Alright, so as of a few days ago, I’ve officially been here at OU for over a month. And although it has been extremely hectic and stressful at times, it’s definitely been worth it. I’ve probably learned more in this past month than I did my entire freshman year in high school. So I’m here to offer a bit of advice: just a few things that I wish someone would have told me when I started college. Because after all, college is a huge transition, and we can all use help in the beginning.

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Transitioning into college has definitely been a tough thing. I can still remember my senior year in high school and stressing out over college, how my classes were going to be, and exactly what life would be like. Now that I am here, I am hoping I can share some ways to make transitioning into college a little easier for you. I will begin by telling you something you have probably heard many times before: college is all about managing time wisely. You have one hour of a class and a lot of free time that you may or may not know what to do with. Getting used to dorm life, classes, and dealing with free time can become overwhelming. Here are just a few things to keep in mind: Read more

Hello everyone! I should probably start by introducing myself. My name is Kara and I am a freshman here at OU. My major is Public Relations and my minors are General Business and Spanish. So far, my freshman year has been a series of ups and downs! I am from Overland Park, Kansas, which is a suburb of Kansas City. Coming to OU as an out-of-state student and not knowing anyone was a lot harder than I imagined. It has taught me a lot about my ability to foster new relationships though. Everyone at OU is very welcoming, from the nice lady scanning Sooner OneCards at the cafeteria to the boy sitting next to me during a lecture in Dale Hall. Even in lonely moments, I find that there is always someone feeling the same way that I do. If any of you are considering coming to OU from out-of-state, don’t hesitate! It will challenge you and inspire you, but it’s very worth it!

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So you’ve applied to college!? Your next big feat is probably going to be thinking about dorm ideas! Some believe dorms to be these tiny, space-sucking, claustrophobic closets…turns out there are TONS of ways and opportunities to best maximize your own personal space! It’s been common in my room as well as my suitemates and fellow hallmates to buy matching room decor. Trust me, it truly makes or breaks a room and looks so incredibly cute when it’s all one designated pattern.

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July has come and gone and school is just around the corner.  For you seniors, the most important year of your life is about to begin.   You’re going to have many important decisions to make; the most important of which is where you will be going to college.   Hopefully you have taken a few college visits by now; if you haven’t, you need to start.  College visits are a key factor when it comes to making your decision.  You should never decide on a college or university without actually seeing the school in person.

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I hope everyone is enjoying the summer – I know I sure am!  We just celebrated the 4^th of July which means summer is about halfway over.  Now, I’m telling you this not to stress you out, but I want you to begin to prepare yourself.  Next year you will be seniors in high school, the top dogs, the ones everyone looks up to.  But it also means you will be in college the year after that (yes, you are all going to college, the only question left to answer is which one you will be attending).   How many of you know what type of students colleges are looking for?  There are millions of high school seniors in this country, so how will schools separate the best from the rest?  I’ll let you know a little secret; we will do it using three simple letters – A C T.

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School’s out for summer! I’m sure by now you have reset your alarm clock to 10 a.m., found the closest swimming pool, and bought midnight tickets to Harry Potter. Summer is a great time to relax and refresh. It’s also a great time to get a jump start on one of the most challenging steps in the college search and application process…scholarships.

Searching for college scholarships is as big as searching for constellations. They are out there; you just have to know what you are looking for. Scholarships can come directly from colleges and universities, alumni clubs, corporations, and local community organizations.

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By this time last year, I was 100% a Sooner! I had everything finished and I was ready to go! I was counting down my last days as a Kansan before I officially moved to the Sooner State. One thing that I looked forward to a lot was dorm life! I couldn’t wait to find out who I would be living with and how I was going to decorate my side of the room!

This is my room! (Yes, for those of you looking at the TV, I’m watching the Masters! My TV is generally on ESPN or the game!) I’m big on black and white, so I went with black, white and a pop of color. At first, my accent was Tiffany Box Blue, and then after Christmas break I decided to switch it to apple green. That lasted a little less than a week, because I found a crimson pillow (the one in the middle) at Target that I had to have! So I switched my apple green accessories to crimson and I have stuck with it!

I have a lot of throw pillows on my bed so I can use it as a couch (a body pillow works just as well). It makes for extra seating without buying a futon or chair that just takes up space in your dorm. It’s perfect for watching TV or just hanging out, and it makes the room look fun and festive!

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Is it really April 2…already?! I feel like it was the first day of school last month, OU/TX a few weeks ago, Christmas break a few weeks ago and our crazy snow days extravaganza yesterday!

This semester has been insane. It’s had its ups and downs and my classes have been pretty tough. I’ve been busy running from this thing to that thing and being here for this meeting and there for that interview…and everything that falls in between. But I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything.

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“OU does not want you.” Can you imagine reading this in an email from one of your top college choices? Yikes, what a blow. Seeing this in her inbox is exactly what happened to a current student I’ve been working with, and no, that is not what I meant to write.

Mistakes happen, but many mistakes can be avoided with a little caution. I was reminded of this lesson last week while returning an email. With one slip of hand (and impatience to proofread), I had inadvertently sent the wrong message, and by wrong, I mean really wrong. In my head I was saying, “OU does not want to lose you,” but I decided to rephrase and turn it into a positive statement by saying, “OU wants you.” How it came out in the email after my indecisive and hasty phrasing was, “OU does not want you”…big oops. Luckily, I have a pretty good relationship with the young lady it was sent to; she emailed back saying, “Huh?” I quickly apologized and remedied the type-o. Luckily, we both laughed about it after the fact.

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