As I was writing my previous post about going back to school, I realized I had some sage wisdom that I wanted to share in a more concise format.... and then I remembered that it's me, so there's no way in Hell it's going to be concise... :) Anyway, here it is, my big, fancy List of Things You Should Know. If you've already completed this incredible life achievement, congrats! I hope that you will still enjoy reading about the things I have learned, and maybe some of them will still ring true with you, even now. I would also encourage anyone who reads this to think about how you may talk to younger siblings, friends, or even children about college, and how you might be influencing their experiences through your conversations. Enjoy!
1. It is 100% okay to not know what you want to do going into college, and it's okay to take some time off to potentially figure it out. Before you even walk across the stage at your high school graduation, this is imperative to know. It's okay to go to a two-year community college, and it's okay to not go to school at all for a year or two. Do what you can afford, and do what feels right to you, not what everyone else is pressuring you to do. A college degree is an important task to accomplish, especially if you want to advance in a specialty field like medicine or engineering, but remember that sometimes, it just isn't for you. If you don't know right out of high school, or even a few years later, it's okay. Every person is different depending on their life experience, and some paths may be harder than others, but you may find you're happier by not pressuring yourself to complete a degree you are uninterested in. If just one person had told me this, my whole college experience might have looked entirely different.
2. There is not a set time table for when you should complete college. This is piggybacking off of Number 1 and I'm going to say it again, because it's important: YOU DO NOT NEED TO COMPLETE COLLEGE IN A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME, AND YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE IF IT TAKES YOU MORE THAN FOUR YEARS. Did you get that? It took me a long time to be okay with this idea. Up until just before this most recent Fall semester, I was still so worried that I had not finished school in my allotted "four years." I know people (some younger than me) who are working on their Doctorate right now, or people who are going for their second Master's. That all makes me feel pretty inadequate sometimes that I don't even have an Associate's Degree to show for all of this time, but it doesn't matter. Really, it doesn't. What matters is that I am going to finish, and that I am going to be proud of myself. I know many others who took a "Victory Lap." or a 5th year. Maybe you'll go to school for a couple of years and find out that college isn't your scene and you'll do just fine without a degree. You might have to work a bit harder than people who do have one, but you can do it. Maybe you had the opportunity to go on a year long study abroad excursion and now you won't be graduating with the same people you came into school with. It's going to be fine. Maybe you'll be back and forth five or six times on your major, you'll take some time off to take care of your mental health, and you'll find yourself just finishing the degree so you can say you did it (psst, that's me). That is okay too. There aren't rules, no one is going to kick you out**, no one is going to think less of you. Trust me when I say that most, if not all of it, is just in your head.
**Side bar: Every student is allotted a specific amount of financial aid, and when you have reached your maximum dollar amount, you will not receive any more school or government sponsored aid. It will then be all out of your own pocket. If you're like me and you changed majors a lot, this might play a part in how long you're able to go to school.**
3. Wait to choose your major. Unless you are going to a university on a major-based scholarship, just wait to declare anything. College is your time to explore your interests and find your passions and I think most colleges will have a system in place for you to take your prerequisite classes alongside a handful of other intro subjects that might give you some insight to what those things may be. If you have absolutely no idea where to start, take some personality or career interest quizzes online and take a class or two that fall into the categories they suggest. In your first two semesters, take as many intro classes as you can in a variety of subjects to try to find something that triggers your interest- a Psychology class, a History class, an Art or Music class. Even pay special attention to your Math, Science, and English classes- maybe something will suite your fancy. If you have multiple interests and you don't know how to pick one, start taking classes that relate to those topics and you might find one sticks out to you more than the rest. Do some research outside of class time on career paths to see if one sounds better than the rest. If all else fails, double majoring and having multiple minors are not unheard of if you really just cannot choose. Join some clubs and see if any of those topics spark an interest in a topic you could study and turn into a degree. I wish I had used my freshman year to explore my interests instead of putting myself in a box that was restricted to one topic. It took me years to find the things that get me excited and passionate, and I think part of that has to do with the limited time I spent in other subjects.
4. Take advantage of the resources at your university- all of them. Do not be afraid to reach out to your advisors for help- this is something I wish I had done sooner and more often. Maybe you are afraid of being too needy or coming across as stupid, but especially in your first couple of years, that's what your advisors are there for. No one expects you to know everything about the in's and out's of college immediately, and there are guaranteed to be numerous resources on your campus for any issue you may have, be it academic or personal. Most campuses have clubs or safe spaces for students in the LGBTQ+ community now, as well as resources for those who may need counseling or therapy. There will be tutors for nearly every subject, and study sessions for various classes. If you are struggling in any way, talk to your Academic Advisor or your Resident Advisor in your dorm and they can give you some direction. I was scared to use the counseling services on campus in my sophomore year because I had never been to therapy, but without them, I don't know that I would have ever completed college at all. They provided me with tools I am still using today in my personal and academic life. The opportunities to reach out will be abundant, and you should take advantage as much as you can.
5. Be active at college while you can- join the clubs, go to the activities, don't just sit around in your room. This is something I wish I had done more of. There is of course the "party every night" aspect to college which is not really what I am promoting here. I am talking about the school sponsored activities that get you out of your room and socializing with your fellow students. At Iowa State they have so many things to do that I don't think one student could ever experience them all, but especially in your first couple of years when you live on campus and have a lighter course load, it's so easy to get involved. Find two or three clubs that you think might be fun, and go their their meetings. Rush a fraternity or a sorority if you think you'd like to try the Greek community. Go to the movie nights, or the late night pancake dinners on Central Campus. Celebrate Homecoming with everyone else. Take every opportunity you can to meet new people, because you probably will not have the chance to meet so many people in such a welcoming and inviting environment again. This goes for the Orientation that most campuses have the few days before classes start. It might be kind of goofy or cheesy, or you might think you're too cool to participate, but give it a chance. It never hurts to have a few friendly faces on campus before the semester even begins. I think college is just as much about networking as it is about academics, and if you never meet anyone, you're missing out on a huge aspect of the bigger picture. Speaking of which...
6. Take a step back once in a while and try to see that big picture. College goes by fast. Whether you're there for four years or eight, the time is going to slip by and sooner than you realize, you're going to be on the other side of it. I know it can seem daunting some days, when you're in the middle of a really tough course load and you worry about the debt you're racking up and you don't even know where you're going in life. I get it. When you're feeling like this, I would encourage you to take a step back, maybe go for a walk on your campus and admire it's beauty and history, but just think about all of the things you've accomplished so far. Think of the fun memories you've made and the unique experiences you've had, and think about what things you would still like to try before you graduate. There is a reason people tell you that college will be some of the best years of your life, and it's because it is a time of self-discovery and exploration. You have the world at your fingertips when you are a college student, and it's a shame to let any of it slip away from you. Study hard and achieve your goals, but don't get so caught up in the small details that you miss out on the big picture.
This is by all means not a comprehensive list. I've learned many things while I've been at Iowa State, both academically and personally, but these are the things I believe would have been helpful to hear from someone else when I was brand new and when I was struggling. I hope you found it to be helpful as well, wherever you are in life. Let me know- what was your biggest lesson in college? Are there things you know now that you wish you would have known then?
Always,
Effie
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