It is that time of the year again where seniors applying to colleges. There are some seniors who are doing it on their own and then there are some who have no type of guidance. I am here to tell you, as someone who was just going through this process not even less than a year ago, that it's okay to reach out to someone if you need or just a second opinion on something. Here are some pieces of advice that I have gather that can help you as you venture out on this journey:
1. "Plan ahead", focus and do not procrastinate because you will be treated like a young pre-adult. NOT YOUNG ADULT. Pre-adults
2. Begin your mornings by waking yourself up, set as many alarms as you need (clock, phone, etc). Don't rely on your parents to wake you. No one will wake you for your college classes.
3. Use a planner. Establish and write down your time lines for completing papers, projects etc. Your professors won't care that you have 3 or 4 papers, projects due on the same day. Establishing a written plan will help you meet timelines with less stress.
4. Establish/build regular times to study and read. Your college professors will expect you to come to class prepared.
5. When you don't understand something, seek clarification. Ask questions, email your professors, visit them durning their office hours, use the tutoring center, join in person or online study groups.
6. Take time to do something you enjoy doing/have fun: join a club or organization, workout, swim, go to a party.
7. It's okay to be the only person from your high school that goes to college by themselves. Not everyone is not going to choose the same school as you and that's fine, you can make new friends this way.
8. Volunteer!!! Both colleges and scholarship funds will value you more if you show you are interested in other human beings or our world. It's also a way to get additional recommendations for future jobs.
9. Try everything, you'll have a chance to participate in activities you enjoy. You can also try things you're not sure about. Everything is a learning experience and it's ok to move on from something when it no longer fits you.
10. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. College is full of new - and sometimes fearful - experiences. We'll all be forced out of our comfort zone at some point. We can choose to use that as an opportunity to grow or to shrink into ourselves. Choose growth!
11. Ask for help. Older students, college staff, and other people you meet in life can be resources for useful knowledge. Get as many opinions as you think you need and then decide what's right for you.
12. Trust yourself! You will reach heights you can't yet dream of and have failures so epic that you'll want to go crawl in a hole and hide. All of this is part of being human, and you'll deal with it your whole life. There's always tomorrow to wake up and start over.
13. Banish shame from your life. When you feel guilty about something you did, try to fix it if you can. If you feel ashamed of who you are, that's different. Find a way to move past this point and seek professional help if needed, also know you're not the only person who has ever felt this way. Don't give up!
Here is something to really think about when you enter college because now you are about to experience the real word and what it is like:
1. Know what you want to do and don't want to do. Even when your hormones is screaming at you, know what you want and don't want in regard to sexual behavior
2. Don't let others pressure you into choices that don't feel right. Your value as a human being does not depend on when you answer yes to that question (or if you never do). Until you feel the time is right for you to engage in sexual behavior with another person, remember that sexual desire is normal in humans and that there is nothing wrong with masturbation among any gender.
3. Be mindful if you decide to drink or smoke while you are in college. Drinking alcoholic beverages or using drugs takes away a person's ability to give informed consent. If you absolutely have to experiment with alcohol or drugs, do so in tiny portions and with people around whom you feel safe.
Moral of all of this, college is a new experience when you are finally on your own and have to take responsibility for you asks. Be mindful and don't do anything that can ruin your life or record. Don't make that one mistake that can break your chances at your future job or career. Yes it is fine to have fun and you will be experimenting new things that will be fun and exciting, just be mindful of yourself and know what you want. Don't fall to peer pressure.
