Senior year of high school: the most stressful time of your four years. College applications, college visits and decision day. TIme is winding down rapidly before graduation and there never seem to be enough hours in a day. So here are 10 things I wish I know before coming to college
1. You don't need to attend a top-notch college.
I know that the Ivy-League, high-ranked, top 10 best colleges in Ohio type of prestige are all the rage nowadays, but you don't need to attend a top-notch college to get a good education or a worthy degree. There are plenty of great public and private universities out there with rigorous academics.
2. Take your time in the roommate selection process.
Upon sealing the deal and officially committing to your college, the insanely stressful roommate selection process begins. You're scouring people's Facebook profiles, reading their bio's and trying to deem whether they are a good fit or not. And as soon as they match, you think, "I've found the one!" But don't rush. You'll save yourself the headache of switching rooms later if you really take the time to see if you two can have a good living environment.
3. Do not bring your entire closet to your dorm.
This is definitely one of the mistakes I made upon moving into college. Thinking, "Oh, I'm going to need all of these clothes!" and making your dorm's closet overflow is not a good idea. Chances are, like the rest of us, you're going to wear the same 5 shirts every week out of laziness. Leave some things home. You'll be back for breaks.
4. Take those AP classes.
As an AP student in high school and looking back, I can definitely say that those AP courses did the best job preparing me for the rigor of my classes now. Plus, if you score well on the AP exam, you're saving money by skipping some of those general education and intro classes. Take them now! You'll be thanking yourself in college.
5. Apply for those scholarships
If your high school is offering scholarships, then write those essays and fill out those applications. You don't realize how much debt you can face until you're applying for some expensive student loans that make you want to cry. Squeeze out as much scholarship money as possible.
6. Appreciate your good teachers.
Nothing is worse than sitting in an already difficult class and having a terrible professor teach it. Whenever I find myself in those situations, I always wish I could just go back and grab my favorite high school math teacher who made sure I would never fail a single test and would always know the right way to explain things. And senior gifts are the sweetest things ever.
7. Time management is important.
In college, most classes require 2-3 hours of studying per lecture and on top of that, students are also involved in extracurricular activities on campus which also take up a lot of time. It is extremely important to find that good balance and not hurt your GPA by going a little too crazy with your social life. In my first semester of college, that is something I struggled with daily.
8. Don't be afraid to move somewhere new.
All college freshmen are in the same boat, so never be afraid to go somewhere new with new people! We're all scared and lost, so introduce yourself and make some friends. With time, you'll find a new group of people to spend time with on campus.
9. Adding a double major or a minor is highly encouraged.
Did you take four years of French in high school and still want to continue? Add a major or minor. Were you a musician in high school? Add a music minor and join choir! It is very common for most students to have a second major or a minor aside from their primary area of study to be involved in the things they love. So if you get the chance, take it!
10. At orientation, DO NOT schedule an 8 AM.
It's summer, you're sitting at orientation with your schedule and thinking you can handle the 8 a.m. The answer is no. You'll need all the sleep you get, so take advantage of it. Nobody likes getting up while it's still dark to trek up to class in the winter.
And most importantly, enjoy your senior year! Ahead lies a long, new journey so be prepared for it! You will learn to grow as a better person, make new friends and study what you love. Don't stress, graduation is around the corner.
