You’ve done it. Made it through four grueling years of high school, and now you’re a freshman in college. You’re back on the bottom. You’ve read hundreds of articles online to prepare yourself and listened to the oh so ominous advice and warnings of your teachers. You go through move in day and the first week of classes and that’s when it hits you: this is WAY different than what you imagined.
As the person I just described (the wide eyed, (semi) terrified freshman) I can vouch for feeling exactly like that. Eventually, after all the hype dies down you’ll realize high school lied to you. Everything that your life basically centered around for four years has little to no relevance. Worry not, friend, this article is here to help you. Here is a full list of all the lies high school directly or indirectly taught me.
Lie #1: That AP classes are the same as college classes
They aren’t. They aren’t even college level. Throughout my high school career, I took eight AP classes. My days were filled with stress, crying, and homework, and that’s about all I had time to do. In college, the classes aren’t NEARLY as bad. Oh, and if you took IB classes worry not YOU WILL BE FINE. Thus far, college classes have been a breeze. They aren’t as time consuming and they allow for you to manage your work how YOU want to, and how it works for you as opposed to working around a teacher or a system.
Also, time management is WAY easier. In high school I was in school for six hours a day starting at 7:20. Personally, I was there for as many as eight hours after school for extra-curricular activities. That made me not get home until about 9 pm, with at least 4 hours of homework and studying to do. I went to sleep after showering, eating, and doing basic human things at around 1:30 or 2. I had to wake up at 5:30 and be at school by 6:45 to read the morning announcements. At my busiest I worked four jobs so even when I wasn’t at school I was at work until 11. NO HUMAN CAN FUNCTION THAT WAY, PEOPLE. In college, I’m in class for about 3 hours a day on average. In between classes I can do homework, eat food, or even take a nap. I still have time to keep my dorm and myself clean and have a social life. It’s really really lovely.
Another thing about college classes that caught me off guard is the maturity level of the conversations we have in class. We talk about a lot of touchy subjects like the death penalty. In high school, we had discussions on equally as touchy topics, and I was under the impression that high school seniors would have an equally as mature and factual conversation as college students. I was dead wrong.
In high school, I was on the minority end of how I viewed things both politically and religiously. I am not a very religious person, I am very socially liberal, and in many of my classes, my peers were the exact opposite. (Please note that I am very open minded and respectful of all people’s views. I believe I can learn from other perspectives on issues, especially when the person knows more about the topic than I do. For this reason, I love talking to people about more controversial and political topics) This lead to some very interesting discussion because we could play devil’s advocate with each other. It could have been a very wonderful learning opportunity, but my classmates would often get too emotional, get too personal, or attempt to end the argument with saying “God says this is wrong in the bible, so it IS wrong and anyone who does it, or agrees with it is disgusting” (I put it in quotes because this is a real thing that was said to me, folks). Once a classmate called me “Communist scum” because I don’t agree with all of his capitalist values.
What’s even more shocking than my adult or almost adult classmate’s behavior was my teachers’ behavior. I remember two teachers in particular who would attempt to facilitate class discussion on political subjects, then retaliate in a rude way at students who disagreed with their stance. I had a teacher one year who disagreed with my views on a lot of things. Throughout the year we talked about many things on which I had a liberal view, and I was never shy about (respectfully) sharing my opinion. Toward the end of the year we had to read a book independently, and I chose to read a novel about how roles of women have changed. In the novel there were some things that were VERY shocking and sexually explicit. I was okay with it, but I knew some people might not be. So, the day of the test I went up to my teacher and very politely told them that a warning might be a good idea. This teacher looked me up and down, gave me the stank eye, and said “well you’re really not the most CONSERVATIVE person, so I’m sure you were VERY used to what you were reading.” Not kidding.
My beliefs and sometimes different values got me judged by my peers and by my teachers. I was looked down upon for not having the same view. In college that doesn’t happen. We can sit in a class for an hour and fifteen minutes and talk about the most controversial things and no one will get offended or rude. Everyone who has an argument has something to back it up with other than “you’re wrong because you think differently than I do”. It is the most liberating, interesting, and informational change and it is absolutely beautiful. All views are heard, and all views are respected by everyone. It really makes me unafraid to be myself.
Lie #2: The professors are soul-less, energy sucking monsters
How many times have you heard the phrase “your college professors aren’t going to be as nice as me” from a complete hard ass teacher? Or heard horror stories about how professors didn’t take a late assignment from someone who’s grandfather passed away? A lot right? I think this puts this really harsh light on college professors and creates an image for those entering college of this hugely powerful being that will bring down the hammer on the tiniest issue. THIS IS NOT TRUE.
