Leaving high school as a bright 18-year-old, I thought I knew everything. Well not everything, but a lot. I had been successful in my advanced high school classes, I got into a good college and I was near the top of my class. I was feeling good. But when I entered college, I was hit with a wave of new knowledge and new ways of thinking. My professors thrust everything I learned in high school aside and attempted to create a whole new base of knowledge. Professors were no longer coddling us like our high school teachers did, they threw the truth on the table and told you to question it. No longer were we doing poster projects or hundreds of problems a night of pointless busy work but we were studying the classics and delving into how our political system works and learning about the chemistry of life. Finally, I got to study what I wanted to study; I gained a purpose to my education.

Unlike high school, where often learning stops when the bell rings, college is a hub of constant learning. In my first year of college, I learned just as much from my peers as I did in the classroom. You meet the coolest and most interesting people with amazing back-stories and opinions. My friends taught me things and exposed me to things that I’ve never heard of before. I was surrounded by people who wanted to discuss intellectual topics outside of the classroom and because of that I learned to respect differences in opinions and I learned to understand all sides of the debate. Where I grew up, I was largely surrounded by liberals and democrats, but coming to college I was exposed to more conservative individuals. Through my discussions and debates with my peers, I learned to truly understand the other side of the argument. I learned patience and debate skills. This is something no professor could have taught me. College exposes you to all sorts of different things. It takes you out of your comfort zone everyday, in and out of the classroom. I tried new foods in the dining hall, joined clubs I normally wouldn’t have, went to events and speakers to expand my knowledge and so much more.

Not only do you learn a whole mess of new things in college, you learn to become an adult. Ok maybe a pseudo-adult as you still have your mom or dad make doctors appointments for you, but still more of an adult than high school. High school teachers often boast that they will no longer hold your hand like they did in middle school, but really high school teachers hold your hand a lot. There are consistent reminders about assignments and more time for each, as well as personalized attention if they see you falling behind. Now this is not to say that I didn’t have some amazing high school teachers, because I did. There were quite a few teachers who really taught me a lot and prepared me for college and life very well but overall, the theme of high school teachers is to teach for the test and hold your hand. But when you show up to college you are on your own. There is help and support for you if you need it, but now you must seek it yourself. There is no one who will hold your hand and walk you to the academic resource center, you have to do it yourself. No one will wake you up in the morning and make you go to class, that’s on you. No one will make you food or snacks, you have to get that or make it on your own. And if you don’t do your laundry, it will sit in there and pile up until you have absolutely nothing to wear, trust me I know. If you want to be successful and get stuff done, you have to do it yourself. This is a huge step into becoming an adult. It’s a tough and shocking change for many, but it is so important and honestly feels really good. You are now in charge of you. You can succeed if you want to but you can also sink and get lost if you let yourself. It’s on you to be an active participant and learn all there is to learn. And if you do that, endless opportunities and connections await you.

Some of the coolest parts of being in college are the stuff you are exposed to. Your classes open you up to the world around you. Not only do you learn about yourself, but you also learn how you fit into society. And then on top of that, you learn how you can make a difference in the world. Professors bring conversations and texts into classes that are new and exciting everyday, and not only that, but you are encouraged to reflect and question. You get to delve into cultures and worlds you never dreamed of before. And if you open your mind, professors can make you see perspectives that you never previously would have thought of. College is an incredible opportunity to become a true critical thinker and open minded individual. You become a person who can acknowledge all sides and opinions and critically come to a conclusion. You become someone who can listen and respect differences. You become a positive member of society.

This is what I have found that college has done for me so far and I can’t wait to see what the next 2 years has in store. So to the class of 2020, go in with an open mind and heart and I hope you see what I see. College has so much to offer, if you get out of bed and go participate. It’s so worth it.

P.S. To all my high school teachers reading this. I think you are wonderful and you have such an important under-appreciated job. In this article I am speaking more about the system than anything. Thank you for all that you do.