Phew! I just finished my freshman year of college. In all honesty, college.. . . MUCH better than high school. But like
some people have said, there are some not so great things. Unless you're aspiring to get into a very expensive/advanced
college, don't stress out too much over your entrance exams. Most colleges are pretty lenient.
As for the professors. . .hmm. . some _are_ crazy. :D But don't stress. Sometimes you'll find some really cool teachers
in college. Depending on whether you go to a college based on quarters (3 or 4 if you go in the summer) or semesters (2.
. .3 I guess if you go in the summer), you'll be spending a lot less or about the same amount of time with a teacher as
you would in high school. Some of these teachers, based on your major, you will see MANY times over. Definitely learn to
be noticed as a student. No, I'm not saying kiss up and be the annoying kid who knows ALL the answers. :P Just be able
to approach a professor when you have a question. Even if you don't completely like them or they're teaching style,
always summon the guts to ask for help. If they pretty much suck in general and don't offer any, then always seek help
from classmates or tutors. ^_^ In the end, you have to remember that you wont have them the whole time, so if you don't
like them, just suck it up and suffer through it, you only have to do this once. . . if you don't fail.
>_<
Sleep. . . ahh. . . It really depends. When You set up your first quarter/semester of classes, be careful. If you have a
hard time getting up in the morning DO NOT schedule an early class. If that's the only one available, so be it, but if
not, don't. Yet, if you're a person who wishes to work on campus (like a Federal Work Study job) you might want to
consider thinking about taking early classes so you'll have enough time to work at night AND do any studying you might
need. . . and . . . oh yea. . . SLEEP! It's true that 5 hours of sleep can be a luxury sometimes, but its only that bad
when you waited too late to study for a test (aka PROCRASTINATION and some late night cramming ^_^), but its only really
bad around finals and midterms. Then everyone is practically dead, but mostly from frying your brain from studying too
much (again from doing it too late). So in general, your amount of sleep depends on how well you balance your
time.
So in the end, I think college is well worth it. Don't stress out so much about it. It seems really intimidating at
first (I wanted to go home the first few days), but it becomes an experience unlike any other. Those who are priviledged
to go are in for a world of eyeopeners, but as long as you study enough (cramming works too! ^_^), don't slack off too
much, and learn to relax without getting into trouble, you'll have fun.
Hope this helps and I wish you good luck on your entrance exams.
Ciao. ^_~
