When going off to college, we all tell ourselves that we know that life is going to be much different from high school, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t still going to be a few surprises our first week. Here are a few things that I found to be surprising.
1. There’s a LOT of walking.
I’m sure this is true at varying degrees for all college campuses, but you have to move around a lot to get where you need to be. One thing I was really unprepared for is that all of your classes won’t necessarily be in the same building. And sometimes, the buildings aren’t even close to each other, and you have to run from one building to the other. And sometimes you have to cross the street...or an intersection to get your next class. rain or sun.
2. Class is different.
Very little knowledge about class in high school can be applied to class in college. The size and workload of each class really depends on your subject matter and professor, and you really can’t determine how much work a class will take until you’re a part of it. Timing is different as well - several times I’ve been dismissed early because the professor was finished - unlike high school where class time was used up to the last possible second. The options for what classes you can take are much more broad - and this is a good thing, because you have the opportunity to be exposed to so many different things. And don't be afraid to add or drop classes if you find a better fit, because you don't want to pass up the opportunity to learn something you might not have had the chance to learn ever before.
3. You’re busier...in ways you wouldn’t expect.
Not only do the classes generally require a lot more reading and/or homework than high school, and not only are there more extracurricular activities to choose from and take a lot more work to be a part of, but there’s a lot more tasks you have to do, especially if you are living on campus or in an apartment for the first time. There are a lot of campus activities that you can attend that you can either miss out on, or try to cram into your schedule. And, in living in a dorm or apartment, you tend have a lot more housekeeping to do than you might at home, like washing dishes, cleaning your space, and shopping for supplies. Because things are more spread out, and people more busy, you have to also make sure you can fit meal times and your social life into your schedule as well. It takes work!
4. There's a lot more freedom...but it's not that frightening.
When going into college, I have been warned many times that the freedom would be overwhelming - and it is! But it's not at all unpleasant. There are so many choices facing a new college student - do I eat at the dining hall, or do I make something in the dorm? Do I spend this evening doing homework, or is now the time to break and meet with friends? Even the ability to explore campus any time can feel strange. But once you get used to managing your schedule, the ability to choose so frequently is fresh and even exciting.
