There is no doubt that college is incredibly different from high school. Our days are no longer structured for us and we no longer have to worry about eight different subjects every single day. I want to talk about some of the things I really love about higher education.
1.) Time Management
I will be the first one to admit, adjusting to all the extra “free” time I had going into college was not an easy task. The reason I put “free” in quotation marks is because I quickly learned that all this time I thought I gained for leisure really was not that much when I accounted for good old school work. So, I tasked myself with learning the art of time management. The best part about being a First Generation College Student here at the Colleges was that I had an immediate resource in other First Generation faculty. I talked with many in the first few weeks of my very first semester about their tips for successful time management. Additionally, I was able to go to the Center for Teaching and Learning who had student mentors. They literally sat down with me, went through my schedule, and suggested effective ways for managing my time. Now that I am in my second semester of my sophomore year I feel as though I have improved so much with this. The part I love most is that these habits will ultimately help me with my career and professional/personal life in the future.
2.) The Independence
Freedom is something that many people value. Here at college theres no one to tell you what to do. Not only can this feel liberating, but it also helps you gain skills that will help you in life after college. Theres no one here that makes sure I have a meal everyday. There is no one to do my laundry. I need to know and use my resources (meal plan, grocery shopping, meal prep, etc) to make sure I have a balanced meal, and so much more.
3.) You can be whoever you want to be, literally.
I’m sure you heard the phrase, “it’s college, who cares?”. To be completely honest, that is so true. There is no one in college who is going to stop you from being who you want to be. There are so many people with so many different interests that you can explore and love whatever peaks your interest.
4.) Exploring your academic interest
Quite possibly the coolest thing about college is that you can choose courses that spark interest to you. Unlike grammar school, you are no longer required to take every subject. You can know choose to learn about things you are genuinely interested in. With every semester, the courses become more and more personalized to you and your area of study. When you love what you learn, it makes the college experience even that more special.
These are just a few of the many things I love about college. Whether it be spending time with my friends or reading a cool new book, college has a lot of great things in store for every type of person. You just have to go for it!