from students to students

What is something that you worried about when you were about to go to college that you shouldn't have been worried about?

"Making friends. No matter what you will meet a few people and sometimes its good to have a small circle rather than a big one. But everyone is looking for friends in college so its a lot easier to find them than you might think."
"I was worried about the courses being harder than in high school, which is true, but the harder work isn't as hard to handle as you might think."
"I worried about the little things like what will a shower be like in a communal bathroom, but these things are only a small part of your day and you have to get used to the idea of not caring what others think of you so you can properly take care of yourself!"
"Getting involved in clubs. It is so incredibly easy at least at UNCC because we hold a club fair at the beginning of fall semester and you will run into so many new faces and see what college has to offer through these clubs."
"Making friends. Depending on the person, it really isn’t that bad. I thought it took me forever, in reality it only took 3 days."
"imposter syndrome, while i still semi battle it, you will always belong because almost everyone feels the same."

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What something that you needed to be worried about? Do you have tips on it now that you're adjusted to college?

"Creating my own schedule, make a schedule that works for every day even though your classes are at different times, it makes it easier to stick to"
"I was really worried about being homesick. Homesickness is almost unavoidable so it is good to recognize that you will feel this way regardless of how much fun you also will have! Getting used to being away from home can only come in time, so give yourself the time to feel the homesickness, and then find other activities to engage with so you can ground yourself and immerse yourself in where you actually are!"
"Probably the workload. I found that making lists on a weekly basis on what I have to get done and going down that list and making sure everything is completed by that week, really helped."
"Look into getting an on campus job. They tend to be very flexible. With my job on campus I can even do school work while I wait on laptops to run updates!"
"Managing my own schedule and not getting distracted. Its important to create routines for yourself and surround yourself with people who have similar goals and challenge you to keep pushing when classes or social life gets hard."
"i don’t think there’s anything you need to be worried about, but be conscious about the fact that classes do get hard and they are important. make sure to check ratemyprofessor when signing up and pick good professors!!"
New List It"Saving up money to not have to stress throughout the semester, beginning to think about what classes will help you fulfill graduation requirements."em

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What's one piece of advice you wish someone would have given to you when you were a senior in high school/about to start college?

"Don’t stress too much about what major you want to be, but also do your research on all of your options. But also know it’s okay to change your mind and pretty much everyone will at some point."
"College is so scary and it is absolutely ok to feel scared. But you have to harbor that "scared" so you can engage with your new environment! Eventually you will find your new favorite people and will become absolutely obsessed with your campus! It takes time which is a scary thing to face, but if you engage yourself, you will feel so fulfilled by the college experience."
"If you do have studying abroad on the brain, then don't go to community college. They say it is possible, but not really if I am being honest. As someone who did transfer I can't fit studying abroad in without extending my education at UNC Charlotte. They do have trips that I feel like are more convient in that aspect, but they tend to be more expensive, I think."
"Don’t try to make friends with the people you’re expected to make friends with; make friends with the people you truly enjoy being around."
"This isn’t advice I wish I got but some for you. Don’t let school get in the way of your personal life, that is the worst thing you can do to yourself. Also never pull all nighters, it’s never worth it and you’ll forget the information the next day during your tests or projects."
"Everyone says this and you wont believe them until its too late but get active in your school and use your resources! Me and my friends used to think it was embarrassing to go but now we love going to all the dance classes and being silly. "
"Go somewhere that prioritizes campus life"
"DO NOT SKIP CLASS. Show up to class late if you have to, but do not ever skip class."
"I wish someone told me not to compare anyone else's experience to yours. I was struggling, but my friends from home seemed to be finding people right away. We went to different colleges, so it's important to know that just because you're taking more time to be adjusted doesn't mean you're doing it wrong."
"F****** relax. It’ll all be fine at the end of the day."
"Highschool is way harder and way worse especially if you took AP classes"
"DO NOT listen to recruiters!!! Research your degree, and go in with a plan. Actually know the classes you need for your degree"
"Not to wish the time away in high school! High school is some of your best memories and truly to live in the moment. Also, don’t take for granted some of the small perks of being at home but also college is such an amazing place to be. Just truly live in the moment and try not to wish your time away!"
"Once you make your group of friends you will establish your own universe, but its ok to step out of that and get involved with all the wonderful stuff at your fingertips. Because after college its just “how to pay rent” and “man i miss college”!"

