For the girls: Off to college, things that some folks didn't tell you about

Contributed By:Dorothy Nevils

It’s that time again when young and not so young will be heading back, or off without the back, to school. The party’s over and trunks are closed – or open – so that the “trunk bearers” can look at all the neat, new stuff – Did I say neat? Of course it’s neat… and maybe for the last time!

Well, it’s the ones heading miles away that I’m addressing today, and I’d like to share a few things (Yeah, here I go again!) that may not have been covered around that trunk, things that some folks didn’t tell you about, and some other folks are hoping they didn’t. You see, I’m a grandma, and I’ve been a ma before, and my mouth almost never closes!

First, I wanna talk to the girls, not because of the “ladies first” thing, but because I was blessed with no boys… Don’t take that the wrong way: I’ve been known to try to talk some folks out of their boys just so I could have one. No luck! The fact is I know a bit more about potholes girls might stumble into as brand new women newly “liberated!” So let me give you a few cautions:

Rule # 1: Stay away from frat houses! This advice came from someone this past Saturday, and you know from the news the past couple of years that nothing good comes from being there without at least three family members: Your mother, your uncle, and your over-30 brother. Liquor turns you into a victim, and if there is someone whom you can trust, he’s probably asleep, or studying for an exam with his headphones in.

Rule #2: “Last Dance” helped make Donna Summer popular, but my advice to you is to skip it. Go home before it. Think of it this way: If there’s the smell of smoke, would you choose to be the last one through the door? When the crowd starts thinning, it’s time to hit the road.

Rule #3: Call a cab, or someone you know you can trust. If a guy offers to drop you and your girlfriends off at your dorms, don’t be the last girl in the car. Do a last minute sleepover: Just crawl on out of the car with her, and sleep on the floor “ready roll” if need be. You can (almost) always call somebody to pick you up.

Rule #4: Don’t worry about looking like a “fraidy cat.” Own it! Embrace it! Following your instincts is a lot better than your family trying .to “follow your tracks!”

When it comes to guys, there’s one rule: Don’t buckle to peer pressure. Let “the guys” say what they want. You don’t have to listen; and if you hear them, know that it’s just what ears do. They catch sound. It’s accidental. Don’t fret it. At SIU, the freshmen – or fresh persons? – wore beanies, little green hats that looked like half a watermelon rind turned over the head. I think they were meant to identify new kids in case they needed assistance.

Instead, they signaled people to be ridiculed, and this may happen to you. Don’t give in! Be yourself, or better. Don’t join in when others resort to disrespect. Move to higher ground, hold your head up, and don’t take dares, especially with liquor involved.

College is a new experience, a rather expensive one. Don’t take a chance on jeopardizing that experience, for you or for anyone else. Make every moment count… and count those credits!

Story Posted:07/30/2017