College is a different experience for everyone. Some have the best of times going to socials and different outings with their sorority, while others are super busy studying or just keeping to themselves. But one thing I've come to realize is that despite what your experience is, we all share a few common things, specifically what I call the top three things no one tells you about college.
1. No one tells you how hard it'll be to watch all of your friends move away and go to college.
Sure, you all tell one another that you'll stay in touch, that you'll text, call, FaceTime, and visit each other when you can. But eventually they start making new friends who share the same major as them, and you start to make new friends and then before you realize it, it's been months since you last talked to your best friends from high school. You'll send them a text or call them and get no response. They'll text or call back and get no response. Eventually, it leads to arguments about always being busy or not making time. No one tells you just how much your friendships will be tested throughout college. You realize that people who you once shared such a strong bond with, that you thought you'd never lose, suddenly they have become strangers. But at the end of the day, you're just thankful for the memories and the time you had with them, and maybe just maybe you'll meet again 10 years from now.
2. Freshman year everyone always tells you that it'll be exciting, new and fun all at the same time. Yet no one tells you how hard your first year will truly be.
I've come to realize that while it is exciting and new, it is also is very different and at times frustrating. When I first started back in August, I saw just how different college is from high school because for the first time you're truly on your own. You have to be responsible for all your assignments and keep track of the due dates, which can become confusing with all the different classes you take on different days. (I highly recommend getting a planner to write everything down, it's helped me a lot.) Another thing is that the teachers don't care if you come to class or not, therefore, it's up to you to motivate yourself to get up every day and attend class. One thing that sometimes stresses me out is that I'll have multiple assignments due on the same day, so I have to balance my time wisely which is so important in college. Time management is a huge role once you start college. If you don't make a plan and set time for each project or assignment you have, you'll end up finding yourself trying to rush to get things done which will end up with you getting a bad grade. Remember just take a deep breath, relax and enjoy college.
3. Social life.
In high school, I had a very active social life involving my friends. We'd always go to movies, the park, the mall, or have horror movie night at my house. Since college has started my social life is much slower now. Now I spend a lot of time studying, writing essays, or working on my projects. I find that I don't really have much time for a social life anymore. Sure, I go out with my friends from time to time if I'm free, but mostly when I'm available my friends aren't or vice versa. My friends that still live in West Monroe and attend college here try to get together as much as we possibly can. It's not easy as we have school, work, and homework.
All in all, college is an exciting and different experience and I'm looking forward to the remainder of my college years to come. I know that friendships come and go and that life is all about learning and experiencing new things. My advice for anyone starting college next year or continuing their college experience is to just enjoy it and make the most of it. Don't stress about losing the friends you had in high school, or worry about that boy or girl who broke your heart. Just take things as they come, try new things, venture out of your comfort zone, and make the most of your college years. That way in years to come you'll have wonderful and amazing stories to tell your kids and grandkids.
