Now that I've finished my first semester of college, I've only just realized how (practically almost) useless high school is at preparing you for it. In high school, everyone tells you how you've just got to have the perfect 4.0 GPA, the impeccable extra-curriculars, the immense resume and the best recommendation letters to get in. But once you've gotten all of those, and once you've gotten into college, you're on your own.

But nobody tells you what to expect. Nobody tells you how you're supposed to prepare for the next four years of life you've got ahead of you.

This past semester (first semester, for me!) wasn't easy. In fact, since I didn't know what I had coming, it may have been the most trying experience I've ever had yet to go through. But now that I've learned, now that I've adapted, now that I've grown, I can certainly prepare adequately for the next semester, and at least try to prepare (and warn!) the next generation of incoming college students of what they have yet to come.

Without further ado, here's just five things the first semester taught me (that I had to learn the hard way.)

1. College is HARD.

Seems self-explanatory, right? BUT IT'S NOT.

Once I had committed to attending an elite school, everyone would always warn me that "it wouldn't be easy." And every time, their tone would be coy and playful, so I never thought much of it. Yeah, college would be hard, but my (also elite) high school was also hard, so I'd be just fine, right?

Wrong.

To be honest, I never found the material in college itself to be hard, but many of my friends did. However, what came hardest to me was adapting to the amount of work one had to put in to do well. Sure, the material may seem easy, but if you don't put in the right amount of effort you'll find your perfect A slipping to an A-, along with the rest of your GPA.

Moral of the story: in college, work smarter AND harder. You'll be glad you did.

2. There's no such thing as extra credit.

Heck, you'd be lucky if your professor curves any of your tests!

While there are many exceptions, the grade you get in college is the grade that sticks with you for the rest of your time there. While some professors are merciful and will curve your test scores (or even grades!), most of them won't care. They have hundreds of students to worry about, so why are you special?

Moral of the story: There's no room to slip up in college. So do your very best not to.

3. Perfection is unrealistic.

A 4.0 GPA may have been attainable in high school, but in college, forget about it! Literally some classes in college are designed to weed kids out with D's and F's. College can, is, and will always be very unforgiving.

College may be unforgiving, but that doesn't mean you have to be. Even if you can't be perfect, it's always great to strive towards perfection! Pat yourself on the back for a 3.8 GPA well-earned; you deserve it! For some kids, college is just too tough, and they drop out, but here you are. And you're doing great!

4. Friends come and go.

This was probably the hardest thing for me to learn.

In college, you'll learn that the friends you've had in high school may not be the friends you'll have by the time you get married. This is okay; for some, this is even expected, as many of us leave our homes to experience a new kind of life, with a multitude of different people, in college.

But in college, you'll also learn that even the friends you have there might
not make it past the current semester. either.

Each semester, you'll meet dozens of new people through your classes and extra-curriculars and maybe even the dining halls! Some will stick, and some won't, and it'll be hard to get used to for a while. But rest assured that your pack of pals are CERTAINLY there, somewhere; they just need some seeking out! It may take a semester to find them, or maybe a year, or maybe two, but it'll happen on its own, so don't fret.

People change. And so do you...

5. You aren't the same person after.

I know that's how I feel.

For me, a sheltered little girl who went off on a trek to a big-girl-college, going off to college was the mark between staying a kid and becoming an adult. The day of orientation, I took a plane to Atlanta, navigated the airport to get an Uber ride to campus, found my suitcases, and moved in. All by myself for the first time, ever.

Maybe it's the new-found freedom that college afforded me. Or the fact that I create and act on my own schedule. Or the fact that I'm over a thousand miles away from home, from the safety of my parents. But ever since I started college, I've matured. I've grown. And I can't wait to see where my new-found experiences take me, as they will you. Because we've made it here, through and through.

One semester down, seven more to go. I know I'm excited, but what about y'all?

#Classof2021