I went to college in Baltimore. Lots of people don't really know anything about the city. While scenes from The Wire are probably playing in the minds of those who know of Bmore. But the folks who have ventured out into the streets and neighborhoods of Charm City know that it's, well, charming.

When you're in college you have the freedom to explore your surroundings. But all too often--especially if you're in a city that doesn't get a great rap--college kids stay safe inside the hallowed walls of knowledge doing a lot of learning, but missing out on living. Your studies should of course take precedence, but there is a lot of dead time worked into a typical course schedule. And I know I wish I had used it better. (I remember I tried to make sure I never had a class that started before 10 in the morning so I could sleep in everyday.) But you know what? I never look back and think, "boy oh boy, I wish I had slept more in college!"

So in short, my advice is to learn, but also to live. Take ownership of your new home, so when you go back--like I did to baltimore a few weeks ago--you'll have a whole park's worth of memory lanes to walk through.