Transitions

Transition Between College and High School.

The transition between college and high school can be rough. For many people it is the first time they are truly on there own. They no longer have there parents telling them what to do or their teachers making sure they do not fail. It is a true chance to discover yourself and to get to know the world around you.

Some people think that when you enter college you either succeed or fail, but there is more too it then that. College is a place of learning, it is ok to fail as long as if you learned from it. In high school I never had to study much, or at all for exams. Homework was fairly easy and my teachers always made sure that every student understood the material. I went from a school that averaged a class size to be 20 to 40 students, and when I went to Chemistry for the first time there was a full lecture hall of probably more than 100. You can either view this as a "scary" giant class or you can see it as it is, there are just 100's of other students doing the same thing that you are.

There are so many students in many Freshman classes that professors can not have an individual relationship with each student. There becomes a slight disconnect between what is being taught by the professor and what will be on the exam. Most professors expect you to study about 2 to 3 hours for every hour in class. This is not a set time, for some classes I spent as many as 5 and others as little as 1. But you will need to put your time in each day and not cram right before an exam. Use the resource center to your advantage. They specialize in each class and are typically very helpful. Often times if I have been working hard on my work all week the weekend become a little more free, and I can enjoy my college experience a little more.

Something that helps get work done faster is working in groups. Try to set up a study group by asking people in your class if they want to study or cover some material. Don't be afraid to ask someone because you think you will look stupid. If you get the help you need now you will actually pass the course where if you had not asked then you may not of passed the course. Make sure that when you are in your group learning that you are actually learning. Just because you get the answers to homework or cover material does not mean that you are actually learning the material, make sure that you know the information individually.

A mistake that I made my first year was that I focused too much on the course material and my social life suffered. You need to have a good balance of Fellowship, Scholarship, and Leadership.  You need to have a social life, you need to study, and you need to lead your life. This something that is the core idea of Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity. I highly recommend this organization to anyone who is interested, and I will answer any questions you may have. But if you are lacking in one of those areas you can face some issues. I know many people that feel a slight depression when they are going through this transition. Make sure that you are active and doing some sort of exercise each day and be social, but remember to keep your studies in mind.

Something that you should also remember is that this a new start for many people. What you did in high school no one cares, everyone is focusing on their future. In college there are not really set groups of cool and not cool. Everyone is sort of on the same level and are there to better themselves for the future.

Remember college can be a lot of fun and I am here to help you through it. Don't ever be afraid to ask a question and I hope to see all of you soon.