A Newbie's Guide to College

When I was in grade school, the first day of class was something I absolutely dreaded. I was one of those kids who cried as I saw my parent’s retreating back slowly shrink away from my sight. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t cry on a daily basis, I actually enjoyed the rest of the school year. It just seemed like I had tears specifically reserved for the first day. I couldn’t quite explain why, considering that I went to the same school for six years and dealt with more or less the same people.

On my first day of college, I didn’t cry like I did when I was younger. But that doesn’t mean the experience wasn’t as daunting. It was, to be honest, more daunting than all the previous “first days” I had. I took the road less travelled (i.e. I didn’t study nursing) and thus I was faced with a dilemma bigger than those in my grade school years. I was about to enter a whole new world! I will have a new school and new classmates. At that point, everything I prided on mastering and perfecting as a high school senior proved to be useless.

The culture shock I dealt with on the first week had me bawling to my high school friends the moment I saw them. So, to prevent a similar episode from happening, I prepared a short survival guide for all you incoming fresh meat. Err, I mean, freshmen.

Tip #1 Get to know your school. And I’m not talking about the school’s history, rules, vision-mission and all those poetic stuff you need to memorize for NSTP. You have the first day orientation for that. The orientation, however, definitely won’t tell you where the best hangout places are, your school’s urban legends, who are the professors to avoid, or about that delicious and affordable carenderia just around the corner. Try asking an upperclassman or some alumni about fun facts like these. If you don’t know anyone who went to your school, then local message boards online may be of help.    

Tip #2 Start the conversation. Your seatmate is just as nervous or scared as you, so pluck up the courage and strike the conversation first. Ask her what department she’s in, or what are the other classes she’s taking, or where she graduated. It doesn’t have to be intellectually stimulating or extremely personal. Small talk is fine; it’s only the first day, after all. If you have a friend to chat and laugh with, then getting lost while trying to find your next class wouldn’t be so horrible.

Tip #3 The past is the past. We get it. High school life was the best and most awesome experience in the history of, like, ever! No need to dwell on it though. Narrowing your world to your high school classmates will not do you good. I’m not saying to cut them off from your life… just make room for new people to join in the fun! Expand your comfort zone and welcome those people whose experiences are unlike yours. You’ll be surprised at how your differences complement each other.

Tip #4 Be pro-active! Colleges are melting pots of different organizations and activities. What are your hobbies and interests? What are you good at? You have a wide range of extra-curricular activities to choose from. It could be the student council, the glee club, the varsity team, a religious organization, etc. Don’t just limit yourself to the confines of the classroom.  

Lastly, Tip #4 Quit worrying. Worries will only dampen your spirits and kill your excitement. You need to be positive and look forward to it! How else would you know what college is like if on the first day you won’t even get out of bed because of fear? Don’t rob yourself of an experience in the jungle called university. This is the part of your life where you’re old enough to be free to do anything you like and young enough to get away with it. Cherish it.

So, to everyone who’ll be entering college this June: Good luck, have fun, and make sure your college life is worth remembering!