My name is Mia Johnson, and I am a first-year graduate student in the PsyD Clinical Psychology program. After finishing my time as an undergraduate student at Ohio University, I have had my share of noteworthy learning experiences. Here are just a few things I wish I had known before starting college:
1. How to study
Source: Inara Prusakova, www.vipfoto.lv
Studying takes a lot more work than most people expect. If you are like me, you probably didn’t do much studying during high school, which means you probably never learned the way that YOU study. Everyone learns differently, so finding what works may take some time. After a lot of trial and error, I found making my own study guides, printing them out, and taking hand-written notes on them was my perfect study formula.
2. Knowing my limits (and learning to ask for help)
Source: https://www.concorde.edu/blog/burnout-in-health-care-degree
Burnout in college is real and there are so many things that we are expected to know how to do when we get to college that in reality, many of us don’t know how to do. From creating your own schedule to studying for finals, everything is very new for us. I wish that I knew that it was okay to ask for help when you need it, from friends, family, and even your professors.
3. All-nighters DON’T work
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/tabathaleggett/the-stages-of-pulling-an-all-nighter
I felt this needed its own section because I know so many students who genuinely believe if they stay up until 4:00am studying that they have a better chance of passing an exam. I’m here to tell you that this is NOT the optimal way to study, and can actually create more problems than it fixes. Staying up late means that you are not getting the amount of sleep you should for your brain to function properly, meaning that if you went to bed by midnight, you probably would have done better instead of going to bed at 4:00am. Not only this, but you may even sleep through your exam if you stay up too late (we’ve all been there). If you pull all-nighters frequently, it can even affect your health. Take it from me, start with some light studying a few days before your exam instead of waiting until the night before to try to cram all that information in, it’s not going to work.
4. Making friends takes time and energy
Source: Netflix
A lot of people (myself included) expected friends to just spontaneously appear in front of them, or that they would be your neighbor, or you roommate. Unfortunately, it may take a little bit more work to make friends. I met my best college friends in class and on our class Facebook page. I became good friends with them because I went out of my way to talk to them, hang out with them, and get lunch or coffee with them. I also suggest making as many friends as you can in your classes, because not only can you spend time with them outside of class, but they can take notes for you when you miss class or study with you when you don’t understand a new concept. It’s okay if you don’t make friends immediately when you get to college, it may take some time for you to warm up to other people, and you may even make some friends your first week that you’ll never see again in the next four years. Either way, you’ll have some of your best friendships in college so make the best of it!
5. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate
Source: https://www.wisebread.com/avoid-these-7-things-when-living-with-roommates
A question I get often from incoming freshman is “what if I don’t like my roommate?” Well, my answer is that you don’t have to love everything about your roommate, you don’t even have to be best friends with your roommate. However, I will say this: it’s normal to not agree on everything with your roommate, it is NOT normal to hate or frequently fight with your roommate. The good thing is, if you feel that you can no longer live with the person you are with, your RA has your back, and can mediate a conversation between the two of you. If that doesn’t work, you might even have the option to switch rooms. The most important thing is that you and your roommate, regardless of how much you like each other, should have unconditional mutual respect for one another.
6. You don’t need to eat EVERYTHING in the dining hall
Source: http://www.theprospect.net/5-easy-ways-to-improve-dining-hall-food-54921
Your dining hall is filled with so many delicious options, and I always had a problem trying to decide what to eat. Eventually, I would fail to make a decision, and simply chose everything. Not that having what you want is a bad thing, but you should try to remember to eat in moderation. Many people have this problem when they first start eating on campus because if your meal plan covers it, why not use it, right? My advice is to try to stay within typical serving sizes, and to always include a veggie with every meal. This has nothing to do with weight gain or loss, and everything to do with nourishing your body in the right way.
7. Don’t let your “friends” make you do something that makes you uncomfortable
Source: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/music/best-friend-songs-of-all-time
Standing up for yourself and being independent is a huge part of growing up in college. You have to be your own person, make your own decisions, and do things on your own that you have never done before. Don’t sacrifice your chance for independence by allowing your friends to influence you in negative ways. If you’re uncomfortable, say no. If they are truly your friends, they’ll understand.
8. Your RA’s are your friends, not your enemies
Source: https://social.usq.edu.au/uni-lifestyle/high-low-resident-advisor-kim-blog
This is a big one. During my time in college, I felt like I couldn’t go to my RA for anything. But I was so wrong, because when she saw me struggling with my roommate and school, she reached out to me and helped me through it. Your RA is your go-to for any information you could need. They are also great listeners, outstanding students, and can become lifelong friends. There are so many RA’s out there that truly want to help you, and understand what you are going through, and would rather help you out than write you up. So if there’s something bothering you about your housing situation or anything else, go to them, that’s what they’re there for.
9. Your rights as a student (and the Student Code of Conduct)
Source: https://www.matthewboomhower.com/home/caring-for-kids-seoul-student-human-rights-ordinance
You should be aware of your rights as a student. You can find all this information at the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. It is extremely important for you to know this. Many of you may be thinking of participating in protests, in which you should know what would happen to your academic standing if something went wrong and you were in the middle of it. You should also be well-versed with the Student Code of Conduct, and be aware of the risk you put yourself in when you or your roommate engage in drug or alcohol use on campus, or when you engage in academic dishonesty. You should save these documents to your computer in case something were to happen, so that you have it accessible at all times.
10. Take it all in, don’t wish it away
Source: https://www.setf.com/college-graduates
During my Junior year, I found myself wishing away the next year, I just wanted to be a Senior, I wanted to be interviewing for graduate school, I wanted to be done with this chapter of my life. Looking back, I wish that I hadn’t taken my time there for granted. While my university had its flaws, it was my alma mater and I had spent some of my best four years there. My final piece of advice is to take it all in, enjoy every second, every finals week, every syllabus week, every moment of every day, because in four years, you may be moving on to the next chapter of your life. It goes by fast, so enjoy it while it lasts.
By: Mia Johnson
