipped to handle the world.  Parents potty-train their toddlers, teach their teens about money, and discuss investments and insurance with their young adults.  At all stages in life, a parent has some form of knowledge to pass down, having been in the same or similar scenario as their offspring.  Of course my parents taught me the usual, but I feel like there were a couple bits of information I was taught that maybe not every child learns from ma and pa.

1.  Train back then chest, and then work the smaller muscles.  Since my dad was a bodybuilder, he’s well equipped with knowledge about training.  And when I began going to the gym, he showed me how to properly do workouts and explained why you start with the larger muscles first and save the smaller muscles for last (because the larger muscles, like back and chest and quads, can hang in there longer because there’s more to them than say your triceps).  So I get the most out of my workout thanks to my father!

 

2.  Organic food or all natural food tastes differently than processed “food.”  This idea seems simple enough and obvious, but until you’ve been raised on 100% pure maple syrup, organic chocolate bars, and home-made popcorn, you won’t understand how true and glaring the difference in taste is.  When my friends tell me that Aunt Jemima’s syrup tastes the same as pure maple syrup, I merely shake my head.

 

3.  Real soccer players don’t wear pants.  This may seem insane, but in the 14 years I played soccer, I only wore shorts, and to this day if it’s below freezing, you will never see me running in pants.  I get a lot of weird looks, but I was taught you bundle up on your upper body, and now I can’t run in pants.  This was specific to baggier pants, but those tight under armor leggings, I only wear them if I won’t be doing any physical activity outside.

 

4.  Always be polite.  This lesson may be pretty universal, but thank you is now a reflex along with hi, how are you, and have a nice day.  Whenever my mom encountered a disgruntled, unhappy cashier, she’d kill them with kindness.  Her smile never wavered, and the cashier’s rude behavior never proved to be a problem.

 

5.  The classic bands and musicians from back in the day are still talked about today for a reason.  Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, Queen, Van Halen, The Beatles, etc are legendary, and not to be compared to other artists of this day and age, and it’s blasphemous to disrespect them.  Not liking those artists is fine because it may not be your taste in music, but to compare One Direction to the Beatles or downplay the significance of Guns N’ Roses is unheard of.

 

6.  In your purse, ladies, you should always carry a pen.  My mom never leaves the house without her large purse, and there’s always a pen in there.  It comes in handy, I’ve needed to grab the pen from my purse countless times, and anyone who is in need of a pen is always grateful.

 

7.  How to properly shuffle cards is a must needed skill.  I know so many people who just move the cards around on a table, or they can’t do the bridge when shuffling.  Shuffling cards can be calming, but it comes in handy when your friends want to play poker.  It also means you’re automatically the one who shuffles the deck.

 

8.  Any gambling game, you should know how to play.  Texas Hold’em, blackjack, spades, 5 card draw, spoons, you name it, I most likely was taught the rules and I know how to play.  I’m equipped so if  money is ever at stake, I know what I’m doing.  I won’t be clueless, and if necessary I could hustle anyone.

 

9.  Flossing is so important.  After about every meal, my dad flosses, my mom flosses every night, my dad carries floss around with him, hence, I floss about twice a day.  Clean teeth are essential, and no one likes to have food caught between their pearly whites.

 

10.  Bigger or bulk can be better.  When I shop, I check how much of an item I’m getting and how much it costs, and, for the most part, I try to get the most bang for my buck.  For example, when I was purchasing items for college after winter break, it was between one bottle of Axe for $3 dollars, or a pack of two bottles along with a tiny bottle of face wash for about $5.  Obviously I bought the two pack.

 

What I Learned In College

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post.  My excuse is it’s finals week, and I’ve had a lot of work to do and I had to start packing.  But, with 5 days left of my freshman year, I thought I’d look back at my 30 weeks and share some of the knowledge I’ve gained.

 

1.  Sleep does not come easy at college.  Even if one goes to bed early, like myself, because sometimes you worry about work or what’s happening tomorrow.  Others stay up late getting work done.  Maybe your roommate won’t turn the lights off when you’re ready for sleep.  Maybe your neighbors are yelling at two-o-clock in the morning.  But, the best sleep comes after sleep deprivation.

