Coming to college is definitely a scary time for some because you are moving to a completely new place not knowing anyone, and are expected to be completely fine with it. Hearing multiple myths about college makes it even scarier. But, with my three years of college experience so far, I’ll tell you that some of these myths are just not true. Here are four college myths that you can throw out the window.
1. You have to stick with your initial major.
When I first came to college, I thought that I knew exactly what I wanted to major in, which was psychology. But, as I started taking classes, I knew that it just wasn’t right for me. I was so freaked out because I thought I was going to fall behind and had to stay an extra year, but in the end, everything worked out. And, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, 80% of students change their major at least once. So, there is no need to worry if you want to explore your options.
2. It takes four years to graduate.
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Graduation in four years is usually expected for a college student. But, due to different circumstances, such as money, classes and even mental health, it may not be possible. It’s not the end of the world. Yeah, you may have to take some classes over the summer or take some extra credits during the school year, but if you need to take that time off and figure out your schooling situation and yourself, it will be worth it in the end.
3. Staying up all night will help you get better grades.
With many as all-nighters that I have had chugging coffee and reading textbooks, only a few of those nights have actually benefited me during exams. It has just made me even more tired and groggy in the morning. And, with the information I did retain from staying up all night, it didn’t really make that much of a difference. It’s best to just space out all of your studying and to not cram two days before the exam.
4. You can’t party and maintain good grades.
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I feel like every college movie I’ve seen has had a girl that studied nonstop, but had no social life, or had the party girl, but she was dumber than a bag of rocks. It basically insinuated that you have to be one of these two people and that’s just not true. It’s possible to maintain good grades and go out, and enjoy yourself on the weekends. It’s just a matter of prioritizing what needs to be done.
These are just some of the myths that I found not to be true in my college experience so far. You’ll find there to be more that are untrue when you go to college, and hopefully, you can live your college life to the fullest.