You did it! You’ve made your college decision. Now it’s time for you to pack up and make your way to campus. But be careful what you pack. It may seem like you need to bring everything from your third grade spelling trophy to your custom wall art, but think twice before you pack everything you own. Many college students end up bringing things they don’t ever need or use. Given the small size of most dorm rooms, less really is more. Here are a few things you don’t need to bring to college.
 
Prohibited Items

After years of a set path in school, you may find yourself wondering what’s next. Whether you have a plan or are still figuring it out, the one constant is making sure you can fund whatever your future brings. This doesn’t mean you need to have thousands of dollars in the bank, but being smart about your money now will help ensure that you have it when you need it later. Here are a few ways to help fund your future.
 
Learn the Language

Whether graduation is around the corner or in your rearview mirror, you may find yourself wondering what’s next. Some students know which path they are taking before they graduate. For others, the path isn’t as clear. The good news is that there are many different paths and no wrong answer, only the path that works for you. But how do you figure out which path to take? Here are a few ways to help you decide which path makes the most sense for you.
 
Define Your Passion

Every day you interact with many different people, from family and friends to professors and employers. At some point, you will encounter a difficult person. Such people can make you feel frustrated, angry, and unhappy. But dealing with difficult people doesn’t have to be so difficult. Here are a few tips to make those unpleasant interactions a little easier. 

College students are often consumed by classes, extracurriculars, relationships, and other daily commitments. The hectic schedule can be stressful and leave little time for students to take care of themselves. But the importance of self-care can’t be denied. Taking time for yourself can yield a healthier and more enjoyable college experience. Here are a few reasons why self-care is so important.

I grew up on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in a family that has always had a connection to our community. It’s a large part of why I want to become a doctor and get my master’s in public health: I want to serve my community and be a part of it in an even greater aspect. Now, I’m a first-year senior at Northern Arizona University (NAU), on a five-year track with NAU’s Interdisciplinary Global Program (I’m in my fourth year studying at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan), majoring in biomedical sciences and comparative cultural sciences.

As a child, your goals and expectations may closely align with your parents’. As you get older, you may find that your personal goals begin to differ from your family’s expectations. When that happens, it can create tension in your relationship with your family, and your parents in particular. Here are a few tips to help balance family expectations with your personal goals.

It’s no secret: grades matter and striving for personal academic excellence is the job of every student. But it’s important for individuals to develop outside the classroom too. Parents often begin this process, registering their young children for activities such as tiny-tot dance classes, town sports teams, and Lego clubs.

Whether you’ve been on campus for a month or years, it’s probably safe to say that you’ve met a diverse group of people. Not only may these people be of different races, genders, and ages, they may also have varying political views. Politics can be a difficult area of discussion, but healthy, productive conversations are possible. Here are a few ways to navigate politics and the current social climate on campus.

When most people say they want to be a doctor or researcher, they often imply that their parents forced them into it. My parents are professors of history — boy, were they surprised when I came out loving math and science!