College is always said to be one of the biggest transitions a student will make. Going from a small high school with a graduating class of 88, to a much larger campus away from the family and friends you grew up with your whole life, there are a lot of things you need to learn your first semester in college to help prepare you for the next four years that are to come.
1. How to Make Friends
Okay, so yes, you know how to make friends, but transitioning to college means having to go through the whole process of getting to know people over again. You may have been comfortable with the people you had befriended in your hometown, but now, being thrown into a campus where you hardly know anyone, you are going to have to try to make new friends. It's a little scary at first, but the more you do it, the more comfortable you feel, and soon enough you will have your own squad to roll into the dining hall with every night
2. How to Be Independent
Although college does provide you with plenty of help in this transition (I mean, they still cook you meals and give you a set schedule to run through every day), it's up to you to make it work. You're now in charge of most aspects of your life including laundry, what/when you eat, if you're going to attend class, what your plans are for the weekend, and when you go to bed. You're finally in charge of your own life, something you've probably been wishing for since you were a punk in junior high, but also something that probably seems a little scarier now that it's really happening.
3. Balance
Whether it's between socializing and studying, salad and ice cream, or sleep and class attendance, the first semester of college seems like one long struggle to find your happy medium without going insane.
4. How to Handle your own Problems
If there's a problem with your class schedule or you need to drop/add classes, it is no longer your parents responsibility to make sure you're on the right path, it all falls on you. You are now in charge of dealing with roommate issues, failing grades, issues with housing deposits and financial aid. This is one of the biggest lessons learned, and before you know it, it becomes something you do everyday so that when you come home from break your parents may even be impressed with how responsible you've started to become.
5. Your Limits
College teaches you a lot of valuable lessons, such as how many all nighters are "too many", how many parties to hit up in one night are "too many", or even how many brunch waffles are "too many". This is almost a ritual you need to pass your freshman year to make the next three a lot easier on you. Please learn your "too many's" now to avoid problems down the road.
6. Time Management
Yes, college is amazing because you get to live with your closest friends and go wherever you want whenever you please, but very quickly you learn that some weekends are made for studying and that you don't have to hit the streets every night. That FOMO (feelings of missing out) mentality you may have held in high school quickly dissipates in college, because there's always going to be something to do tomorrow night, so staying in tonight won't be a big deal.
7. Organization
Your room is only so big, so you need to make the most of the space you have. Anything out of place will suddenly look like a colossal mess, and living in a hallway of peers means you can have visitors stop by at any time, so it's important to remain organized and keep a clean room. Also, when it comes to managing schoolwork, a planner can work wonders to keep you organized.
8. Your Family Will Always Be There For You
I very quickly learned that my family wanted to be apart of my life more than ever when I went off to college. No matter what, they always had my back and believed I could push and do better in my grades, clubs, and overall college experience. I know I would have barely been able to survive without their support, and this helped me to be certain that they will always have my back for the rest of our lives, which is always a nice thought to keep in the back of your mind.
9. What It's Like to Be an Adult
This is your first taste of adulthood, and what lies in the years to come for you. Sure, you're not totally independent, but you were suddenly plucked away from your home and thrown a basket full of responsibilities you never had to handle before, so give yourself some props for being able to push through, and here's to a great second semester!
