3 answers
Jerry
Student
Elyria, Ohio
4
Questions
Asked
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HighSchool Vs College
What are the diffrences from a college lifestyle versus highschool lifestyle. i know the basics of being a adult but whats truly required to be a succesful adult #adulting #career #career-path-planning #college-bound
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3 answers
Lauren Todd
Aspiring Physician
3
Answers
St. Charles, Illinois
Updated
Lauren’s Answer
Hello Jerry,
this is a very good question that many high school students tend to worry about. The main difference between a college and high school lifestyle revolves around independence. Even for someone like myself who commutes to college, I still find that there is so much responsibility that comes with being enrolled in a university. It's fantastic that you have so much more freedom to control your class schedule and hours. However, there are many crucial things to be aware of: you have to at least have an idea of what you want to major in, you have to check-up with advisors constantly to make sure you're on the right track, you have to be responsible and make sure you're following course syllabi etc. You should also be aware of other things that'll be expected from you: paying your tuition, establishing student financial aid, ordering textbooks on time, paying for parking passes, knowing how to navigate your way through campus and much more.
So, there are many things that are similar and different between the high school and college lifestyle. The main thing about college is that you're expected to do things independently, as more than likely you'd live on campus far from your parents. Everything you do from what you eat to how you spend your day is all determined by you. To be a successful adult, you should absolutely try to reach out for help as much as possible. It can be very intimidating being in such an unfamiliar environment by yourself. Therefore, if you have any questions regarding tasks such as paying off tuition, you should speak to your college's Bursar's Office or other departments to help guide you. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to your family members or friends. Surely they'll help support you through the process.
I hope you found this helpful.
this is a very good question that many high school students tend to worry about. The main difference between a college and high school lifestyle revolves around independence. Even for someone like myself who commutes to college, I still find that there is so much responsibility that comes with being enrolled in a university. It's fantastic that you have so much more freedom to control your class schedule and hours. However, there are many crucial things to be aware of: you have to at least have an idea of what you want to major in, you have to check-up with advisors constantly to make sure you're on the right track, you have to be responsible and make sure you're following course syllabi etc. You should also be aware of other things that'll be expected from you: paying your tuition, establishing student financial aid, ordering textbooks on time, paying for parking passes, knowing how to navigate your way through campus and much more.
So, there are many things that are similar and different between the high school and college lifestyle. The main thing about college is that you're expected to do things independently, as more than likely you'd live on campus far from your parents. Everything you do from what you eat to how you spend your day is all determined by you. To be a successful adult, you should absolutely try to reach out for help as much as possible. It can be very intimidating being in such an unfamiliar environment by yourself. Therefore, if you have any questions regarding tasks such as paying off tuition, you should speak to your college's Bursar's Office or other departments to help guide you. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to your family members or friends. Surely they'll help support you through the process.
I hope you found this helpful.
Hi Lauren, Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. It now makes more sense that when your an adult you have to decide your whole day and have the motivation to do it because theres not gonna be someone like your parents there to hod your hand.
Jerry
Elizabeth Castillo
Recent graduate, Aspiring College Advisor
6
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Elizabeth’s Answer
Hi Jerry!
This is a great question.
Similar to what Lauren said, the biggest and most important change is that you will be independent, and a lot of that will be dependent on time management. This requires some self-awareness, understanding your major, and taking care of yourself.
Self-awareness:
To succeed in college/university, you must understand what your habits are academically and personally. The ones that are most important to academic success include being on-time (to classes, office hours, meetings, and appointments), turning in assignments done to the best of your ability on-time, and studying. Studying time might vary depending on your ability to grasp the topics and the amount of work you are learning, which is completely normal. You are also learning more information in a shorter period of time as most classes are only a semester long. Some questions to ask yourself: How best do you learn or study? In the morning? At night? After class? Remember it's always great to start assignments early so you have more time to work on it and ask questions until the deadline. Using a calendar like Google Calendar or something similar can really help you schedule your class time, studying time, working time, and time you want to use for other things like hobbies, self care, or spending time with friends or family.
Understanding your major:
Depending on what major/career you choose, your schedule and academic workload might look different to your classmates or other peers. The syllabi usually details the subject material that you will cover and the textbooks and works you will be learning from during that time. If it is unclear, you should ask your professor how best to study for exams or work towards bigger projects or essays. Your major's department or school may also have an office for Academic Counseling in where they help you develop study skills, have tutors, and help you make the best out of your undergraduate experience. You can also ask your advisor for help with this. They can also help guide you and think about what kind of job you would like in the future.
How your schedule your time might also change depending on the amount of years you are in school and the other responsibilities you have (job, family care, sports, etc). Community colleges and some colleges and universities offer 2-year associates degrees where you can extend or transfer to another university or college to get your bachelor's degree. When you enter a college or university that offers a 4-year bachelors degree program (undergraduate) the work usually gets harder by year and even by semester by junior year (3rd year).
Taking care of yourself:
Your physical and mental health are very important during this time. Developing a routine of taking care of yourself around your schedule is another aspect of succeeding in college. Sleeping, eating foods that give you long lasting energy, keeping hydrated, practicing body and space hygiene, practicing mindfulness and mental health exercises, and incorporating movement or exercise even if its just a walk every couple of days is so good for your physical and mental health. For mental health needs, your college most likely will have a wellness center for individual and group therapy. If they don't and you would like assistance, you can always call your insurance provider and see which professionals they cover. You need good energy and a calmer mind to do well in your academics. Some other practices for mental health that can be helpful is keeping a journal, exercising to let off steam, talking with peers, making time to hang out with people you care about, and practicing gratitude.
