Column: What I learned my freshman year
Throughout high school, the only thing I remember hearing from my teachers was “we’re preparing you for what it’s going to be like in college."
I stayed up late studying. I pushed myself cramming for AP tests and going the extra mile to try and boost my GPA as much as possible. I had it built up in my head that every college professor was out to get me and if I came to class so much as one minute late, I was going to fail the course.
Fast forward to the last few weeks of my first year at college and I’m doing homework outside in a hammock, wondering why I was ever really stressed about college in the first place. Over the course of the past two semesters, I’ve relaxed and realized a few things.
One: College isn’t like what you see in the movies. You aren’t going to go to crazy parties every night and end up recreating your own mini-version of The Hangover. In fact, the highlight of your week may very well be staying up until 2 a.m. finishing your calculus homework for the next few days because you’re finally ahead in that class you’ve been lagging behind in. The professors aren’t out to make your life hell. In fact, most of them are laid back and just want to see you succeed. Crazy, right?
Two: Don’t be afraid if you don’t make friends at first, because it’s going to happen naturally. Go out and join an RSO. Find something you’re passionate about. We have so many organizations on campus, there’s bound to be one person who thinks like you and is waiting to become a good friend of yours. At the risk of sounding corny, just be yourself.
Three: Don’t wait until the last second to do your final project. This is one thing high school was right about. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that Sunday night at 1:30 a.m. is a great time to start your 12 page paper due Monday. It’s not going to work and you’re probably going to cry.
Above all, the thing I learned most from my freshman year is I had to make it my own.
The thing they don’t tell you about college in high school is nothing can really prepare you for what you’re going to experience. There isn’t a textbook you can examine or a manual you can read to make sure that you’re doing it ‘right’, so to speak.
As long as you keep your head screwed on tight and make going to class a priority, you’re going to do fine.