 

2.  I’ve never been one to like to study or do work with other people around.  I usually like to be in my element: my music blaring, at my desk, etc.  But, in college, you will want to do your homework with your friends.  Sometimes it’s your only social interaction for the day.  And it’s nice to have that respite when you and a friend go off on a tangent for a little bit, or it’s reassuring when you complain about how much work you have and your friend agrees.

 

3.  Eating alone is perfectly acceptable, and sometimes the best option.  In the beginning of the year I always ate with a friend because I didn’t want to be the college student eating by myself.  But, as the year went on, I realized that sometimes if I’m in a hurry or I’m hungry when no one else it, eating by myself is not a bad thing.  And there are even days when I prefer it because I’ve got a lot on my mind or I’m so exhausted that I couldn’t fathom trying to maintain a conversation.

 

4.  The more clothes, the merrier!  I own about 40 pairs of shoes and I have a closet overflowing with hoodies, T-shirts, and jeans.  I didn’t even make a dent in my wardrobe when I packed for college, and I realized during the winter quarter, I was wearing the same outfit pretty much each week.  If I didn’t do laundry each week, I would run out of underwear.  And I longed for articles of clothes that I left at home.  Next year, I am brining more clothes not only because I want more options when getting dressed, but maybe I’d be able to do laundry a little less and save money.

 

5.  Dining hall food gets dull, and sometimes you just need to go out with a friend to a nice restaurant or a favorite local hot spot. Depriving yourself at college from buying anything, though sounds reasonable since most of us are in debt, isn’t necessary.  When a group of friends is going out and you end up staying in because you didn’t want to spend the fifteen dollars and then you see the pictures on Facebook, you’ll be bummed you didn’t tag along.  College is supposed to be fun, and going out every now and then will help relieve stress and allow for a grand ‘ole time.

 

6.  For at least one quarter, don’t go to ratemyprofessor.com and see what you get.  I never used the website, and I ended up with awesome professors each of my three quarters.  I later found out my 3D design professor had horrible ratings on the site because he’s a tough grader, but he’s a really sarcastic, funny and chill dude, so class was enjoyable.  My one professor wasn’t even on the site because he’s new here, but that class was easy to garner an A grade.  Be open to new professors.

 

7.  Invest in some high quality headphones, they are a lifesaver.  Starting off the year all I had were my apple earbuds, but for Christmas I asked for a pair of Beats headphones, and they’ve made all the difference.  Good headphones will block out any noise, whether you’re listening to music or not, and sometimes that’s crucial.  When I’m trying to type a paper and my roommate is playing her music or skyping with her parents, my headphones go on.  When I’m riding the loud bus, my headphones go on and I’m engulfed by my music.  When I want to watch a TV show and the AC is blaring and my roommate is making noise, my headphones go on.  They’re worth the money, trust me.

 

8.  Purchase water bottles.  Just do it. The worst is when you wake up in the middle of the night, thirsty, and you have no water.  Buy extras, reuse them, bring them to class, bring them to other people’s dorm rooms; just stay hydrated.

 

9.  Make sure you buy enough toilet paper, always have duct tape in your dorm, and keep snacks in your room.  One goes through toilet paper quicker than you’d think, so just buy extra.  Buy it early, so when you are on your last roll, you don’t have to run to CVS that day.  Duct tape is a godsend, I have used a whole roll; it’s just useful, and when you’re not using it, you can keep it on your desk and it can hold pens and pencils and such.  Lastly, but certainly not least, the dining halls may close, you may have skipped dinner because you had work to finish, you may not feel like leaving your dorm to grab a sandwich, so always keep food in your dorm.  It doesn’t have to be glorious, but I recommend Powerbars, Mac N’ Cheese, and (organic) Poptarts.  And obviously, Nutella.

 

10.  Finally, it’s a good idea to have chairs in your dorm.  Unless you want people sitting on your bed, the more chairs you have, the better.  And it doesn’t have to be anything super nice, a bean bag or two, one of those ottomans that can store things, a stool, a foldable chair, anything.  Plus, when you don’t feel like sitting on your floor or chilling in your bed, you have options to sit as well.