Cindy Pon: Leave the bird-nest

Cindy Pon, Author of the Silver Phoenix series

my best advice for college?
if at all possible, LEAVE HOME.
i'm the youngest child in a family of three and
was the first to "go away" for college. my mom
tried to convince me to commute to a closer
university, but i refused. and i'm so glad i did.

i think that distance is absolutely necessary for
both parent and child in the road to young adulthood
and independence. in a way, it's very much like
kindergarten. (which i went through with my sweet
pea and this september again with munchkin.)
college is as much about social and personal growth
(if not more) as intellectual growth. going away for
college and living on your own forces you to make
very adult choices in many ways, but at the same time,
still have the resources of the university (and your roommates
and college buddies) to fall back on. like grown up
life but not really. it kicks ass!

you know that saying, the world is your oyster?
well, that's gross.
i'd prefer to think of the world as your choose your
own mongolian beef meal experience. you know
the kind, a buffet of various meats, all sorts of veggies,
tofu cubes, many sauces to choose from, minced
garlic and chives. you point and the chef sticks the
ingredient in a bowl then cooks it up for you just right.

college is like that. the possibilities are endless.
internships, study abroad, working on campus, clubs
and organizations, greek life, leadership opportunities--
any interest or cause you can think of, most likely,
you'll find it in college. and if not? guess what? you can
start one with college funds. just go through the right
channels and most likely, it'll get approved. so cool, right?

i wish i could tell some wild crazy stories of my college
days but i'm just a big stick in the mud. ha! i avoided
parties in general, preferring to hang out with friends
chatting and studying in cozy cafes late into the night.
it was also the first time i had an email account
(shush you!) and i was totally an internet addict even
back then--even if the internet wasn't really there yet.
(yahoo didn't exist yet. much less google.)

the one thing i didn't like about college was that i had
no time to read for pleasure, the work load was so heavy.
so i read voraciously during the summers for pleasure.

but i loved it so much i got a masters in higher education
administration--which means working on the administrative
side in colleges (housing, advising, financial aid, etc.) that's
what i did before i became a published author. and i still
have very near and dear lifetime friends that i made back
in my college years.

a highlight was being invited back to my college to be
the keynote speaker for a parent's weekend last year!
it felt like going home again, and i had such a wonderful
time meeting the current students there. and being envious
of their college life! like everything in life, it's what you
make of it. and i think you should definitely make the most of it!

me with the current students at my old
university. (don't mind the giant restroom sign. =)

~~~

Read my review of Cindy's novel, Silver Phoenix, here. A truly captivating tale set in Ancient China with the elements of fantasy and mythical creatures! I am dying for the second novel in the series!

Contest Time

Giveaway Item(s): A signed copy of Silver Phoenix and a brush card of winner's choice from Cindy's Etsy

# of Winners: 1

Eligibility: US and Canada only

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