Being a college student is very different than being a high school student, and I did not realize that until I came to the University of Montana. While high school offers a structured schedule and the foundations of education, in college, you're more independent in choosing your schedule and what classes you need to take. It’s the battle from dependence to independence, and it keeps going from there.
You wake up in the morning, whether from your parents or from your own alarm, and you have to get ready for school. School starts at the same time every day, so you get dressed, brush your teeth, eat some breakfast, and off you go. Maybe you take the bus or drive yourself; the same destination is on your mind, and you’ll be there for eight hours, five days a week.
Classes are pretty much the same in every high school: the four core classes that are math, science, English, and history- along with extracurriculars. Assignments are frequent but generally less demanding. Teachers offer clear schedules and remind you every day of upcoming deadlines. Teachers are more guiding and more available for one-on-one work with you. But though there is more guidance, there is less freedom.
You can’t drop classes that aren’t right for you; you can’t take any class you want; there’s a strict process for what classes you need to take to graduate. Maybe you have a job after school, maybe a lot is going on at home; you can’t skip school or leave early for no reason; you need to be there. And it can feel overwhelming, but it’s the process everyone goes through.
Now you’re a college student. This requires greater independence and self-care. You can set your own schedule and have classes start in the morning or in the afternoon so you can sleep in. Either way, it’s only you making sure you’re there when class begins. Depending on how you set your classes up, you can have loads of free time or quite the opposite.
Classwork can be more demanding depending on your major and the classes you take. Personally, my classes aren’t super work-heavy, so I have more freedom to go out and do activities. My roommate’s classes were heavily work-oriented, so he stayed in most nights just to study and catch up. It all depends on what you want to do with your schedule and the credits that are required of you.
Professors are there for you, but not in the way high school teachers helped you out. Professors have office hours where you can meet with them to better understand the course curriculum. You can work with them one-on-one, but it’s easiest to catch them during their office hours.
A few of my classes overlapped with some of my professors' office hours, so I could not meet with them often, but some professors let you schedule different meeting times with them. In class, it can be hard to build that connection, especially in a lecture class.
In high school, my teachers would work for the connection to help me. At UM, while my professors are still very invested in seeing me succeed, it’s been more on me to seek and build that connection.
College can be stressful for newcomers, or first-generation students like me, but it can also be more freeing for some. It’s all about finding that balance. For now, you may be more used to the “hand-holding” in high school, but you will learn to be more independent with time.
College is an entirely new experience compared to high school, and most won't have trouble with the transition. I know for myself that it was both easygoing and difficult at the same time. I came to UM knowing I was on my own, though I had some support from friends and family; I figured out a lot of it by myself. It was overwhelming and crazy, but I found a way through.
Now, college has been the best decision of my life, and after only one year, I have learned so much and gained far more experience than I ever thought I would. It is so different from high school, with way less leniency, which I think I needed. I’m here. Going through this, not necessarily by myself, but living my own life instead of what was expected of me in high school.
My high school years were great, filled with so many fun memories and chaos, but my college years are going to be some of the best years of my life. I found a balance between what I once had and what I have now. And though high school is over, I am still learning and growing from very similar experiences.
Being an adult is not so fun; bills to pay, meal planning, work, etc. But remember to make the most out of it. Go out and have fun every once in a while, and go spend time with friends. As long as you’re caught up in school, go outside! You have the freedom to stay out late and have a good time! I know that hanging out with my friends improved my mental health and academics.