6 Things I Wish I'd Known When I Started College

Posted by John Fenn on June 21st, 2019

Going to college was a thrilling event in my life. While I looked forward to the new experience, meeting new friends, and enjoying my freedom, I was at the same anxious wondering what to expect. While my college did well to help us feel welcome, there were certain things that they never addressed during the orientation. This left us looking for answers, and we had to learn some more information by ourselves. Here are 5 things that students wish they knew before they started college.

1.  Get help for essays

First, I was surprised that one of the key things in colleges was essay writing. Since I was not good in the area, I struggled a lot choosing a topic and even creating a good paper. Most of my classmates were completing their papers very first since they were getting free essay for students from experts.  It was only a few semesters down the line that I discovered that I could get free paper examples from the sites.

2.  Importance of networking in college

I am an introvert, and I like spending time alone reading a book or even watching a movie. This is the same lifestyle I adapted to when I went to college. But that was a big mistake. I ended up feeling lonely. When it came to writing my papers, studying for exams, or even doing group projects, I relied on myself. However, after the first year, I began to grow as an individual and discover my identity.

I became part of a fraternity that proved to be a great source of support. I discovered that the only reason I was lonely was because I had locked other out of my life. Learning became easier as it was now possible to get assignment topics from my friends.

3.  Managing time in college

When I was in my first year, I would keep procrastinating completing my essay. This was especially the case when I was struggling finding a good example for my paper. But this was a problem with the majority of students. Instead of starting with assignments, we would open our laptops and binge-watch some of the latest Netflix original series. This would often make us submit our papers late.

This is something we now regret. If we knew it, we would have spent our time properly. We would first complete the homework before getting into entertainment.  We always felt quite relieved whenever we submitted our essays on time. It was only when we had finished college that we discovered that all we needed was to manage our time better.

4.  Why you should not compare yourself to others in college

Some people are always better than others, and it is absolutely normal. However, this often results in self-doubt and insecurity. Some people will construct good sentences in their papers. Others will have more money; others will get jobs while still in college, while others will attract all the hot girls or dudes. While you will feel inferior to these people, you should not focus on those feelings. Instead, be confident of yourself and what you can achieve rather than be envious. When you channel negative energy towards your peers, this will negatively affect your self-esteem.

5.  Learn the difference between learning and memorizing

We tell you this secret for free – memorizing is not the same thing as learning. One of the mistakes that the majority of students do is wasting time memorizing different things. This is even though memorization is just but the start of learning rather than the end. Therefore, if you are engaging in memorization without exercising your thinking skills, you will end up with lower grades, especially in rigorous courses.

6.  Avoid overwhelming yourself in college

Since I was new in college, everything looks shiny, and I wanted to engage in anything that came my way. This way, I ended up feeling overwhelmed. If I were to go back to college today, I would take time to familiarize myself with the campus area as well as the surrounding area.

Take time to explore the college town and experience the surrounding area. Since college time is special, all you need to do is to enjoy it. Remember that you can't turn back the clock, so lead a decent life wherever you are.