Transitioning from high school to college can be simple for some but a massive hurdle for others. There's no definitive right or wrong approach to transitioning to college as each individual brings their unique academic and personal background.
As you contemplate this exhilarating new venture and its potential, remember to be receptive to self-growth, broadening your experiences, and widening your social circle. Here are several pieces of advice to aid in seamlessly bridging the journey from high school to college.
Get Organized
If you're an exceptional student who has consistently relied on a proven system of organization and record-keeping throughout high school, that's excellent! Just keep going with it. However, if your high school journey was characterized by a cluttered locker, an unused day planner from 2007 tucked away in your backpack, and you've never really thought of yourself as someone who takes notes, it's time for a shift in your approach. In college, self-responsibility is the expectation, which involves juggling numerous deadlines and commitments, refraining from procrastination, and prudent time management.
Work Hard
University life is indeed exciting with many activities and events constantly taking place. It's quite simple to get swept away by this vibrant social scene. However, it's crucial to recall that your primary focus in college should be academic growth.
The pace of college classes is brisk and involves less guidance. Hence, ensure you're prepared to absorb knowledge when you attend class, study diligently, and build relationships with your professors. Once you complete your studies you will get to wear the sophisticated college graduation gowns you always admired, but remember, to get there you need to put in the effort and work hard consistently throughout your college journey.
Don't Feel Swamped, Wisely Handle Your New-found Freedom
University life is a journey of uncovering new areas of interest and pushing your boundaries. It's an opportunity to tap into unprecedented levels of perseverance and grit to earn your degree. However, not achieving top grades immediately is entirely normal.
You may find that the course content is significantly more challenging than what you faced in high school, which could add stress. Your initial grades might not meet your expectations, remember you have the whole academic year to enhance these scores. Focus on gradual improvement, take each day as it comes, and kick-start your study routine early.
Engage in Transparent Conversations with Your Roommates
While on-campus living offers numerous advantages, one of the main hurdles new students encounter is adapting to cohabitation with roommates. Following your initial year, you might get more leeway in selecting a college roommate.
However, during your first term, chances are high that you'll be sharing a compact space with a stranger, or perhaps a group of students whose daily routines may greatly differ from yours. Setting some basic rules from the start is crucial to avoid clashes with your roommates. Disputes over responsibilities like cooking or taking out the garbage can be avoided by devising a chore timetable and equally distributing domestic duties.
Carve Out Some Time for Yourself
A fresh setting, unfamiliar faces, distanced from home and beloved ones - removing these support structures can leave you feeling solitary and vulnerable. This is a common sentiment, likely shared by many of your peers.
The solution lies in taking some time to establish your equilibrium. Discover that space within you where you can say halt, breathe, accept, and strategize. Welcome your new surroundings, your new companions, your unexpected lectures, and the substantial volume of course material. Strategize your subsequent move to introduce structure to the disorder, to alleviate the stress-induced hypertension.
Endnote
The continuity of our habits from high school to college, whether beneficial or detrimental, is often underestimated. However, this doesn't imply we should disregard this. Allocating time to introspect on our behaviors before heading to college and striving to better our weak areas can make college life more fluid and easier to handle.
