How You Dress
School uniforms are designed for, well, uniformity. College is where you experiment with fashion.
Follow these basic pointers to get started:
Hygiene is key Skip your daily bath, forget to brush your teeth thoroughly or wear yesterday's smelly clothes, and you’ll end up sitting alone, even on the last bench! And, no, spraying on deodorant doesn't fool anyone.
Keep your face fuzz-free Sure, movie-stars sport stubble. However, to the feminine eye, random unshaven guy equals local ruffian. And there’s no reason why any grown girl should sport a moustache either, especially when any competent salon will get rid of it, for less than the price of a burger!
Switch it around from time to time The point of not wearing a uniform is that you can change your style statement anytime you want. Alternate monochromes with bright colours or opulent ethnic-wear with trendy westerns. Or merely throw in a new element, like a new haircut, coloured hair-extensions (bonus – it'll drive teachers and parents crazy!), nail-art, a motorbike and/or a biker jacket....
Ditch the kiddie extras, already! Go for palest pink or hot pink rather than Barbie pink, and avoid pairing pink with ruffles and lace. Donate your hairbands, cartoon-y plastic hair-clips, frilly socks, Disney pencil-cases and Doraemon rucksacks to the nearest orphanage. And girls, never wear ballet flats with skirts, dresses or skinny jeans – that is one trend to leave behind with your schooldays.
How You Act
Teachers aren't going to be hanging around the college canteen, telling you what to do and what not to say. Don’t be the gauche schoolgirl/awkward schoolboy!
Don't judge others College is a multi-cultural environment, with people from all kinds of backgrounds. Keep an open mind. It doesn’t do to laugh at people who won't eat onions, be nasty to couples, or poke fun at someone’s language. You follow your rules, let them follow theirs.
Avoid gossiping When you are privy to some juicy gossip, it is hard not to pass it along. Bite down on it firmly, unless you want to get into an embarassingly public 'did-you-say-that-about-me' fight with the subject of your whisperings. Tell it to your diary, or to a friend who goes to another college – and never on Facebook!
Stay out of others love lives Don’t comment, don’t intervene. Whether it is passing messages, playing mediator or match-making, everyone'll want to shoot the messenger (in this case, you) if things go wrong.
Balance studies and extra-curriculars In August, there is time to spare for dramatics, basketball, debating, inter-college dance competitions....but come December, when your notes aren’t ready, you will find you have fallen way behind!
Cherry-pick your extra curriculars. A year’s work is a year’s work – it can’t be done in 30 days flat.
Here is to the best days of your life!
