We all know that college can be scary. Whether you are living at home, moving a few hours away, or moving across the country, college is a time of transition. It is a time of growth, success, failure, youth, age, responsibility, and of course, change.
Classes will be harder and you will be held more accountable than in high school.
Even if you took AP, IB, AICE, dual enrollment, etc., your coursework will be harder, I promise. You will have more assignments, shorter deadlines, less forgiveness, and more accountability. While skipping class does not mean a call home to your parents, it can often impact your grade. I know it may feel tempting to skip class, especially when you're in lecture halls with 200+ people and think your professor does not even know your name. But don't skip without a valid reason and always email the professor as soon as you are aware you will be absent from class.
Take every opportunity to make connections.
If you are the kid that emails the professor, shows up to office hours (even if it is just to say hi), and sits in the front few rows of the lecture hall, you will be able to build the connection you need for success. The professor will not go chasing after you to get to know you-- you must take it upon yourself to build a relationship with him/her.
Get used to semester-long friendships and try to build friendships outside of class.
Look, you will befriend someone in a class and never see them again. Or, if you are already in your more major-related courses, you will see them in multiple classes every semester. Either way, enjoy befriending classmates and make it a point to hang out with those closest to you outside of school. If you only ever see them in class, odds are you won't keep talking outside of it. Invite them to football games, parties, lunch, etc. Make connections!
Do NOT take an 8 am course.
At least, not one by itself. I found that having classes back to back, or with a small break in between, helps me stay focused and attend my classes on time. If my 8 am class is the only class I have that day, it would be a lot easier to sleep through it than if I had an 8 am, 9:30 am, and 12:30 pm.
To those moving away: you will miss your family and that is okay.
You will miss the friends who went to different colleges and the family you are used to seeing every day. Utilize technology to text, call, and Facetime your loved ones. If you are closer to home, you may be tempted to visit a lot. I found that the more I went home, the more I missed it, and I limited my home visits to once a month because of it.
You will have fun.
Regardless of who you are or where you come from, you will find people you enjoy hanging out with, studying with, partying with, etc. Colleges have all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds. So relax, go to class, and enjoy the best years of your life!
