... Here's What I've Learned So Far
A blog featuring tips from college freshman Rachel B.
College. From the movies we’ve seen and the stories we’ve heard from family members, college has a dazzling facade of partying, independence, and growth.
After completing my first semester at a university, there are a few things that I wish I knew about before this journey began.
Tip 1: Figure out how many classes you can handle.
One thing that completely blindsided me after about a month at school was how difficult and crucial for success each class is at a university. In high school 8 classes was the typical amount I took a year and when I got to college, I assumed that 7-8 classes in a semester would be the correct amount since I had no trouble with the workload previously. However, I quickly realized I could not balance the workload of 7 classes, at least not in my first semester since two of my classes included two 3-hour labs for chemistry and calculus. Not only are the classes longer than those in high school, I found that professors can overwhelm you with information in every session. As soon as I realized the workload involved, I made the decision to drop one of my classes. Don’t stress about it. After you adjust to your first semester, you might find you can handle more than you thought.
Tip 2: Be prepared for a heavier workload in a shorter amount of time.
At my high school taking Advanced Placement courses, known as AP’s, was heavily encouraged. These classes were designed to replicate and count for credit as a college course with the same amount of difficulty as a university course. I completed two AP classes in high school and they did not prepare me for the amount of work a college class would require. An Advanced Placement class curriculum is designed to equip the students with enough information for the final AP exam that they have 10 months to prepare for. However, in college you have 4 months to pass a class. That was a major shock for me and I didn’t realize until it was too late how much more effort I needed to put into my studies at a quicker pace.
Tip 3: Stay on top of all assignments.
From the beginning of the semester, I strongly encourage you to stay on top of all assignments. Once you fall behind or miss an assignment, it can impact your grade drastically and be difficult to catch up. Starting off with a strong foundation and completing all assignments can also help in case an exam grade doesn’t go the way you planned. If you have a bad week and fall behind, get help as soon as you can, either from your professor or the tutoring center at your college. Do not procrastinate and remember it's always ok to ask for help.
Tip 4: Time management is essential.
College forces you to start a brand new life. A new place to live, so many new people to meet, and no parents around! Although, having independence definitely has its ups and downs. You have all the control and need to learn how to manage and balance this new freedom and new responsibilities. As much as this is fun and exciting, it’s easy to forget the reason why you are at school: For your degree, to help launch your career. In my first semester, I loved spending time with all my new friends but I put socializing above schoolwork and ended up losing control of my grades which created a lot of stress for me. Instead, balance your time between school and fun in a way to ensure you are set up for success. In addition, I strongly recommend investing and following a calendar or planner in order to physically see what each day will look like. You can even find time management tips online and apps that can help with it.
Although everyone’s college experience is somewhat different, managing your time, putting maximum effort into studies and taking classes that will set you up for success are all tips that any college freshman should abide by. Even writing this blog has helped me to focus for this new semester. Also, there really are some good resources available on campus to help students in terms of academics, adjusting through this transition, and for personal mental health help! Overall, universities want you to succeed and all you have to do is set yourself up for achievement in the right ways.
Basically, what I'm saying here is I had to learn the hard way and I hope this input from my experience as a freshman at college helps you. Wishing you a fulfilling and healthy transition to college life.
Rachel B.