How to Navigate College?

Answered

First, Congratulations!!

Secondly, the school should offer plenty of opportunities for advice conferences or preparation seminars (especially bc of COVID) where you can join, learn, and ask your personal questions. Another way to learn more about college, you should contact your admissions counselor either by phone or email with details about your situation and all the questions you wish to have answered. Yet another way is to look up all things on Google! (even to me, though I’m not first generation, I’m worried about my start to college as well)

I recommend the above advice first simply because every college is different and your start to college A can be something completely different than your start to college B—but they all have general college criteria that everyone can follow, and that’s the advice I’ll give here.

Not knowing can certainly be overwhelming. But generally, as a first year you’ll want to take advantage of all “welcome to college” events that the school offers; this could be orientations, back-to-education events, etc. You will likely receive all the information you know here. Furthermore, if you have MORE personal questions than that related to your education, you’ll be given a ADVISER who can help you with probably literally everything related to the that college. More tips on classes (from my vantage point as a senior in HS) are that they will be entirely independent. This means that you will be responsible for you. There won’t be second chances for “make up”. More over, some classes will be structured in such a way where there are like 4 total grades that are recorded, making up your semester grade—so pay attention to everything.

Also don’t stress too, too much—that will always be the source of the dilemma. It’s understood that undergraduates usually have rough first semesters, just trying to settle into things. But from there, your academic and life performances will only rise, no matter the start you get, because you’ll become accustomed to everything!!

Hope this helps!