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Do you have any advice for time management/managing all your classes and studying?

"I would recommend doing all your work before your classes so you can relax and do other things after class or study to reinforce what you learned in the lecture"
"Keep some sort of list of all the assignments you will have and when they are due. Lists can help you lay out what you need to do, when you need to do them, and it is so satisfying to cross off an assignment when you finish!"
"I’d say just set aside an hour or two of free time every night, or maybe one or two days a week where you know you can spend that time doing work. That’s what helped me, also studying in the library was really good for classes especially with friends because when you have other people locked in around you sometimes that’s good encouragement"
"work ahead!!!!"
"In college you get to learn what your study habits are and dictate when and where you want to do things. I really like having all my classes back to back because it feels like im clocking in for a shift and when im done I can rest. Some people like having their classes more spread out to chill in between. "
"Study a little bit everyday and don’t study information you already know. While you’re studying if you have questions write them down and ask them in class. Have a day (I typically do Sunday) where you set time aside to schedule when you are going to do your assignments. "
"Try to find unique study spots on campus. The library isn't the only place. If you switch up you're routine, it makes studying more of a fun experience."
"It’s better if you start the assignment the day it’s given to you and if you don’t start it at least read the rubric and write down any questions you have. Find times in the day to take breaks, even if it’s just walking to get a cup of coffee. It is very easy to get focused on studying and end up burning out."
"As far as managing assignments my best advice is START EVERYTHING THE DAY IT IS ASSIGNED. You dont have to finish it, but at least start it. That way if your up against the clock cramming for some test or you have work, you have a foundation to work off of to get your assignments done quicker and easier when you're ready to complete it. "

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Any tips for making friends when you first get to college(or making friends at college in general)?

"Remember every person you meet feels the same way as you. It will probably feel awkward and intimidating when you meet a new person, but remember that person is also feeling that too. It is their first time in college too, so having that shared experience can be helpful in creating friendships."
"Joining clubs, texting people on instagram who have your school name and graduation year in their bio, talking to people in your classes, literally reaching out to people is the best thing you can do because everyone is nervous so they might not want to reach out and taking the first step can go a long way."
"Talk to people, smile, be kind, be friendly, and interact with people in your major. Talk during your classes. Give input. Someone’s gonna hear and think what you’re saying is interesting, then bang, you’re on your way to having a new friend."
"Put yourself out there and go to your dorms get togethers and go to the welcome week things! Thats how you meet so many people"
"Check social media to see if there is an incoming student account. I met my bestie on that and we are still friends to this day! Knock on doors and be silly. Living in the dorms is truly so fun it's such a cool community where everyone just kinda says “F it” and makes friends and has fun and helps each other. "
"Talk to the people who sit next to you in class, ask them about the assignment, or their schedule. Odds are if you have one class with someone you are likely to have another class with them. Complimenting someone in their shoes or their outfit or even asking about the coffee they are drinking. Asking the people you sit next to for help on the assignments or asking for their number to start a study group."
"Making friends isn't really difficult. The first week everyone will be talking to everyone. You'll have to be extroverted, but you'll find people. The problem is, you might not find your people. That takes time."
"By the time you're a senior, all the friends you made in passing will blend together and you’ll have your own universe and your own mini high school within the university. Its scary but just be bold. Idk what possessed me my freshman year but being silly and just walking up to people and chatting is genuinely the best way to make friends. You will learn people are a lot less scary than you think."

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Anything else that you want to include that wasn't a question?

