You finally made it to college. You survived countless relatives asking what you want to do when you graduate high school. You turned in applications before their deadlines (most of them, anyway). Now you’re finally ready for all-nighters and finding friends you haven’t known since kindergarten. Stop reading those CM guides about what school you should go to, and start reading some that’ll help you through your four years.
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Check out College Magazine articles that will jumpstart your transition into college.
1. An Undecided’s Master Guide to Finally Declaring a Major
Just because you made it to college doesn’t mean you already have your entire life planned out. You’ve never picked a major, but the decision does guide the rest of your college career.
In the article:
- Making your academic advisor your BFF
- Top three declared majors
- How to figure out what you’re passionate about
2. Top 25 Majors That Will Actually Get You Hired
What’s your major? Or better yet, what do you plan to do with your major? Browse through a thorough, detailed list of 25 majors that will get you a job post-graduation. You might be surprised at how much some of these grads make…
In the article:
- Starting salaries for each major
- Graduates per year per major
- Number of jobs available per major
3. A Master Guide to Not Gaining 15 Pounds Your Freshman Year
The Freshman 15 does exist, and it can happen to you. You don’t have to turn into a complete health-nut your first year, but reading a few tips about staying healthy can help you avoid stress about your weight.
In the article:
- Hacks for avoiding the Freshman 15
- How to schedule in workout time
- Top three foods that help you lose weight
4. Your Master Guide to Studying Abroad
Yes, you should study abroad. You generally want to start planning for your trip at least a semester in advance, so go ahead and get started now. Take time to check out your school’s programs and see what interests you.
In the article:
- The costs for studying abroad
- What to bring
- Top study abroad destinations
5. The Ultimate Resume Master Guide
Starting college means you have officially entered the real world. If you don’t already have a draft of a resume, make one now. Resume writing requires some real #skillz, so give yourself some time to read up on how to make your resume as impressive as possible.
In the article:
- How to format a resume
- Top resume writing mistakes
- What to include in a resume
6. CM’s Master Guide to All Things Internship
College students usually wait to pursue internships until their junior or senior year, but it never hurts to get started early. The internship world can be a scary one, so do your homework beforehand if you want successful internship experiences.
In the article:
- Places to find internships
- How to land an internship
- Top Twitter accounts for finding internships
Not sure where to apply? Check out College Magazine’s Internship Guides.
7. 10 Easy College-Friendly Meals Because Cooking is Hard
Your mom can’t make your lunch for you every day anymore. You have to fend for yourself in college. If you have some sort of meal plan, that’s great. If not, knowing a few quick and easy meals really comes in handy when you’re starving and have class in half an hour.
In the article:
- Turkey burgers that are actually good
- How to make a smoothie bowl
- A cool twist on Ramen
8. The Poor College Student’s Guide to Saving Money
A lot of your money goes toward tuition. So being in college means being a little more frugal. Sorry, no more going out to Chipotle three times a week. You might find yourself overwhelmed with how little money you actually have now, but a few money-saving tricks can keep you on track.
In the article:
- How to save serious bucks on textbooks
- A dinner with friends that won’t break the bank
- How to save money on drinks
9. 10 Dates for Broke College Students
You left all of your high school experiences back home, including the very few potential romantic interests you’ve known for 10 years. You’ll see tons of people walking around campus, and it’s good to always be prepared for any potential dates. You’re not the only one who’s broke, so having a few cheap date ideas up your sleeve never hurts.
In the article:
- Animal shelter visits without actually adopting an animal
- Enjoying the (free) outdoor scenery
- Netflix and chill
10. 10 Clubs That Will Make Your Resume Flawless
Time to figure out what you like to do and do it. Clubs in college lead you to all sorts of new friends, and intramural sports help you stay in shape. Extracurricular activities also look good on resumes, so having fun while also participating in organizations that benefit you down the road is always a good idea.
In the article:
- How to pick clubs that boost your resume
- Intramural sports don’t just help you burn calories
- Poetry club isn’t just cool, it can actually benefit your career.
11. Your Master Guide to Drinking in College
Ready for keg stands with cheap beer and Jell-O shots? About 80 percent of college students drink, and a lot of them drink in excess. Knowing some basics about alcohol consumption definitely helps you out later, especially when you’re hungover for the first time and want to make sure that never feel that near-death experience again.
In the article:
- How to drink without puking your guts out
- Help with hangovers
- Low-calorie drinks (you don’t even want to know the calories in beer)
Not everyone celebrates a 21st birthday the same way—read 21 Ways to Celebrate Your 21st Birthday to find a celebration that fits your style.
12. CM’s Guide to Writing a Bomb AF Cover Letter
High school taught you how to B.S. an essay, but you do not want to pull out that fluff for your job search. You shouldn’t just take the bullet points out of your resume and slap them into paragraphs. Let the experts teach you how to write a cover employers will actually read.
