I always imagined being a teenager would be glamorously
tragic, full of adventure and heartbreak. I blame cult classics like Clueless and Mean Girls and High School
Musical for making me believe that everything about growing up just falls
into place; that becoming an adult, while difficult, is possible by wearing
cool 90s clothes, falling in love with a gorgeous senior, and breaking out into
Ortega worthy choreography. Unfortunately we can’t all be rich like Cher, good
at math like Cady (like…really?), or get into Stanford’s early acceptance like
Gabriella; however, life, even though it isn’t at all like the movies, is still
glamorously tragic - if not more tragic than glamourous at times. Nevertheless,
as I have reached the ripe old age of 19, I’m beginning to see the beauty in the
non-Hollywood aspect of life. Growing into this awkward late teen-adulthood phase
has taught me is that life is full of these amazing, totally unforeseen
opportunities that Hollywood couldn’t even dream of creating. We just have to take
them and take life in stride. We just have to live.
With that being said, since I have just finished my
first year of college, I have learned all too well the idea that some things
are not like I had originally thought. Therefore, I have decided to make a list
of some lessons I learned in order to provide a realistic view of what being a
young adult in college truly entails. While some of the items on my life may
seem cliché or common sense, I really found some truth in them. With that being
said, here are ten things I learned as I graduated high school, turned 19, and
finished my first year of college.
10.
Sleep is cool. Do it.
No, really. It is so tempting to stay up all night and
do homework (aka binge watch Netflix), but sleep really is important in order
to be emotionally, mentally, and physically stable. College is tough, exhausting,
and requires a lot of emotional and physical stamina. Sleep is the best
way to stay healthy, alert, and focused. You know, so you can study and learn
even more. Try to get at least 6-8 hours a night if at all
possible.
9.
Check your email. Check your email. Check your email.
Pre-college Rebecca hated email. Seriously. I loathed
hearing that annoying little ding notifying me that I had accidentally given a
business my real email address like two years ago. However, once you become an “adult”
(specifically a college student), email becomes your lifeline. Your professors
usually use email as a main form of contact; your college will provide invaluable
information regarding scholarships, work opportunities, events, and weather/security/well-being
alerts. I know it may seem like overkill, but email is so important.Check your email at least once a day and/or sync it to your phone.
8.
Have a good rapport with your professors/mentors/tutors/TAs/advisors/etc.
Making even a small connection with the people who
help you, teach you, and guide you is so helpful when it comes to your college
career. I was fortunate enough to go to a small college where I was able to
make a true connection with each professor, advisor, mentor, and tutor I had. Trust me it helps to have someone college related to be there for you. I realize
that no two people are the same, but sometimes just asking a professor for help
and making contact helps you relax in the classroom, ask for help, and provide inspiration. So many
of my professors have written me letters of recommendation, helped me explore
other career paths, and inspired me to be a better person. In the same way,
keep in contact with your advisors. Again, not everyone is the same, but the
advisors I have been in contact with really do care and want you to succeed.
Trust their advice and don’t be afraid to talk if you are having issues with
courses. Send an email, stay after class,and ask questions. If a the meeting/email response doesn't go the way you want,then you'll just have an added excuse to eat a bunch of ice-cream and cry it
out. It’s a win-win either way.
7.
SHOW UP TO CLASS!
I really hate that I have to put this on here, but seriously
it drives me crazy when people do not go to class. You, your parent/guardian/whoever,
is paying for your classes to further your education so please go to class. It
seems so self-explanatory, but I’ve witnessed fellow students show up for the
first day and the final and then complain about their bad grade. Really? I
know the current college myth is that professors don’t care if you show up to
class, but they do care, and they will dock points or fail
you for poor attendance. Unless you are sick or
there is an emergency there is no excuse. If you decide to not go to class, do
not complain about poor grades, mean professors, or not knowing about the policy.
Seriously, just don’t.
6.
It’s in the syllabus.
