We all know that the transition from high school to college is huge, but there are many aspects that we don't commonly hear about. Below is a list of 11 things you probably weren't already told a hundred times concerning college life.
1. The bus schedule changes on weekends.
As someone who isn't used to public transportation, I had quite a few things to learn about buses. One major task to do before classes is practicing the bus routes. Things are a lot easier when you already know which bus will take you to what location and at what times.
2. Your professor may not even teach your class.
One of the big differences between college and high school is that there are teaching assistants. In university, a teaching assistant who also knows the material for the course may be the one who conducts the class each day. This doesn't mean that you are likely to never see your professor; it just means that it's a possibility depending on who you get.
3. Say goodbye to seven classes, seven days a week.
No one ever told me that I wouldn't have to juggle the same amount of classes in college as I did back in high school. And even if you do have seven classes, they can be spaced out throughout the week rather than every single day. This makes life a lot easier when you have five different assignments due on Friday. Plus, the breaks between classes allow for time to do other things than listening to a teacher talk for seven hours straight.
4. You can wake up when you want to!
The beautiful thing about college is the freedom to sign up for what classes you want at the times you want. If you're not a morning person, you don't have to be because college comes with the opportunity to create your own schedule how you want it — as long as there are still spaces available in the class. It wasn't until the end of summer that I learned I can have classes that start as late as 12 p.m. if that was what I desired. The ability to have some control over my schedule made things a lot easier.
5. So much more study time
All I ever heard about college classes was that there are lots of papers and homework that accumulate into a boat-load of work. Now there may be a lot of work involved but it's not as impossible as it may sound. There are various study rooms, libraries and cafe-like areas to chill in between or after class so that you can get work done. What I basically learned is many students have time to go to a morning class, receive homework, hit the library and get it done before they even arrive to their next class that afternoon though this obviously requires a good work ethic and ability to resist procrastinating on assignments.to their next class that afternoon though this obviously requires a good work ethic and ability to resist procrastinating on assignments.libraries and cafe-like areas to chill in between or after class so that you can get work done. What I basically learned is many students have time to go to a morning class, receive homework, hit the library and get it done before they even arrive to their next class that afternoon though this obviously requires a good work ethic and ability to resist procrastinating on assignments.
6. Classrooms can move.
One thing that surprised me about my time at UGA is the fact that your classroom has the potential to change for various reasons during the first week of school. So after working hard to make sure I found the right bus, building and room without getting lost, I had to relearn an entirely new route once the building was changed. Also, you may not be in the exact same room — or building, for that matter — each day of the week. On Mondays and Wednesdays you could be in the chemistry building for math class, but on Tuesdays and Fridays, you're in the geography building.
And yes, the class you're taking may not necessarily be in the matching building when it comes to other classes.building and room without getting lost, I had to relearn an entirely new route once the building was changed. Also, you may not be in the exact same room — or building, for that matter — each day of the week. On Mondays and Wednesdays you could be in the chemistry building for math class, but on Tuesdays and Fridays, you're in the geography building. And yes, the class you're taking may not necessarily be in the matching building when it comes to other classes.
7. You can leave early... sometimes.
If the professor finishes lecture early, there is no bell to wait for that gives the okay to be dismissed. As soon as the teacher says they're done, everyone is free to go even if there are 30 minutes before class is actually scheduled to end.
8. Newfound independence
There are no longer parents or siblings around to make sure you wake up on time for class. Everything you do is up to you. Students have the choice to go to class or skip, do homework or binge watch Netflix and everything in between.
9. Unlimited food!
If you have the school's meal plan, then you likely have free reign at all the dining halls. Much self control is definitely needed in order to avoid the infamous "Freshman 15."
10. There are so many different types of people to meet.
College tends to be a lot more diverse than high school because students from around the world have enrolled. Being someone who has spent all her life in predominantly white schools with a very small percentage of minorities that were either black or Hispanic, I never had the chance to meet people from other cultures and backgrounds. University completely changed that. Now I am exposed to Asians, Africans and a variety of different cultures all in one place. Even though UGA is still majority white, you should have no trouble finding people you can relate to no matter where you're from.
11. Budgeting isn't as easy as I thought.
Even after I sorted out my financial aid for the year, there were still miscellaneous expenses that were easy to overlook. University has taught me that I now have to pay attention to every cost and learn to properly manage my own funds.
