High school seemed like yesterday, which would really be the case. It had been weeks since your first day in college, still looking at your selfies with your new friends. You always looked forward to it, a ritual that went back to your sophomore year (in high school). You may have adjusted to collegiate life, but it didn't take you long to find out that there would be similarities between high school and college. The long hours of paper writing should be one (of those things), which made you isolated at times. If you could have extra time for other things. And you dread the succession of assignments after the (Thanksgiving) holiday.
You had high hopes for your first year in college, as this was supposed to be THE time of your life. However, you scaled down after you figured out that you wouldn't meet the expectations. Did you overlook something? Did you fall short in a particular field? Did you realize it too late? Let's look at the questions closely.
Sleep would be your priority until someone invited you to a party. Making new friends in minutes was so much fun, but you wondered about the morning lecture the following day (or the day after next). You joined a group, even wishing that the members could stay in one house. A headache, which could be traced to late-night studying and lack of sleep, reminded you of why you wanted to go to college. It seemed like you aren't getting your priorities straight, which won't be a good sign at this early stage of the term. You won't be dreading it, which would be another matter.
How about spending some time alone? No books and computer to distract you. Think of what you look forward to the school year.
Why You Must Love the Collegiate Life
You're in a studious mindset. Some students might balk at the very idea, as it means less time for the things they cherish the most. (Sleep, socialization, screen time.) Don't be upset if you'll lose some friends, who believe that college life would be incomplete without the beer, smoke, and conversation (read: Anything but the coursework). You need to hang around with students who share your views on studying, aware that tertiary education costs a fortune. Not that those who take it for granted are too foolish to heed the advice, but peer pressure can be hard to resist. No need to worry, as you can count on your tutor (for support).
You're thinking about your career options. It may seem too early to be serious about your career, but the early bird always gets the worm. There's no such thing as handling this matter a bit too late, as you're curious about what your college can offer to you. It has to be more than knowledge, as there can be apprenticeship opportunities. You haven't given much thought about your gap year, but you'll look at it sooner or later. As for the real job, someone told you about a job fair held not far from where you live. You would look into it.
You're eager to meet international students. You wouldn't teach them the virtue of eating pizza, even give tips on how to obtain a driver's license. (Both aren't on the top of your list.) Intermingling has its benefits, stretching your perception beyond what you have known throughout your teenage existence. It can help you handle the assignments especially if you must write a paper on a beloved novel by an author with a foreign sound (in his name).
You can't wait to venture into your projects. Your first book? Perhaps. You're thinking of the scene of the crime, and some members of the faculty as suspects. Then again, you haven't read a novel more memorable than "The Oxford Murders". You want your Instagram account to be followed by hundreds of students, but you couldn't find eye-catching structures near the place you live. You need to walk around, but if you only have fewer deadlines to beat. You're still undecided on how to keep your room. Do you rather leave it bare? If the answer is yes, then you might be a mysterious student. If you can't keep yourself from putting a personal touch into your room, then you don't know when to start on it. You rather not do anything on a Sunday, though.
You want a fresh start. You may not have ended up on the top of your (high school) class, which you put behind. You've learned some valuable lessons, one of which would be to do well and enjoy the moment at the same time.
What you won't get from college
It won't be free education, even the chance of having multiple dates. It's rather free time, where you can do anything you want. You have a schedule to follow, prompting you to reminisce high school. College will be more complicated than your (high school) classes, though. There will be challenges, which helps you become a better version of yourself. It can be morning lectures, where you must force yourself to be wide awake. (And there are times when caffeine won't be enough.) It can be opportunities for learning new skills whenever you pen your essays (or study for an examination). No free ride for everyone unless you're a working adult who wants to go back to academic life.
