Georgie Gentile
Equinox Staff
Hello and welcome to the fourth issue of this advice column! I’m Georgie Gentile and I am a sophomore at Keene State College majoring in film production and English writing, as well as minoring in German. If you have a question that you want me to answer, you can email it to ggentile@kscequinox.com.
This week I will keep answering questions related to some common struggles of college life.
Question: How do I balance my social and academic life?
Answer: I wish there was a definitive answer to this. It’s hard to stay on track with school work while being able to hang out with friends. An easy way to combine the two is to have a sort of “study night” where everyone does homework together. It’s fun, but it can be tough to stay focused (I know this from personal experience). If you have plans to hang out with people, try to get all of your work done before. Even if you need to push back everything by an hour; it will save you stress after the fact. I like to meet up with my friends at the Dining Commons during meals, so we can socialize without worrying about getting behind on anything.
Question: Where can I get help updating my resume?
Answer: It is good to work on your resume during the school year because there may suddenly be job opportunities. You can get help at Academic and Career Advising in the Elliot Center. Make an appointment with your advisor and they can make sure everything is looking good. You can also talk to a professor in your major for help. They already have experience and know what a good resume looks like. Many majors are experience-specific when it comes to resumes, including film studies, graphic design and majors in education.
Question: Should I go home during the school year?
Answer: Definitely. Even though the campus closes for Thanksgiving and winter and spring break, it is good to go home a few other times. It is normal to miss home and your family, and you can catch up with everyone. It’s good, too, to bring up clothing and other things you need from home. Winter comes quick, so grab your sweaters and jackets. I will caution you to not go home every weekend. You want to stay settled down and used to living on campus. Try to see if your family or friends not on campus want to visit Keene for a day. You can meet up and have fun without needing to travel back and forth to bring you home and back.
Question: What are some ways I can practice self-care while at school?
Answer: One of the most obvious things you can do is sleep. As someone who rarely has a good night’s rest, I know the struggle of this seemingly easy task. The healthy amount of sleep people should get is between six and eight hours. Usually I get around seven but feel like I got none. Going to bed an hour earlier than usual or even taking the occasional nap can help you feel more rested and ready for the inevitable chaos of school. Also, try to eat consistent and balanced meals. The Dining Commons has a good variety of foods to choose from, and if you need a quick snack Lloyd’s Marketplace is a way to get some food in your system. The best advice I can give is to set realistic goals for yourself. College is pretty crazy, and with a handful of classes to juggle it is hard to feel like you have control over anything. I have a habit of expecting that I should be receiving perfect grades for all of my homework and projects, but that is utter nonsense. People do better at some classes than others. Sometimes you can’t put 100 percent into your homework. Stress is normal. Give yourself time to rest and take a break on your work. You deserve it.
I hope you enjoyed my advice. See you next week!
