A bit of advice from a college senior

For many parents of graduating seniors, college looms on the horizon.

We asked Midland Lutheran College senior Caleb Wentz, who was named the John A. Prauner Senior Award winner, to pass along some of the tips and tricks that got him successfully through his four years.

Wentz of Aurora will graduate May 24 with a bachelor of science in economics in business administration concentrating in accounting and management. He is a member of the Blue Key honor fraternity, the Cardinal Key honor sorority/fraternity and student orientation committee and a tutor at the Learning Center. After graduation, he will move to Anchorage, Alaska, where he has a job as an accountant.

Question: How did you choose your college?

Answer: "I came (to Midland) for accounting, because I knew they could get me through in four years. Most places can’t do that." Wentz added that he used the Internet to look at other schools and research their programs.

Wentz also chose Midland because, "I wanted the interaction with other students; I wanted to get involved."

Wentz was concerned about becoming a number at a larger school.

Q: Were you nervous about moving away from home?

A: "Not too nervous ... I’m an extrovert," Wentz said, "I came here knowing zero people, and I wanted to get connected right away." For students who are more introverted, Wentz advised them to take advantage of orientation activities, no matter how silly they may seem. "Some (activities) are really goofy, but you can make it fun," Wentz said. "There are goods and bads to it. You can get to know your classmates. It’s key to branch out."

Q: How well do you manage your time?

A: "I’m still learning how to study." Wentz said he didn’t study much in high school. "I spend a lot more time studying now. I will study a couple of hours for a test now, where in high school I would study right before class.

"You have to learn to manage your time between work, play and school."

Q: What are your sleeping habits like?

A: "When I was a freshman, I didn’t go to bed before midnight. Now I go to bed around 10:30," Wentz said. "Going to bed is a key."

Wentz added getting a good night’s sleep has improved his attitude and health. "I feel better." He said that lack of sleep has ill effects in the classroom. "You have a tendency to want to sleep through class."

Q: What are your eating habits like?

A: "(Cafeterias) offer foods that are healthy, you have to take advantage of that." Wentz said he, too, fell victim to the "Freshman 15."

"You have to limit your late night (fast food) runs," he said. "You spend a lot of money you don’t have.

"You have to find a balance between eating, sleeping and exercising," to stay healthy and ready for the college life.

Q: So, how is your money management?

A: Wentz began by pointing out that he is pretty frugal. "Mostly, I need gas money so that I can go home."

Wentz said students should find a balance between entertainment expenses, food and living expenses.

"It’s a good time to start a budget of some sort," Wentz said.

Wentz provided another money saving tip. "I pretty much bought all of my books online." Wentz said one semester he paid around $100 for books from schoolmates and the Internet that he would of otherwise had to pay more than $400 for in the bookstore.

Q: Do you work?

A: "I have work-study in the Learning Center, (as a tutor)." It’s a minimum-wage job. "I knew that there would be some down-time for studying." Wentz also said that he works through summer to support the college months.

Q: How about the college party scene?

A: "I’m 22, and I’ve never had a drop to drink," Wentz said. "I get a lot of crap for it, but I’m pretty hard headed.

"People do party, it can be done."

Wentz added he has friends that go out, but that he has also seen many of his classmates drop out over the years because of drinking and partying.

"There’s things you can do that don’t involve partying. Campuses offer plenty of alternatives and activities."

Wentz also offered up some words of warning. "Employers do check Facebook," an online community. Wentz said he has talked to employers who check on potential employees, looking for foul language and explicit pictures as warning signs.

Wentz added it is a bad idea for students to put pictures of themselves partying in the dorms. "You can get busted for it."

Q: Any advice for a student who may be struggling?

A: "Use the campus resources," Wentz said, pointing toward the campus counselor for personal issues, campus tutoring program for academic issues and also to faculty. "That’s what they are there for."

Wentz offered that struggling students can also talk with residence hall leaders like hall directors and community assistants.