After high school, many students will either go to a trade school, college or even straight to work. All of those things are great things to do but many are often a little intimidated by the big world of college. Some often don’t even attend college if they want to because they don’t know if it is going to be hard or easy, or if the professors really are nice and care about your future, and then some are worried if it is all worth it. College can be a tool that often teaches a student about how the world works.
Freshman college student Adrianna Luman is attending Carl Albert State College this fall and her major is Allied Health and she plans to start the nursing program at CASC starting next fall to receive her RN license. When asked does she enjoy the classes she is taking so far she stated that “I am enjoying it, this semester has been a little tough but I’m making it and I am looking forward to what comes next.”
In some sense, college classes are going to be tougher than high school classes. Different ways of teaching and new material can be associated with this in making it very different for a freshman in college. When asked what are college classes like compared to high school classes she says “ They are pretty hard but more laid back than I thought. There are a lot more tests in college so a lot more studying is required. One plus to college though is that your professors can cancel the class or let out early anytime, that doesn’t happen in high school and I’m especially enjoying that part. It’s also nice that you only have to go to the same class just two or three times a week, not the same classes every single day like high school.”
There are many things you can be apart of in college many organizations and athletic teams. At CASC there are many organizations like Audio/Visual Club, Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Blue, And White Club, and so on. Adrianna is apart of Blue and P.H.I.T she states that “ both of these have helped me get more involved on campus, and I have enjoyed being apart of them. I’m also a scholar and I have a work-study job so those two things have helped me meet people here and have helped me get involved instead of just being a shy freshman. I recommend getting involved in any way you can in college.”
There is, of course, things you wished you would have done better in high school. Things like study or trying a little bit harder in class. For Adrianna, she wishes she would have studied a lot more. She goes on saying,” I never had to study much in high school. I would study the day or even the hour before and made an A. Therefore, I didn’t give it much thought in college but I learned real quick that that wasn’t gonna work. I didn’t fail my tests or anything, but I didn’t exactly make the grades I wanted to either, so I’ve had to learn how to make myself study and be prepared for the tests.”
Of course, there are flaws to every school but Adrianna states “ There’s not anything that I just hate. I mainly just don’t like how many tests there are. It seems like all my teachers decide to have our tests on the same day or week every time, but it’s college, so you can’t expect more than that. Other than that, college is great.”
In some cases, you might run into professors that are not your cup of tea or the professors could be the nicest person you ever meet. Adrianna says “ I think it depends, but they’re not as strict as I thought they’d be. They don’t baby you that much but mine so far have been nice. They just treat you like an adult and expect you to act like one and do what you’re supposed to do for their class. I may run into a professor that isn’t so nice but so far mine has been good.”
She also states that “ I’ve enjoyed most of it so far. I love how welcome they make you feel at Carl Albert. I don’t always stay here at the dorms, but always feel at home walking around campus. I like the freedom and responsibility that comes with college, it makes me feel more like an adult. My favorite is the fact that there’s always stuff going on on campus. Every night there’s something, whether it be volleyball or a movie night.”
There is so much going for this college student, and it can be the same for you. Don’t be scared to try new things and have the college life you have dreamed of. College can be scary at times to think about, but it is good to have it in your plan after high school. If you are scared or often worried about college life I hope this enlightened you and have you an idea of what’s to come.