Quote:
Originally posted by aephi alum
As for credit cards, they're not necessarily the devil IF you know how to use them properly. If you do choose to get a credit card, pay it off in full every month. Don't buy something if you know it means you won't be able to pay your credit card bill. You'll be establishing a good credit rating, and you won't accrue revolving debt.
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EXACTLY.
One thing I really dislike is when people try to tell you that credit cards are the devil. If you abuse credit--like anything else--it can be downright demonic. My advice would be to get a credit card, preferably one for students that has a very low limit. Pay it off every month. Make sure the interest rates are reasonable and you aren't paying a fee.
If you know that you don't want a credit card, but you know that you'll need your own credit to get an apartment, car, etc., get a bank account with an overdraft protection. I opened a bank account my first week in college that had overdraft insurance (I didn't care at the time, as I've never bounced a check), and never used the overdraft protection. It wasn't until I checked my credit report in March, after graduating from college and getting a Master's, that I found out that the overdraft protection that I had never used was helping to boost my credit score.
College advice:
1.
Don't do activities you did in HS--unless you absolutely love them. I was all about student government in high school. I knew I wanted college to be a completely different experience, so I tried to do things that I was interested in--not things that necessarily looked good on a resume, or was something I did out of peer pressure in high school. Try something new. It's okay to change your mind now! Also--don't overwhelm yourself. One, maybe two, activities is probably enough for the first semester, when you're already experiencing a huge life transition.
2.
STUDY ABROAD. Unless you have a major that prevents it, do it. If you're on financial aid, your school should be able to make up the difference for you.
