So it's freshman year of college! This is an amazing time full of many firsts and lasts. I expected college to be this liberating feeling of freedom and passion. I could not wait to start my track into the pre-med world. High school was a piece of cake, so how could the classes here be any harder? I planned every day that I would study hard and make good grades. Now this is mostly true, but here are five whole thing's no one told me before entering this mad world.
1. GPA matters.
So maybe someone has told you this, I may have heard it once or twice, who knows. All I do know is it did not stick with me. Well, if you thought getting all A's in high school was hard, wait until college. The whole base of your GPA focuses on grades. Get a D in a class? Expect your GPA to drop. This is horrifying considering your chances of getting into grad school is much higher with a 3.7 GPA VS a 3.5 GPA. All that GPA was good for in high school was class rank, or if you really wanted to get into an ivy league school. Also, let's note that getting A's in college is not just attending class. You have to put much more work into learning the material. So, overall, start strong freshman year! Began building a good base GPA and continue to thrive in college.
2. You might fail a test... or two.
Let's face it, getting a 60 on a test in high school was horrifying, but in college, it is actually the best thing to ever happen. The first test I took in college left me full of nerves, and when I received the test back to find I got a 70 on it, I was devastated. Well folks, let me tell you I did better than the class average on that test. I am not saying it is all rainbows to score low on tests, especially wanting to have a high GPA, but it definitely is more normal than I would have ever imagined. Granted the tests in college are harder and make you apply the material vs. just knowing it.
3. It is okay to drop or withdraw from a class.
I just withdrew from a class, and I actually feel like a failure for it. I do know, somewhere deep inside me, it is for the better. This gives me a whole new world of opportunity to retake the class and do a whole lot better and to have a teacher who works best with my learning style. So, if at all possible, do good in the class, or leave, but do not use this as an escape all the time.
4. Roommates do not always work out.
I was super excited to meet my first roommate. I wanted to create a lasting bond between us. Well, now we barely ever talk and I had to confide in the kids across the hall for support. There are so many things about the situation that bugs me, but this has given me new opportunities to really find a roommate next year that will be a better fit. I have grown and learned what I like and what I do not care for. So while I did not really know we wouldn't work out, at least I learned something from it.
5. It's going to be hard, but it is so worth it.
Even though this may seem like a common knowledge, it did not hit me until a month into college. I had not made any close friends and the workload was crazy. I felt lost and hopeless. I got over it. I found friends and worked hard to complete tasks, and even organized all the planned due dates and events. Point is, no one told me that I would get over it. No one said it would be this difficult either, but I am managing. If you are really passionate and desire your career goals, then it is more than worth it.
Lastly, I would like to mention something someone actually told me today. "You do not walk out of freshman year the same person you walked in as." This was told to me by a woman I literally just met. How can words that were spoken by a stranger mean so much? I think I understand what she said, and I am embracing it. I have never been hit with a harsher reality. I am so excited for all my new beginnings and am slowly learning all the quirks of college!
