About a month ago, I finished my first year of college. This was a major accomplishment for me, as it is for everyone, but especially because I had not been in a classroom learning setting since I was in the fifth grade. I'm proud to say that I survived going to college, and not only that, I thrived in it. However, before I started, I had been terrified about whether I could keep my grades up and make friends, and I would like to share some of my thoughts with you lovely people.

First and foremost, it is necessary for every single person, not just homeschoolers, to go to a school they are comfortable in. I am attending a small private Catholic university, and I know it suits me far better than going to a huge state university would. Also, I made the decision to be a commuter rather than live in a dorm room because I knew I would be more comfortable going home to my own room and not living with strangers. It’s incredibly important to not force yourself to do things you aren’t comfortable with doing. So before you even begin to worry about your courses and making friends, make sure you're in a place that can make you happy.

While college coursework is hard, I didn’t find it all that much harder than the work I was doing in high school, so fellow homeschoolers, congratulations! You are fully capable of not only doing college work, but succeeding at it. I was especially concerned with taking tests, since none of my tests in high school were timed—every single test I took I finished within the time allotted and often with plenty of time to spare. As hard as it may be to believe, college professors are not out to make you fail. Their job is for you to learn in their classes, and you failing shows that they have failed to teach you. (Unless you have not been putting any effort into your classes at all. Then you’re just a fool who’s wasting their money on a college education.) Everything that is on the test is what they either talked about in their lectures or told you to read. It is mind-boggling how easy it is to find out what will be covered on the tests from them, instead of Mom and Dad who essentially had you memorize chapters from your textbooks for tests. All of my professors were helpful, and they all encouraged us students to go to office hours if we didn’t understand any of the material. It is extremely possible for you to succeed in college, but you do need to focus on your coursework.

Every homeschooler knows how easy it is to procrastinate. However, since there are deadlines for your classes, you should start working on assignments as soon as you receive them. Giving yourself enough time to work your papers is an absolute necessity for success. Also, starting your assignments sooner rather than later will make it easier to stay on top of all your classes. It might seem at first that you are swimming in assignments, but as I said before, professors are not trying to kill you. It is completely possible to get A's in their classes. If you spend just a little time each day working and studying, you will ace your classes. These are many of the insights I gained about college coursework from my classes this past year, which I hope will benefit incoming freshmen, whether or not they have ever been inside a classroom before.