You probably envisioned that college would be different than high school- way different- but nobody really knows how until they experience it for themselves. Here are a few of the most noticeable differences between the two.
1. You don't hate your classes.
Okay, everyone hates their classes sometimes, but we all know people who simply refuse to go. They pretend to be sick, or come up with a good excuse to stay in bed. But that’s not you. While you may not always be the most enthusiastic about waking up for that 8 A.M. history class, your professor is pretty cool, and you rationalize all the sleep you’re losing by thinking about how much you’ve learned.
2. The library is actually useful.
Do you remember how, in high school, nobody ever went to the library? It was probably full of third-grade level books or old encyclopedias, and you never needed to go there. Now, though, the library is actually a pretty cool space, and sometimes you get together with classmates to study there. It seems like a movie, but it isn’t. It’s just your cool new college life.
3. You're involved with groups on campus.
As a freshman, you may remember attending some sort of organization fair, and maybe at the time it overwhelmed you. Slowly, though, you realized that there are awesome opportunities on campus: service organizations, Greek life, recreational clubs- the list goes on and on. In high school, your peers thought it was “lame” to be involved at school, but now the exact opposite is true.
4. You can just get up and leave class!
This one is a little silly, but it’s true. Professors really don’t care what you do. If you want to go get something from the snack machine, go ahead. If you get an important (or not so important) phone call, step out and take it! The possibilities are endless. This is most useful, of course, when you really, really have to pee.
5. Working in a group with strangers is much less awkward.
If you’ve ever had a class where you didn’t know anyone, you probably remember being mortified at the idea of group work. Everyone has the same concerns- What if nobody wants to work with me? What if I have to do all the work? In college, though, it doesn’t really matter. Most of the students in a class don’t really know each other anyway, and since you are all working toward the same goal, people aren’t snobby.
6. Your classes never last as long as they're supposed to.
Probably the most frustrating thing about high school was that once the teacher was done, you just had to sit there until it was time for your next class/lunch/dismissal. College professors have no reason to waste your time, and this means that some days your fifty minute statistics lecture is only twenty-five minutes. There is nothing more satisfying than getting to leave class early because the professor simply ran out of things to say, and this is often the case in college.
7. All-nighters are very, very real.
As a high school student, you probably had a bedtime enforced to make sure you got plenty of sleep for the next day. If you ever had the chance to stay awake all night, you probably did it, if for no other reason than because it seemed new and exciting. Unfortunately, in college, it can sometimes be your only option. If you have a busy week, you may not be able to get to that five-page paper until the night before it is due, and that can definitely cut into your sleep time. And let’s not even discuss finals week.
8. Naps are the best thing since sliced bread.
It seems like you can never get enough sleep in college. When your friend asks if you want to grab lunch between your 11 o’clock and your 2 o’clock, you simply respond “Nah, I’m gonna take a nap.” It no longer feels like a waste of time to sleep during the day. In fact, it feels amazing. If there is anything better than sleep in college, it hasn’t been discovered yet.
9. You have a new appreciation for pets.
If you had pets at home and were forced to leave them to pursue a higher education, you know exactly what this means. The other day, you spotted a stray cat on campus, and it almost brought you to tears. If you find out that a friend of a friend has a puppy, you will ignore all social boundaries to meet it. When you are no longer able to have them, pets suddenly become the best thing ever.
10. Getting up for an 8 A.M. class is literally impossible.
You did it every day in high school, so it won’t be a problem in college, right? Wrong. Nobody wants to take an 8 a.m.. class. While it was easy in high school, college is much harder, and sleep is more important than ever. You make it a rule for yourself to start at 9 or later every day. Who even decided that 8 a.m. classes were a good idea? Not you.
