A simple question was posed in the group chat I am in with all of my friends from back home: what is one thing you all have learned in college beyond school? The responses from my friends really got me thinking about the lessons we learn and things we begin to do our first months of college.

How easy high school is

Okay yes, it is not a walk in the park for everyone. But all of your teachers know you, they know your strengths just as much as well as they know your weaknesses. They are all looking to make things easy, so that you pass and graduate with your class, especially during senior year. In college, you are competing with everyone for the spots to stay in your respective programs, and your professors are pushing you to be your best, because in the real world, that is what you are going to have to be.

The freedom

This is the biggest thing that I have learned about college. There is no one to make your decisions for you, and every decision you make will effect you in some way or another. You have no one telling you when to go to bed, reminding you to study, or encouraging you to forego the oh-so-delicious fries that are being served at the dining hall. No one is going to tell you that staying up until 4am when you have class at 8am is a bad idea. You do not even have to go to class, but obviously you should. You’re paying to go to these classes.

Lack of parents

This goes right along with freedom. You are not in your house anymore. They cannot dictate every minute of everyday for you anymore. You are an adult, and you have to learn how to act like one. College is the time for you to learn to make decisions just like you will have to when you are completely on your own. Call them every once in a while; it’ll make their day.

There is not enough time in the day

You will learn this quickly. One day, you are watching Netflix all day, just because you do not have anything else to do. The next day, you have three projects, two exams and an essay- all due in a week. Its these moments of crisis that you really realize that twenty-four hours in a day is not enough time to get everything done that you need to. Take a deep breath and prioritize.

The friends you make in college are really important

This is such a true statement. You are going to meet a ton of new people, especially in the first few weeks of school. Cherish every single one of them. For so long, most of us were with the same people, and now all these new people are walking into your life from all different places, backgrounds, and lives. You are not going to stay close to every single person you come in contact with, but its nice to get to know as many people as you can. College can be a hard transition, so it is nice to have people to lean on when you need some support.

Join Greek life

Not only Greek life, but get involved with anything that interests you. Every college offers so many opportunities to get involved with the campus, community and peers. Not only does it open doors to opportunities, it is away to make friends, travel, and make yourself known at your school.

Befriend an upperclassman

This has helped me with so much. From scheduling for classes, knowing which professors to avoid, and what the absolute essentials are to pack for your dorm, you need an upperclassman to have your back. They have already experienced freshman year, so they can give you so many tips to help with the transition.