Starting into my fifth week of college as a freshman, I can't help to reflect and think, Man, I sure wish someone would have told me this in high school. I have found that I totally love college. It's fun and new, but in addition to all the wonderful things that college has professed, it is also very stressful. You kind of feel like you are walking blind, or at least I did. You realize how big a campus can be when you are walking from office to office, while you sadly watch your free frozen yogurt melt before your eyes. Yes, that was me. After I have experienced this first month of college, I can't help to throw our high schools under the bus for not covering the basics. Hopefully, my little knowledge can help someone before they find themselves, sitting on the floor of their room debating on whether they can or cannot do this. I say, you can.
1. Financial Aid
It sounds a whole lot less intimidating than what it really is. The day you get the financial paper in the mail, is the day you question your parents a bit. Like, why don’t they know? They're adults, they should know. It's that confusing. Because you're thinking, is that what I have to pay or do I get all of this money for free. More than likely, or in my case, that is what you're going to have to pay and it is very painful to see. Isn't this a very valid issue we should learn about in high school? I think so. So ask someone, and get used to it because you will ask a lot of questions. Trust me.
2. How To Email A Professor
If you know, good for you. You probably won't find yourself in the same boat I was in the first week of college. I made your typical freshman mistakes, starting with, "Dear Andy,..." I will say this, address them according to their credentials and by their last name. Proofread your email, so you won't look dumb for misspelling paper. Lastly, always thank them for their precious time! This is important, so you won't appear to them as a dodo brain.
3. Grammar counts
You get a paper back from your history class, and you find that you have made a lower grade than what you thought you would make. You know you have covered all the information that was required and felt pretty good about it, so why was it such a low grade. Reason being, my friends, grammar counts. In high school, your teacher gave you credit and a decent grade because you did the work, but here, in this college world of ours, professors don't allow for little things like that to slip. With that being said, make sure you know the basics of grammar and always proofread.
4. MLA Format
What the heck is MLA Formatting, you might ask? It's a very confusing, but up front style of writing your paper. They don't hand out a special, step-by-step sheet to tell you how to MLA Format. Once again, I believe this would be a great thing to learn in high school. Look it up and learn it, and learn it well, or of course, ask someone. More importantly, learn your resources.
5. Do The Work And Go To Class
A very, painful awakening, and I mean it literally. Getting up every morning is hard, but you have to do it. You're not just missing gym class in college and there is not going to be a sub there today. So, you must go. Now, you have to do the work. And it's not like, well, I will just turn it in late the next day because I'm too tired tonight. Big mistake there, don't wait till the night before. If you don’t do the assignment by the time it is due, then you will learn to expect a major grade drop, and that is another thing you cannot afford to do, again, I mean that literally.
So, along with the foam parties, and all this newfound freedom, things are different. In order to be less stressed, just be prepared. Don't let the little things that happen to you affect you so harshly, but really just learn from it, and next time you can fix it and do better. I don’t say all of this to scare you because it really is not so bad. You just have to be responsible. So if your high school self isn't up to par, the time to change would be now or whenever you get a million annoying emails reminding you that your tax transcripts need to be turned in before you can start your fall semester.
