I recently finished my first semester at Oklahoma State and to say it’s been a whirlwind is an understatement. I’ve been confronted with things like homesickness, papers that have been too close to being late and more. On the other hand, I couldn’t ask for anything more. Here are some of the lessons I carried with me to the spring semester:
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Professors do and don’t care:
If you don’t care, they don’t care. It’s not like high school, where you can go up to a teacher past due date and beg for an extension or a late submission. Professors don’t usually do that, and as a result, I’ve seen peers drop out of the classes I was in. If you fail to be attentive to the due date, they don’t care. But at the same time, they do. If you’re forefront with a professor about an issue, and/or you’re struggling with anything (school related or personal), they want to help in any way they can. That’s not to say they can help with everything, but they’re people, too, and they are capable of compassion. Talking with your professor—in a timely and appropriate manner—will go a long way.
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Due dates come fast:
It’s okay to put an assignment on the back-burner because there are other assignments that have a closer due date, are more pressing or are just more interesting. But when you put an assignment off, it’s easy to forget about it, and suddenly you’re facing a deadline with little to show for. Last semester, I had to learn how to properly organize my time. It may take some time to learn your niche, as it did with me, because organizing my schedule wasn’t something I needed to know how to do in high school. Just know—if I can do it, so can you.
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You’ll meet people who want to be your friend, and you’ll meet people who could not care less about your presence:
Luckily, I’ve been encountering more of the former than the latter, but it happens at every college. There’s people who are at school for a reason. Maybe they’re not concerned with making new friends. Who knows. Last semester, when a girl I was talking to found out I’m a freshman, she immediately lost interest in our conversation. For the remainder of the semester, she sat somewhere else. But there are also people who genuinely want to get to know you and be your friend. Sometimes, you have to take the initiative and talk to them first, but it will be worth it.
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Homesickness hits at random points:
This happened to me around Christmas time. With Christmas being my favorite holiday, it was hard not being able to go present-shopping with my mom or bake cookies and watch movies with my sisters for the better part of the season. A quick phone call to my mom or dad usually helped me feel better and feel like I was doing something right. At least I’m away getting an education than on another note. I’ve also found it to be helpful to surround myself with friends who have good intentions because they’re willing to listen to you complain and offer helpful advice. If you are struggling with dealing with the obstacle of homesickness, read this article that helped me: https://studybreaks.com/college/homesickness/
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You settle for more than you would expect:
This is true in many senses. Now, getting a C on an assignment is more of an accomplishment than getting an A on something in high school. At home, I used to shower every day; now I shower every other day and hope no one can notice my excessively greasy hair. Gross, I know. Don’t even get me started on food. I enjoy home-cooked meals more than anything, and a year ago I wouldn’t settle on having burgers three times a week, but when you’re exhausted and have been doing homework for the past 3 hours, you settle for what is close and convenient. If you’re not in college yet, just wait. You’ll settle too.
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It’s not like the movies:
In college-life movies, the protagonist finds him or herself in a lot of situations in the first semester alone, dealing with friends, relationships, classwork, club activities, party life and more. And that happens to a certain degree, but as I’ve learned in my first semester, my life isn’t that intense—and I like to think I was socially active. Do things pick up speed in the spring semester? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out.https://media.giphy.com/media/9rMvwuIpMBKU0/giphy.gif
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I have yet to learn a lot about myself and that’s okay:
For a lot of people, including myself, starting college is a culture shock—especially when someone attends school out-of-state. I’ve learned minor things, like how I study best and how much I can tolerate before everything gets too stressful, but it doesn’t extend further than that. And, again, that’s okay. No one is under a strict time limit to find out who he or she is. I have another 3 years to learn more about who I am, what I’m meant to pursue and other things I don’t know yet. What I do know, though, is what I’m never going to major in—anything science related.
This first semester has been a test of strength, but this first year is preparing me for life after college when the only person I can depend on is myself. Along the way, I’ve met great friends, caring mentors, jerks, scary professors and countless others, and I can’t wait to do it again for the next couple of years. Go Pokes!