In the article:
- Cover letter breakdown
- Sample cover letter from Leslie Knope
- Tips to make your cover letter interesting
13. CM’s Master Guide to Building Your First Website
Your Internet presence should include more than your Instagram and Facebook profiles. Building your digital footprint can help you land a job. Take this website seriously so the world does, too.
In this article:
- Resources to build and track your website
- Step by step process to creating your first website
- How to decide what kind of website you should create
14. What is a Sorority? Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Greek Life
The movies got Greek life all wrong—well, mostly wrong. Prepare to find your forever soul sisters or ditch the letters for GDI life. Students spilled about all things Greek life so you can decide to pledge or not to pledge.
In the article:
- What you need to know before recruitment
- Benefits to joining a sorority
- Advice from students about what Greek life is really like
Nervous to rush Greek? Read Everything You Need to Know about Sorority Recruitment and 10 Things to Know Before You Rush Off to Rush.
15. CM’s Master Guide to Being a Resident Assistant
Consider yourself the welcoming committee of college. Aside from free room and board, you need to manage a group of reckless, irresponsible college students. Awkward situations await you this semester—but when you win “Best RA Award” and the respect of all the freshmen, the hard job will seem worth it.
In this article:
- Benefits of being an RA
- Tips for new RAs
- Resources for RAs
16. CM’s Master Guide to Overcoming Mental Health Struggles in College
Did you know anxiety affects 41.6 percent of college students? Read the fine print: You are NOT alone. Juggling school, work, friends and family for the first time without mom and dad nearby to guide you will feel challenging. Take control and seek the tools and resources you need to keep your mind sound.
In this article:
- Top three mental health resources
- Who to reach out to if you struggle with mental health
- How to navigate the “college experience”
17. Graduation? Check! Job? Nope! CM’s Master Guide to Getting a Job
Ready or not, here comes the real world. You spent four years preparing to launch your career. After interning, shadowing and networking your way to speak to your dream employer, you need a confidence boost.
In this article:
- Top three job finder sites to start your search
- How to start the job search
- How to prepare for the interview
You’ve mastered the basics. Now read College Magazine’s most popular articles written for students, by students.
1. The Ultimate College Shopping List
Packing for college doesn’t have to reduce you or your parents to tears before the goodbyes even happen. With the ultimate college packing list, you’ll live like a king on campus.
In the article:
- Ultimate college packing list with everything you could ever need
- 10 questions to decide what you really need to bring to campus
- Downloadable list to make checking off each item easy
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2. 11 Signs a Girl Likes You as More Than a Friend
Looking for the love of your life in college? Maybe she lives on your floor. Or he keeps winking at you as he walks into class. Decode whether all those late-night study sessions before your big calc test mean something—or not.
In the article:
- Real college women spilling the signs that a girl likes you
- What all of her texts mean
- How to know if you’re in the friend zone
3. How to Pull an All Nighter for Finals Week
“I’m a new student,” you proclaim to the student union on your first day of the semester. “I vow to never procrastinate on schoolwork again.” Two weeks later, you’re two paragraphs deep into a five-page history paper. Oh, and your chemistry cumulative final also happens to be at 8 a.m. You only have one choice: pull an all nighter.
In the article:
- Master the 10 steps to pulling an all nighter
- Train your mind to stay focused through the long night
- Recover from your hangover without becoming a sleep-deprived zombie
4. 10 Inspiring Books All College Students Should Read
Reading used to seem like a chore. Now? You need it to guide you in the right direction. Sophia Amoruso’s #Girlboss will show you how she built the Nasty Gal empire. Dr. Seuss will empower you to follow your dreams with Oh! The Places You Will Go.
In the article:
- Inspiring books that help students get through college
- Why students recommend these inspiring books
5. So You Want to Become a Congresswoman?
How is it that a demographic that makes up 51 percent of our population only makes up 20 percent of its Congress? College Magazine started 50by2050 with partnering with EMILY’s List, Emerge America, Human Rights Campaign, Higher Heights, She Should Run, Victory Fund, IGNITE and Running Start. Together, we will help reshape the Congress demographic and give women a well-deserved seat at the table.
In the article:
- Insight from Emerge America source on running a campaign
- Requirements to run for Congress
- Tools for aspiring politicians to start building
6. 9 Sure-Fire Ways to Stay Awake in Class
Do professors really expect you to stay awake through hour-long monotonous lectures? The answer is yes. Come into class prepared to fight droopy eyes and countless yawns.
In the article:
- Where to sit to force yourself to stay awake
- What to eat to keep your brain from snoozing
- How to fix your sleep schedule
*Updated March 7, 2018 by Celina Pelaez to include master guides 11-16 and more popular College Magazine articles.
