One of out fifteen. That is how many weeks of classes I have under my belt this semester.
I remember being so eager and excited to get to Iowa City to start college. Now look at me, ‘College Boy Derek’ has one week of class down. It is unreal to think about how fast time has been.
If I could sum-up the first week of classes in a phrase, it would be this: a lot. So much new info (informative or not, it is truly up to you) is thrown at you all at once. It is like you are on a one man dodgeball team and getting pelted by the playground bullies. But, instead of rubber balls, it is syllabi, club/organization invites, and yes, even homework.
To all those high school students out there, I envy you. You get to go back to school, catch up with some friends you didn’t see much this summer, and casually work your way back into the school flow.
College is exactly like that, you see when you first arrive to class yo—SIKE. Your first week of college is like…well…wait. There is a wise guy that goes by the name of Forrest Gump, he states, “Life is like a box of chocolates, ya never know what you’re gonna get.” And boy oh boy, does Forrest hit that right on the nail.
The first week of college is all crazy, all stressful, but it is all OKAY. Yes, you will get assignments on your first day of class. Yes, you will be overwhelmed with it. This is college, and I have a feeling that it is all up hill from here.
You also have to remember that you are here for school. Yes, it is easy to get distracted with the beautiful campus, your friends, and food. Yes, I find the food to be distracting because it is so good. Anyways, you should treat school like it is your job. The reason I say that is because the University of Iowa is big on, “You’ll get out what you put in.”
Long story made short, if you work hard you will be rewarded. Iowa has so many opportunities in store for everyone. Find your passion and stick with it.
Yes, the first week of college is stressful. I feel like I can’t stress that enough, no pun intended. BUT, it can also be super fun, only if you make it.
My focus is mainly to treat school like a job. This means from 8 a.m. to about 4 or 5 p.m., school is the main priority. This obviously depends on your schedule, but as of now this is what works for me.
After you ‘clock out’, the rest of the day is up to you. Spend it wisely!
Okay, back to the point. The first week of classes is a blur. Don’t be intimidated of this blur for it is super manageable. I truly do enjoy being in a routine day in and day out.
I already mentioned it, but I cannot emphasize this enough. YOUR SYLLABUS WILL BE YOUR BEST FRIEND. Wow, I never thought I would ever type such a sentence, but I did. Your syllabus or syllabi, will entail what your course will be touching on throughout the semester. This is way different from high school due to the fact that you had little to no idea what you’d be hitting on during your class. In college, your whole semester is already planned out. If you want to get a head start and do your homework that is due two weeks ahead, go for it!
I’m pretty sure I covered all that the first week has to offer/throw at you. Don’t take my word for it though, everyone’s experience will be different. That is something that Iowa prides itself on; everyone’s experience is different. Embrace your experience, it will truly be one of a kind!