When you master time management, you can use the rest of your free time to have so many more fulfilling experiences that can enrich your undergraduate experience (academically and personally) that are in line with your academic career, clubs at college/university, hobbies, spending time with friends, learning something new, and so much more. The possibilities are endless. This experience is what you make of it.
The best thing about college/university is that you are learning to become a professional but also that you are growing and learning about yourself through this awesome journey. Appreciate every moment, even the harder ones because the semester flies by!
Wishing you all the best in your academic endeavors.
Some other tips:
- Always ask for help from professors, academic staff, peers, and professionals.
- Be open to new opportunities because you never know where it will lead you.
- Trust yourself and your journey.
This is a great question.
Similar to what Lauren said, the biggest and most important change is that you will be independent, and a lot of that will be dependent on time management. This requires some self-awareness, understanding your major, and taking care of yourself.
Self-awareness:
To succeed in college/university, you must understand what your habits are academically and personally. The ones that are most important to academic success include being on-time (to classes, office hours, meetings, and appointments), turning in assignments done to the best of your ability on-time, and studying. Studying time might vary depending on your ability to grasp the topics and the amount of work you are learning, which is completely normal. You are also learning more information in a shorter period of time as most classes are only a semester long. Some questions to ask yourself: How best do you learn or study? In the morning? At night? After class? Remember it's always great to start assignments early so you have more time to work on it and ask questions until the deadline. Using a calendar like Google Calendar or something similar can really help you schedule your class time, studying time, working time, and time you want to use for other things like hobbies, self care, or spending time with friends or family.
Understanding your major:
Depending on what major/career you choose, your schedule and academic workload might look different to your classmates or other peers. The syllabi usually details the subject material that you will cover and the textbooks and works you will be learning from during that time. If it is unclear, you should ask your professor how best to study for exams or work towards bigger projects or essays. Your major's department or school may also have an office for Academic Counseling in where they help you develop study skills, have tutors, and help you make the best out of your undergraduate experience. You can also ask your advisor for help with this. They can also help guide you and think about what kind of job you would like in the future.
How your schedule your time might also change depending on the amount of years you are in school and the other responsibilities you have (job, family care, sports, etc). Community colleges and some colleges and universities offer 2-year associates degrees where you can extend or transfer to another university or college to get your bachelor's degree. When you enter a college or university that offers a 4-year bachelors degree program (undergraduate) the work usually gets harder by year and even by semester by junior year (3rd year).
Taking care of yourself:
Your physical and mental health are very important during this time. Developing a routine of taking care of yourself around your schedule is another aspect of succeeding in college. Sleeping, eating foods that give you long lasting energy, keeping hydrated, practicing body and space hygiene, practicing mindfulness and mental health exercises, and incorporating movement or exercise even if its just a walk every couple of days is so good for your physical and mental health. For mental health needs, your college most likely will have a wellness center for individual and group therapy. If they don't and you would like assistance, you can always call your insurance provider and see which professionals they cover. You need good energy and a calmer mind to do well in your academics. Some other practices for mental health that can be helpful is keeping a journal, exercising to let off steam, talking with peers, making time to hang out with people you care about, and practicing gratitude.
When you master time management, you can use the rest of your free time to have so many more fulfilling experiences that can enrich your undergraduate experience (academically and personally) that are in line with your academic career, clubs at college/university, hobbies, spending time with friends, learning something new, and so much more. The possibilities are endless. This experience is what you make of it.
The best thing about college/university is that you are learning to become a professional but also that you are growing and learning about yourself through this awesome journey. Appreciate every moment, even the harder ones because the semester flies by!
Wishing you all the best in your academic endeavors.
Some other tips:
- Always ask for help from professors, academic staff, peers, and professionals.
- Be open to new opportunities because you never know where it will lead you.
- Trust yourself and your journey.
Thank you for your answer Elizabeth, Im seeing now that college is alot of asking questions and making sure you stay healthy and motivated. Ill make sure to keep the journal in mind it sounds like a good way to formulate ideas and clear your head.
Jerry
Kevin Boeving
Tax accountant
4
Answers
St. Louis, MO
Updated
Kevin’s Answer
Hi Jerry. I think this is a fantastic question. I think learning to take care of yourself and work independently are the biggest differences between high school and college. You don't really realize all the things that your parents or others take care of for you until you get to college and have to balance doing laundry, dishes, making food, etc. with going to school, exercising, and everything else that comes with college. This is a big transition and I've known alot of people that have a hard first year of school because they haven't been on their own before and it's very easy to just think you want to go have fun and do everything you weren't allowed to do before. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you for college and everything after college is to really work on delayed gratification. If you don't go overboard as a freshman in college, it will allow you to have fun the rest of your time in college. If you study hard, take care of yourself, and don't overdue the fun things in college, you'll be setup to have more fun after college. If you take things slow and keep learning and taking care of yourself after college, you'll be able to maintain that for the rest of your life.