Dr. Ruth’s advice insightful
by Kristin Whitney, reporter

    In her new book, Dr. Ruth’s Guide to College Life, Dr. Ruth Westheimer dishes out advice for the new college student.

    Filled with insight and examples from her own life, the book is full of truth that students might not want to acknowledge now, but will eventually recognize as true.

    Best known for her frank discussions on sexual relationships, Dr. Ruth brings that knowledge and her own style of grandmotherly advice to the pages. When reading this book, I felt as though I was having a conversation with my grandmother, without all the awkwardness that goes into hearing about sex from her.

    Dr. Ruth’s brand of grandmotherly advice is helpful but also leaves nothing to the unexpected. She knows exactly what will happen at the school, and while she is trying to prepare the student for those events, she fails to realize that part of new experiences is finding things out for oneself. Students cannot learn from mistakes if they are not allowed to make any.

    The book deals with topics that every first-time student will eventually have to deal with. She talks about everything from the homosexual roommate to breaking out into the “real” world after college. The situational examples provide reasonable examples on handling any aspect of college life. She also reemphasizes the “don’t drink and don’t do drugs” message that has constantly bombarded us.

    Dr. Ruth also discusses dealing with professors, coping with the demanding schedule of work and meeting people. She elaborates on distinctions between different types of teachers and explains how to cope with them. She also relays information about where to go if a student has trouble with a certain teacher. The book deals with questions that freshmen may need to know the answers to and not know where to go to find them.

    Just like a high school guidance counselor, Dr. Ruth emphasizes the need for students to involve themselves in organizations. Clubs provide more than a place to meet people since getting involved helps make a big adjustment easier. She also gives tips for the wallflower to start a conversation.

    While the book has its funny moments, all of them relate to a college student getting ready to leave for school or one who is having trouble adjusting. Dr. Ruth knows how parents feel and how students feel when they go off for college. She gently reminds everyone that if family members are open-minded and expect changes to occur, everyone can get through the college years intact.

    The book, which was co-written with Pierre Lehu, is a great source and informational guide for students who are leaving for college, parents of those students or any person who wants to spend a night “listening” to the often-humorous wisdom of Dr. Ruth.