Around this time last year, I was frantically drafting and finalizing essays, trying to determine which represented me best and which one would leave more of an impact on college admissions officers. I was also still going back and forth on where I was even applying, trying to ensure I had options that I would be content spending the next 4 years of my life in. Even though I managed my time well, the college admissions process was still incredibly stressful. However, the high amount of thought and dedication paid off, I just started my second semester and I am happier than ever. However, I am a completely different person than I was when I moved in August. When you’re on your own, you learn important lessons about the world and yourself.
After I committed to CNU, I watched countless TikToks and YouTube videos, read multitudes of articles, and had many conversations with college students and graduates, trying to gather advice that could carry me through the next four years. Though they were helpful, experience truly is the best teacher. I have felt immense growth since my arrival at college. I have found that while I am learning valuable academic information in my classes, I have also learned a lot about myself and about life in general; I would like to give my two cents on the college advice conversation.
Lesson 1: trying new things isn’t that scary
Naturally, I am an introvert, so through orientation and welcome week, I found myself struggling to approach people. I knew at the time that everyone was in the same boat as me and looking to make friends, but I found it all very random. Our orientation groups and roommates were random, as were the roommates we received upon moving in. Though I was pushing myself to talk to people, I still felt like I was grasping at straws to find someone I clicked with. My first semester, I stuck to joining one campus organization and focusing on academics because I reached a certain point where it felt like I missed the window to make friends.
Eventually, I accepted that while my grades were good, I could not live that way for the rest of my college career, so I set a goal to be more social in the spring. In three short weeks, I have already seen my attempts paid off. Since the semester started, I rushed a sorority and joined a hip-hop group; if I told my anxious August self this, she would not believe me. However, I have already met people that are so genuinely caring and kind through these involvements. In taking a risk, I can see a community forming simply because I was willing to put myself out there and try something new.
Lesson 2: Sleep is your new best friend
As a new college student, it is difficult to establish balance in your daily life because your schedule isn’t the same everyday. Though it takes some time to figure out, understanding when you need to rest rather than pushing yourself to be productive is a must. College raises the standards, and though there is more freedom and flexibility, the expected quality of your work increases. This means that it’s better to take a break and do the work later than to push through and finish. It’s more than okay to take breaks, and as you learn about your own preferences and strengths, you can determine which sleep schedule suits you best, whether or not you’re a napper, and what times during the day you focus best.
I focus best between 10:30am and 3:00pm. I discovered this last semester, and was able to build my schedule for the spring around that. I also have a snack everyday around 3 to get some energy back if I don’t have time to nap. Personally, I take naps in 17 minute cycles, a suggestion that when I received I thought would never work for me. Typically, I am unable to fall asleep in 17 minutes, but I normally can in 38 or 51. College is about finding when and how to rest and reset so you can maintain your busy schedule. Though it’s different for everyone, sleep is vital to success and it is important to determine which schedule enhances your performance the most.
Lesson 3: Creative problem solving is a must
As a college student, you have to pick and choose which items you bring from home and which you will take to your dorm. One piece of advice I received while packing that was immensely helpful was to leave items that aren’t used at least once a week home. I used this as my packing guide for everything expect clothing, which I upped the frequency requirement to once a month for. However, sometimes you need an item you did not bring, yet you would not use it enough to justify buying it, especially if you have a perfectly good one at home.
I have six ear piercings, and every so often I like to switch out my jewelry for a fresh look. One evening as I was doing this, I dropped a butterfly back and it was never to be seen again. Though it was a healed piercing, it’s freshly healed and still relatively new, so I did not want to risk leaving the earring out until I could go home, where I have a pack of earring backs. Given that I was in a pinch, I grabbed a pencil from my desk and cut off a piece of the eraser to make a rubber stopper for my earring, which successfully held it in place until I was able to get a proper back on the earring.
Additionally, just last week, I went into my closet to grab the shirt I had planned to wear that day to find that it was wrinkled beyond belief. Most of my clothes are made out of materials that do not wrinkle easily, therefore I did not bring a steamer or an iron to school with me. The top I was planning to wear is a linen polyester blend, and therefore, is more prone to wrinkles. I had to think on my feet if I wanted to make it to class on time, so I laid the shirt down and pulled it taught to visibly remove the wrinkles and hit it with my blow dryer to provide heat. Miraculously, it worked and I was able to walk out my door on time wearing the outfit I had initially planned to. In college, it is important to be resourceful and work with what you have. Untraditional approaches to common issues require critical thinking, which I’ve found comes easily when I’m in a bind.
Lesson 4: if you play your cards right, college is more manageable than high school
Throughout my entire life I heard people say that college is incredibly difficult and that university students are always tired beyond belief. While this is partially true, I think as a general narrative it is not reflective of the college experience. Though it is still early in my time at CNU, I have found that college is what you make it. Every week, I sit down and put everything on a calendar; this includes work shifts, classes, involvements, meetings, and any office hours I’m planning to drop into. This helps me see when the gaps in my schedule are, allowing me to determine when I can focus on my school work and when I should rest.
Like everything else I’ve discussed, this takes time. My first three weeks here, I was so tired every night that was going to sleep at 10 and sleeping until about an hour before my first class. However, I eventually established a flow. I found that I like to focus for prolonged periods of time, then rest after everything is complete. I typically do my work a couple days in advance, leading me to have days where I do not have to do school work at all. The beauty of college is that it can be tailored to your personal preference, rather than being kept on the tight schedule of most high schools. College students are able to break their day up or chunk it together, unlike high school where you are kept in the same building for seven hours minimum, longer if you’re involved in extra-circulars, then return home to do hours of homework for each class. College lets you find your own flow, making it more manageable than high school, though it is more academically demanding.
Lesson 5: college is a blank canvas
A lot of people view college as being “fresh start” but never actually plan to change anything. Though attending a university inevitably prompts change, people never think to change themselves for the better. However, I immediately started thinking about who I could be in college, not just what I could do. I realized that I wanted people to remember me as a productive, kind, and involved Captain; I will not leave CNU without making a gigantic mark on the school. Over the next three and a half years, I want to try all sorts of new things and meet all sorts of new people. Though CNU is a small campus, there’s so much to explore, and opportunity doesn’t knock twice.
Being bold and confident can lead to clarity of interests and passions, so exploring everything a college has to offer can’t ever hurt. You can fully personalize the experience you have anywhere, and it can turn into something beautiful.
time flies
Every upperclassman I’ve spoken to since my arrival has told me the same thing: though 4 years feels like a long time, it passes by in the blink of an eye. This means that every moment should be seized and savored. The biggest piece of advice I have to give to any soon-to-be or currently new college student is to follow your interests, even if you’re nervous. Whether it be through a club, major, minor, or concentration, there are so many ways to work in the things you love into a college schedule. Additionally, if you’re on the fence about doing something, just try it. There is no requirement to commit to something if it isn’t for you, but at least you’ll be able to say you tried rather than always wondering.