7 Things High School Teachers Said About College That Were Lies | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

7 Things High School Teachers Said About College That Were Lies

Trust me, college is not as scary as it seems.

208500
7 Things High School Teachers Said About College That Were Lies
Flickr

I know I can't be the only one that had teachers in high school that tried every scare tactic possible to prepare us for college.

Now did those stick with me? Of course they did. However, did I find what these teachers told me to be accurate?

For the most part, not at all.

1. College professors don't care if you show up to class.

While sometimes I wish this was true (especially after pulling an all-nighter for an exam or paper), professors, in fact, do care. Every professor I have has so far has given a grade for attendance, and after so many absences, it is a certain amount docked off your final grade. With this being said, use those "free skips" wisely, because when you are actually sicker than sick, you will wish you had one.

2. College professors don't care if you pass or fail.

Now, I am actually very happy to say that this is false. Countless times my high school teachers told me that the professors are there to teach and that they get paid either way. So, if you actually pass the class or not is of no importance to them. I am thankful that professors do care because knowing that your professor is approachable and wants to do whatever they can to help you pass is reassuring. Professors care about you passing their class and they want you to graduate.

3. Professors never accept late work.

Some professors will not accept late work, however, if you have a legitimate reason that your work cannot be turned in on time, I have found professors to help you out. This isn't a reason to not be on top of your schoolwork but if worst comes to worst, professors are very understanding. As stated above, they want to see you succeed just as much as you want to succeed.

4. Go in with a declared major.

This is especially important to students that are applying to college because it is not necessary to declare a major right away. While yes, if you do know what you want to do and are sure of it, you will be fine. But, if you are unsure, going in undeclared is the best way to go. Lots of colleges and universities have programs for undeclared students, and major/minor fairs are there for students to explore their interests. Declaring a major once, in my opinion, is much easier than having to switch your major around.

5. Professors are much more strict than in high school.

While in some ways, yes, professors are more strict (personally I find it in their grading policies), they are much more relaxed in other areas. If a professor doesn't want to have class, it is canceled as easy as that with no need for a substitute. Along with this, if they want to cut class short or change up the lesson plan, they will do so.

6. All you will have time to do is study, and you will get a lot of homework.

Studying is very important, of course, but you still have time for a social life in college. Since you only have a few classes in a day, you can spend the rest of the time doing homework whenever is best for you. The best part of being in college is not having to be in school for 8 hours a day, so take advantage of the extra time you have in your day. Your classwork is important and you need to do it to get good grades, but college allows you to have time for fun as well.

7. Professors will not give you their materials, so learning proper note-taking is crucial.

I was all prepared for no power points or worksheets that I could print out, but boy was I wrong! Almost all of my professors upload the class lectures online after class so that when studying or doing homework we can reference them. Of course, there are professors that do not give us their power points and knowing how to take proper handwritten notes is needed. Just do not think that you won't have them. With this as well, professors usually let students take notes on their computers or even voice record their lectures, so do not be afraid to ask because professors are very accommodating.


College is a great time to learn about yourself, and find your interests! Do not let what anyone else says about college scare you until you actually step on foot of campus your freshman year!

From Your Site Articles
Report this Content
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

13347
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

2543
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1563
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments