For those of us that have been out of high school for a couple years, it seems hard to image how different our education (and lives in general) were back then. As much as you prepare to begin your college career, there's bound to still be several things that take you by surprise. Here's a few college truths that your high school doesn't want you to know:
1. Your professors are actually caring people that want you to succeed.
"Your college professors will never slow down during a lecture." "You're going to have to learn how to teach yourself." "Don't expect this much extra help in the future." I remember hearing things like this said countless time by my high school teachers. In my experience as a college student, however, professors are always willing to go the extra mile for a student who genuinely cares about his or her education. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
2. Skipping class every once in a while isn't going to kill you.
In fact, it might even benefit you. We all need a mental health day sometimes. As long you don't make a habit out of it, it usually isn't that hard to recover from a missed class. Email your professor, get the notes from a classmate, and just be prepared for the next time your class meets.
3. There's no such thing as substitute teachers.
If a professor can't make it to class for whatever reason, you aren't expected to show up either. And let me tell you, there's no feeling quite as glorious as getting that "class is cancelled" email. Be prepared to feel guilty when you're actually happy that a professor's child is sick.
4. No one cares what your ACT/SAT score was.
Although we can't dodge the fact that colleges place a lot of emphasis on ACT and SAT scores when calculating your scholarship money, once you actually get to college, no one really cares how well you did. It seemed like the ACT or SAT was brought up constantly in high school, and the pressure to score high was stressful. On a college campus, however, your test score is hardly ever talked about.
5. You will literally see people eating full meals in class.
In high school, the only thing I was allowed to have in class was a water bottle. Oh boy are things different in college. Often times, student have class schedules that don't allow them time to eat lunch. Professors are typically pretty understanding about this, and don't really care if you chow down during class. My book bag has become a mini pantry for days like these.
6. You can come and go from class as you please.
Gone are the days of raising your hand to ask to go to the bathroom. Gone are the days of hall passes. Gone are the days of being forced to wait hours to take an important phone call. In college, you can get up and leave whenever you want, no questions asked.
7. Learning the pythagorean theorem and every step of the water cycle won't prepare you for college.
While an education is obviously very important, much of preparing for college comes from learning how to function on your own. Things like knowing how to pay monthly bills, learning how to budget money, being able to navigate your college town, and dealing with students loans are a huge part of being a college student.
8. YOU dictate your own life.
In high school, I remember feeling like every single second of my day was planned out for me. Life was pretty routine. School started and ended at the same time every day, usually followed by practice or other after-school activities, a homemade meal, and cramming to get my homework done. In college, the decisions you make aren't influenced by your parents, teachers, or coaches. It's all on you, whether you're ready for it or not.
