Going from high school to college is a huge change. You leave the comfort zone of a place that you called home for the last four years and start a new beginning in the unknown. College brings more fun but also more responsibility. This will be your first time on your own and the first time that decisions that you make will be all on you, no matter good or bad.
Your first semester is your time to really get to know your school and to figure out just how college works. Always remember to make the most of your college experience. Put yourself out there and work to find out who you truly are. In the list below are the top six things that I learned during my first semester in college.
6. Do not take 8 A.M. classes.
10 is so much better than 8!
5. Pranking is fun.
Pranking people can be very enjoyable, but remember that what goes around comes around. Watch out because most likely people aren't going to be as nice as you were. If you start a pranking war, it might be best to start out with small pranks so that when you wake up the next day after your first prank, you don't have any hair missing on your head.
4. The freshman 15 is real.
We have all heard of the freshmen 15 and to be honest, it is so true. The dining hall is a great place to meet new people, but if your dining is like mine and has a buffet style, well, good luck only eating one portion size per meal. It is easy to say, "I will only get one plate," but by the end of the meal you have four plates stacked up. Then you find yourself heading back up to get dessert because they just put out the most amazing sugar cookies in the world. Just be careful. You're welcome in advance.
3. Naps are a blessing.
Laying down at three o'clock in the afternoon for a nap is one of the best feelings in the world. It also helps make it easier to stay up for that late night study session or whatever the college kids do on the weekends. Just remember to set an alarm because it is very easy to stay asleep. You want to make sure that you get up when you need to.
2. Join clubs and organizations.
You'll find out really quickly that you have a lot of time on your hands in college. Yes, parents want to believe that you will be going to class and then studying every single day. Sorry to tell you mom and dad, but that is just not happening. One of the many ways to have a successful first semester is by joining as many clubs and organizations as you can handle. Of course, you won't be able to stay in all of them, but it is better to find the ones you like and then get rid of the ones you don't like.
1. Time management is very important.
Want to be a part of activities other than classes and studying? Then it might be time to learn time management. My mom told me that a college professor told her to treat it like a job. If your classes are in the morning and you don't have anything in the afternoon, go to the place that you get work done for a couple of hours. If you do that, then you could possibly have every night to fill with all the other activities that make college the best four years of your life.
Make the most of your first semester because it goes by quick and before you know it you'll be sitting at home on Christmas break saying, "Damn, where did the time go?"