Although life changes dramatically when you move on from high school to college, everyone has different experiences. Some people stay home and commute while others move away, sometimes one hour from home and sometimes across the country. No matter where you are in comparison to home, one thing is certain: it’s a huge change.
1. Homework
The type of homework and assignments that you get in college are definitely different from high school. The assignments are usually time-consuming, such as papers and long readings, but less frequent. Another difference is that classes are usually only twice a week — though some meet three times and others just once — and that affects how frequently homework assignments are given. There is also a lot of homework that is assigned and isn't graded, but should be done to help with your grade in the class.
2. Friends
Besides the obvious reality that your friends will change, the way you make friends and how friends play into your life at college will also change. In high school, most friends were made in classes, in the couple of minutes before class would start or in group work, with the occasional friend coming from an after-school club. Most of your friends in college come from your residence hall, if you dorm, or through hanging out on the weekends. Though possible, it is much more uncommon to meet your best friend in college in a class; the professor really utilizes the complete two and a half hours they have per week, usually with lectures.
3. Teachers
The biggest difference between high school teachers and college professors is the relationship that they form with their students. In high school, you’re with the same teacher five times a week for the whole year. In college, you see your professor twice a week for only half the year. Although all of my professors knew my name, not every school is small enough to have that feature. Additionally, although it is possible to develop a better relationship with your professor through office hours or answering questions in class, it is much easier to do so in high school.
4. Routine
Your routine changes greatly when you begin college, starting with wake-up time. Many people woke up extremely early for high school; I had to be up by 6 a.m. every morning! In college, it is up to you to choose your schedule. You can pick classes that start at noon if you want to sleep late or you can make sure that your classes start early and end by noon if you want to have extra time for homework. Your routine of classes, then clubs, then homework changes when you have awkward breaks in between your classes and have club meetings late at night.
5. Free time
Putting it as bluntly as possible, free time dramatically decreases. The free time that you had in high school once you finished your homework that you used to watch TV or just relax goes away. Unless you’re a total professional at time management, it is difficult to get to bed as early as you did in high school and have the free time once you’re done. My Sundays through Friday afternoons are completely booked with homework and studying. I have to catch up with my TV shows and hang out with my friends usually only on the weekends, which was definitely not the case in high school.
Although not all changes when you move on to college from high school are bad, there are definitely many of them that pose challenges to the adjustment process. Don’t worry though! If I could handle the changes, then you definitely can too!
