Having completed four years in third level education, I suddenly feel old and wise. I will of course be posting a series of articles relating to college style, make-up and skincare. But, first here’s a little advice that my friends and I could have done with back in the day:
1) Leave the school squabbles in the playground. Forgive, forget and if some *bish* stole your boyfriend during your ‘junior disco’ era, send her a thank you note and move on.
2) Your family are the best friends that you could ask for. They always have your back, even when you’re in the wrong! So, ring your grandmother every now and then – she probably misses you!
3) When it comes to confidence – fake it until you make it! Stand up for what you believe in. Nobody respects a doormat.
4) Learn to do your make-up properly, but don’t wear it everyday. Irish girls have a tendency to cake their faces in foundation, but trust me, it isn’t attractive. Your skin needs to breath. I will be posting a few simple make-up looks over the next few days so stay tuned.
5) Good skincare is essential. If you don’t want a face that resembles a pizza, invest wisely in some good quality cleanser, toner, moisturiser and SPF. Sleep is also essential for maintaining healthy skin – so don’t feel too guilty about missing that 9am lecture!
6) Speaking of pizza, eat as much as you like while your metabolism is still working. Mine has long since abandoned me and my only regret is not eating takeaway more often. P.s. it might be a good idea to start some kind of gym routine.
7) GO OUT! At some stage, you will have to work mid-week so Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights are best spent in a dive of a nightclub sipping shots of tequila with your buds. Also, dance like nobody is watching -literally. Here’s to the nights you won’t remember with the friends that you’ll never forget.
8) Figure out sooner rather than later that lots of water and a multi-vitamin before sleep is the key to easing that hangover. If you forget or pass out, a bacon sandwich the next morning is far more effective than painkillers.
9) Go to the odd lecture. However, if an adventure pops up as an alternative, remember that most lecturers post their notes online.
10) Abercrombie tracksuits are not the height of style – try to save them for exam study sessions when everyone else looks equally sloppy. Don’t dress to fit it, wear what suits you.
11) Friends will leave, even best friends. Don’t invest too much energy in any one person. If they want to make time for you, they will.
12) Your friends are usually right – you won’t change the “bad guy/girl”, but you’ll have fun trying.
13) The new friends that you make in college, will provide the best memories that you take with you when you leave. You will even look back fondly on the nights that you stayed up together until 3am cramming for exams.
14) Travel, travel, travel. If you can, find a job in a hotel which is part of an international chain. Said job will be hell on earth, but the discount will be worth every second.
15) If you’re going to participate in the J1 programme (which you definitely should), do so SINGLE and carefree. Don’t spend one single second missing home, you’ll be there for long enough.
16) You are responsible for your own happiness so claim it, work it and own it!
Let me know if you have any advice to add in the comments!
Rouge x
Rouge Writing Hood 