October 25, 2023
If you were anything like me in high school, you knew that college would be one of the hardest challenges of your life. I was prepared for the late nights of studying, prioritizing to submit assignments on time, and preparing for tests. What I did not prepare for was becoming an adult.
Many videos and blogs talk about dorm room essentials and what you will need for campus life, but there are not as many resources about growing up and becoming an adult in college. Nor are there resources that give you a heads up on the new situations you will have to handle that your high school staff, parents, and guardians would have previously taken care of. This blog is now a resource for that. I want to help you learn what to expect as you transition into adulthood during college.
After moving on campus and before classes start, your best friend will be a planner. You can use your planner to write down your class schedule, including each class location and time, as well as your professors’ contact information and office hours. You can also note social things and basics, such as the times dining halls open and close, plus phone numbers for the important offices on campus, such as health, financial aid, and your college advisor.
Before classes start, you should also consider visiting each lecture hall you have a class in and locating your classrooms. This can prevent you from running late to class due to unfamiliarity with the campus.
When you officially start classes, you may not be interested in one (or a couple), and that’s completely fine! Many college students experience this in their journey to finding their ideal career. If this happens to you, speak with your college advisor, noting any important deadlines for adding and dropping courses and their potential impact on your degree plan, graduation timeline, and even financial aid. Dropping or adding classes can impact scholarships and loans depending on how many courses you end up with, so make sure to know all of this information before moving forward – the Office of Financial Aid should be able to assist.
While college may be like high school in many ways, they differ socially. Your classmates will not always be in the same semester as you. You also may not have common interests outside of the class you are taking together. Further, they may be harder to talk with since the older you get, the harder it gets to make new friends (sometimes!).
One resource I recommend to keep your social life is campus organizations, and finding them on social media, Google, or your college website is a great place to start. Use these organizations and clubs to build new friendships with people with similar interests. Another suggestion to help improve your social life is to use social media to connect you with people and events on campus.
Adulting ultimately means taking on new responsibilities. We were just teens, and now we’re in a big, unusual place, having to take care of ourselves. College life can be draining and overwhelming sometimes, but always remember to do what is best for you, put yourself first, and remember what you came to college for.
Good luck on your journey to becoming an adult as you transition to college!
Written by Chanice Petty, Fall 2023 Let’s Detroit Campus Influencer
