Five things to know before starting college

By Reagan Griffin

December 26, 2006 11:07 am

— I have found, after completing my first semester at Jones County Junior College, that there are five major things I have learned outside of the classroom, and I would like to take the time to pass my knowledge on to others who have yet to experience the joys of higher education.
1. Teachers DO take attendance. I had the same mindset as many seniors planning on going to college. I thought, “I cannot wait until I get in a university so I can go to class when I want to.” I was in for a rude awakening when I walked into my first higher education classroom and heard (to my surprise) my instructor calling out the roll. Trust me, this is an everyday occurrence.
2. Go to class. ... This is a must. Even though it is quite tempting to get that extra 20 minutes of sleep, it never fails that you end up missing the announcement for a major test or for some reason the instructor decided to take up some daily grades for no reason known to man. This is something that most have to learn the hard way.
3. Financial aid! I cannot express how important it is to fill out every form, every application and wait in every line for even a couple hundred dollars. This will help out more than you realize. One would not comprehend how much unclaimed money gets passed over every year, because the students would not take the time to apply for it.
4. Check your school e-mail. Most colleges have an e-mail set up for you the first day you get in class. All notices and meeting reminders will most likely be sent via e-mail, so it is vital that you check this every day to be sure you do not forget anything.
5. The dreaded freshmen 15. For those who are unaware of what the “freshmen 15” is, it is 15 pounds most first-year college students gain. Every student claims he or she won’t get it, but somehow, in the midst of the fist semester in college it seems to make residence on one’s waist line.
I hope this little bit of advice will help you during your first college experience. I know it would have made mine a lot better!

Reagan Griffin is a freshman at Jones County Junior College.

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