Parents don’t always seem right in the moment—but sometimes their advice makes more sense with time. One Rowan University student reflects on eight lessons he once questioned, from earning good grades to embracing new opportunities, and how they ultimately helped shape his college journey.
Spoiler Alert: They knew EVERYTHING. A few-years-of-angst ago I agreed with that as much as I did the idea that the world was flat. It took a few years and a lot of mistakes. As a late bloomer who started college at age 20, today at 23 I can now confirm that my parents (almost) always knew better than me.
Of the infinite wisdom my parents offered, 8 lessons stand out the most.
1) Go to College
Throughout high school I insisted that I did not need college to achieve a happy and successful life. One and a half years after that “no college needed” thing, life proved me wrong. 60+ hour work weeks baselined my life. Eight-hour shifts transformed into 17-hour shifts. Two days off transformed into one day off and sometimes mutated into no days off. Oh, and shifts lasted as late as 6:00 a.m. I pictured myself living the same life at 40. That picture terrified me into changing my life. I enrolled in Atlantic Cape Community College, at age 20.
2) Watch Who You Hang Out With
At 21 years old I lived in a bayside condo equipped with four floors, two balconies, a neighborhood pool and more space than three 20-somethings could ever wish to furnish. I worked 30+ hours per week and attended school full-time. In between, I exercised 4 to 5 times per week. Some days started at 7:00 a.m. and ended at 4:00 a.m. the next day. While I only slept three hours some days, my roommates only worked three hours most days. I loved spending time with them—watching football, pigging out, and even empathizing over broken hearts. But our values and goals differed. While I strived toward bettering myself and my life, they grew more content with complacency each day. I chose growth over comfort, and ventured out on my own after our lease ended. Your environment either 1) Renders you a product of it, or 2) Propels you to escape and never return. I never returned.
3) Get Good Grades
It turned out that when I paid attention in class, completed the homework, and studied for the tests, I earned good grades. Who would’ve known? My community college GPA jumped from 3.4 to 3.8 (roughly) out of 4.0. I have a 3.94 GPA at Rowan University. Just in case I go to graduate school.
4) Always go to the Bathroom Before You Leave the House
I drink a lot of water. I hate pulling over into Wawa. I feel too guilty to just use their restroom so I ALWAYS buy something. Go to the bathroom; save money.
5) Be Polite and Use Your Manners
I proudly proclaim that I always adhered to this lesson. Manners display character. Character emboldens you past static constructs like a resume or a body in a lecture hall seat. Since graduating high school, I held three different jobs making pizza. All three bosses employed me because I made a good pie. But all three bosses willingly compensated me more because of how I interacted with customers and represented the business. Hold the door for someone and you might score a job … or a network connection … or a date.
6) Stop Worrying
Just stop it. My dad, a stereotypical Baby Boomer, pressed me to take business classes. I scoffed at the notion. But the suggestion stemmed from this core message: Try different classes, and see what you like. “Life isn’t a straight path—it’s full of zigs and zags,” he preaches. So, I took a business class—and I hated it. But I learned what I like by first discerning what I dislike. I didn’t discern my major until the middle of my third semester. By that time, I knew from concrete experience what majors interested me. I avoided college because the fear of not knowing paralyzed me. But career fields parallel food: You need to try it to find out if you like it.
7) Dropping Your Pride: Well Worth It
My first semester attending school full-time I also worked 36-hour workweeks, creating a pretty grueling schedule to juggle. I developed enough stubborn pride for two people. My parents suggested that I scale back to 20 hours per week. They also offered to supplement the resulting money I needed—contingent that I achieved high grades. “You have the rest of your life to work. You’re a 20-something college student, have some fun,” they said. Not only did I enjoy myself and reduce my stress, but working less rendered me an improved budgeter. And I learned to accept help from others—something you’ll have to do during group projects at Rowan. (Shout out to my groups!)
8) Bring a Jacket.
You can always take a layer off, but you can’t add one you don’t have. Walking from building to building can take a while at Rowan. Don’t shiver out of stubbornness. Wear a jacket.
This blog post is lovingly dedicated to my parents, Beth and Steve Schachner. Thank you for being right about everything.
By: Kyle Schachner
Double major, public relations and advertising
About Rowan
Since its founding in 1923, Rowan University has evolved from a teacher preparation college to a public research institution ranked among the top 100 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral degrees and professional certificates in person and online to nearly 25,000 students through its main campus in Glassboro and its eight other locations in southern New Jersey. Rowan focuses on practical research at the intersection of health care, engineering, science and business, while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education. The University has earned national recognition for innovation; commitment to high-quality, affordable education; and the development of public-private partnerships. A Carnegie-classified R2 (high research activity) institution, Rowan is the fastest-growing public research university in the Northeast and among the nation’s top 10 fastest-growing, as reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2025, Rowan opened New Jersey’s only veterinary school and is one of only two universities in the nation to offer M.D., D.O., and D.V.M. medical degrees.