College Advice: Three Tips to Help You Get Through Your First Year by Cierra

College Advice: Three Tips to Help You Get Through Your First Year by Cierra - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

I feel that it is very important to give advice to kids younger than myself especially those entering their first year of college. My grandmother once said to me that making mistakes on your own is a part of growing up, but it’s better to learn from others mistakes than to make them yourself. Obviously everyone makes mistakes and goes through tough times, but it’s good to take advice from others who have been through the same situation. Going to college has been one of the hardest adjustments for me thus far. It’s such a new world. You’re usually miles away from home and starting a completely new life.
One thing that I would tell to younger students about going to college is that it is difficult and at times you will feel like giving up, but just hold on tight because things are going to get better. I can not begin to tell you how many times I called my mother, crying. College has been the most stressful experiences that I have ever been through. There’s heartbreaks, difficult class and exams unlike any other class that you’ve ever experienced and to top it off there is the stress of being away from home. It’s a lot. At times you will want to cry and give up and that is completely ok. Trust me.
Classes and exams are a struggle. They are most likely harder than any class that you have ever taken. I breezed through high school. I managed to get all A’s without having to study too often. College is way different. They’ll have you up late. There will be many sleepless nights. You will want to toss your laptop to the side and say “Why am I even in college”. But just remember that it is all worth it. Your degree will mean so much more when you think about all the effort and hard work you put into it. When you walk across the stage and they hand you your degree you will feel so fulfilled. You may fail exams and you will not be an A student in every class. Always put your best effort forward. It’s just a part of the process, you will be fine. You will graduate.
Friends will come and go and relationships will come and go also. Do not let it stress you out. I have met so many new people in college. I have met friends that I thought would become my lifetime best friends, but we have went on separate paths already. I have also had boys who I thought were going to be “the one”, but they weren’t. All this does not matter. Keep a few close friends and having a boyfriend or girlfriend is great too, but do not lose sight of your goal. College is about making new friends and building connections, but your main goal is to focus on classes.
Sometimes I really miss home.Being away gets hard. Sometimes you’ll want a home cooked meal or to just cuddle with your dog. I get anxiety from being away from my family and my high school friends. It is really normal to feel that way. It’s important to keep in touch with people that you are close to from home. It will help you so much in the long run when you need someone to talk to or when you just need to vent. My cousin has been that person for me. I call her when I’m down and she reminds me what I am here for and what my goal is. The people that I care about from home have become my back bone in college.
You will feel like giving up,but the moral of this essay is do not stop believing in yourself. Keep a support system to remind you of how great you are and how far you will have come after this experience. College is such a huge change and at time you will want to cry your eyes out and give up. Keep pushing forward. Everyone struggles in college. Just have faith and you will make it through and after you do you will be so proud of yourself and how far you have become from being that “little freshman” in college. The four years will fly by in no time. I look back and I’m already 95% finished of my first year. Good luck and stay strong.