Getting into college is a struggle on its own, but there is so much more that I wish I knew when I first started at Saint Leo University. Going into my senior year here on University Campus there are a lot of things that I have done well, and there is also a lot that I wish I had done differently. The time you spend here at Saint Leo can either be the best four years of your life or some of the hardest, but it all comes down to what you make of it. Not that I’m an expert on this whole college thing, but there is a lot I can say as I enter my last year. Here are some things that I wish I knew when I was a freshman:
Getting Involved Makes the College Experience Much Better
I’m sure you’ve heard it from everyone, especially your parents, but it is true, getting involved is one of the most important things to do to have a great time while you’re in college. Speaking from personal experience, not getting involved can make it much harder to find friends and makes the time you spend at school a lot more boring. By joining clubs, greek life or getting a job on campus, you’ll be much busier and in turn, become much more productive and happier. I practically wasted my first two years here at Saint Leo by not doing anything, but now that I am involved it has made my whole experience great. Being busy and having responsibilities helps fill up my free time from class and helps me meet new people all the time. It is fun to be a part of something, and there are many ways to do that. I decided to get involved with the Lions’ Pride Newspaper because writing is something that I love to do. Not everyone loves to write in their free time, but luckily there are so many other things you can do around campus. Greek life is a great way to meet new people and be a part of something here on campus. All together Saint Leo offers over 70 different clubs and organizations, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find something that interests you.
Moving Away from Home is Not Always Easy
Even though it is a small campus of around 2,000 students, the population is made up of people from all over the world. You’ll meet people from all 50 states, and the Saint Leo website says that there are students from 60 different countries around the world. So for much of the population on campus, the greater Tampa area might be far away from home. Speaking as one of those people I can say that it isn’t always easy going to school so far from your family and friends back home. It is a learning curve being off on your own, but after some time it becomes second nature. The first semester of freshman year can be tough because you’ll have to meet all new people and try out college life for the first time, but by the spring, Saint Leo will feel like a second home.
Changing Majors is Completely Normal
When you first go to college, it may seem like you are stuck with the major you choose no matter if you end up liking it or not, but in reality, there are a ton of students who end up switching their field of study during their time at Saint Leo. During my first three years at school I have changed my major four times, and no that is not a joke. Initially, I thought I wanted to be a business major, but after trying out both Sports Business and International Tourism and Hospitality, I knew it wasn’t for me, so I became a Criminal Justice student, before finally realizing I wanted to study English. I had so much indecision during my first three years here, but I’m happy that I was able to try out a few different things before finding what I enjoy, and the best part is I am still on track to graduate in just four years total. The time to switch majors is when you’re an underclassman so that you have plenty of time to take all of your required classes and you don’t have to take extra time to earn your degree. Your academic advisor will be able to put you on the right path even if you want to explore different areas of study.
Try Your Best Not to Procrastinate
Being able to sit down at my desk, focus and do my work is one of the hardest parts of my day. Since I end up having so much free time outside of the classroom, I can get pretty lazy, and it becomes a real struggle when it comes to getting homework done. Even though most college students probably have an issue with this, it is so important not to leave everything until the end. I’ve come to learn that in college, most classes leave major papers and projects until the end of the semester, and yet I still end up cramming everything in during the final two weeks of the course. I tell myself every year to get ahead on what I have to do for classes, but I’m never able to listen to myself. A lot of the work in college courses can be difficult and very time consuming, so don’t let yourself fall behind or else the end of the semester won’t end up being so great. Final exams are extremely important to your overall grades, so it is more important to be studying for those instead of writing a paper you have had months to complete. Procrastination probably hit me the worst during my fall semester of freshman year, and while I still fall victim to it sometimes, I have learned to get started on things much earlier. A good trick to complete assignments that are not due for a long time is just to complete them incrementally; work on a section every week until it gets completed so that it doesn’t seem as big of a deal.
