Editor’s note: This article is part of an occasional series, “If I Knew Then What I Know Now,” in which authors share advice based on their experiences in college.
Starting college in the fall of 2004, I anticipated leaving in four years with a bachelor’s degree in history. Well, I did graduate in four years with a bachelor’s in history but also with three credit cards. It took me awhile to learn to manage my money, my time, and my belongings.
While getting adjusted to my first year at North Carolina A&T, I realized that everything I needed was right there on campus. Armed with a meal plan, housing, and access to the bookstore, I did not have to leave campus at all. Unfortunately, although the cost of living was relatively low in Greensboro, the price of living on campus could get expensive–starting with the textbooks.
Before arriving at A&T, I had saved a considerable amount of money for books and other living expenses. When classes began and I received my syllabi, I rushed over to the bookstore to buy my books, just like any eager student. With each course, though, it seemed that the books became more and more expensive. By the time I paid for my books, all of the money I had saved for books, plus most of the book voucher I had received from financial aid, had been spent. After a conversation with some other first-year students, I realized that they too had spent a lot on their books. We needed the books very quickly and we initially had to use our book vouchers on campus; therefore, we were in a bind. By the end of my first semester, my parents had to send me extra money for snacks and other living expenses.
All that changed when I got a phone call one evening from a credit card company. Because I was not employed at the time and had no credit history, I did not believe I would qualify for a credit card. However, to my surprise, my telephone application was approved and I received my first card in the mail two weeks later.
At first, I did not want to use my credit card; I just wanted to keep it in my purse as a token (something I could show my friends). I was determined to use the card only for emergencies, and it remained unused for a month. But then I made my first purchase at a grocery store.
My next few purchases were online to order textbooks for the next semester, since I was no longer restricted to buying from the bookstore, and books were cheaper online. Suddenly, my one card increased to three cards in one school year.
Having three credit cards with low interest rates was a great idea—until I reached my credit limit. I also had trouble making some of the payments on time, so the interest rates rose to over twenty percent on each card. Eventually, however, I did manage to save enough money to pay off the balance for two of the three cards I accumulated. The last card, which I have now, has a low interest rate, thanks to my on-time payments.
In sum: I would advise a college student not to apply for a credit card over the phone or without a job. If you do have a job or means to make the payments, I would advise setting limits to how much you use. To avoid impulse buying, I would also recommend making a list of items to be bought before entering any store.
As for the academic side of college, I enjoyed my courses, but staying up late to complete the homework took its toll. Even though I completed my assignments on time, I was constantly sleepy in class. So, deciding that I wanted to have more energy, I changed my method of completing assignments. Instead of doing homework the night before it was due, I would finish it the day it was assigned. This method left me more time to read over my work and correct any mistakes.
Working on my homework while all of my friends sat outside enjoying the college atmosphere distracted me at times. I knew, however, that staying up late to finish homework could be bad for my health and my performance in class and I continued my method.
By the end of my second year, my new study habits had vastly improved my grades. My success also began to encourage my friends to change their study methods. Instead of hanging outside after class we would go to the library and work. After a while, they noticed that their grades too had improved.
The results of practicing time management were extremely rewarding. But developing that skill takes time. I had to force myself to begin my assignments in the daytime rather than at night when I wanted to hang out with my friends.
My third major lesson has to do with “stuff.” With the combination of what I brought from home and what I accumulated while at A&T, my room was filled with things. While shopping in the back-to-school sections of stores, I piled items like crates, posters, binders, notebook paper, printer paper, and rugs into the shopping cart. Then, packing bags of clothes added to the items I brought from home.
I noticed that my room had become cluttered when I did not have any space to place the new books and supplies for the semester: my closet, the space under my bed, and my desk were all full. Although I should have taken items home during the winter break, I did not want my parents to know how much I had accumulated in such a short time! However, when I moved out each year, my parents were in disbelief at what I had accumulated. In my last year of college, I had more items than I could take home. I ended up throwing away a lot of things, although I managed to give my extra bed and microwave to the Helping Hand Mission in Raleigh. Even so, the lesson I learned in bringing a lot of things is: Never do it again. It took me a very long time to pack and a long time loading my dad’s SUV.
Although my collegiate career ended in 2008, I still follow the lessons I learned. College life taught me responsibility, time management, and organization skills that have assisted in my daily life and in my post-graduate career. Perhaps they can do the same for you.