How to Survive Your Freshman Year
The nonfiction book How to Survive Your Freshman Year was created by Mark W. Bernstein and Yadin Kaufmann and edited by Scott C. Silverman, Ed.D. and Frances Northcutt, Ed.M. The publisher is named Hundreds of Heads Books because the information used is provided by educators and young adults all over the country. The book provides a wide range of advice for young adults who are about to enter their first year of college. Some of this advice is extremely useful, like how you should use headphones to listen to music while in your dorm room so that you do not disturb your roommates (Silverman & Northcutt, 2010, p. 11). However, some of the advice does not seem particularly useful. There is a warning at the beginning of the book urging readers to use discretion when choosing the advice that works for them. Topics in the book range from what to pack for college to sororities and fraternities.
I agree with the creators of this book that the readers must choose the advice that works best for them.
I came across many pieces of advice that I would not have followed in college. One student named Walter explains, “I study at night when it’s quieter; 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Then I sleep all day. My roommate studies then, too”(Silverman & Northcutt, 2010, p. 151). This does not sound like solid advice, especially for a freshman just starting out. It’s important to get enough sleep when you’re in college so that you don’t get burnt out or sick. I got the flu one semester when I was worn down. Sleeping during the day also means that you won’t be able to attend events on campus that take place in the morning or afternoon. How can you sleep when you are supposed to be in class? This is one example of when I think readers need to use some common sense and think about their own needs. Besides some subpar advice, this book is interesting and discusses topics that high school seniors will find exciting as they prepare for college.
Reference
Silverman, S.C. & Northcutt, F. (2010). How to Survive Your Freshman Year. Atlanta, GA: Hundreds of Heads Books, LLC.