I'm sure most incoming freshman have read and researched what college is going to be like. I know I did. However, all the articles I read and information people gave me could not prepare me for what I was about to experience. Here is a little taste of what I found to be the most prominent aspects that changed in my life during my first year in college, strung along with some stories.
1. Stress
This is something I anticipated when I decided to major in engineering. However college presented a whole new idea of stress. It was something I had never experienced before and it was awful. It was crazy how many assignments I had along with the exams and tests. To put it this way — I never once cried in high school about schoolwork. But there were numerous times when I shed tears over academics throughout college. But it will be worth it when you get that high GPA at the end of the semester.
2. Relationships
Relationships are something you tend not to see a lot of in college. This probably differs with the size and personality of the university but at the school I attended, it was considered weird if you were a freshman or sophomore and were in a relationship. From personal experience, most guys and girls are just not highly interested in getting involved in a committed relationship during college.
3. High School Friendships
I'm sure people hear a lot about how easy it is to grow apart from high school buddies. However in my situation, I've grown so much closer to so many people in my high school that I never expected to. The girls I played volleyball with throughout all of high school, I hang out with more now then I did during high school. I hung out with the people that went to Purdue from my high school more than I ever thought I would. I think this is because those people represent home, and seeing and being around those people are a reminder of your hometown and family. Also, my very best friend from high school went to Purdue and we were as close as we could possibly be throughout the entire year.
4. Time Management
This is something you HAVE to learn in order to be successful. You have school work, social life, meals, sports, extra curricular activities, hobbies and more items you will want to plan and manage.Time will absolutely fly by your first year of college so be sure to spend it wisely.
5. Freedom
You are completely on your own in college; no one to tell you when to do your homework, when to go to bed, when to eat, nor is anyone there to do your laundry. This freedom can be whatever you want it to be. I love knowing that I can take care of myself and do whatever I want and be able to discipline myself.
6. Homesickness
The first semester of freshman year, I was extremely homesick. I thought about going home all the time and how much I missed my hometown and my family. This is because you are in a completely new environment and you have to get around and learn how to live all on your own. However, after a month of being away from that environment, I had gotten used to and being home for Christmas break, I was more than ready to go back to school. Second semester was a hundred times better. I still loved going home, but it wasn't something I thought about all the time.
6. Religion
I have grown up in the church as a Christian. Being in a typical college environment, it is very easy to see the ungodliness of everything going on around you and it is very tempting to fall into that lifestyle. Without having a family and friends that attend church regularly, it can definitely be difficult to find the will to find a good church to go to every Sunday. Although without God in my life, I wouldn't have been able to get through a lot of rough situations that I encountered. I realized that I cannot, absolutely cannot conquer the college life without Jesus.
7. Food
Eat healthy! This can definitely be a challenge without your parents. It is so easy to buy snacks and just eat junk food all the time. Try to get fruit and vegetables. It is not difficult to gain weight your first year of college.
8. Walking
You thought walking from the locker room in the basement of high school to the third floor was difficult. Try walking five to ten blocks in 10 minutes Depending on how big the size of your campus is, you will be doing a lot of walking.
9. Professors
10. Decision Making
You absolutely cannot afford to make an immense amount of poor decisions during your first year; your decision-making process will continue to follow you throughout your college career. You will be asked to go out to parties, out to eat, out to do anything by friends. If you say yes every single time, the chances of getting the grades you aspire to get will be slim to none. I learned the hard way.
Here's an example of probably the worst decision I made my freshman year:
Second semester, the weekend before my third calculus exam on Monday. My best friend convinced me that we should go see what the Little Five at IU was like on Saturday night. I made the excuse that I had gotten an A and a B on the first two exams and that I'd have Sunday and Monday all day to study. So, we got there at about 8:00 p.m. and I had to find a place to park. I drove around and everywhere along the roads were packed. I parked in an apartment complex parking lot that seemed pretty empty and close to the house where we were going. After about 20 minutes I told my friend I needed to go back and check on my car. So we went back to where I parked and my car was GONE. Cry. I didn't know if it had been stolen, towed or what. And of course my parents had no idea where I was at the moment so I couldn't just call them. We eventually found out it had been towed and luckily my sweet, ex-boyfriend just happened to be in the area to help us out and take us to the towing company. I had to pay to get my vehicle back, a whopping $140. We didn't get back to Purdue until around 3 a.m. I wasted time, money, and a good outfit. So, guess what grade I got on that calculus exam? A solid 36 percent.
Do not do crazy things the weekend before exams. It will cost you a letter grade and a better GPA.
