You have spent endless hours shopping for necessities and even more time packing them up and loading the car; you have driven however far to school, unloaded, and unpacked...now what? Do you simply wait for the leaves to fall, the snow to pile, and the flowers to finally bloom again so you can return to the comforts of home? Not exactly. You learn...a lot about yourself and even more about other subjects.

Instead of going to see your guidance counselor to discuss what classes you need to take, you have the option of meeting with your adviser to pick the classes you want to take. Keep in mind that there is still a list of classes that you need to take in order to graduate, but generally, when you decide to take these classes are up to you. If you are a morning person you can choose morning classes, or night owls can take night classes-that's right, you can choose class times too (assuming they are offered at a time you want).

In the process of registration, you should make sure they choose classes and/or professors they like (or can at least tolerate), because you are going to be stuck with them for the duration of the class. They are not going to wake you up in the morning, nor are they going to care whether you show up to class or not. They also are not going to care if you miss an assignment or fail a test. College is a place to demonstrate your independence. You get yourself up and ready to go to class, you do your assignments, and you study for tests. If you do not understand something, you ask for help. It is no longer up to Mom, Dad, the principal, or the guidance counselor...you make your own decisions.

High school is basically like the game memory. You look at a bunch of cards (textbooks), you flip them over and try to remember where you are (studying), and when all of the cards have been matched up the person with the most matches wins (test/grade). College on the other hand, is preparing you for life. The goal here is not just to memorize things, though you will have to do so for tests, but to carry something away from class to use out in the real world. You chose your major because it is the field you wish to work in, so it necessary to carry knowledge from college to that field in order to obtain and hold the job you want. You are going to have to work to make this happen. You will have to go to class, you will have to study, and you will have to do it on your own. If you need help, do not be afraid to ask for it. You make the grade now, not your parents or guardian; it is up to you.

In high school, most students tend to follow a routine which includes: go to school, participate in after school activities (sports, clubs, etc), go home, eat dinner, do homework, go to bed. No one is making you keep that schedule anymore, though you should. When you are don classes, use your free time to get your work done. Do not put everything off until the last minute. Join organizations for more than just something to list on your resume...do it for fun. While the main purpose of college is to get an education, that does not mean you cannot have fun in the process. Just learn to manage your time, and have at it.

In case you have not noticed a pattern by now, the main difference between high school and college is...that's right, YOU. Leaving home and heading off to college is a scary experience, but you can survive the challenge. Choose wisely, budget your time and money, and be careful...you will be fine.

Learn more about this author, Manda Sanko.
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