So this is for all of my high school friends that are about to go off to college. The summer between freshmen and senior year is one that is full of opposites. At the same time that you are euphoric to move on to the bigger and better things in life, a part of you wants to hold on to your high school memories. They are a thing of comfort in a time where you have no clue what the future holds in store. It doesn't help that your college years will be a factor that shapes who you are and who you will become in the future. These thoughts fill you with worry, especially the thoughts of: will I make friends?, how's the food?, the weather?, the workload? Every question answered generates another dozen.
While answers to some specific questions do change based on where you are going, there are some common questions that I can answer with my own experiences.
1. How's the workload?
Honestly it depends from person to person. Just like in high school there are things that take one person 30 minutes to finish and another person hours. Graded homework is assigned in some classes but not all. Others just expect you to do problems for the benefit of practice. So on average I'd say on a daily basis you'd probably spend 3-4 hours a day working on homework and then this will increase when you have projects, tests, or anything stressful coming up.
2. Can I get assistance with coursework?
Of course. Most colleges offer some sort of tutoring program that will help struggling students with the coursework. If you need the extra help, I urge you to take advantage of it because a little extra help never harmed anyone and learning a new study strategy along the way is never a bad thing.
3. What is it like living in a dorm?
This is honestly the most difficult question to answer because it really depends on how lucky (or unlucky you get). I got lucky and got a roommate that was easy to talk to and even though our living styles were way different it was easy to just talk through and find a compromise. However some of my other friends didn't get so lucky and had roommates that were argumentative, disrespectful, and very hard to approach. But the thing is the way you and your roommate interact is up to you. While it doesn't make sense to argue over everything you disagree about, do try to compromise on the issues that really matter. Don't argue over how loudly she chews her popcorn when you're more annoyed of the fact that you get sexiled every weekend.
I know this answer might seem a little scary but remember, it's YOUR room too and if you and your roommate keep on getting into disagreements, talking to the RA is not a bad thing.
4. How is the Greek Life?
Again the answer to this question really really depends on where you go. If you go to a huge state school you might end up with fraternities and sororities with the big parties you see on MTV. However if you go to a private institution the Greek Life is more service oriented. Also there's a difference between social and profession fraternities. While I can't speak for the social side, I am a member of Alpha Chi Sigma (the Professional Chemistry fraternity) and even though I've only been a member for a year, it has really shaped my freshman year. Through AXS I was able to connect with people I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet otherwise and I had a really great time doing service events and just generally having the opportunity to be a part of something that means so much to so many people.
5. What do you do for fun?
There is a plethora of things to do for fun. Different organizations across campus like to host different events so there's never a shortage of things to do on the weekend. Just keep your eyes open and there should be posters/fliers/facebook events for all the different stuff going on around campus. Plus you'll have friends who will want to do stuff around campus or watch a movie so you don't have to worry about having fun.
6. Do you get homesick?
Initially yes but it also varies from person to person. It's weird being in a place where you don't really know many people on campus and if you're going out of state you are not even very familiar with the city. Also there are many factors that feed into why you are homesick. Some people miss their family, their friends, their significant others, the atmosphere, everyone feels homesick for a different reason. The good news is that eventually you get over it. Once you start talking to new people and making friends and discovering more about campus it's easier to lose the homesickness.
7. How do you make friends?
The first few weeks are not a time to feel shy. Talking to complete strangers is out of most people's comfort zones so stop thinking of all the unknown faces around you as strangers! They are your classmates, your peers, your potential friends/romantic interests. Everyone is a mystery and the answer to that mystery is not stranger, but it's up to you to figure out who they are. Talk to people, find common interests and remember they are feeling the same exact way you are. You aren't alone.
8. How do you keep in touch with your parents?
So this one definitely varies from person to person. I've met people who call their parents multiple times during the day, to once a week, or a month, even to once a semester. This is something you're going to have to talk out with your parents. How often do they want to hear from you and how often do you want to talk to them? Also to keep in mind as time goes on, your habits and frequency will definitely change.
9. How well do you keep in touch with friends back home?
I know you're going to hate hearing this but you're large extensive group of friends most likely won't last. The thing about high school is that you become friends because you don't really have a choice there are only so many people in your grade/classes. In college you make your friends based on who they are, not because you have no other option. In a place with over 6000 students you don't have to pick your friends because they are in your class you pick them based on personalities and if you drift apart chances are you won't see them at a lot of things anymore.
Basically what I am saying is you might not have your giant group of friends but you will still have that small group of people you do care about and you're going to keep in contact with them in your own way. Everyone does something differently from playing video games with their friends to just snapchatting them everyday. How you keep in touch is up to you.
10. What if I'm in a relationship?
So yeah the whole long distance thing really sucks. It's hard trying to talk with your other half when you don't get to see them everyday. It's hard because you want nothing more than to talk to them for hours on end but when their schedule is different from yours you can't really do that. But if you're serious about each other you'll make it work in a way that works best for you. There are many options that people in LDR opt for such as being in an open relationship. Other people (if it's possible) just promise to see each other as often as they can.