"College is a moment of immense growth and identity building. When you open yourself to college, you will be amazed by the insane growth you went through during this time. If "freshman me" met "senior me", the freshman version of myself would be absolutely amazed by how much I've grown!"
"So back when I was in high school, my high school only offered two foreign language courses. One being Spanish and the other being French, if you want to take a language like Japanese, for example, I would really recommend to take the courses at university. Honestly, even if your high school offers a language like Japanese, I feel like you have a way better experience on campus due to the international presence a university has."
"- It’s really easy to become really lonely when you’re at college, away from home. The loneliness hits extra hard. Just keep your breathing steady and rhythmic, and if you’re feeling bad enough, go for a walk and get some fresh air. I’ve had days where I’ve walked 20k steps because I was lonely and needed to get fresh air. The loneliness will pass, and your friends will smile around you soon enough."
"Time is going to move so incredibly fas Everyday is a new fun adventure and story and time flies by. So seriously cherish every second. I would be so happy to do it all again. Cherish sitting with your roomies and telling stories about your day. Cherish having crushes on ur neighbor. Cherish that one classes that sucked but pushed you to learn new things. And if you are nervous just let it be excitement! You are finally stepping into your own life. You make the rules. So treat yourself kindly and embrace how lucky you are. :)"
"you are gonna loveeee college!!!! savor every moment of it, even the bad. <3 and try to be friends with your roommates. if there is tension talk about it!!! don’t repress it because that’ll eventually make you resent them and no one wants a living space like that."
"I'm a junior at UNCC, I transfered from a community college. I've worked full time, part time, and did school the same way. Let me tell you, if you feel uncertain about the future, it is perfectly fine! You've got a good couple decades to figure out your life's true purpose. You only know if you don't like something if you try it!"
"It can sometimes feel lonely but you are there to get a college degree. So definitely focus on your school work and go to tutoring sessions or peer review sessions if needed. "
"Bring snacks with you on campus, if you get hungry during class it’s better to have a snack on you as opposed to trying to find a place that’s open to get food. If you have an 8 AM class ( most freshmen end up having the 8 AM courses since upperclassmen get first pick at classes) make sure you have food in your dorm so you can eat before going to class. Most food halls don’t open before 8 in the morning. "
"Write down everything your professors say. A lot of the times what the professor says in class ends up being on the tests, instead of what’s in the powerpoints that are posted on canvas. "
" Make sure you have your student ID memorized, you will be asked for it a lot. "
"Always start doing the reading or school work the second you get your syllabus, it is very easy to fall behind and miss assignments. Have a system for knowing which class is which, I personally color code them. Download Better Canvas, it’s a chrome extension that helps you customize your canvas home page and it allows you to add a task tracker to the upper right corner of your page. "

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from students to students

"Making friends. No matter what you will meet a few people and sometimes its good to have a small circle rather than a big one. But everyone is looking for friends in college so its a lot easier to find them than you might think."

"I was worried about the courses being harder than in high school, which is true, but the harder work isn't as hard to handle as you might think."

"Creating my own schedule, make a schedule that works for every day even though your classes are at different times, it makes it easier to stick to"

"Don’t stress too much about what major you want to be, but also do your research on all of your options. But also know it’s okay to change your mind and pretty much everyone will at some point."

"I would recommend doing all your work before your classes so you can relax and do other things after class or study to reinforce what you learned in the lecture"

"Keep some sort of list of all the assignments you will have and when they are due. Lists can help you lay out what you need to do, when you need to do them, and it is so satisfying to cross off an assignment when you finish!"

"Remember every person you meet feels the same way as you. It will probably feel awkward and intimidating when you meet a new person, but remember that person is also feeling that too. It is their first time in college too, so having that shared experience can be helpful in creating friendships."

"College is a moment of immense growth and identity building. When you open yourself to college, you will be amazed by the insane growth you went through during this time. If "freshman me" met "senior me", the freshman version of myself would be absolutely amazed by how much I've grown!"