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Student Life

Things You'll Learn During Your First Semester

11 things you'll begin to understand during and after your first semester of college.

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Things You'll Learn During Your First Semester
COPLAC | Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges

College is NOTHING like High School

Okay, so when they tell you in high school that they are preparing you for college and you just kind of brush it off, don’t. They truly are preparing you for college. Take that seriously.

Being an Adult Sucks Sometimes

Life is hard and expensive. You have all these newfound responsibilities and you don’t really know how to accomplish any of it. But it’s still fun and has its advantages.

Life is Expensive

Gas money, books, food, clothes, things you don’t really need but think you need, the list of things you need/want is endless. It gets expensive, but juggling a job, school, activities, social life, and still trying to sleep isn’t easy.

Learning about Something You Love is Exciting

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved learning but, coming to college and getting to go into my major was amazing. I’m in the classroom learning about something that I choose to do for the rest of my life and it’s so exciting.

Time Management

Okay number one, do not procrastinate. I repeat, do not procrastinate. I won’t lie, I can be pretty bad when it comes to procrastination and it kills me. You also need to prioritize. In college its really easy to get caught up in the social aspect of things and not take the time to study.

Going to Class is Important

If you’re laying in bed skipping class right now just know that you will eventually be disappointed in yourself. Going to class is so important. A lot of universities have attending counting towards your grade. Plus, you don’t know what you’re missing. I cannot stress how important it is to get out of bed and go to class.

Be Social

Leave your door open your first few weeks, people will stop in and chat. I met some of my closest friends that way. Instead of just going to class and sitting there barely knowing the names of the people next to you, introduce yourself, see if they want to start a study group. You might make some close friends that way, and if not you have someone to study with.

Join a Club/Organization

I believe that joining a club is one of the most important steps when it comes to making friends. You will meet so many people through these groups and also have a lot of amazing experiences.

Be Open Minded

You will meet so many different types of people when you get to school. Different race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, political views, sexualities, and people with different backgrounds wander your campus. It can be an amazing learning experience if you let it be. But you must keep an open mind and not judge people before you know them.

Don’t Stress Out if You and Your Friends Fight

Okay, you and your friends will be around each other for weeks, sometimes months, at a time. You won’t always get along. That’s okay, it won’t last long. Everyone gets super stressed and annoyed with everything. The stupid little arguments won’t last long. Take a weekend and go home. You will realize how dumb it is and will miss them.

Go to Class

Like seriously. Get out of bed and go to class. You’ll thank me later.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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