Dear Incoming Freshmen, here’s what I learned during my freshman year of college:
I remember that when I was a senior in high school, I was so anxious and worried about going to college. The thought of moving away from home, living with strangers, and adjusting to a new school sounded like a nightmare to me. Luckily, I adjusted so well the very first week of school, and I can’t express how much I love it here! I’ve been here for three years now and learned some valuable lessons along the way. Some of what I’ve learned may shock you.
COLLEGE IS NOTHING LIKE HIGH SCHOOL
It may sound obvious, but when I tell you it’s NOTHING like high school, I mean it. For example, in high school it’s common to feel pressured to join sports or dance teams to feel relevant, be popular, get in a relationship, etc. However, in college, you can live without it and be sociable and catch someone’s eye. Don’t get me wrong, it’s easier if you get involved in something, but it’s unnecessary in terms of having a social life. To be completely honest, you can have a good social and dating life as long as you dress/present yourself well and talk to as many people as possible. Additionally, this means that it’s common to see all types of people mesh well and be in a social circle together. Sports players mingle with honor students, science majors mingle with art majors, etc. You’ll rarely see a single group exclusively together 24/7 like you are used to seeing in high school. This also applies to the teachers. High school teachers always tell you that college teachers would be 10x harder on you, but you will find that it’s simply not true. For the most part, professors mind their own business and will not nag you about doing your work, because they see us as adults who can manage our own responsibilities. Some teachers are extremely laid-back, and some are strict in their own way.
OFFICE HOURS WILL SAVE YOU
Professors have something called office hours, and it’s their availability for you to speak with them outside of class. In my experience, I’ve only visited them when I needed to, and it saved my grades every time. Professors love it when you go to their office hours because it shows that you care enough to take initiative. For that reason, they’re usually much nicer to you and are more likely to be lenient. I only go to their office hours when my grades are on the line, but there are many other reasons you can attend. If you want them to explain an assignment to you again, read over a rough draft, or even discuss personal issues, then office hours are something to consider. At the end of the day, professors are there for you and want to help you succeed, so always keep it in the back of your mind.
EVERYONE SHARES A COMMON GOAL
I quickly learned that we are all here for the same reason, and that is to get that degree. Yes, there are a variety of degrees, different majors/minors, different organizations to find your niche, but we are all reaching for the same result. After all our hard work, we just want to see it pay off when it’s time to graduate.
THEY COME AND GO…
They say college is where you find your soulmate and life-long friends that will be your bridesmaids, groomsmen, and confidant forever, but this is not always the case. The friends you make freshman year may not be the friends you graduated with, and the guys you date may just be for a season, and that is perfectly fine. There is an unnecessary amount of pressure on society to have our social circle and love life figured out by a certain age, when the reality is that your twenties is a time to explore trial and error. You will discover new interests and passions all throughout the campus and meet all kinds of people to bond with so it’s common to switch friend groups. It’s also easy to grow out of friendships and relationships as well, and you will find that the 18-year-old you came in as is a completely different person than the twenty-something you leave as.