77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College

Gave this to our daughter who was headed off to college. She really loved the book and we enjoyed hearing about the options. Not all of them are for everyone but it's a great start and a reminder that you only live once.

As a college student, I find this book highly relatable to me. Given the title, I expected a fun, goofy book that lists a bunch of random things that one should do in college and was looking to find a couple of outrageous things to do before I graduate. To a certain extent, it does deliver that, but it's also so much more. 77 Things (the college ed.) is divided into seven sections with eleven suggestions each. The sections are as follow: (1) Around the pad [aka. your room / home], (2) Getting Out and About on Your Own, (3) Taking Advantage of School, (4) Being Social, (5) Body and Health, (6) Spoil Yourself, (7) For the Future. As you can see from this list, it isn't just about going out and doing something outrageous and memorable before you enter the "real world." While it does encourage us to put ourselves out there and try new things, it also reminds us to take care of our health and to also look for opportunities to further our future. For example, it suggests taking a physical. This in particular stood out to me because I can't remember the last time I went to the doctor for a regular checkup. Things like this are more easily remembered for children when we need to get shots all the time, but as we get older we forget to do things like this. Nowadays, I usually just go to the doctor when I have an immediate problem. This book reminded me that sometimes we need to take steps to ensure problems do not happen in the first place—or at least to catch them in the early stages. Other suggestions include ways of getting to know people and also exploiting your college's resources. Among other things that you may not have thought about. I recommend this book as a great resouce for students with ideas on what to do while they're in college, and I strongly recommend trying them out. This is a book that I could have used my freshman year when I didn't yet know how to take full advantage of what college life had to offer me.

Gift book was purchased as a graduation gift for a student of mine- cover was slightly damaged as the shipping envelope was really too small for the book!

Great book for any college student or student preparing for college.

Liked the title for my college aged grandchildren; however, the 77 things aren't very good. More of a joke gift. Arrived on time

77 Things You Absolutely Have To Do Before You Finish College by Halley Bondy Zest Books 2014 191 pages, with resources ISBN: 9781936976003 Informative and insightful, this book will give college bound grads some ideas what their future will be like. The book is divided into seven sections: Around the Pad (dorm room or apartment), Getting Out and About On Your Own, Taking Advantage of School, Being Social, Body and Health, Spoil Yourself, and For the Future. Renting an apartment for the first time is a scary adventure. The author warns readers to take an experienced person with you--someone who has rented or bought property before (like a parent, older sibling or friend) will know what questions to ask, will point out faults and weaknesses of the property and its condition, and will be able to "translate" the lease agreement. This is sage advice even for young people who think they know everything. As a licensed realtor myself, I see how some apartment managers/property management companies can take advantage of the young, the inexperienced, the naïve, or the just plain ignorant lessee. Other entries are creating a photo collection, joining a political campaign, joining a college group, eating all alone at a restaurant, trying some weird kind of food like squid ink pasta and volunteering at a shelter. "Learn Self Defense" does not show up until mid-book, but I think it should have been the #1 entry. College age students, primarily girls, should be aware of national statistics and take pro-active steps to avoid dangerous situations According to a report from the CDC, "In a study of undergraduate women, 19% experienced attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college." That is a staggering number! At my daughter's university, incoming freshmen and transfer students are given a lecture by campus police at orientation. The police warn to walk in groups and there is an app to contact campus security. The all call system warns students of dangerous situations such as a campus lock down or severe weather. This book is the ideal going away gift for high school seniors and graduates. Although the cover is underwhelming to say the least, the information is valuable and well-organized. The cover should have been more colorful, maybe with a collage of college (haha, see what I did there?) symbols--a few mascots (made up ones, of course so the publisher does not have to pay for them), car keys, textbooks and a bill from the book store for over $1000 for just 3 textbooks, a microscope, pom poms, a football field, and a bowl of ramen--the staple of dorm rooms worldwide! Recommended for any high school senior--either going away to college or commuting. See all my YA reviews at "Young Adult Books--What We're Reading Now" FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

For many young adults, being in college is the first time they get to try out being on their own. And while partying may be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about older teens branching out, author Halley Bondy thinks there is much more to consider: 77 things to be precise. Her guide, 77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College is a thoughtful look at the whole experience of going to college and the benefits you can get outside of the education you receive there. Recommendations are divided into seven categories that address dorm rooms/apartments, getting around on your own, getting the most out of school, being social, taking care of your health, spoiling yourself, and preparing for getting out of college. Each idea is presented on a two-page spread, so it’s easy to pick up the book and focus on one or two ideas at a time. Many tips are practical, like “Learn to prepare one meal perfectly.” Others are meant to help students branch out to things they may not normally do, like “Join an a capella group.” or “Contribute to the school paper.” Some, like “Get a massage,” are just fun. Bondy’s tone is light and conversational and her suggestions are peppered with pull-out quotes and relevant sidebars, like a lesson on how to set a table and a list of signs to help you tell a bad friend from an abusive friend. All in all, 77 Things makes for a great guide to pack along in your suitcase whether you are a freshman starting out or a student returning for another year. It makes a great gift too. The publisher gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Although some of the suggestions here are pretty good most of them are rather too sophomoric or just downright inane. I thought about giving this book to someone I know who is heading for college but then I paged through it and said, "No way!". Activities like indulging in an all-day TV marathon or pranking a friend seem more appropriate and better suited to middle school or the 11th grade than college. I don't think it makes sense to encourage a person trying to get through college to join a cappella choir or waste time creating a web series about his/her campus. Book provided by publisher.