Admit it: at some point in time, you thought high school was hard.
Whether we were struggling with AP Physics C or complaining about college essays, we all told ourselves that as long as we worked hard enough in high school, we were “done” once we got into college. Home free. Then second semester senior year rolled around, and with it a new generation of incredibly unmotivated high school upperclassmen. Schoolwork was, to us, only a distant memory, and in our futures, we had parties, red solo cups, and a complete and utter lack of parental supervision to look forward to. And welcome/orientation week was just that. Fast forward a few short weeks of classes, and almost everyone is in the midst of what we call “midterms” – which are really just our first real exams, but what I like to classify as “a big wake-up call”.
It shouldn’t come as a shock that college classes require so much more work. After all, colleges are institutions of higher learning, and at Duke especially, where everyone was in the top of his or her high school class, it takes an even greater push to stand out. But when faced with burdensome textbooks and endless problem sets on Sakai, we – or, at least, I – are completely stunned by how much effort it actually takes to do well academically in college. We’re talking all-nighters, comically heavy backpacks and potentially life-threatening doses of caffeine. Having taken AP classes in high school, I thought I was ready for the college pace, but the gradually worsening bags under my eyes this week say otherwise.
These midterms do more than just keep us trekking to the library and rob us of our nightly eight hours. Gone are the carefully planned and styled outfits so many girls used to wear to their early morning classes, and in their place, sweatshirts have taken over. I would say it’s almost nice to see people dressing more casually, but the dead look in their eyes is a little depressing, especially considering how hyped and excited we all were a few weeks ago.
At first, fellow freshmen, this round one of exams might seem like it’s getting the best of you. It can look like the unbridled freedom you had during O-week has given way to a life full of misery and tedium. But keep pulling through. This is our first real transition into independence, responsibility and self-discipline. Some of us might have been luckier than others in this first set of exams, but after we get out of this together, we’ll have all truly learned, grown and become college kids – the real deal. (Perhaps just as importantly: we can finally start to catch up on that lost sleep.)