The transition from high school to college is not something that can be taken lightly. Everything changes, from where you go to school to where you sleep at night, everything in your life takes a complete 180 and there is no going back. For some this change is smooth sailing all around, for others not so much. For me it was more like middle ground, even though I have much left to learn here are six things that I know to be true about experiencing college for the first time!
1. It’s OK not to be OK.
In college there are going to be some days where you feel like you're on top of the world and not a thing can bring you down, but other days almost everything can bring you down. The most important thing to remember is it’s OK to make mistakes. College is about the transition into real life, from balancing school, your social life and trying to figure out who you are. Things are swung at you left and right. I used to feel like I had to have every part of my life together 24/7, and when you get to college you figure out that if you try to do that you’ll just be digging your grave. So when everything seems like it’s falling apart, remember it’s OK and you will end up figuring things out!
2. Grades are not everything.
If there is one thing I've learned it’s that I'm thankful that I did not spend all of high school huddled over homework. Don't get me wrong — grades are important, but learning people skills and just general things about life are equally important. Contrary to popular belief, having straight A’s in high school will not determine your success in college and it certainly won't determine your success in real life. College and life is much more than the ability to make an A in Pre-cal, so let's just say that awkward, antisocial straight A student in your high school graduating class might not be doing as well as you think.
3. A 2 am food run is perfectly OK.
As a college student you learn to develop a craving for cold pizza and a significant amount of coffee. Don't fight the urge to eat. Just do it, act like your mid term grade depends on it, because frankly it does.
4. You will make friends here that will last a life time.
I can't even begin to tell you the amount of amazing people I have met at Baylor. If your experience is anything like mine (which it probably will be), your roommates and the people around you will come to be the most valuable people your life. You never realize how many different and amazing people are out there for you to meet until you get out of your home town. The things I've done and the people I've met these past two months have easily made this time one of the best of my life. Ive gained so many valuable people that push me to be the best I can be instead of pulling me down like people I've known have done in the past. It’s an “were all in this together feeling” and I really love that.
5. You won't want to come home.
You finally have formed a life that you love! Being independent, having friends all around you, and even learning — you’ll fall in love with it all. So why would you want to leave? Even going home for two short days makes me tremendously miss my life back at school. I always thought I would love college. But never did I think I would love it this much!
6. You're going to change and find yourself.
There is no doubt that the experience that happen in college will change you, but embrace this change! I can’t tell you how much I have changed for the better. I’ve become stronger, smarter and learned so many things I didn’t even know about myself. I have learned to let go of things and people that I never thought I could, and I have learned to embrace new things that I never thought I would. By doing this I have changed, and I couldn't be happier. I can’t wait to see what these next four years have in store for me!
