As seniors in high school are gearing up for graduation and the big transition to college, I can't help but reflect on my life this time last year. When I was making my final decision and diving into the unknown, I would have listened to anyone who had advice about what to expect from college. Whether it was to scare us or because they really loved us, our high school teachers gave us some exaggerated information on what to expect from our first year of college, and I'm here to set the record straight.
1. Your professors DO have a soul.
There seems to be a stigma that college professors are just some robots who are programmed to teach without considering their students' feelings, and I can confirm this is not true. If you make a valiant effort to reach out to them, they will reciprocate. They are just as caring and understanding as our beloved high school teachers. They understand when you get sick and need to miss a class or if you need to ask a question.
2. You can skip class and still get a good grade.
In high school, we didn't have a choice but to be in class for 8 hours straight. However, in college, it's a completely different situation. Yes, our teachers were right that we can't show up to class for the first time on a day of a big exam, but it is definitely manageable to miss a class here and there (for whatever reason) and still understand the material and thrive.
3. It's easy to make friends.
It's not like we were told otherwise, but we were made aware of how hard it can be to make friends in a completely new environment. Something to keep in mind, though, is that everyone is in the same position and is looking to make new friends. Whether it's your roommate, your neighbor, or the smart girl who shares her notes with you in class, you are bound to find someone who shares similar interests and is eager to make a new friend.
4. No matter how big your class is, you can still get extra help.
Whether it's a 300-person lecture or a 15-person discussion, your professor is eager to see you work to your best potential as long as you put in the effort. If it's just a simple question, your professor will be willing to stay after for 5 minutes to explain anything to you. If it's bigger than that, then there are plenty of office hours available for your accessibility. If, for some reason, none of those options work, I can guarantee your college has various tutoring resources you can take advantage of.
5. You don't have to pull all-nighters.
In every movie about college ever, a student is often depicted staying up all hours of the night cramming before a big exam and hyped up on their fifth Redbull. This is not necessary. With only a couple hours of classes a day, you will have an excess of time to manage your studying while the sun is still out and still manage to get a full night's sleep.
