Category: College

How Not To Choose A College

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how not to choose a college

With college acceptances pouring in for seniors, and juniors beginning to narrow the list down to the golden ten, it’s likely you’ve already sat through the lectures about how to choose a college that is a best fit for your future. But what are the elements to avoid? Here are a few reasons to be weary of choosing that particular school – for that particular reason.

Don’t Follow You-Know-Who. You have dated #SoAndSo for four years; six if you count the months spent checking their Facebook wall in middle school. But following your love life to college is possibly the worst reason to choose your alma mater. Deciding on which college to spend the next four years of your life should be a truly individual decision. Factoring in your high school romance will only result in making huge compromises on your future – a future that may not even include your current sweetheart past freshman orientation. As much as it may hurt to be separated from your current boyfriend or girlfriend, it is important to make a pragmatic decision based on your own personal and academic goals. In the worst case scenario, you will just have to be apart a few weeks at a time until Fall Break…and Thanksgiving Break…and then the long Winter Break (college has A LOT of breaks.) Tolerable, and you will each have space to grow and become your best selves. Great case scenario, you will grow apart relatively pain free and end up meeting a lot of really interesting and attractive new people, but you and your ex can still spy on each other via Instagram. Win win!

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How to Handle Twitter Handles

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twitter handles

Twitter is a fascinating social network; and perhaps the most controversial, leaving users more vulnerable than most other platforms might. Whether you are a high school student or a professional, Twitter is one of the more public and therefore searchable social media sites – and yet people are encouraged to use their real name and identity for it to work effectively. Unlike other platforms such as Facebook, where you can custom control who sees your content, or Instagram, where you often follow protocol and select a private account with a cutesy pseudonym, Twitter thrives on its immediacy and authentic exposure. It’s no wonder that this social network in particular has emerged a true global and political force filled with moving hashtag campaigns and viral news – but it is also more often a venue for public disgrace and scandal (here’s looking at you, Kanye…)

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Major Crush Dot Org

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Introducing P+S’s brand new sister site, MajorCrush.Org! A sleek, more streamlined way to view the inspiring women (and more) featured on Role Call and The Graduate. From college majors to career paths, you’ll find your Lady Inspiration for Life.

Browse a growing list of college majors, graduate programs and professional tracks – and keep checking back for more featured areas of focus.

Because every day is #WomanCrushWednesday.

majorcrush

The Waiting Game: College Acceptances

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waiting for college acceptances

You, on college acceptance day…

February can be a short, but cruel, month – followed by a long, excruciating March – while you are waiting to hear back from college admissions. Trying to envision your life after senior year is nail-biting: this is the rest of your (foreseeable) life we are talking about. Unfortunately, the struggle is real – there is no telling what your April inbox holds. So take a break from checking your mail obsessively or scrolling though the ivy-speckled Instagram account of that dream alma-matter, and channel your anxiety into these 10 ways to keep it cool instead.

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Starting Over (In The Eyes Of College Admissions)

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getting better grades

Half of the academic marking period is over. You put your best foot forward (at least in September…and maybe a few days in October?) and now you are starting to wonder if perhaps you’ve crashed and burned with five more months of grades to go.

Your midterm grades weren’t spectacular, but you were pretty antsy and excited for the looming holiday season…pumpkin spice lattes… eggnog lattes…and now you’re just jazzed to reunite with your basic vanilla lattes again. Who can blame you with all of the legit distractions?

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The Next 4 Years: A Graduate Recap

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As early decision notices roll in this week for some, while others hit “submit”on their final applications, here is some great advice to incoming freshman from a few current college seniors. You can check out their full interviews via The Graduate. To view even more potential majors and career paths, visit our sister site MajorCrush.org.

Are you a young college or graduate student who wants to be featured next? Tweet us @PetalAndSass or email petalandsass@gmail.com for more information!

major in speech pathology

“If you get depressed, stressed out, or you’re just having some troubles with your roommate, go see a counselor. Your school likely provides counseling services for free. If you get so depressed you can’t function, it’s okay to take a break from school.  Many schools allow you to take a break for personal reasons without having to reapply when you’re ready to go back. 

Your college is likely full of specialized equipment and laboratories. After college, you can learn about art, philosophy, etc. in your spare time, but you’ll have a more difficult time teaching yourself chemistry. If you are interested in science, use the resources that you won’t have access to in just a few years and take a technical or scientific class. 

Grades are important but not at all critical. Pay attention in class, communicate with your professors, think critically about what you’re being taught, but don’t sacrifice your physical or mental health for a grade. 

If you are at a party, and it looks like someone might be trying to take advantage of a drunken person, do something about it. No “it’s not my problem” excuses. Furthermore, don’t take advantage of drunk people. Even Austin Powers knew that was wrong. 

If you live in the dorms, leave your door open! Future friends will wander in like lost puppies.”

-Lauren Graham ’16, Speech Pathology at Southern Illinois University

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The Art of Speaking in 5 Steps

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the art of speaking

So much depends upon what comes out of your mouth. Whether you are sitting in a sticky leather upholstered chair on a hot day being grilled by a chipper college admission counselor, or trying to impress the mom of your significant other with your knowledge of Phil Collins tunes, the way you turn a phrase – in one sentence or less – can send out all the right (or wrong) signals about who you are as a person and what your intentions are.

Fortunately, language is something you can work on, and everyone can improve somehow, whether it’s through diction, word choice, tone, or perhaps even more importantly – the ability to know when to stop talking and just listen.

Adjusting speech patterns, elocution and diction doesn’t happen overnight – but the more aware you are, the more likely you are to develop your speaking skills. Here are a few places to start.

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Love Letters: Freshman Blues, Red Leather Pants, and Do-Overs

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Love Letters

‘Love Letters’ is a Petal + Sass blog feature that regularly asks a group of diverse women in their 20’s and 30’s about their experiences with health, sex, emotional wellness, body image, college, careers – and what they wish they had known themselves as teenagers. Visit the ‘Love Letters’ To My Former Self page to learn more about the contributors.

Question posed: What was freshman year of college really like for you? What were your expectations versus the reality? Do you have any regrets, and what would you do differently looking back?

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Building Lasting Friendships in 5 Steps or Less

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building lasting friendships

A follow up from Part I: 5 Ways to Make Friends Fast (Just Don’t Expect It To Last).

Whether the honeymoon period from Freshman Orientation is growing stale or you are new to the neighborhood, building real friendships is important for your well-being and emotional life. It may be easy to bond with someone over a shared yoga class or a frozen yogurt, but it can be trickier to establish real, intimate friendships where you feel comfortable sharing your deep thoughts, venting personal frustrations, or just being together in comfortable silence. Remember: It’s takes time to meet people and build lasting friendships. Here are 5 steps to help you along the way.

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