5 Things You Might Not Except as a College Freshman
Hello, guys! So, as many of you know, I am a college student going into my third year (that feels so weird to say). I wanted to offer some of my advice and things I wish I would have known as a freshman. Additionally, I transferred to my current university my sophomore year so these tips could also apply to transfers. If you want more tips of on any college-related topics, be sure to search the word "college" in the sidebar to find all my college posts!
1. Class sizes will change dramatically--I came from a pretty small high school with only about 60 people in my graduating class. My first university had smaller class sizes with only 15-25 people which was nice in some ways in that I got to know my professors and fellow students a lot more. When I came to my current university my classes got a lot bigger and I found it a lot harder to talk with professors and other students. However, it is possible, you just have to make more of an effort. My advice would be to maybe talk to your professor after class or their office hours if you want to get to know them more or have any questions about the class.
2. The way you are used to having class will also change--My high school was very much into discussions and being hands-on when it came to our class time. However, college is different in that many of your courses will be lecture based. The idea of a big lecture hall with a professor droning on and on might seem boring to some, but I promise if you pay attention, you will learn something. I find that the best way to pay attention in lecture is to take notes. In both my university experiences, I have been allowed to use my laptop for notetaking in most cases. Try to find a method of notetaking that works for you whether it's typing notes on your laptop or printing out lecture slides or taking notes in a notebook. I always find I learn the material better when my notes are in a format that is easy for me to see and understand. Many classes I do find it easier to type notes since I type faster than I write which allows me to get more material in my notes verses if I handwrote.
3. Scheduling classes will be more of challenge--In high school, I never had to worry about getting to take the classes I was interested in. But college is different in that you are taking longer classes with only 2-3 classes per day versus 4-5 shorter classes in one day. I always try to find class times that are between 9am-3pm since I've found those are my most productive hours. It is during those times I have the energy and focus to learn and absorb information the best so I am always mindful of that when scheduling classes. However, the biggest issue I've had with scheduling classes is that they fill up or do not offer enough sections of the class I want. My best advice for that is to always waitlist a class if possible or find an alternative class you can take that is a similar course to the one you wanted. Many schools base their openings for classes in order of credit hours so be sure you are staying up on your hours to put you in the best position to get future classes before others.
4. Making friends is a lot harder than in high school--In high school, I had a few close friends that I would hang out with every day and have a majority of my classes with. However, in college, since you don't have the same classes every day and your classes are much bigger, it can harder to make friends with those around you. You have to make more of an effort to get to know people. My advice would be to start small by just introducing yourself on the first day of class to the person sitting next to you. Later on, you might join an organization or a club sport and met people with common interests. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.
5. What you put into your education is what you get out of it--I feel like this applies to both high school and college, but more so in college since you have a bit more control over the classes you take. If you want to succeed, you have to put in the work to do so. No one is going to hand you A's on every assignment you do or every test you take. You have to earn it. This idea isn't new to me, but for those who breezed their way through high school not studying and managed a 4.0 GPA, just know that college actually requires some effort.
1. Class sizes will change dramatically--I came from a pretty small high school with only about 60 people in my graduating class. My first university had smaller class sizes with only 15-25 people which was nice in some ways in that I got to know my professors and fellow students a lot more. When I came to my current university my classes got a lot bigger and I found it a lot harder to talk with professors and other students. However, it is possible, you just have to make more of an effort. My advice would be to maybe talk to your professor after class or their office hours if you want to get to know them more or have any questions about the class.
2. The way you are used to having class will also change--My high school was very much into discussions and being hands-on when it came to our class time. However, college is different in that many of your courses will be lecture based. The idea of a big lecture hall with a professor droning on and on might seem boring to some, but I promise if you pay attention, you will learn something. I find that the best way to pay attention in lecture is to take notes. In both my university experiences, I have been allowed to use my laptop for notetaking in most cases. Try to find a method of notetaking that works for you whether it's typing notes on your laptop or printing out lecture slides or taking notes in a notebook. I always find I learn the material better when my notes are in a format that is easy for me to see and understand. Many classes I do find it easier to type notes since I type faster than I write which allows me to get more material in my notes verses if I handwrote.
3. Scheduling classes will be more of challenge--In high school, I never had to worry about getting to take the classes I was interested in. But college is different in that you are taking longer classes with only 2-3 classes per day versus 4-5 shorter classes in one day. I always try to find class times that are between 9am-3pm since I've found those are my most productive hours. It is during those times I have the energy and focus to learn and absorb information the best so I am always mindful of that when scheduling classes. However, the biggest issue I've had with scheduling classes is that they fill up or do not offer enough sections of the class I want. My best advice for that is to always waitlist a class if possible or find an alternative class you can take that is a similar course to the one you wanted. Many schools base their openings for classes in order of credit hours so be sure you are staying up on your hours to put you in the best position to get future classes before others.
4. Making friends is a lot harder than in high school--In high school, I had a few close friends that I would hang out with every day and have a majority of my classes with. However, in college, since you don't have the same classes every day and your classes are much bigger, it can harder to make friends with those around you. You have to make more of an effort to get to know people. My advice would be to start small by just introducing yourself on the first day of class to the person sitting next to you. Later on, you might join an organization or a club sport and met people with common interests. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.
5. What you put into your education is what you get out of it--I feel like this applies to both high school and college, but more so in college since you have a bit more control over the classes you take. If you want to succeed, you have to put in the work to do so. No one is going to hand you A's on every assignment you do or every test you take. You have to earn it. This idea isn't new to me, but for those who breezed their way through high school not studying and managed a 4.0 GPA, just know that college actually requires some effort.
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