Take a Chance Anyway
Check out this great post in the New York Times by Rebecca Reddicliff. Reddicliff, who is going into her sophomore year, advises freshmen to “Put Yourself Out There and Do Something Crazy.” If you’re on the fence about whether to plunge into the adventure of college life or just tuck yourself away in your dorm room with a pizza, this is food for thought.
Reddicliff is in good company with her recommendation. The advice to “do something crazy” was expressed in entirely different words by Eleanor Roosevelt when she said, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” That means
Read MoreReady, Set, Slow???
Hi there!
The big day is getting pretty close now, and I hope you’re really getting excited 
So why the cautionary headline?
Here’s the thing. If you’ve had a fair amount of freedom already, you have a head start on learning how to handle a huge array of choices. That’s a necessary skill, because from what you wear, when you sleep and what you eat to who you spend time with and how much money you spend, you’re about to be faced with lots of independent decisions.
Which is great! Choosing for yourself is what designing a life you’ll love is all about.
But if you’re used to a pretty good dose of rules and routine, especially if you’re itching to get away from that, all these new possibilities carry a hidden hazard — kind of like a rock slide that you can’t see until you land in it. Unless someone tells you it’s there —
Read MoreBig trip, small car: what should I bring?!
Going away overnight or even for a few weeks is one thing; really moving house is quite another. Moving into a dorm is somewhere in between. It’s a home away from home for long periods of time, but it’s still temporary. At the end of the academic year, you have to pack it all up and move it again.
So — you don’t want to bring everything you own . In a way, the question is “what should I leave at home?”
Here are links to a few great lists that will help you think through what you’ll need.
Read MorePerfect Dorm Room — a space that’s you
The idea of creating a space that’s you is a favorite topic of mine. That’s because anything you create is an expression of your self. Every time you glance at it or enter into it, it affirms who you are and supports you in becoming the person you’re striving to be. Not only that, by surrounding yourself with the things that make you feel your best and that remind you of your strengths, your sense of self-worth and well being grow instantly.
Have you ever noticed that rearranging the contents of even a single drawer can give you a sense of hope and possibility? That’s the tip of the iceberg of what shaping your space can do for you. And shaping your space is exactly the project you’re about to begin!
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