I’ll tell you the same thing I’ll tell my kids one day: I’m not an advice-giving kind of guy.
Even though folks seek it from me from time to time, even though I offer it up on occasion, I’m not sure I would buy everything I’m selling on certain topics. For instance, don’t ask me about home improvement. Just because I’m a 42-year-old guy who owns a house, and whose wife makes him watch Love It or List It, doesn’t mean I know anything about renovations. I still believe black spray paint on steel is just as good as wrought iron.
But I don’t lose too much sleep over this gap in perceived wisdom.
Oh sure, someone might have home improvement down cold, but I’m guessing they might fall short when it comes to knowledge of Ramones albums or small-engine repair. Remember, most Renaissance men or women died out sometime around, well, the Renaissance.
So don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself.
This week, we welcome many young men and women into a sometimes confusing, always sticky world of first-year university. In honour of their annual rite, I offer up the following. Not advice, mind you, these are simple nuggets you might find helpful entering your post-high school years.
I know you’ll ignore them; that’s what 17 year olds do. But at least I retain I-told-you-so rights.
Nugget No. 1: You are never as smart as you think you are. Coming to grips with this could have saved me mounds of embarrassment, frustration and a number of municipal fines. Funny, after all these years, I still forget this nugget.
Nugget No. 2: Limit the number of things you will do for a free T-shirt.
Nugget No. 3: You are not fooling your parents, your professors, boss or your friends. Not only have these folks heard every excuse in the book, they probably tried to use them at one time or another. Your parents know what you’re doing, your professors, boss knows what you didn’t do and your friends probably don’t care either way. Be honest in everything, especially your shortfalls.
Nugget No. 4: I’m serious about that T-shirt thing. If you think people are just giving you something for no reason, then see Nugget No. 1. Nothing made from a poly-cotton blend is worth sacrificing your credit score or dignity.
Nugget No. 5: Speaking of that, learn a little something about compounding interest.
Nugget No. 6: In the social media space, you are working in pen. Those words, that photo, they are out there for good. Nothing amuses the generations before you more than listening to you explain away that nude beer funnel selfie in a job interview.
Nugget No. 7: And yes, we really do check.
Nugget No. 8: Learn all you can about as much as you can, but don’t worry if you’re not reading all the pages. Enjoy the meandering that is life.
Nugget No. 9: Your high school years aren’t even close to the best years of your life. So get over them immediately. Trust me, when you’re 20 years old, let alone 40 or 50, you don’t want to be That Person who repeatedly uses the phrase “Remember back in high school …” Nobody’s life experience should end at 17.
Nugget No. 10: No matter what they say, or how convincingly they say it, no one has all the answers. We’re all just guessing out here.
That’s really all I can give you. The rest is up to you. Just keep that T-shirt thing in mind, and you should be fine.
Welcome, first-years, and good luck.
Connect with Western News editor Jason Winders on everything from university news, views and rumours to his collection of Clash records and baseball cards via @WesternEditor.