This past year has been particularly transformative for me, closing the community college chapter of my life and beginning a new one at Cal Poly. I remember feeling very frightened of the unknown. As I am wrapping up my first quarter, I would say to my community college self that it will all be okay. Here are a few lessons that have stuck with me while experiencing this transition:
- Â Grades Are One Thing, But Learning Is Much More
During Cal Poly Orientation week, I remember being told “Do not just strive to get good grades. Remember to put learning first and the grades will follow.”Â
Reflecting back at community college, I realize that I was considering grades in the wrong perspective. Multitasking a fair mix of assignments, exams and participation for each class became a lot to handle at times. It was easy to strive for a perfect grade for positive reinforcement. The main problem with learning to strive for perfection is that it causes me to use stress as a motivator.Â
During my first quarter, I realized that stressing over a grade should not be all that matters. The majority of my course grades are weighted heavily by a few exam scores and a project. Perfect scores are much tougher than I expected, unrealistic and should not be the sole purpose of wanting to learn. I am working to change my mindset, by moving my concern from a high grade, to mastering the content and skills taught in the class. Having this new focus has helped me connect more personally with the classes I’m taking. The pressure of getting a perfect grade has also lessened for me. I try to remind myself that it is important to just complete the work and put in time to study with the intention of learning first, so that high grades will follow.
- Everyone Is On Their Own Chosen Path
My experience at community college differed greatly from Cal Poly because of the smaller size of the campus and the amount of students. Many students also ranged in age and life experience; many classmates I knew were already married or had kids in school.Â
During the first quarter at university, it feels shocking being surrounded by thousands of other students that are at the same stage in life. There is a huge emphasis on following a specific track towards a dream job or opportunity. Feeling like you are not doing the right thing and questioning your self-confidence will happen a lot. I asked my dad for advice the other day and I think he pointed out this lesson most clearly: “there is not a right choice, there is just a choice that you have to make.” I realize that success should not be defined in one way for everyone. Success is something you strive to achieve, but you can decide how to get there. I am learning to embrace change and the redirection of energy towards new goals.
- A new environment means there is a lot to be grateful for
Choosing to move away to a new environment has been tough because it still feels sad leaving the familiarity of home. Not having the same support of family and friends as in community college, means that a lot more responsibility is placed on myself. But I realize that it is normal to feel sad and that there is still a lot to feel grateful for.Â
Being in a new environment has opened the door to so many new experiences for me that I could not have gotten at home. This quarter, I went to the polls to vote for the first time in an election. I also had the chance to live with two international exchange students; it has been fun getting to know the area together and learn about their cultures. I never knew how to ride public transit before and they showed me how to find routes on Google Maps. I drove to Target with them for weekly grocery trips and I remember the first week, seeing them shocked over the amount of product brands in the aisles! The downtown San Luis Obispo area has been another fun adventure. I come from a smaller town in Northern California and I have never seen so many different vendors at the Farmer’s Market or name brand stores on one block. All of these experiences have made me feel grateful for my time at community college and home, which has allowed me to experience the excitement of these things today.Â
This past quarter at Cal Poly taught me so much about the challenges of moving away from home for the first time and navigating university life. For any transfer students that are nervous making this transition, I hope my lessons are able to provide some insight! Growth is a process and there are ups as well as downs, but most importantly, there are lessons to be learned.Â