I remember when I was just about to start my freshman year here at college. With my enormous backpack strapped on, eyes wide and no friends to my name, I stepped into the world of a college student.
Like anything new, the start of college brought a lot of fears and doubts that were quite overwhelming. So, from a past freshman to you, here are some questions and worries I had about the college life and reasons why they shouldn’t stop you from having that full college experience.
1. Is College Harder Than High School?For some people who have decided to take early college courses, this question may already be answered for you. But for those who are stepping into a college setting for the first time, this may be a concern. College classes are very similar to high school classes. You sit in class, listen to the professor teach, apply what you learn, do the assigned homework and you’re done.
However, when in college you are moving into the adult world, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it doesn’t come with a higher level of expectations. I like to think of it as moving from middle school to high school. Moving from 8th to 9th grade was probably a big step for you. Everything was new, homework may have been different, and people expected more. Maybe you were even a little nervous and unsure of what lay ahead… well, same with college. It's new and may appear hard but trust me, it’s a process similar to moving from middle school to high school. You are just performing at a much higher level than you were then.
2. Friends… How Will I Make Them?One of the concerns that I had as a freshman was whether I would be able to make friends. Whether living on campus or commuting, I think this is something many people struggle with when entering college. To help you out, the college itself supplies many social events that are great opportunities to meet people and to build friendships. All you have to do is put down the homework for a little bit, put on a smile, and go and meet people. Start a conversation and you could be well on your way to starting a great friendship.
The Center for Student Engagement is super helpful for providing opportunities to make friends freshman year. Between all the welcome week activities, clubs, and weekly events you will have many opportunities to connect with people who have similar interests to you, and pretty much every other freshman student will be looking to make friends. Also don't be afraid to talk with people in your classes. It's likely that you will have many classes with the people who share your major, so building connections will serve you well your first year, and by senior year, you might be thick as thieves.
3. Will I be Able to Handle and Keep up With the Classes?With a back pack full of homework, arms full of books, and eyes full of tears you walk to your third class for the day. In the last two classes, the professors gave you five books to read and three papers to write… all due in two days. By the time your third class for the day has ended you feel like your life has too. Not only do you have all the work from the other classes but now you have to complete a ten-page research paper by next week and present it before the whole class! WAIT, IS THIS REALLY WHAT COLLEGE IS LIKE?
Before you start freaking out about your upcoming college classes you need to know that THIS IS NOT TRUE! Yes, with college also comes homework but with the homework shouldn’t come worry. College is not designed to bury you alive with homework. The list of things given to you on your syllabus looks like a lot but trust me, it's spread out throughout the whole semester and before you know it you’ll be checking off one assignment after the other. If you do happen to get behind on work or if you are struggling with certain classes, the Student Success Center provides academic counseling and free peer-tutoring services. Professors also have office hours, so feel free to stop by and talk to your professor if you are struggling in a class. Don't panic, if you need a little help, there are support systems in place to keep you from drowning.
4. Time management… Will I Be Able to Manage That?Well, it is true that there is a lot to do when living the typical college life, but it is also true that there is a time for everything. One question I had when dealing with time management was: How am I supposed to go to class, complete my work, have a social life, and have a job… all without dying?
Unlike high school there is no one looking over your shoulder telling you that you need to go here or you need to get this done now. It is a truly beautiful aspect of college. But with this freedom there is responsibility. There is a time to do what you want to do but you need to realize your tendencies. If you tend to be the type of person that forgets the homework to hang out with friends, well, know that it is okay to do that sometimes but there are times that homework needs to be done. On the other hand, you may be the type of person who gets so absorbed with work and homework that there is no time for people until it’s finished. Sorry to break it to you but the reality is there will never be a time you have absolutely nothing to do. So just put those books down and do something fun once in a while. To put it simply, give yourself a bit of leeway, just don't forget about you assignments too often.
With all of these questions and answers ahead of us, hopefully those freshman fears are not as scary as they seemed. I know these aren’t the only concerns freshman have so look out for more helpful freshman hints throughout the semester!
Get a great start to a high-quality education at Geneva College - contact admissions at admissions@geneva.edu | 800-847-8255.
- Abigail Forton ‘22
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Photo by Tertia van Rensburg on Unsplash
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Aug 27, 2021
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