Before coming to college, you hear a lot of things. There are mixed interpretations about how to manage schoolwork, friendships, and other obligations. However, I would like to share a few things I learned within my first semester at College of Charleston. I wish I had someone to give me a perspective that differed from the usual, "...Yeah, college is so hard but so fun." College is hard, and it is fun. But, that is not all there is to it. I learned more about myself and others in one semester than I did four years of high school. So, here are a few things I wish I knew starting the first semester.
1. You get out what you put in.
This doesn't just speak for schoolwork. It also applies to your social life and day to day interactions with people.
This fall I came into college nervous about the workload and balancing a fun social life in the midst of it all. Everyone knows the more that you study and prepare for something, the better you will do. High school was full of teachers claiming that college professors were extremists who would not tolerate anything less than your best.
While your professors would like to see you do well, they get paid regardless. And ultimately, at the end of the day how well you do affects your GPA and overall academic standing.
In August, I joined a sorority. The same goes for this aspect of college. You are put in a group of over one hundred girls who you have something in common with obviously, or else you would not be there. However, you have to put in the effort to meet people, and build the friendships within your sorority or even just your friend groups. Not everything comes easy, but it is extremely worth it to put in the effort.
2. Invest your time in what you love.
The first semester, it is easy to get caught up in obligations and schoolwork. You absolutely have to make time, even if it is just thirty minutes out of your day to do something you love. Whether it be binge-watching your favorite show on Hulu, listening to music, or going for a drive, do it. It makes it a lot easier to sit down and do what you need to do once you have done what you wanted to do.
3. Never trust the statement, "I'll Venmo you."
This is coming from my bank account to yours, do not trust this statement. People will tell you they will Venmo you. My bank account knows better by now. Always Venmo request people on the spot. That is probably the most valuable lesson that my first-semester self could have benefitted from knowing.
4. Just because Sabatino's Pizzeria is open until 3 A.M. doesn't mean you need pizza at 3 A.M.
Before indulging in yet another delicious piece of pizza from Sabatino's, maybe do what I neglected to do. Check your bank account. Consider how deep in the freshman 15 you already are. I promise it is a real thing. My spring break body is disappointed in me too. Disclosure: Sometimes you really do need the pizza.
Overall, college is not the scary, difficult place that it is cracked up to be. At the end of the day, how well you do is determined by your own personal commitment and desire to succeed. The best part is, you do get to have fun along the way and even meet friends that will someday be in your wedding. Take your college life and schoolwork seriously, but not too seriously. Enjoy your time on campus; you aren't here forever.