It is true that you are away from home and on your way to become independent adults, but take speculation friends, because the going is tough.
The first week or two of college is the most overwhelming (besides finals) and the best time, from my experience. You meet new people, you say your name and where you’re from six hundred ninety eight times, and you go out and have fun (definition of fun varies from person to person).
This is of course is very exciting and an opportunity you’ll get once, but you have to make sure you don’t get on too much of a happy “high” from the first few weeks of college. Otherwise stated, balance your fun with the appropriate amount of serious studying.
And so I say this statement from previous experience: don’t underestimate college courses. I’m positive you guys have had your fair share of AP courses, been utterly challenged by some crazy teachers at your high school, cried many times because of stress or became nocturnal (sleep after school, wake up at 2am to finish homework, eat, go to school and repeat). Yes, been there, done that.
So you’re graduates from high school, walking down your streets with swagger like you own the town because you’re going to whichever University. You’ve lived through –insert crazy teacher’s name here–‘s wrath and you know that nothing can stop you from succeeding at your College. Yes, it is a beautiful feeling.. until you screw up at college and drop courses, get a W on your transcript, cry to your mom about your grades, lose friends because your focusing too much on school, skip meals because you need the extra 3 hours of sleep before the Bio midterm, wake up to realize your laptop was stolen overnight because you didn’t lock the door.. need I say more?
So that’s the ultimate extreme of negative nancy right there. But of course, still possible, not necessarily in that order, but some parts here and there. This is why I am telling you guys now, do NOT take courses that are as follows:
A) A language course that will NEVER be useful to you, or that you are just remotely interested in after discussing with a fellow peer. E.g Arabic. I took Arabic 101 and found myself clueless as to why, how, who convinced me and where I will ever use it (though I did converse in Arabic with a taxi driver one night at emory- might I add, he did NOT lower the fare just because I spoke Arabic). B) Multiple science courses in one semester: “But I’m premed and I want to get an edge in the game and show med schools that I really love science! And plus, I went through a lot of hard courses in high school with AP Bio, Psych, Chem, Physics, Calculus all at the same time! College shouldn’t be any different or any harder since I’ve already been through a lot in high school.” AHEM. WRONG. I’m sorry to say but high school does not equal College in any sort of way possible. Sorry children, but you’re gonna have to step up your game here. Imagine taking simply Chemistry and Biology together along with whatever two courses to fulfill GER’s like English 101 and Freshman Seminar: NBB. You would have to balance chemistry readings, physics readings, English readings, seminar logs, chemistry SI sessions, Physics SI sessions, Professor Office hours, eating (can’t forget that), English papers, going to the tutoring center to get your paper revised (extremely helpful btw), seminar papers and of course, sleep. And you’ll probably want to spend time with friends in there sometime. Yes, this is in a week’s span, but I have to say your hours go by in a snap. Don’t waste them. Or be overwhelmed with classes. C) Social life 90%; Academic 10%. Your parents aren’t payin $50,000 for you to party at frats/sororities/whatever you do for fun. It’s easy to be sucked into social life, especially if your lovable lucy who is friends with everyone. Why? Because different people from different groups would constantly nag for you to come to different parties all throughout different times during the week. Balance is essential and it’s definitely possible!
College can get tough at many different points. But you’re not in this alone. Always know you have support, rely on your friends or go to the University/College Student Counseling Center. Don’t underestimate their services, you can really benefit from using their resources. Best of luck.