On August 29th, 2016, I started a new chapter in my life. I began my college career. Many people have asked me this: Why Farmingdale? I chose this school because the price is inexpensive and I can seek out a degree without drowning in student debt by the time I graduate. The hardest part about entering college was adjusting to it. The workload increased tremendously since high school, the campus is big and it took my a while to find my way around and there is a whole new sea of people. I went from seeing the same faces for so many years to seeing brand new faces every semester. I went from having nine classes a day that only lasted about forty two minutes each to around two to three classes a day that ranged from an hour and fifteen minutes to three hours each. Even though the school length is shorter, the work is much more intense in college. I didn't achieve the GPA that I wanted to last semester but I learned a lot. I learned so many things this semester including picking up new study habits so I can do even better this semester. In college, you can't waste any time, this is a learning experience where you are able to learn things that you will use the rest of your life. Here are five of the things that I learned this semester.

1. Joining a Club is the Best Way to Make Friends

Over the summer when I was getting ready to go off to college, I looked at the list of clubs. I saw that there was a theater club on campus called the Backstage Theater Company. I immediately contacted members of the club who were in charge and I got the full insight. I've been performing on stage since I was only ten years old and I wanted to continue doing so during college. I immediately got welcomed to the club with open arms and I made an amazing group of friends that are like a big family to me. I got a supporting role in the school show Little Shop of Horrors and we rehearsed every night for the show. Our club also participated and made events campus wide. Joining this club was the best decision I made and it made my first semester an amazing one. I will be in the club throughout the rest of my college career since it is so much fun and I got an even bigger insight about theater by doing so.

2. Get to Class On Time

One important thing I learned in my first semester is to get to class on time. When you get to class on time, you will be able to learn all of the material plus be more focused in class. If you get to class late, there are consequences. The professor will notice and your grade will be lowered. If you get all A's on your exams, participate in class and do all your assignments but you are late almost every single day, your grade will be lowered. That is why my grade in my 8AM class last semester was lower than it should have been. I learned the hard way. Now, I set alarms for 2 hours before class starts since I drive to and from school. I also revised my schedule so I only have to wake up early once a week instead of three times.

3. Try Not to Be Absent

In college, I learned that being absent from college is far worse than being absent from high school. You are responsible for the work that you miss. Back in high school, the teacher would be able to help a student that was absent catch up on missed schoolwork. In college, you do not have that crutch. You are responsible for what you missed and in order to get missed work, you need to find it yourself. That is why I was barely ever absent from school. Also in college, an absence effects your grade tremendously. If you miss more than three classes, a whole letter grade is dropped. If you miss a lab class, your grade gets dropped. If you want to do well in school, you have to physically be there.

4. Learn How to Manage Your Time

The workload is much heavier and much more intense in college. Yes, there are less exams but each exam covers so much material on it. This semester, my grades weren't as high as I wanted them to be because I had poor time management skills. I put all my focus on extracurricular activities so that I didn't have enough focus to study. I put everything off for the last minute and as a result, I had not very high marks. I talked to a few friends who are older than me and I learned a lot about time management. School always comes first. Study a little bit each night, make flashcards, rewrite your notes, actually pick up the textbooks you spent all your money on and read them. My professor also gave a suggestion to photocopy the activities in our workbooks so we can practice again and again until the test. Yes, you can still do extracurricular activities but school comes first. Always leave a couple of hours a day to work on things you need to do for school. I learned the hard way this semester. Trust me, your GPA will improve that way.

5. Watch What You Eat

The first semester of Freshman Year is where the dreaded freshman fifteen comes in. There is a whole variety of food choices around campus and many of the choices are not good. When kids are away from home, they tend to eat whatever they can find. I ate like crazy. I had the most fattening foods in the world and even got seconds. I stayed on campus until late at night. I would go out to eat with my friends constantly or just eat in the campus center. Even though there were healthy options, I didn't always eat that way. As a result, I gained fifteen pounds within only a couple months. Now, I started exercising daily and watching what I eat in order to not gain any more weight and to stay fit. By doing so, I lost all the weight I put on plus an additional eight pounds. Instead of going for the hamburger and french fries, go for the grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad. Even though junk food tastes good, it isn't doing your body any good. My advice is to monitor the food intake and make healthy choices.

College Is a Learning Experience

College is a learning experience. You get to learn and experience so many things that you get to take and use for the rest of your life. I learned so much within these past few months. I learned study habits and how to watch what I was eating. Fun fact, since this picture was taken I have lost twenty three pounds. It feels good doing good for my brain, my social life and my body. I cannot wait to see what the spring semester will have in store.