Listen up. The transition from high school to college is NO JOKE. Everyone told me how difficult it would be, but I never really listened. In the hope that some soon to be high school grads don't make the same mistake, here are some things I learned during my first semester of college.
1. Don't let your senior-itis carry over into college.
If you're a normal high school senior, you just came out of probably the easiest semester of those 4 years in that building. DO NOT get used to that feeling. There is no 'easing into' college classes- day one you need to be prepared and focused. So, leave that "senior-itis" feeling you have at home and be ready to crack down on day one.
2. Despite what some people may tell you, you won't have that much free time.
Let's be real, any college student who tells you they have so much free time is lying to you and to themselves. While you may not have class every day (which is a nice perk, I won't deny that), the workload never lets up. There isn't really time to waste a day doing nothing, there's always something you can and should be doing.
3. You need to learn how to take care of number one (yourself) first.
High school is like being an animal in the zoo- You are told where to be, what to do, and who to be around all day from August until June. College is like being let go to live free in the wilderness- no one is telling you anything. It's every person for themselves, no one is holding your hand and leading you along. You need to take care of yourself. Learn how you work and study best, the best way for you to de-stress, and, most important, that sometimes it's okay to just do your best and move on.
4. You will not do as well in college as you did in high school, no matter who you are.
No matter if you were the valedictorian or just an average student, college will change how you view your grades. Straight A's, and A's in general, are a rarity to even the best student in college. You need to learn to change your mindset about grades and the kind of grades you believe to be good. Letting go of a perfectionist mindset is difficult, but you will feel so much better when you do.
5. You can miss high school, but you've got so much more to look forward to.
High school by far was not "the best four years of my life" as it was to others. But, there are aspects about it that I miss. It's okay to miss your friends, teachers, or the experiences you had in high school, but you need to keep moving forward instead of keeping yourself stuck in the past. High school was just a stepping stone, and growing up and going to college is the next step. Don't ever forget the people, places, and events that got you to where you are, but continue to grow and make new memories.
