Halley Bondy, the author of 77 Things You Absolutely Have To Do Before You Finish College, talks to Hypable about the inspiration behind the book and dance parties among other things!

If you’re about to finish high school and head off to college this fall or in college looking for a more rewarding experience, Halley Bondy has the perfect handy little guide that will help you cultivate some of the best years of your life!

77 Things You Absolutely Have To Do Before You Finish College is the perfect companion for maximizing your experience as a student, as an adult, and frankly…as a human. From #9 “Run for student government” to #37 “Start a dance party,” this book has 77 unique ideas that will help college students experience an enriching life experience.

Hypable caught up with Bondy and asked her a couple of questions both about her experience in college as well as what inspired her to write this book.

Hypable’s interview with Halley Bondy

Are there things in this book that you didn’t do that you wish you did when you were in college?

YES! Definitely. In fact, this was a driving force for many of the entries in the book. When I was in college, I did the bare minimum, academically speaking. I got by with a good GPA and I worked the internships…I did everything I was “supposed” to do. But I could have done so much more to enrich my experience, and I live with regret! For example, I wish I had really bonded with more professors as a networking opportunity, but now, we’re out of touch. I wish I had joined clubs, since that type of thing is really difficult to do after graduation. I wish I had gone to therapy, since it was free in college (and I probably could have used it!).

What kind of research did you use to write this book?

I have a good network of college students from different backgrounds in my life — interns, friends of friends, etc. whom I consistently bounced ideas off. I had to make sure I wasn’t dating myself, and that I was capturing many college experiences, not just my own. Additionally, each entry presented its own challenge. While some of them could be cooked up with common sense, like “sever toxic relationships,” “get an interview outfit,” or “tour your college town,” others required technical research, like “build your own piece of furniture,” “produce your own beats,” “study abroad,” “get an apartment,” I did a lot of these things in college or post-grad myself, but needed to brush up on the most current information.

What was your one experience in college for which you are most grateful?

For me, it was living independently in New York City without the responsibility of being a fully fledged grownup. That was nice, and I’ll never have it again. These days New York is kind of killing me, but back then it was a total land of opportunity. Oh and the rent was cheap, too!

#37 in the book is, “Start a Dance Party.” What music do you suggest to listen to to maximize this experience?

GOOD QUESTION, because there’s no accounting for taste. I personally love 90s hip-hop as well as funkier, crowd-pleasing electronic stuff (Daft Punk, Cut Copy). But if you’re at a total standstill, remember these four words through your inebriated haze: Everybody Loves Michael Jackson (when they’re drunk. Okay 7 words.)

What makes you an authority on post-college life?

Well, for starters, I went to college, which helps! I’m also amazing at admitting my mistakes. So amazing, in fact, that one of the entries in the book is “Forgive Your Own Mistakes,” because that’s something I keep forgetting to do.

Also, I am gainfully employed and have written for everything from The Village Voice to Vice to the New York Daily News, I’m an an award-winning playwright, I’m still in my 20s, I’ve been financially independent for as long as I can remember, and shit’s okay. So maybe, just maybe, I did something right? So, listen to me?

What other books have you written?

I wrote a book called Don’t Sit On the Baby, which is about babysitting (get it?!). The script for my play, The Redheaded Man, which won the FringeNYC Outstanding Playwright Award, was also published.

What are your thoughts on the YA genre and do you have a favorite within it?

YA is a broad term, and it has definitely changed over the years. It’s less of an isolated category now. 30-year-olds are reading Harry Potter, for example, which would have been a pretty unthinkable idea not long ago. It’s great that kids have literature that truly speaks to them, and that adults aren’t afraid to pick up a YA book every now and again. We’re all kids at heart!

I believe it was sixth grade when I read The Giver. It changed my life, and it pretty much mandated my book tastes from then on. It went to this heady, dystopian place, yet it was still accessible and manageable for me as a young kid. Awesome.

Are there other things people should do before they finish college that you could give exclusively to Hypable readers?

Speak up in a class that intimidates you.

Think of your scariest class: the one where the professor is only the most brilliant human being on earth, and all the other students seem to be five levels above you. But guess what: your contribution matters. If you’ve got something to say, say it! Nobody is judging you as hard as you’re judging yourself. Even if you totally bomb, no one will remember by next week. In fact, that’s probably a good mantra for all of college.

More about Halley Bondy

Halley Bondy is a Brooklyn-based writer who has worked as a news reporter for the Newark Star Ledger, an arts journalist for Back Stage and as editor for MTV Iggy. She is currently senior editor for Oxygen.com. She is a playwright and comedian, and the winner of the 2008 Fringe Festival NYC for Outstanding Playwright. She is the author of Don’t Sit On The Baby: The Ultimate Babysitting Guide.

For more about Halley Bondy, visit her website at ThisIsHalley.com.