Becoming a freshman in college is one of the biggest transitions a young adult will make. Now that I have completed my freshman year, I have some more insight on the differences of college and high school, and I have also learned some things along the way.
The differences of College: The biggest and sometimes most overwhelming difference in college life, is that you are solely responisble for your own education. Sure you should be responsible in highschool; however, college is a whole nother level. One doesn’t neccassrily have to get a college degree, but it is ultimately your decision to attend school, get a job or have a gap year. Instead of your parents, older peers, or teachers telling you to finish highschool or pay attention to your educatiom, it is you that has to motivate yourself to get a degree. You also have to proactive when paying tuition, it’s not something you can just blow off, if you want to take classes then you have to pay. You are also responsible for keeping track of your GE requirments and choosing classes. Instead of a counselor choosing classes for you, you have to pick your own, and decide what is best to take. That is also the hardest part; the whole proess of making a schedule and finding classes that would work for your specific time slots, and making sure you have enough time in between classes. You also have to have copious amounts of back up classes ready at hand, in case they fill up during registration. Suffice to say it is a bit stressful to have to monitor your desired classes to see if they are being filled up, and the following dialouge comes in mind during this procedure,”No, what do you mean Politics 200, Section 1 is waitlisted already? It’s only the first day of registration. People stop filling up my classes! People better leave room for me! Geology 104 is filled, now my whole schedule is going to go up in smoke. What alternative is there?!” Admist scheduling differences in college, the course work is also slightly changed. Instead of having multiple homework assigments and free points for study guides in high school classes, your grades in lectures almost always come down to three or four tests and a final, and some extra credit if your lucky. This not only adds more pressure to doing well, but it eliminates the premise of acing all of your other assignments and blowing off the tests. Even though, I personally never did this, it is a bit worrysome when your grade for instance, all boils down to a few tests. And lastly, a major difference is that you are more free to do whatever you want. Sure you can get away with skiping class more easiluy in college, but if you do miss it, then you miss out on important information and lecture notes. All in all, with more freedom comes more responsibility, since your own choices will impact your experience.
What I learned: Professors are not as intimidating and impersonal as some in-coming freshman may think. While I have had some professors that are on more on the strict side, I have had only good experiences so far. Even if they are strict, it is because that really feel passionate about teaching you the topic they love. And if they weren’t passionate about what they were teaching then it would be a pretty monotomous class. And despite have a large class, you can still get help from your professor, and get to know more about them. Too bad highschool teachers do not have office hourse, because that is a really effecitve way to get help, and seek clarification. All of the professors that I have had so far, have been so intersting, funny, and all around fair; which is quite refreshing, since some high school teachers can come down with a bit of senioritos too. In general, I think I have learned more then I have learned in high school so far. Now I’m not discrediting my highschool teachers, they were all wonderful in their own way, yet the classes seem so much more enriching. Perhaps because I’m paying 300 dollars per unit. Nevertheless, I often come out of my classes thinking, “Wow, I have learned so much I feel so much more enriched and eduacted now.” It is nice to just soak those experiences up like a sponge. And lastly, I learned that joining a club or organization is key to making new friends and feeling like your really apart of your college. In joining a club or a study group you meet so many intetesting and diverse people, that you never thought you would be friends with. However, it is nice to have that little change. Since I was apart of my highschool’s French club and the school newspaper, The Pony Express I missed being involved in something. But once I joined HerCampus, I’ve been able to get myself involved, and make some friends and gain some new experiences along the way, which college is all about.