Instead of naming this article "10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started College" I should probably title it the more realistic title of "The Advice I Ignored When I Received It." Either way, the college process is all about learning new things and realizing for yourself that your parents were not that wrong about adulthood. When you go off to college, you are no longer the young high school student that went to school for eight hours and then went home to a home cooked meal and warm bed. In college, you go to class for a couple hours and try to remember to grab something to eat and the importance of sleep. To those who are college students or grown adults, this list will be relatable and to those graduating high school seniors, it might be some advice that whether you ignore or not, it's advice you wish you knew come freshman year.
1. Be Prepared To Fail
No, I'm not saying you will fail a class but at some point over the four years you might fail at life and that's perfectly okay. Life is unpredictable and you never know what will come next. This reality is only heightened in college. The world is a big scary place and it is even scarier when it decides to through some hard choices at you. But the truth is that although the world is scary it is also forgiving so it is ok to make the choice and take the wrong path as long as you realize it and try to fix it for the next time. Like they say "College is like looking both ways before you cross the street just so you get hit by the plane."
2. Get Involved
With hundreds of clubs to choose from it should be no problem to find something to do. The good thing about college is that there is a club for nearly everything. If you are the next student body president, debate nerd, "mathlete", writer, video game designer, or artist there is something for you on campus. Even if you are a person who is not a fan of clubs there will probably be a club titled "I do not like doing club things but need it for a resume." What ever club you choose going out and meeting people like you makes college a little easier and a lot more fun.
3. Being Homesick is a VERY Real Thing
Whether you are a thousand miles away or a 45 minute drive from home. Feeling homesick is an inevitable part of the full college experience. There will be times where you want to take a shower in your bathroom, crave your grandma's best meal, and times were you really just want your mommy. The best advice i would give in dealing with homesickness is this: for every negative thought create a positive one to go along with it. If you focus on all the positive things you have by being in college, it makes homesickness a little better.
4. Reading and Writing is Actual Homework
Unlike in high school where read this chapter meant no homework. In college, when a professor says read the chapter you better go and read the chapter. All the information can now be placed on a test as question. The information will also be discussed in class, where participation is worth 15% of your grade. The information will probably be something boring but every once in a while it might surprise you and be pretty cool. Besides reading college is all about writing. Write a discussion board post, a paper, a summary, or any other thing a professor will have you write and unlike in high school where a paper can be written overnight. Seven page essays, properly cited and written, do not work the same way.
5. You Will Probably Change Your Major
Not once, not twice, but maybe several times. If you are not changing your major then you are adding a double major, picking up a minor, or both. If you are not doing any of this then you are also doing college wrong. College is a time to explore your interests and becoming "academics" in your desired hobby. Sometimes all it will take is an interesting class to get you hooked on a subject you never knew where fascinated with or one bad professor to make you realize that your major is not a good idea after all. It is also okay to not know what you are doing most of the time.
6. Take Time For Yourself
In between the endless piles of homework and club activities it is easy to forget about yourself. It is not only to remember to eat, exercise, and sleep enough in order to take care of yourself but take time out of your week to spend time with yourself. There is something powerful about being comfortable being with yourself, it is in this time that you discover who you truly are and what you like to do. Learn to love yourself during college.
7. It Is Not A Fashion Show
Yes, looking cute is great but when you have an 8am do not feel the pressure to wake up at 6 to take your shower, iron and curl your hair, do makeup, and put on the perfect outfit with the matching shoes and accessories. To be honest most of those articles of clothing will be a bit uncomfortable and more distracting than anything else. The cute sandals will give you blister and everyone else will be too tired to even notice your perfect curls.
8. Get A Mentor
Everyone in college seems obsessed with having mentors. Professors will stress the importance, your roommate will talk about their mentors, and you will look around and think where am I supposed to find one. Realistically, speaking you probably already have one and just do not consider them a mentor. At the end of the day it truly is a blessing to have an adult guide you through the process of growing up and get wisdom from. They will be there to remind you what will be a good idea and what is a bad idea all the while begin more of a friend than a parent.
P.S. This might mean going to office hours, professors are awesome people if you get to know them.
9. Stand By Your Friends In Public
This is not only safety advice but friendship advice. There will be plenty of nights where your friends will go out and make stupid choices. Wether it be waking up with a drool stain down their shirt at the library or being a little to tipsy to get home. Make sure you stand by them so they never have to do "A Walk Of Shame Alone" they will appreciate it the next day. This prevents the creeps from taking advantage of your friends and lets your friend know that if they need you you will be there.
10. Lean Into The Discomfort
In college there will many uncomfortable situations. Making friends will be harder than ever before, so talk to the person you would never talk to previously. Classes will be hard, so study a little harder. Living with people is a challenge, chill out a little and embrace the experience. To every struggle and negative thought there is a silver lining and an amazing result if all we do is lean into the uncomfortable and reap the results. This within itself is college.
