As you close one chapter and are about to begin a new one this fall, lots of things around you will start to change. You will no longer see all the faces you have seen every day for the past 12 years. After graduation, you may never see some of those people again; and that’s perfectly OK. Some of your classmates will take a gap year, some will become athletes, some will go right into the workforce, and some will go to college.
For those of you going to college, you’re in for a big, exciting change. Many of you will live away from home for the first time and need to learn how to function on your own. Microwavable meals and take out will become your best friends. Chances are high that you will become caffeine dependent and learn where all the coffee carts are located on your campus in the first month. You’ll likely have a roommate, maybe random, maybe not, that you’ll have to learn to live with very quickly. You’ll need to follow new rules that your RA sets forth that are often punishable by fines if you decide you’re too cool to follow them.
You will gain all kinds of freedoms you didn’t have before both in and outside of the classroom. What you do with your time is completely up to you; you no longer have the structure of high school guiding your days. You need to be responsible with these freedoms, though; college is not like the movies and you actually need to go to class to get good grades.
College is not all about partying even though that is how it is depicted on TV and by certain media sources; why would anyone pay thousands of dollars each year just to goof around and party? For most classes you are enrolled in, you will actually have to show up and study in order to do well. College is a lot of hard work; it’s a lot of studying and responsibility. It’s important to relax and give yourself breaks, but it’s up to you to find a balance between fun and work. If you neglect your responsibilities for too long to go out and have fun, it will most likely negatively affect your grades. On the other hand, if you spend all your time studying without taking a breather, you’ll become overworked and overly stressed.
College is a crucial four years where you decide what classes are important for what you want to do with the remainder of your life. It’s also a time to discover your likes and dislikes; the opportunities are limitless. Maybe you’ll join Greek life, maybe student government or maybe both. Maybe you’ll start a club, maybe you’ll join a club sport, or maybe you’ll start going to the gym (you’re already paying for it with tuition after all). You’ll meet all kinds of new people, possibly your best friends for life, who will each shape your college experience in one way or another.
College is far different from high school, but that shouldn’t worry you. You’ll find your place and your friends at your new chosen school just like you did before. You’ll grow as a person, develop your skills, and become a better, smarter student than you were before.
Congrats grads!