Let me just tell you a little bit about my professors. My highest level class is psychology and my psych professor is a doctor. I showed up to the class at 9:30 on the dot and was scared she would think I was late. I was one of the first people in the class. Throughout the class people are coming in late, leaving early, eating, drinking things other than water, and falling asleep and the professor DOESN’T CARE. It’s pure madness to my brain that is caught in the ways of high school and I can’t fathom that people are coming to class in short shorts and not getting cited for it. My Poli Sci teacher strolled into class about five minutes late in sunglasses, shorts, and visible tattoos of Scooby Doo, and a skull with the brains melting out of it that says “just not feeling it”. He told our class that “we’ll get along fine as long as you do not mock the nectar of the gods”. Do you know what the nectar of the gods is? Coffee. The nectar of the gods is coffee. This man is basically a college student trapped in a middle age man’s body (with significantly more knowledge and a lot of degrees in political science)
Bottom line professors don’t care about the little things, all they want is to teach their class. It’s on you to get yourself together and hand in assignments on time, they are busy people so they aren’t going to be on you about homework and tests. They’re human, so while they won’t take a lot of your crap, they will understand if you are sick or something happens (with the exception of exams. If you don’t go to an exam you better be dead or dying).
Lie #3: You’ll never see them!
This is a bold face lie people tell to make themselves, or their friends feel better about going to college with someone they don’t like or someone they feel awkward or anxious around. This is college, not Hogwarts; therefore, Murphy’s law just doesn’t magically not exist anymore. You will see them. You’ll see them at the gym, you’ll see them at parties, you’ll see them when you’re downstairs getting food from the vending machines at one am in a sweatshirt, short shorts and socks with flip flops on. You’ll seemingly only see them when you’re alone so you have no one to help you avoid the awkwardness, so you’ll cling to your phone in desperate hopes to avoid small talk. You will see them while you’re walking by yourself and they’re with friends making you feel like an utter loser. YOU. WILL. SEE. THEM. The best thing you can do is hold your head high and your shoulders back, give a kind smile and say hello. It will be awkward, but you’re in college for Pete’s sake. Grow up, say hi and move on.
Dorm life isn’t that bad
…. I have an AC unit that doesn’t work, and I share a bathroom with 39 other girls (most of whom don’t seem to know how to clean their hair up after a shower). The people above me do nothing but make noise (at this point I’m convinced it is to annoy us), and I can hear the people next door getting it on. Yes. It’s that bad.
People care what you wear
Let me tell you what complete bull shit the dress code is. Excuse my French, but it is. I have come to class in PJs, I have come to class in tank tops, I have come to class in short shorts. And you know what? Not one boy has told me that my shoulders are making him uncomfortable. Not one professor has told me that my ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE giraffe PJ pants are distracting or unprofessional. My legs have, thus far, not dropped any test scores, and my slight mid drif hasn’t made someone not able to pay attention to a lecture. Additionally you can dress as nice or as bummy as you want. I’ve seen girls in heels and full makeup sitting next to girls in track shorts and messy buns. Seriously, guys, wear whatever you want. No one is going to say a damn thing.
High school will matter after it is done
When I say this I’m not really talking academically. Honestly, I wouldn’t be writing this article if it weren’t for the amazing English education I received through my high school. And I wouldn’t be nearly as good of a performer if it hadn’t been for my performing arts classes. I’m talking about the trivial things. The things that seem so prominent in high school really aren’t going to matter in college. I promise if you didn’t get approval from some of your peers, or a teacher, or whomever in high school it will not follow you into college. Also, what one person thinks of you is NOT going to affect you in college unless you let it. In high school, I gave ALL my time one program. The teacher that was in charge of it recognized very few people for their achievements, and as a result, many of us spent a lot of our time and effort attempting to impress them. This sponsor expected that we agreed that ALL of our time was necessary to be put into this program if we expected anything out of it, so I turned down many offers to do fun things elsewhere because I was so caught up in this one program. Though I gained a lot through doing that one thing, I wish I had branched out to have other experiences as well.
College is a place for you to grow up and mature, so when you go into it take with you no ill will or bad blood. Remember the fantastic teachers, good times, and fun had with friends in high school. Don’t bring negative energy or hatred toward someone or something (who would have ever thought I would like math?!?!). Keep your mind open, your dreams big and keep yourself motivated. Here’s to the start of another great journey, and may it be far better than your last.
