College for some people can be one of the scariest events in their life because many things are going on at once. You have to adjust to a new place that may have a completely different environment and you always have to adjust to new people. For me college has not been what people have described it to be completely. I was told about the horrors of midterms and finals, all nighters, and papers that have to be written. I came to a college that is out-of-state, but a good distance where I can go home when I like to on the weekends. I have stayed up late to finish homework, have done many papers (that are not crazy 10 page papers), and have had a few tests and quizzes. To students that may be first generation students like me and have no idea what to expected about college here are some quick tips that can help you:
Make friends:
Be very open-minded with the people you meet. You definitely will meet people that you connect to right away and you will meet people that you have nothing in common. Remember that you do not have to be friends with everybody, it isn't high school anymore, but you should be nice and respectful of everyone. You'll make your closest friends through clubs and sports that you join. Join activities that you know you will love. Also, remember to attend the events that your class council, residence halls (if you live on campus) organize and other organizations that make for the school to go to. Talk to the upperclassmen because they can always guide you when you need help and know a bit more about the school than you.
Organization:
You should definitely think about investing in a planner. Preferably for me, I love having a daily planner, it helps me plan exactly for what I have to do each day with homework assignments, work schedules, meetings, and events. Especially if you are in sports and clubs, it will come in handy to use to make sure you don't miss an important event. It also helps to prepare for papers and exams before hand. You can start on papers earlier and study in advance. Organization can come in many different ways, but also keep your homework and book bag organized. You don't want to be that type of student that looses their homework and damages their books. If you're like me, I cannot concentrate when my I am surrounded by clutter. So you might want to keep your desk and room organized.
Be your own person:
I have met a good amount of students here that have a mentality based on what their parents enforced upon them. College is a time where you are able to find yourself and discover what you want to do and who you want to be. So far, college has been a great experience for me. I stopped being the type of person that I felt like I needed to be in high school. Now I embrace everything that I believe in, even if my parents don't agree on it because they aren't me. Take some time to truly discover what you like and dislike. Get to know people out of your comfort zone and learn about different cultures. Let everything in college shape you into a new and better person.
Faculty and Staff is here to help you:
Before coming to college, I cannot express how many times I heard to go to my professors' office hours, this is true. You are going to want to go to your professors' office hours to get to know them, get questions answered, go over quizzes or tests, and have papers proof read. Your professors are more than happy to help you in anything that you are confused about and need help on. I was always scared to think about approaching my professors because I was told they wouldn't care and that they are mean. If you go to their office hours and actually get to know them, you'll realize they aren't so bad as people make them seem. It is really important that you should also take some time to meet people from financial aid, admissions, first year aid, multicultural services, anyone that assists with careers, safety and security. Anyone in a office is there to help you and make sure that you get the assistance that you need.
This is a time of excitement because for many this is the first time you may have independence and be on your own, but it is important that you have the proper resources and know who to go to when you need help. Do not let anything come between you and school because college does pay off. It will be hardwork and it may feel like it is too hard at times, but at the end it will be worth it. It's little things that can help you get better in school, and of course, staying on top of your game.
