Committing to going to a higher education is no easy decision. There are many factors that could go into you choosing whether you should attend university, and if so, where? There are hundreds of resources that help you choose if you should go to college, where, and what to major in, but nobody writes about the reality when you get to college. That is where I come in.
Here are a few things to consider when you get to college:
1. Commuters have to do more work
Staying at home versus staying in college is no right or wrong debate. Both have pros and cons; as someone who lives on campus, it is often stated that if you do not live on campus; you have to be more proactive with connecting with your university. It is so easy to just come to class and leave; if it is your goal to find lifelong friends or be involved, you have to take the time to stay on campus and go to events. Going to events and joining clubs is the best way to meet new people and even discover passions you didn’t know you had. If you choose to stay home or off-campus, come to campus on your days off, go to events, take the time to get to know your university and the people in it.
2. Finding friends is not like k-12.
It was relatively easy to make friends in primary school through high school. You probably saw the same people in class, and you were there every day. College is a different beast. You may not be on campus every day and that is true for many students. Some students may be closed off to meeting friends because of their focus on getting their degree or content with their high school friends. This can be even harder for out-of-state/out-of-country students; heading into a new state not knowing anyone is extremely emotionally taxing, and it takes extra pro-activeness to create a support system for people. Like in point one, take time to go to events that interest you and be that person to go up to people and start a conversation. Everyone is probably nervous to some degree so don’t be too intimidated to start a conversation.
3. Professors are not like teachers.
Life happens. You get sick, emergencies happen, and people unfortunately pass away. Life does not stop because you are in school. There are going to be times when you may not be able to go to class or you must miss an assignment or two. It happens to everyone, and that is okay. Unfortunately, there are those professors; you’ll have to show extensive documentation to get an extension you may still not be able to make. It can be frustrating as a student because those policies are most likely originating from students lying just to get out of work. Never allow professors or other leadership positions to compromise your mental health or your outside responsibilities in those situations. Take your time and do what is best for you. School is never that serious to compromise your mental health or responsibilities to your family.
These warnings are not to scare you or shy you away from getting a college degree. These are things to put into perspective with where you are in life. Always look at your life standing before committing to something to this nature to make sure you are putting your best foot forward.
