College has been a new experience for me. As the oldest child of my family, I did not have the guidelines from an older sibling for what to expect in college. I was also leaving home to attend a college 100 miles away, so I was anxious. I did not know what to do, but after my first semester, I felt more secure and learned so much about myself. Here are eight things I learned during my first semester of college.
- Mental health matters.
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Without a doubt, the most important thing I learned, and am still learning, is to prioritize your mental health. College can be super overwhelming for many reasons and mental health has to come first. It can be hard to prioritize your mental health, especially because most classes require attendance and the completion of assignments.
Many steps can be taken to take care of your mental health, but a really beneficial step is taking care of tasks step by step in small pieces. Taking baby steps helps you get tasks completed, which will lead to you feeling more accomplished.
- Nobody really cares what you’re doing.
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In high school, it felt like people were judging you constantly and watching your every move, but college is much different from high school. Every student is worried about his or her own lives and schedules, and nobody is focusing on you. Want to wear pjs to class? I’m sure plenty of people would relate. The pressure of fitting in socially does not matter compared to high school. In college, you do you.
- It’s okay to do things by yourself.
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When you create your own schedule, there is a high chance of not being on the same page as everyone else. You might have a close-knit group of friends on campus, but you probably will not be able to do everything together. If you end up on your own, it’s perfectly fine. Nobody will judge (see number 2).
It is okay to go to the dining hall or to the library by yourself. You will definitely see other people doing the same thing. The only caution to walking alone is to not go anywhere alone at night. You should always have a walking buddy or take advantage of your college’s transporting services when it’s dark out.
- Do NOT take 8 a.m. classes.
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This one might vary from person to person, but chances are, 8 a.m. classes will not be your favorite. The students who are okay with waking up early are great,but taking a class early in the morning is the real test. In high school, you were probably able to wake up in the early hours, but an early class in college is a different experience than in high school.
- You might grow apart from your high school friends.
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If your high school friends attend the same college as you, count yourself lucky. When you are away from your high school friends, there is a chance that your relationships will strain. Going from seeing each of your close friends every day to being hundreds, if not thousands of miles away from your friends is difficult. If you can, try to stay in touch by texting, calling, using FaceTime or Snapchat, and more. Don’t freak if friendships start to become distant because it is normal.
- Get involved.
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This may seem cliché, but getting involved is essential. Getting involved on campus can result in so many opportunities, from adding to your resume or grad school application to having the chance to meet new people. I can personally attest that through getting involved on campus, I met really great people.
- Coffee is good, but so is sleeping.
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Prior to college, I was not a coffee drinker. I could handle the occasional dose of coffee, but it was not my drink of choice. Now that I am in college, I drink coffee daily. Coffee is a great boost for those late afternoon slumps to get you through evening classes. That being said, nothing can replace sleep. All-nighters are not recommended by any health professional, so try to avoid them if possible. Caffeine and energy drinks are a band-aid for a problem that only sleep can solve.
- RateMyProfessor is your best friend.Â
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RateMyProfessor is such an underrated tool. When picking classes, searching RateMyProfessor can be so helpful. It helps you figure out what other students have experienced and can show you more about the class itself than just the professor. Pay it forward at the end of the semester and rate your professors so other people can see what’s up.
College is a new experience for everyone. Despite what feels like years of preparation, you still will feel wildly unprepared for your first semester of college. It’s all a major learning experience that everyone eventually makes it through, but there are some very important things to learn.