Everything is in the syllabus. Read the syllabus. Secure the syllabus in your brain. Conceal the syllabus in a safe, convenient place.Love the syllabus. Be the
syllabus. Seriously, professors will always hit you with the “it’s in the
syllabus” line. Be prepared. There is no reasoning with syllabus, the syllabus
rarely changes, the syllabus is the law of the land. Get used to it. Syllabus.
5.
Do the reading (and all other homework).
I’m not going to lie, when professors assign a reading
as homework, my brain automatically hears a chill, work-free night. This,
however, has proven to be a really horrible thing. Not doing homework may seem like
the easy thing to do, but, in the long run, it will destroy you. Pop quizzes and
tests are not just a high school thing, but a really real and scary thing that
will make you wish you had done the assignment. I realize doing the homework might
suck, but it will help you be more prepared and make better grades. After all, you
are in college for a reason.
4.
DON’T PROCRASTINATE!
I am guilty. I put off everything. It’s bad. In high
school, procrastination was pretty easy to get away with; fake a cough, fake a
fever and have an extra day to do work. College is not like that at all.
College is really cool because you have freedom and typically longer deadlines on projects depending on your major,
professor, and schedule; this is both a blessing and a curse. College
professors are smart and they know all about procrastination; therefore, I have
a theory that they all assign hard projects on the same day at the end of the
semester just to mess with students. When a student hears that a huge
assignment is due in 16 weeks, they start around week 16; however, that becomes
an issue when all 6 classes have projects due that week, plus finals. Don’t do it. You will (nearly) die, or have a breakdown. Or both, and
it won’t be pretty.
3.
Don’t overwhelm yourself.
I made the rookie mistake of trying to take on too
much my second semester because I was overly confident in my college-managing
skills. No matter how well your first semester goes, you do not have it all
together like you think. Trust me. I attempted to work two jobs, fulfill
commitments, and take a full course load, all-the-while dealing with life
stuff; this is not a good combination. After a few tearful nights, too many
overnighters, and caffeine running through my veins, I had to cut back and drop
a class. College should be a fun time of learning, creating, and finding
yourself. While you should be challenged and work hard, there is a limit. Don’t
try to be a superhero or a martyr because something will ultimately have to
give. Learn to say “no” and don’t be afraid to take a little
time for yourself. Prioritize, manage time, and organize.
2.
Get involved.
Before anyone declares me a hypocrite, do not overwhelm
yourself while in college, but do get involved as much as you can. By joining
clubs and programs, I was able to meet future professors, other important faculty
and staff at the college, and some of my best friends. It is really nice to
surround yourself with people who like the same things as you and are dealing
with the same things as you. Being involved also opens new doors for job opportunities,
scholarships, internships, and networking. I cannot stress enough how important
it is to make these connections, they will invaluable down the road. I have met
professors, influential members of the community, and gotten amazing letters of
recommendations just by being involved at my college. Find
something you like and join at least one club or organization. Trust me, you
won’t regret your decision.
1. You will be ok.
At some point in the semester, you will want to give
up all hope of a degree and decide that more lucrative careers seem more
attainable. That’s totally normal. College is supposed to be
challenging and hard and confusing and it is definitely not for everyone. If it were easy,
there wouldn’t be such an emphasis placed on the importance of furthering your
education. I think I speak for the whole college population when I say that
sometimes you will want to cry, laugh, scream, and give up within the course of
one math problem or English essay. The best thing about college is that you
will (eventually) finish the problem or essay, somehow get it right, happy scream,
dance around your room, call your mom, and feel like a genius. In essence, you
will be ok. So surround yourself with positive, encouraging people, go for a run, listen to music, dance, celebrate, and be emotional. It’s ok to
be human. You can do this, you will do this. You have a passion, a dream.
Follow it through and have fun along the way.
So,
that’s it. Those are my wise words of wisdom from my first year of college. I
realize that I am by no means an expert on surviving college or the late teen
years, I am simply giving my own insight on the topic. Of course, I still have
plenty to learn and I look forward to making more mistakes and accomplishing more
things that I ever thought possible. My college experience may not be Hollywood
worthy, but it’s been pretty cool and hard and scary and fun. So, to those reading,
good luck and embrace the realness of what life is post- high school. Look for opportunities,
and take life in stride.
