MatchingPreparing for College: Insights from My Freshman Year[A] If you’re a young person who will be transitioning from high school to college soon, you’re probably wondering what to expect and how to prepare for this new chapter of your life. I recently finished my first year of college and it wasn’t what I expected, but at the same time it was everything that I expected.[B] I am a student at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, which is a small school of around 5,000 students. Staff and students are very friendly, everyone holds the door for you, and professors actually know your name! When it came time to decide on a college, I picked CNU because it is a small school, which means that I am not just another face in class, or another paper to grade. My professors and classmates know me. I also chose CNU because it is close enough to my family but not too close, so I can be independent but still go home for a weekend or a holiday. Plus, the campus is gorgeous! After one year of college, I’m happy to say CNU has become my home away from home.[C] When I first started college, I was extremely nervous. Although I knew I had picked the right school, it was still nerve-racking going through drastic changes in such a short amount of time. Something made me less nervous though — it was knowing that every freshman felt the same way! The people that I was surrounded by were going through the same changes that I was, so there was less pressure on me to act like I wasn’t anxious.[D] My college class work was actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be in the sense that I got a lot more help than I anticipated. Most of my assignments involved writing papers. My professors offered to read over our drafts, critique them, and talk it over so we understood what they wanted. Teaching styles are completely different in college. In high school, I was used to getting homework from every teacher, every night, so if I failed a test, the homework grades would keep me from failing. This wasn’t the case in my college classes. Some professors only gave me tests while other teachers gave me thousands of assignments. That being said, college class work is not like high school. Busy work is rare, or perhaps even non-existent. College is meant to make you think, explore, and come up with new ideas. That is how people learn, and what I personally prefer.[E] In addition to taking college classes, I also had a job during my first year. Across the street from campus, there is a Rita’s Italian Ice store. My good friend was already working there and told me that the owner was holding a job fair in the next week. I contacted the owner, because unfortunately I couldn’t make it to the fair, but he allowed me to turn in my application and have an interview. Within a week I was hired.[F] Working and being a student is difficult. Even though I had practice balancing a job and school work in high school (I worked as a lifeguard for a community center), the experience was different in college. I had to learn to manage my time differently because my class schedules and the amount of time I needed to set aside for assignments for each class differed greatly from what it was like in high school. Luckily, I only worked 2 to 4 nights a week, and each shift was only 2 to 3 hours long, which is a perfect amount of work for a student like me who just wants to earn some extra cash.[G] Based on my freshman experience, I have some tips for those who are preparing to start their freshman year this Fall: .Get out of your comfort zone — I know it is hard (I am definitely an introvert (个性内向者) and I like to keep to myself), but college is about experiencing things that you never have, and that you may not have the opportunity to again. Do something you would never think you would do in a million years! You might just find a new hobby or a new career path.Go to campus events — There are so many fun things on campus to do that cost little to no money! Sports games, club events, concerts — they are all a good time to relax, hang out with friends, and have fun!Get help from professors — If you have a question and don’t want to ask it in front of the class, go to your professor after class, before class, or during his office hours. Professors are there to help you; use them as a resource to get assistance.Get multiple people to read your papers — It gives you a better chance of catching mistakes and getting a good grade!Watch your schedule — Even though it is very easy to go to every campus activity and hang out with your friends all day, remember that you are mainly at college to learn. Go to class, get some sleep, and study too. You can find helpful tips on time management and study skills online.Call home often — I don’t necessarily mean every day, but once a week or once every other week is good. Contacting your family will ease your mind and make you feel more comfortable in the choices that you make.Volunteer somewhere — Volunteering gives people great experiences and great opportunities for personal growth. You may also find something that you really enjoy and you may find a different career path you want to pursue! Find out if your college has an office of student service or volunteering. You can also search for local volunteer opportunities online.Connect with Career Services — Most colleges have a Career Services Center that provides students with connections to employers in the community. Some of these opportunities include jobs off campus, job shadowing opportunities, and internships. The center also hosts career fairs and provides interview coaching and resume assistance. Don’t wait until your senior year to get connected with these services!Know your limits — I waited until my second semester to get a job, because I wanted to ease into college life and determine how much time I actually had for a job before committing to one. Also, remember how much sleep you need to function for the next day and know when it is time to stop hanging out with your friends and time for studying.[H] College is not like high school where your reputation follows you from year to year. Each year is different and each year you will change whether it’s because of a class you took, a friend you meet, or an event you went to once. College is all about finding yourself and experiencing change.Each of the following statements contains information given in one of the paragraphs of the passage above. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter in each blank.____ 1. The writer feels it is important for college students to engage in work where one can offer one’s services willingly and without pay.____ 2. The writer felt the workload of his part-time job was just right.____ 3. College life helps a student to identify himself and undergo changes.____ 4. When the writer first attended college, he felt comforted by the fact that like him, other new students also went through difficult times adjusting to college life.____ 5. An important reason the writer chose CNU was that students could get more personal attention in a small college.____ 6. The nature of assignments at college was different from those in high school as college work allowed more space for exploration and creativity.____ 7. The writer had a part-time job in his freshman year at a store not far from campus.____ 8. The writer developed a strong sense of attachment to the college he attended after a year’s study.____ 9. College life was very different, but was just what the writer was looking forward to.____ 10. A piece of advice given by the writer was that some personal changes need to be made to venture out to do things that one has never done.