Everyone has their own “college shock.”
Back to the time when I was a freshman, I was so timid and shy to talk to my classmates. I had no friends. The school works were like a pile of “stuffs” suffocating me. Furthermore, I had no idea about how to use my time. I had a serious problem for striking a balance between the school and my part-time job. However, right now, as a senior student, I’m good at dealing with these situations and to be honest, nothing can scare me right now.
As the second semester begins, ask yourself how many classmates you know in your class. If the number is quite a lot, I have to say that you’re good at social life. But the real case for most people is that we know only few people in our class. It’s not because that we’re weirdoes but it’s because we’re in college. We have to move from one classroom to another every day and we barely have time to know one another. I suggest that if you want to know many friends as soon as possible, the easiest way is to join the upcoming Play Cup competition. Trust me, you won’t miss any of them whoever are in the team and you’ll be friends forever sharing those valuable memories.
Feel anxious about those English textbooks? Remember, you don’t have to look up every word in the dictionary every time you read. (Professors don’t care if you know every vocabulary in the reading) In fact, all you have to do is to grasp the main idea of it. This rule applies to “Introduction to Western Literature”, “English Reading”, “Introduction to English Literature”, or any courses that require extensive reading. And the next step is to take notes while you’re reading, just write down the main idea for each paragraph. You don’t have to read again for the mid-terms and finals; that will help you save time for some tougher courses. Once you know how to read effectively, you’ll read pleasantly.
Time is essential throughout the four years of your college life. You need to know how much time you have except the time you go to school. Evaluate the significance of the things you want to do or have to do, and then you can give priority to the most important one and arrange the remaining time for other things. Always bear in mind that part-time jobs are for experiences, don’t let them take over your whole life. Extra-curricular activities are a must (people need to relax), but keep in mind that it’s called “extra”-curricular activity.
College life is diverse and interesting, but it can also be devastating if you don’t care about it. From now on, open your heart and embrace it, I’m sure you’ll gain a lot within the four years.
Timothy