The way the relationship plays out is up to you. Sometimes things aren't meant to work and it's for the best that you break up. Other times you'll last through college and even well past that. You can't predict the future so focus on what you have now and just cherish that.
These are just some of the questions I've been asked about college, if you have any other question you'd like me to answer just comment and I'll answer it as soon as I can :)
While answers to some specific questions do change based on where you are going, there are some common questions that I can answer with my own experiences.
1. How's the workload?
Honestly it depends from person to person. Just like in high school there are things that take one person 30 minutes to finish and another person hours. Graded homework is assigned in some classes but not all. Others just expect you to do problems for the benefit of practice. So on average I'd say on a daily basis you'd probably spend 3-4 hours a day working on homework and then this will increase when you have projects, tests, or anything stressful coming up.
2. Can I get assistance with coursework?
Of course. Most colleges offer some sort of tutoring program that will help struggling students with the coursework. If you need the extra help, I urge you to take advantage of it because a little extra help never harmed anyone and learning a new study strategy along the way is never a bad thing.
3. What is it like living in a dorm?
This is honestly the most difficult question to answer because it really depends on how lucky (or unlucky you get). I got lucky and got a roommate that was easy to talk to and even though our living styles were way different it was easy to just talk through and find a compromise. However some of my other friends didn't get so lucky and had roommates that were argumentative, disrespectful, and very hard to approach. But the thing is the way you and your roommate interact is up to you. While it doesn't make sense to argue over everything you disagree about, do try to compromise on the issues that really matter. Don't argue over how loudly she chews her popcorn when you're more annoyed of the fact that you get sexiled every weekend.
I know this answer might seem a little scary but remember, it's YOUR room too and if you and your roommate keep on getting into disagreements, talking to the RA is not a bad thing.
4. How is the Greek Life?
Again the answer to this question really really depends on where you go. If you go to a huge state school you might end up with fraternities and sororities with the big parties you see on MTV. However if you go to a private institution the Greek Life is more service oriented. Also there's a difference between social and profession fraternities. While I can't speak for the social side, I am a member of Alpha Chi Sigma (the Professional Chemistry fraternity) and even though I've only been a member for a year, it has really shaped my freshman year. Through AXS I was able to connect with people I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet otherwise and I had a really great time doing service events and just generally having the opportunity to be a part of something that means so much to so many people.
5. What do you do for fun?
There is a plethora of things to do for fun. Different organizations across campus like to host different events so there's never a shortage of things to do on the weekend. Just keep your eyes open and there should be posters/fliers/facebook events for all the different stuff going on around campus. Plus you'll have friends who will want to do stuff around campus or watch a movie so you don't have to worry about having fun.
6. Do you get homesick?
Initially yes but it also varies from person to person. It's weird being in a place where you don't really know many people on campus and if you're going out of state you are not even very familiar with the city. Also there are many factors that feed into why you are homesick. Some people miss their family, their friends, their significant others, the atmosphere, everyone feels homesick for a different reason. The good news is that eventually you get over it. Once you start talking to new people and making friends and discovering more about campus it's easier to lose the homesickness.
7. How do you make friends?
The first few weeks are not a time to feel shy. Talking to complete strangers is out of most people's comfort zones so stop thinking of all the unknown faces around you as strangers! They are your classmates, your peers, your potential friends/romantic interests. Everyone is a mystery and the answer to that mystery is not stranger, but it's up to you to figure out who they are. Talk to people, find common interests and remember they are feeling the same exact way you are. You aren't alone.
8. How do you keep in touch with your parents?
So this one definitely varies from person to person. I've met people who call their parents multiple times during the day, to once a week, or a month, even to once a semester. This is something you're going to have to talk out with your parents. How often do they want to hear from you and how often do you want to talk to them? Also to keep in mind as time goes on, your habits and frequency will definitely change.
9. How well do you keep in touch with friends back home?
I know you're going to hate hearing this but you're large extensive group of friends most likely won't last. The thing about high school is that you become friends because you don't really have a choice there are only so many people in your grade/classes. In college you make your friends based on who they are, not because you have no other option. In a place with over 6000 students you don't have to pick your friends because they are in your class you pick them based on personalities and if you drift apart chances are you won't see them at a lot of things anymore.
Basically what I am saying is you might not have your giant group of friends but you will still have that small group of people you do care about and you're going to keep in contact with them in your own way. Everyone does something differently from playing video games with their friends to just snapchatting them everyday. How you keep in touch is up to you.
10. What if I'm in a relationship?
So yeah the whole long distance thing really sucks. It's hard trying to talk with your other half when you don't get to see them everyday. It's hard because you want nothing more than to talk to them for hours on end but when their schedule is different from yours you can't really do that. But if you're serious about each other you'll make it work in a way that works best for you. There are many options that people in LDR opt for such as being in an open relationship. Other people (if it's possible) just promise to see each other as often as they can.
The way the relationship plays out is up to you. Sometimes things aren't meant to work and it's for the best that you break up. Other times you'll last through college and even well past that. You can't predict the future so focus on what you have now and just cherish that.
These are just some of the questions I've been asked about college, if you have any other question you'd like me to answer just comment and I'll answer it as soon as I can :)
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